Delerium

Item: Karma
Author: David Reynolds

Karma

(1997)

Reviewed by David Reynolds

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Label Nettwerk RecordsThe Blue Star Journal July 1997July 1997

ambient electronic new age world

Delerium is the combined efforts of Bill Leeb and Rhys Fulber who are better known as the driving force behind the industrial rave band Front Line Assembly. I doubt that fans of FLA are going to find much to like here, but the album does provide some interesting listening for fans of ambient/trance/world music.

I've heard Delerium compared to Enigma. There is a resemblance in the mixture of chants, strange instruments and gothic overtones with dance beats. As a matter of fact, the only negative thing about Karma is Leeb and Fulber's insistence on adding a dance back beat to every tune. However, I found this album to be a much more sophisticated and satisfying listen than anything I've heard from Enigma.

Samples abound on this collection. The Baka Forest Pygmies, Dead Can Dance, Djivan Gasparyan and Ritual Music of the Kayapo - Yikken, Brazil are all sampled here. Guest vocalists, all female, keep things interesting, too. Sarah McLachlan, Kristy Thirsk, Camille Henderson and Jacqui Hunt all contribute vocals. Monastic chants were even recorded live for this effort.

The disc does offer a surprising amount of spiritual influence and imagery. The artwork for the disc prominently features a cross and an angelic-looking being. Of course, there is also some Sanskrit-like markings on the cover and throughout the accompanying booklet.

Lyrically the songs exhibit a great deal of spiritual phrases like "Heaven holds a sense of wonder" (from "Silence") and "How I've loved and I have served and I have sinned but I have learnt" (from "Euphoria"). There is also a very sad song that speaks to the futility of suicide ("Wisdom": "Life seemed a fair sacrifice for peace.")

I'm not saying this is in any way a "Christian" release. I get a very general feeling of "new age" spirituality mixing aspects of Christianity, Eastern mysticism and Hinduism. But, I am also a firm believer in taking something like this and making it your own. If you can listen to this, or anything else, and feel closer to God, then use it in that manner.

Delerium is on that right track. If they could get over their obsession with dance music, they might just make a brilliant album. Nevertheless, Karma is a pleasant listen.