Album Notes

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Sympatiko, a word meaning "sympathetic" or "on the same wavelength," is a fitting description for what Oykalo Hamill and Joao Junqueira have accomplished, united in a musical language that spans three continents. In blending sounds and textures that move through India, Brazil, and Native America, they have seamlessly crafted disparate elements into beautiful and engaging songs. Inspired by great songwriters and the music of their Brazilian and Native American ancestors, they have created a body of work that is old and new, colorful and captivating; a true original.

"Colored Star," a song about transcendence, takes the listener on a journey of longing and surrender. In the soaring chorus the listener is carried away. "Will you shine down on me? Lift me up and take me in- all my life I've wanted to go home." The song moves from languid and softly articulated passages into a furious percussion section layered with Native American vocals, Indian vocal phrases, and driving guitar by Joao Junqueira.

The second track, "Of Wind and Water" is about finding freedom from the things that separate; moving through walls constructed in the mind. "Come to rest on reflections drawn in silence. Free at last from a future made of past." The music follows the words in dynamic movements that culminate in the chorus with a simple but glorious "One". This is followed by sweet and unexpected strings that send the song to an even higher plane before coming to a soft and gentle end.

"Thunders Whisper," the third track on the CD, is about how the subtle nuances of life can get lost in the noise and urgency of our modern world. Listening for that subtle strand of sound that speaks to all of us the song calls out, "Thunder becomes a whisper. Can you hear it now? Quiet down! Over clouds, underground, it lives right here and now; Eternal sound." The Indian influences are most apparent in the verse and pre-chorus sections with tamboura, tabla, and vocal stylings rendered beautifully by Oykalo Hamill.

By creating a truly original record, Sympatiko may be giving us a glimpse into the future of music. A future less constrained by the confines of geography and culture in a world that grows increasingly closer. Sympatiko will take you on a journey around that world, on a musical exploration of our collective oneness.