Radhika Vekaria’s Warriors of Light reminds me that iconoclasts are still on the scene. Mavericks who follow their occasionally wayward Muse wherever she may lead. This one-of-a-kind singer/songwriter and performer’s latest collection disdains facile entertainment. Instead, I hear a deeply spiritual human being wrestling with what it means to be a person and elevating that into art. Some tracks are inevitably more successful doing that than others. However, Vekaria has written and assembled a coherent and thematically unified outing that strengthens her standing as one of modern music’s true auteurs rather than another pretty face peddling paint-by-numbers music for our momentary pleasure.
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I find that a strong sense of design permeates the album. It opens with a prayer for purification and concludes with a prayer for peace. The first track, “Asato Ma Sadgamaya (Purification Prayer)”, introduces us to Vekaria’s primary mode of presentation for each of the nine recordings. Warriors of Light’s songs waft into focus rather than announcing themselves. The inexorable coalescence of this opening track finds its footing soon enough, and Vekaria develops it musically and vocally from there.
It likewise establishes a thoughtful mood governing much of this release. “Kali” is one of the more universally accessible performances included in Warriors of Light. The varied vocals throughout the track set a high standard for Vekaria’s singing thereafter, and the drumming helps weave tasteful dynamics. “Liberate (Maha Mrityunjaya)” dials back the energy level. However, the muted qualities of the song’s first half soon give way to a widescreen treatment during the track’s second half. Vekaria achieves atmospheric heights that draw listeners deeper than before into her imaginative web.
She alternates impressive vocal pyrotechnics with much more straightforward passages during “Release Your Fears (Jaya Jaya Durge Ma)”. It’s a performance that exerts a purge-like effect over listeners without ever sounding overwhelming. Verkaria rejects ostentatious musical histrionics. It likewise illustrates the careful balance she strikes between substance and accessibility. Hints of complexity peek out at listeners throughout this cut. Vekaria resolutely resists alienating her audience with empty-headed displays of skill. Connecting with listeners on an emotional level remains paramount throughout.
The spoken-word passages of the title track “Warriors of Light (The Call)” risk disconnection. However, Vekaria’s content holds true to the same focus defining the previous tracks, and the musical and vocal mix finds the right balance. Her delivery imbues the words with the right amount of dramatic heft. I love the turbulence of the album’s penultimate number, “Raghupati Raghava Raja Ram”. Vekaria’s vocal master class relies on a little post-production manipulation. If you stripped away these affectations, you’d still be left with a dazzling demonstration of her vocal gifts.
Warriors of Light
Listen to Warriors of Light on Spotify · Album · Radhika Vekaria · 2024 · 9 songs
“Lokah Samastah Sukhino Bhavantu (Peace Prayer)” stalks the same territory as the album opener. However, the more settled demeanor of the piece is apparent from the beginning. It is a studio confection, without a doubt. Vekaria builds it in such a way that it never strikes me as artificial. This collection begs for repeated listens before passing a final judgment on its merits. Radhika Vekaria’s Warriors of Light isn’t fast food music you digest with a single spin but a radiant work that demands time to illuminate its rewards. Settle in with these songs and relish their riches.
Clay Burton