Product Review

The tunes on Prophecy--hymns to solidarity, ambient sound collage, spirited flute, drum, and Native chant--compose one of the all-time most popular programs broadcast on weekly public radio, Hearts of Space. Featuring some of Native America's most prominent artists, including Joanne Shenandoah, Lawrence Laughing, Coyote Oldman, and William Easton, Prophecy resonates with mellow mindfulness. Verdell Primeaux and Johnny Mike conjoin traditional sounds with samples and "ambient textures," while Soulfood's uplifting "Wayob" widens the net with the inclusion of birdsong and children's voices. "Wisdom," a composition of strange and mystical beauty, leads with gorgeously restrained cello and blends the finest Native American and Tibetan elements (flutes, horns, chants, and prayers) as interpreted by R. Carlos Nakai and Nawang Khechog. --Paige La Grone