Released
1998

Label
Paleo Music

Reviewed by
Kim Alexander

Contact
Conrad Praetzel



Last Edit/Update
27 June, 1999

Conrad Praetzel

Receive
"An East/West Blend Of Spirit And Groove"

Track Listing

1. Devi
2. I Am What I Am
3. Tarana
4. Ropes And Ladders
5. Eternal Life
6. Ferryman
7. Jogan
8. Elder Days
9. Fish That Walk On Land

Receive features sufi vocalist Sukhawat Ali Khan,
multi-instrumentalist Solomon Feldthouse
(from the legendary '60s band Kaliedescope) with
guitarist Robert Powell and female vocalist Sachiko Kanenobu.

    As the sub-title suggests, "Receive" is a journey into the blends of traditional eastern beats, vocals, and instruments. It is beautifully serene in part with the sitar and dobro work, and tasty in terms of electronic synth treatments and sampling as in the opening track, "Devi", "Tarana", "Eternal Life" [great flute and sufi vocals], and the generously percussion and sufi vocal oriented work on "Jogan."
    "I Am What I Am" has a bit more jazzy edge to it, choppy rhythm guitar, and a mini sermon of a man informing the listener that "you are what you are, and give me some of your spirit..."  with Sachiko Kanenobu and her clearly angelic vocals chiming in near the end of the piece.
    One of the more outstanding tracks in terms of spagetti East-meets-West is "Ropes And Ladders," as electric and pedal steel guitar [Robert Powell] accent the whirring exotic beats and drifts acapella, *excellent*!
    "Ferryman" takes a turn on the CD from the rest of the tracks to a garbled somewhat chaotic injection of vocals [or sampled vocals?] which sounds like a mesmerizing mantric chant.
    Again the angelic vocals of Sachiko Kanenobu abound on "Elder Days", sweet and tempting beats accompany Sukhawat Ali's voice mixed with a healthy dose of programming and spacious bubbling synth work. The final track is a melodic electronic piece that waxes and wanes as gently as the moon in cycle. Termed by many "world music", Conrad and friends have created an original and extremely warm and inviting release with "Receive."

Releases by Conrad Praetzel
Between Present and Past (Scarlet Records1990)
Myths and Memories  (Paleo Music 1993)
EnTrance (Paleo Music 1995)
Receive (Paleo Music Nov 1998)

The Scarlet release is out of print,
but might be re-released in the future.

Myths and EnTrance were both named to The Absolute Sound magazine's Super CD List,1998, and have been played extensively on the
NPR [National Public Radio] program Echoes.