MANDALA
PLANET
DANCE OF SARASVATI
SCOPE
CHANT FROM THE HEART
CRYSTAL TEARS
WINDS OF YOUTH
KOKORO

all songs written and arranged by KITARO
orchestrated by Randy Miller

additional musicians:
Seiho Miyazaki: shakuhachi
Yoshi Shimada: drums
Angus Clark: guitar
John De Faria: guitar
Jonathan Goldman: chanting & percussion
Keiko Matsubara: chanting & percussion
Nawang Khechog: universal horn, chanting, flute
Ty Burhoe: tabla
Ryusuke Seto: biwa
Yoko Cannon: koto
Mochi Orchestra

Spiritual symphonic psychedelic rock album. Containing wide range of dynamism which can be heard on KITARO-san's live show and also on last few albums after THE LIGHT OF THE SPIRIT, and containing KITARO Music's direction after the end of 1980s (using string orchestra which can be heard on few albums after KOJIKI, etc. etc.), this album also has obvious psychedelic improvisations which can be heard for the first time in some previous albums. Almost half of this album has the arrangement which features psychedelic improvisation, and leads listeners to trance feelings and makes them "trip". This kind of improvisations were often there on KITARO-san's early albums (but usually can be heard in his live show, so there is no "long time no see" impressions), but this album's sound around the improvisations is symphonic rock with wide range of dynamism. Opening track "MANDALA" has close atmosphere to Pink Floyd's before early 1970s, and even the songs which have pop impressive melodies (like "DANCE OF SARASVATI") contain psychedelic improvisations. "WINDS OF YOUTH" is so psychedelic song that this song is completely suited to the atmosphere of KITARO-san's albums like "TEN KAI" ASTRAL TRIP or FROM THE FULL MOON STORY, even if being included in those early albums.

Anyway, what a thrilling tensions!! Since the reason for these tensions might be... this album is the KITARO-san's very first album from DOMO RECORDS whose main artist is KITARO-san (this album might be the very first release of whole DOMO RECORDS catalogue), this album obviously has huge spirit and incredible thrilling feeling. At the same time, this album has vivid "KITARO-san's typical flow represented through an album".

This album's credit says "All instruments and Guitars played by: KITARO". This is the only case in KITARO-san's whole discography that KITARO-san indicates the particular one instrument (this time, guitar) on credit. As this is telling, this album MANDALA features electric guitar MOST in KITARO-san's whole discography. And mostly the sound of electric guitar has distortion effect and is roaring loud. But this is NO surprise, because KITARO-san was originally a guitarist and this kind of roaring distorted electric guitar can be heard so much in KITARO-san's usual live show. It should be said that "KITARO-san did the same when he recorded in his studio!!".

This is the masterpiece which has much of usual KITARO live's musical directions and atmosphere. And in the details, there are many colours of sound from many kinds of instruments (which seems hard to perform live exactly the same as on this album) and this album's colourfulness is so rich. Of course, good album for those who is new to KITARO Music.

the feeling & the current of usual KITARO live. And also this album has the rich colourfulness of sound by using many kinds of instruments which it seems impossible to perform exactly the same on live performance.

Both this album and TUNHUANG album contain the song entitled "MANDALA", but they are different songs.

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