from UK’s the Guardian
by Robin Denselow
Sheela Bringi was brought up in Colorado, the daughter of a professor of Hinduism, Sanskrit and yoga studies, and has developed a subtle musical fusion in which Hindu devotional chants are reworked with influences that range from jazz and blues to Balkan brass. It succeeds because she is respectful of the original material and is an excellent musician, matching her cool, clear vocals against her skills on the harp, harmonium and bansuri bamboo flute. The western influences come from her producer, Clinton Patterson, who adds thoughtful jazz trumpet and bluesy guitar. Elsewhere, the backing includes anything from wailing drone effects to carefully muted drum’n’bass. The mood is often gently hypnotic, as with the harp-backed Bhajamana Ram, but on Buffalo-Demon Slayer she uses Indian thavil drums, saxophone, clarinet and trumpet for a rousing exploration of the links between India and the Balkans.