Soma

***SOMA (Sacred Order of Mystic Apogees) is a group of musicians from central New Jersey who gather together to create eclectic devotional music. The members are multi-instrumentalists who play a blend of meditative soundscapes woven together with traditional Indian kirtan* music and inspired folk songs. SOMA builds on this traditional framework and incorporates amplified instrumentation and other added components to create an entirely new sonic experience. The result is a psychedelic tapestry of esoteric mantras, dynamic rhythms, and devotional prayers. As you will hear on Burning is Learning, each song, vibration, and drone is treated with the utmost reverence, attention, and respect—all of which acknowledge SOMA’s link in an unbroken chain to the ancient sounds. It’s a heady and heavy experience. It’s celebratory and reflective. The album is a unique approach to sounds that have been resonating for thousands of years. With roots in the DIY hardcore punk and metal scenes of their home state, the combination of traditional instrumentation (harmonium, tanpur, and mridanga, for example) with their modern sense of heaviness is quite profound. SOMA’s live performances are as intense as their recordings, landing them in temples, churches, concert halls, bars, and even cremation grounds. Plans to tour are in the works. Burning is Learning is a reference to the Sanatana Dharma belief that cremation can help the soul achieve moksha, freedom from the eternal cycle of life, death, and rebirth. The album was recorded with Phil Caivano (Monster Magnet) at Studio 13 and Shorefire Recording Studios and mastered by John McBain (Monster Magnet, Wellwater Conspiracy, Desert Sessions). For listeners who enjoy everything from Alice Coltrane, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, and Debashish Bhattacharya to OM and Mahavishnu Orchestra.