
Conceived in the cultural cellars of Bangkok, Thailand, and Geneva,
Switzerland, this 9-track LP by Jerome, aka ‘Yantra Mandir’ and ‘The
Dude of Stratosphear’, casts a wide net over experimental meditative
ambient music, progressive drone, Brahmanic accents, and ritual
oscillations.
Together, this work represents a 20 year journey in Geneva of musical
production, artistic expression, and the melting pot of experiences
fused with the rich legacy of Indian spiritual sounds.
The LP is partly a collaboration between five close collaborators, each
contributing a single sound to complete the multiculti jigsaw, and
partly comprised of field recordings of Bopa musicians from Rajasthan,
in northern India. Added to the confluence are intricate layers of
electric bass and electronic vibrations.
The name derives from ancient Sanskrit words emblematic of the
overarching sound. Yantra is the Sanskrit word for mystical diagrams
found in the Tantric traditions of the Indus Valley. These diagrams are
used to worship dieties at home or in temples, as a meditation aid, and
to activate the various benefits and occult powers as defined by Hindu
astrological and Tantric texts.
Mandir is the Sanskrit word for a place in which a still mind and soul
float freely search of life, peace, joy, and comfort. For centuries, the
mandir has remained the nexus of a community where people forget their
differences and voluntarily unite.
Presented on a double gatefold, 180 gram vinyl, and limited to 300
copies, “Garden of Reality” is the musical meeting point between Europe,
Southeast Asia, and India - and everything in between from past,
present, and future.