CD Review – Songs to the Earth, by Annette Cantor

The primal and tribal power of ancient chants and hymns live on in Annette Cantor’s Songs to the Earth.

The German-born and Vienna-trained Cantor combines her powerful and earthy vocalization of Gregorian chants with Native American flute, cello, didgeridoo, tribal drums, and other voices to create a formidable musical alchemy that perfectly symbolizes the raw energy of the planet.

The combination of Cantor’s voice and the other instruments and voices, especially the tribal drums, creates a ritualistic effect that’s almost hypnotic in its pulsating rhythmic beats.

The juxtaposition of the European traditions of chant and cello with the American Southwest sound of the Native American flute especially creates an interesting hybrid that at once conjures age-old mysticism while setting the stage for new realms of sonic experience.

This is a perfect CD for reflecting on your own connection with nature and terra firma.

--Raj Manoharan