Album Notes

Mystical Soundscapes is a colorful and diverse voyage through a kaleidoscope of world musical influences that coalesce in a sound totally unique. Gifted multi-instrumentalist, arranger, singer/songwriter and self-professed mystic Vince Abdul Kabir has cooked up a hypnotic trance-like pastiche of sound from ambient Near and Far Eastern influences to jazzy and more contemporary tracks. This is very rhythmic music using a combination of hand drums and electronic beats. In O.G., he even gets on the traps himself and creates a be bop soundscape doubling up on piano and guitar that would make you think a whole band is playing. Kabir is a native of Chicago though his family hails from New Orleans where he spent part of his life. Delta Sunrise pays homage to those roots, while songs like Menagerie and Banjitar Raga are testament to his extensive travels in the Middle East and Asia Minor. This album is sure to impress lovers of new age music but does not stop there. While some of it is meditative and relaxing it quickly becomes exuberant and bold as well, fusing elements of psychedelic rock on songs like "Kush" and "Hu Knows?" which also features some highly imaginative and thoughtful lyrics. A host of talented guest musicians are featured on saxophone, djembe and conga, bass and vocalise. Kabir now resides in Berkeley, California and is also a member of Bay Area roots and folk band Caravan.