RAJNA

RAJNA
BLACK TEARS (2006)
320 KBPS

Retrospective compilation covering the first 6 years of the band's existence, taking songs from all their albums, a couple of rarities, and 5 new tracks exclusive to this release. The royalties are to be donated to an organisation involved with building a school for Tibetan children. The music is a heady, darkly atmospheric combination of Eastern music, ambient, classical, choral, medieval, experimental, new age relaxation music, and occasionally heavy dance beats. There is also Division Alpha's remix of Buried Philae, combining operatic vocals with sinister 80s synth, dulcimer, spoken word and bombastic drumming.
Rajna are often compared to Dead Can Dance, and not without reason. DCD are clearly a major influence for Rajna; both bands have a dark take on world music/ancient music and use instruments such as dulcimer, and it's no coincidence that one of the tracks featured here is a cover of DCD's Cantara. However Rajna's approach strikes me as a little more abstract than DCD on many occasions, with a stronger emphasis on the ambient/overtly experimental side of things.
A recommended introduction to the creative, expressive and atmospheric music of Rajna.

1. Black Tears (Edit) 1.29
2. Traoma 6.58
3. Sanctuary 4.45
4. Pearl of Ashes 4.47
5. Glorian 4.56
6. Sién 3.54
7. The Door of Serenity 6.06
8. Mona Lyssa 3.49
9. Shalai 3.05
10. Cantara 5.15
11. Kalimbha 5.17
12. Shushai 3.43
13. Dervishing 5.07
14. Aswan 5.39
15. Trehya Man 4.21
16. Buried Philae (Division Alpha Remix) 4.55
17. Black Tears 4.36