Dave Kadden and Invisible Circle

Invisible Circle, the solo project of New York's oboist Dave Kadden, recorded an album of wordless chants accompanied by oboe, electronic drones, percussion and mixed choir, Invisible Circle (Gold Bolus, 2015). The tone oscillates between the ecstatic invocation of Garuda (possibly inspired by droning minimalism pioneer LaMonte Young) and the radiant awe of Hills Of Laos (with organ drones that mimick the pipe organ of a church). The peak of pathos comes with the stately and symphonic Dead Song, a fusion of the Doors' Light my Fire, a tribal pow-wow dance and Orff's "Carmina Burana". If occasionally the music descends into world-music kitsch (Morning Rise), when it works the album is a cathartic experience.