Om Shanti – We Are Home

In life we have all been moving
Towards love as our centre blooming
Let’s dance to that loving feeling
Let’s dance with our hearts revealing

Those four phrases circulate the back-side of the cover on this private spiritual folk album headed by Oman Deal and Shanti Ess Rae, released in 1977 on the Solace Records label. There are 6 members of the band included on the back (including Oman and Shanti), with most of the extras covering the staple musical instruments (guitar, vocals, and bass) while Oman and Shanti use a wide variety of instruments (marimba, glockenspiel, vibraphone, autoharp, and accordion). Through this they deliver a very nice and consistent folk sound, psychedelic not in music but in “vibe”.

There are two consistent vocalists which I am going to assume are Om and Shanti, and while sometimes over bearing, I think Shanti has an especially nice voice. My one qualm with this album is that the songs that aren’t good are simply mediocre. They’re not awful, just not as great as the 3-4 really good songs. In particular, there is one 11-minute “Winter Solstice” ballad which is very exceptional.

Listen: Om Shanti – Om Mani Padme Hum