Om Mare Shangri-La by Karen Salicath Jamali
Karen Salicath Jamali is a multi-award-winning composer, pianist, guitarist, singer-songwriter, producer, and multidisciplinary artist whose music inhabits the space between neoclassical piano, classical crossover, and acoustic indie folk. To these ears, at least, her latest long-playing offering falls neatly somewhere between Bon Iver and The Velvet Underground. The latter is, of course, a rock ’n’ roll band, but it is specifically their debut album with Nico that provides such a compelling link between the two artists. There are traces of Paul Simon’s more artistically ambitious work on the album as well, adding yet another intriguing dimension to the album’s musical palette.
Jamali’s extraordinary musical journey began after a life-changing accident, head injury, and near-death experience, followed by three years of recovery. Although she had never played piano before, she suddenly discovered an ability to play and compose spontaneously. Entirely self-taught, she began recording the meditative music that became part of her healing—and soon began hearing new melodies in her dreams. Today, she has created more than 2,500 original compositions, performed eight solo concerts at Carnegie Hall, and reached audiences worldwide with more than 30 million streams and 142,000 followers. Quite a remarkable feat.
Her latest album, titled Om Mare Shangri-La, marks a departure from Jamali’s previous releases. A folk record built primarily around acoustic guitars and vocals, the album represents a new beginning for the artist. For the first time, Jamali steps away from the piano and takes center stage as a singer, making her voice the primary instrument—an instrument many would describe as the most intimate of all.
And it’s all pretty remarkable stuff. No wonder Jamali has essentially created a genre of her own: Quintessence Music. It’s remarkably difficult to find anything quite like it on Spotify—or anywhere else, for that matter. And take it from someone who owns thousands of records: her sound is unmistakably her own.
Listening to Om Mare Shangri-La is less a conventional music-listening experience than a spiritual one. This isn’t the kind of record designed for the usual foot-tapping playlist. Commercial music it most definitely isn’t. Instead, these are deeply moving compositions that seem to flow directly into your consciousness, like a river of musical impulses, gently carrying you somewhere quieter and more introspective—music seemingly designed to soothe the soul.
And while “Seeds of God,” the most Velvet Underground-esque track on the album, is a particular highlight—with its eerie melody and ghostly whistling—the truth is that the entire record is compelling. From the rhythmic shifts and delicate orchestration of “The Ocean of the Seals” to the meditative, perhaps more elusive closing tracks, “Wild Birds Flying High” and “Falling Back in Eternity,” the album carries the listener through a shifting landscape of moods, states of mind, and emotions, ultimately leaving one in a profound state of self-reflection. And I mean that as the highest praise.
Another intriguing aspect of the album is the presence of Greek and Middle Eastern influences in both the guitar work and melodic language. Two particularly striking examples are “Only in Love We Are” and “Mary’s Song,” which display several hallmarks of dimotika—asymmetrical rhythms, melismatic vocals, and melodies rooted in a predominantly monophonic tradition. These elements add yet another layer to an album that continually reveals new textures and cultural echoes with each listen.
While Om Mare Shangri-La is predominantly a folk record, as I’ve tried to convey above, it is also something much more. It is an intriguing artistic statement from an artist who appears to be at the height of her creative powers. For fans of folk and art rock, this record is not merely a sonic treat, but an unparalleled spiritual journey.
Enjoy.
Listen here: Om Mare Shangri-la
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Review by staff at MBTM
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