Mars Lasar is not exactly a household name.  However, this talented man has been around for quite awhile.  This composer, producer and multi-instrumentalist has a long and impressive list of credits in the music world.  Lasar was born in Germany and raised in Australia.  At 15, young Lasar won the "Young Composer Award" at the Sydney Opera House with his original piano concerto piece "Frost Wave."  He has not looked back.  His composing and producing skills have taken him many places, from movie sets to video arcades.  In addition to this, Lasar's song-writing spans genres and age barriers as though they did not exist; pop, rock, metal, jazz, electronica, country, contemporary, new age and world.  Music is Lasar's home, where the music resides is immaterial.  For full biographical information please see Lasar's web site, his background is extensive and awards won are far too numerous to be listed here.

     When I first received this disc I was not quit sure what to make of it... the name alone suggested something new age, but the gorgeous painting on the cover suggested something else entirely.  I later found out that the cover was painted by Lasar himself.  The deep dark jungle shown could be primeval, or it could be futuristic.  There is some beautiful exotic vegetation and a rather swampy looking bit of water.  There are stone stairs rising out of the dark jungle where three lights break a canopy of beautiful red leaves and a door is revealed.  Lasar explains this, "The painting, as well as the music itself, is symbolic.  It does not matter whether this place actually exists somewhere in our universe or simply in our minds.  It's a symbolic place with infinite possibilities."

     It would seem that several of those possibilities are indeed to be found within the breathtaking and utterly compelling music of this disc.  We have ancient music meeting and melding with new; modern music, pulling upon ancient sounds.  From Tibetan Monks chanting to an African chorus, an oud from the Middle East to a Chinese violin, there is a great deal of the past represented here.  Then, Lasar takes it one step further and adds the primal sounds of nature - creating a sensory symphony that plays for us a timeless tale of the world.  It is pure enchantment.  A source of pure delight.

     The opening track is entitled "Great Beast of Wisdom" and begins with whale calls and the powerful sound of the surf rushing in...This is combined with, not overridden by, the instrumentation and a lovely elemental sound.  The blending of nature and music is seamless, as one.

     "Seventh Journey" takes us to the deep jungle with a loud drumbeat to begin the song. It continues throughout.  Seven has always been a mystical number.  It symbolizes many things.  However, Lasar leaves the interpretation of this up to the listener.  The music has a deep and majestic feel to it, and resonates within the body.

     There is a sinuous, reptilian feel to the opening strains of "Prophecies," that dissolves while there is an addition of keyboards. This is replaced once again. This time with the chanting intonations of a woman.  Back and forth, they weave their way, the keyboard and the vocals.  It is a track of quiet intensity, and lifts the bonds of the real world to free the imagination -- setting it unconstrained to roam at will.                         

     Karma is an ancient concept. It is the balance of good and evil.  As Lasar states in his press release, "Karma is one of humanity's oldest concepts.  It is the balance of all things -- negative and positive -- the universe's way of keeping the checks and balances in order.  It can be negative, of course, but karma is primarily a positive reward for things well done."  In this case, I would say that those of us who listen to this marvelous example of technology and musical skill are definitely coming out with a "positive reward."  It is the ultimate in what I would call "ambient fusion."  Karma and is currently Number 4 on the New Age Voice Top 100 list and is available in stores.

Naomi de Bruyn