I'm Bram Larrick, and my Yoga Music Blog is focused on World Fusion flavored ChillOut, Downtempo and Ambient genres of music.

You will find a growing collection of brief recommendations and comments on some of the best in these styles, often called Yoga Music.

There are probably as many definitions of Yoga Music as there are people listening to it, so here's what you'll find here.

Music with exotic acoustic world instruments such as the tabla, doumbek, ezraj, duduk, and bamboo flutes, usually blended with some tasty electronica, often with vocal chants in Sanskrit or some other non-English language, layered with multi-cultural grooves and world-trance rhythms. (examples: Desert Dwellers, Prem Joshua, Kaya Project, Rasa, etc.)

At times we'll also review Kirtan and other World Fusion Devotional Music. (examples: Jai Uttal, Dave Stringer, Deva Premal...)

If you have some favorite World Fusion, Ethno Chillout or good Yoga Music that you think should be represented here, drop me an email or leave a comment on one of the blog posts. [Access the Yoga Music Blog]

World Fusion Music | World Ethno Fusion

World Fusion (World Ethno Fusion or Global Fusion) is what I call a genre of music that is also often called Yoga Music.

It falls within the Downtempo, or Chillout genres, but in addition to electronica, it generally adds in some of the exotic world music acoustic sounds of India, Southeast Asia, the Middle East and others.

Blending in such evocative instruments as tabla, doumbek, ezraj, duduk, bamboo flutes, vocal chants, and many more, with the synthesized electronic sounds creates the unique flavors of this genre. Stir in some eastern scales for the melodies and you have World Fusion.

Yoga Music

Yoga music goes beyond just music that is listened to while doing yoga, it is the soundtrack for a lifestyle. I would suggest that yoga music encompasses all of the genre definitions listed here. My favorite yoga music blends exotic instruments from around the word with downtempo or ambient electronica, but for others, yoga music could be solo acoustic guitar or piano.

The one thing that comes to mind when I think of good yoga music is an emotional connection. Music that moves my heart and mind, as well as my body, is what good yoga music is to me.

Downtempo Music

Downtempo (also called Downbeat) is an electronic music style that is similar in many ways to ambient music, but it usually has more of a noticeable rhythmic infused groove with drums and percussion. Downtempo serves as an umbrella term that can include many other styles that usually fall within 50 to 90 beats per minute. (such as Chill or Chillout, Lounge, etc.)

Downtempo generally has a hypnotic or trance inducing groove made up of rhythmic beats and melodic motifs that repeat in various forms throughout the track.

It's not easy to define Downtempo music in words as it encompasses a wide range of styles and genres, but those familiar with it know it when they hear it.

Chillout or Chill Out Music

Chillout (also called chill, chill out, or chill-out) is a laid back, mellow, slow-tempo music, usually with juicy, emotional rhythms and melody motifs. Many feel Chillout is a way of being, not just a musical label.

Chillout is believed to have originated in the early nineties in "Chillout rooms" set off to the side of dance floors to give attendees a place to take a break from the pulsing dance beat and "chillout" with a more relaxing vibe.

Chillout is a genre label that includes many other sub-genres such as smooth electronica, hybrids of techno, some new age, and many other kinds of music, but chillout is one of the more popular genre labels for this music.

Buddha Bar or Buddha Lounge Chillout Music

Buddha Lounge music is pretty much synonymous with my definition of good Yoga Music.

Buddha Lounge music is a term most likely coined from a style of music brought to awareness through the popular Buddha Bar series of CD sets. The series was created by DJ and Buddha Bar (Paris, France) founder Claude Challe who compiled and produced the first two albums.

Blending together many instruments and influences from around the world, Buddha Lounge music offers up supremely chilled multi-cultural grooves and world-trance rhythms.

The result is an ethno-ambient mystical fusion that has influenced artists and fans the world over.

(I first heard music from Buddha Bar one afternoon during lunch at the restaurant Ku De Ta on the beach in Kuta, Bali. When we asked our waiter what it was, what we heard was, "Budaba". We spent the rest of the afternoon going from shop to shop asking if anyone had "Budaba". Finally, the proprieter of a tiny music store on Legian street pulled out a CD and we read, Buddha Bar. So much for our grasp of the local language.)

 

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Yoga Music Through the Ages

Music in Ancient Yoga Ashrams

Yoga has been around for possibly 5,000 or more years. Patanjali organized existing yoga techniques into one, systematized text, The Yoga Sutras, over 2,000 years ago, and it is clear that it existed well before that.

As depicted in ancient artwork found in yoga ashrams, music has been used in and around yoga, from early on. The styles have changed, but most practitioners would agree that Yoga music is a part of their practice on the mat, and of their lifestyle off the mat.

Yoga Music Through the Ages

Classical Indian music which likely evolved from the early beginnings of Vedic chants and mantras, was performed as a full sadhana (a spiritual practice), as the musicians sought to go deeper into the performance of the music until they became one with the vibrational energy of the musical moment.

Yoga Music in Contemporary Practice

Modern yoga training uses music for meditation, relaxation and to provide an environment in support of the asanas (yoga positions). Today's yoga music comes in many forms, and is often a reflection of the preferences of the yoga teacher. Currently there are a number of Web sites devoted to posting Yoga Music playlists of various teachers so their students can find the music they have been enjoying during practice. I would go so far as to suggest that, increasingly, in addition to skill and method, a great yoga music mix is a compelling reason to choose and stay with a certain yoga teacher.

Types of yoga music popular for modern yoga include, but are not limited to, the following:

Mantra chanting & Bhajans (Indian devotional songs) which can invoke the desired mood and help take practitioners out of their thinking minds.

Kirtan (often call-and-response devotional chanting) which can be recordings played during practice or performed live as a group at other times.

Electronic Kirtan (or Kirtronica) is becoming very popular as many of the well known Kirtan artists release remixed albums of their chants. adding downtempo grooves and electronic textures. This also brings devotional music to the dance floor where yogis and yoginis can move their bodies to their favorite conscious yoga music artists.

World Fusion (World Ethno or Global Fusion) The first popular world fusion I can remember was the Beatles adding the sitar into some of their songs in the 60s. After that, many popular artists incorporated exotic world instruments into their songs. Today World Fusion is a genre where East and West meet, resulting in the multi-cultural blend of grooves, timings and melodies of such artists as, Desert Dwellers, Prem Joshua, 1 Giant Leap, Anoushka Shankar, Karsh Kale, Chinmaya Dunster, Donna DeLory, Kaya Project, Rasa, and Kirby Shelstad, to name just a few that come to mind. Any of this can be considered yoga music.

Everything is Music

A line from my favorite Rumi poem goes, "We have fallen into the place where everything is music."

At it's essence, everything is music. The physical and non-physical world is all waves and vibration, resonating at varying frequencies. Just because we can't hear all of it doesn't mean it's not making beautiful music on some ethereal plane.

The music we can hear affects us in many ways, which is why it has been used for everything from a call to battle to seduction. Because of music's powerful impact, we can use it to our advantage in our yoga practice and in our yoga lifestyle.

Choosing Your Yoga Music

There is no definitive "good yoga music," it is a personal choice like music for any occasion. A little investigation will lead you to the kind of Yoga music that is perfect for you. I will continue to offer up suggestions in my Yoga Music Blog, and other Web sites are doing the same with more on the way all the time. Most local yoga teachers have yoga music playlists that they feel work for their particular needs, and most will willingly share them.

While Yoga Music is still a young genre that is taking form in our ears, minds and hearts, it can only evolve into a musical genre that becomes more evocative and reflective of where we are as appreciators of this art form.

© Copyright 2010 - Bram Larrick - worldfusionlounge.com

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