Album Notes

Matthew Kocel is dedicated to the global awakening of humanity and healing the Earth through sacred sound.
An internationally renowned throat singer and sound healer, he has performed for audiences across North America since 1997.
Matthew has been deeply moved by music since childhood; he played a variety of instruments in his formative years. As a young adult he pursued his artistic expression as a bass player and vocalist in progressive rock bands.
In 1989 a portal opened when Matthew heard a recording of Tibetan monk's overtone chanting. After 10 years of listening and attempting to mimic the deep harmonic overtones produced by the Tibetans, Matthew was finally able to reproduce similar sounds with his own voice.
Before long he began to realize that harmonic chanting combined with focused intention -- what he calls "holding space" for a group -- holds a potential for transforming consciousness and balancing the human energetic system.

What began as a meditation circle in his home has blossomed into international audiences. People consistently say they experience deep meditative states, waves of healing energy, even profound visions while listening to his music.

Matthew's vocal sound is a unique blend of Tibetan and Tuvan throat singing with Euro-American overtone chant -- creating multiple overtones that seem to rise up from the depths of the heart, taking you on a journey back to Source.




Album review by Brent Cole
Whats Up! Magazine
Bellingham, Washington
May 2009

It's a rare treat to be able to listen to a local artist that is truly and without question, unique. Bellingham's music scene has long been known for its diversity, but no one quite like Matthew Kocel has ever been part of the rich tapestry.

A recent transplant to the Bellingham area, Kocel's sound is derived in a large part from Tuvan or Overtone throat singing a unique style of singing "in which the singer manipulates the resonances created as air travels from the lungs, past the vocal folds, and out the lips to produce a melody" (according to Wikipedia). The sound produced is reminiscent of a didgeridoo, but with a more full and engulfing sound.

On his most recent recording, The Vision, Kocel forgoes any synthesized sounds and focuses on soft, meditative instruments that are used to bring rhythm to the gentle rumble of Kocel's singing. Within minutes of listening to the recording, a sense of relief naturally occurs within the body (the songs are meant to do) to say the songs are beautiful would be to short change their sound. They are a force and a presence on top of a soothing essence.

In truth, no reviewer can describe Kocel with any great accuracy his music is simply is something that needs to be heard and experienced. There's a transcendental beauty to Kocel's album that is best enjoyed while in meditation (or, for this reviewer, acupuncture).

Matthew Kocel's disc is a thing of spiritual beauty, bringing a whole new dimension to an already rich tapestry.