Global fusion electronica with a rich sonic palette and powerful rhythms. The Modern Electronic Karma Sutra brings together a variety of colorful global vocalization and instrumentation and a wide range of vibrant synthesizer sound. The electronic aspects are doubtless the foundation of the music - dramatic themes led by exotic melodic tones, underneath liquid arpeggios bubble and squelch softened by the broad spreading textures of smooth swells and light floating washes. Indeed Kaske's employment of current sound synthesis is masterful and absorbing in itself. Embellishing the main structures are a wealth of international performances and samples - Indian female vocals, Pygmy calls, tribal chants, Chinese er-hu, finger cymbals along with some soulful brass and wordless singing. Beats on the album are frequently a fusion of deft programming and global percussion loops - tablas and other hand drums along with twinkling metallics and bells.
The mood is one of theatrical vibrancy - strident beats drive romantic compositions with lush layers of synthetic-organic tone where different world flavors gracefully appear and perform almost like characters in a dream pageant. The sound is one of many interwoven layers and of deeply saturated color that calls to mind the colored lights and bold make-up of the stage. Many passages have an oriental feel - not simply because of the use of Eastern samples, but the synthetic voices and the musical modes chosen work together to evoke the atmosphere and mythos of distant Asia.
The CD comes in a two panel glossy digipak with a 32 page booklet. The imagery throughout the package is primarily taken from original Indian source material - a series of hand drawn illustrations. The front cover presents an embracing couple framed in double decorative borders with the simple title 'The Modern Electronic Karmasutra'. The reverse contains the only musical information - a track list with full times, all composing, performing and programming credited to Stephan Kaske, contact details are here also. Within all remaining space is given over to pictures and information from the source material.
