The trio of Deva Premal, Miten, and Manose clearly have evolved beyond prior devotional levels in their music with their CD “Password.” They are making music history coupling Miten’s lush jazz arrangements with Deva Premal’s rich vocals and Manose Bansuri flute. Jazz players bring a fresh sensibility and interpretation to the trio’s signature sound. Password remains rooted in mantra chants traditions, yet manages to appeal to modern ears.

Miten, who grew up in the 1960’s counterculture of England, recalls it as a ‘time of innocence, a time when you sensed the possibility that life had no boundaries.’ That spirit comes alive in Password, where it is combined with the laughter he shares with his partner Deva Premal. Mangalam slowly ascends with an inexorable forward climb to a pinnacle that combines Manose Bansuri flute with Miten’s sitar and Premal’s otherworldly vocals. Shyam follows and it’s a whole new sound, a mantra that grooves. You want to get up and move your body. Om Dhara is another eclectic track; it’s been called ‘reggae from the heart of the Buddha.’ Manose’s merry Bansuri dances and skitters, providing a gentle percussion you feel in your gut. Narasimba is more traditional, an invocation in gratitude, while Aham Prema is a prayer of devotion in its pure form, repeated 108 times. The CD concludes with a sultry call from Hindu mythology’s Radha to her Krishna, longing for her lover saturating every note Premal sings. Password is indeed a fresh sound to an ancient tradition appealing to all ears. –

• Password’s tracks: Mangalam, Shyam, Sri Nanda-Nandanastakam, Narasimha, Mere Gurudev, Nandana Gopal, Om Dhara, Aham Prema, Shyam (Prabhu mix).
• Danish producer RajRishi brings Copenhagen’s premier jazz players into the album.
• On Password you find Premal’s soulful vocals complemented by musically refined arrangements.
• Nepal’s Bansuri maestro Manose lends his artistry to Passwords chants.
• You’ll find a wealth of enjoyment in listening to the vocals on Deva Premal’s Password.