As nominated by broadcasters worldwide...
Aurah is a NAR LifeStyle Music Award Nomine!
Influences
Anything that inspires, that's real, that's truthful, unique, creative, stimulating....
REVIEWS from:
The Daily Vault Rating: A-
It is not difficult to imagine something as trivial as pop music attempting something as deep-rooted as traditional ethnic music and turning it into something quite awkward.
Barring world music’s crowning achievements in the form of inspiring musical feats attempted by pop musicians like Peter Gabriel, Paul Simon and a handful of other métiers of pop music, more often than not the result of such a union of two grossly separate worlds -- by the likes of Apache Indian, Deep Forest and Enigma, just to name a few popular ones -- always lacks the modesty of the element of traditionalism and ends up sounding way too glamorous to be called fusion music at all. Yes, they may sound fun and catchy, but usually this is only because of slick Western beats and exquisite production.
On the other hand, when pop music tones down its gloss and everything does fall into place perfectly, the result is brilliant with a good balance of traditional earthiness and modern refinement, which is true in the case of Etherea Borealis by Aurah (comprised of duo Marc Donald and Judith Martin).
Etherea Borealis is spiritually tinged with plenty of Eastern -- primarily Indian -- vibes, infused with pop music, and the result couldn’t have been any sweeter. Without sounding klutzy or tawdry, Etherea Borealis is every bit a classy ethnic pop record. The downright indie-pop numbers (“I Love You For That” and “Clouds”) are as stunning as the mystical ones (“Ready To Go” and “I Decree Peace”), which are as brilliant as the psychedelic dreamscapes (“Karma” and “Etherea Borealis”) that the album takes us through.
Aurah’s laid back sensuous acoustic music style combined with an undertone of trip hop is very similar to Zero 7 and Air. Though the band has been called “electronica,” except for using the keys and programming for ambience the music is organic, featuring real studio drums and guitars. This holds true for Martin’s vocals as well, especially when she is trying out Eastern vocalization and it comes out chaste and pure (just listen to her sing on the grand album closer “I Decree Peace”). This actually goes well with the band’s idea of wanting to be earthy and electronic at the same time.
Unlike most pop records with an ethnic flavor that try to mechanically follow a formula and sound more like chemistry experiments, Etherea Borealis is actually a well thought-of album with a human touch; there is actually a warmth in the blending of the traditional with the modern, which is so important, since the human aspect is such an integral part of ethnic music.
Etherea Borealis is far from straightforward. It has different layers that have to be peeled before one can understand the true essence of the record; but it doesn’t take an awful lot of listens to get to it, and it is certainly rewarding.
mog.com
We’ve met some lovely people so far in Los Angeles… two of whom comprise the atmospheric/ambient duo called Aurah, Mark Dold and Judith Martin. They are what most musicians can only dream about: actual working composers, producers, and performers. Mark and Judith manage their careers on their own terms, choosing to perform in private homes and organic spaces rather than smoky clubs, to score independent shorts, feature films, and TV shows, and to produce for some of the biggest names in the music industry. They could be rock stars if they wanted to, but that isn’t really neccessary.
www.djfix.com
Aurah is a perfect name for this band. For the moment you hit play, the listener is surrounded by a palpable atmosphere of ethereal beauty (yeah, the CD title is appropriate, too). Lovely currents of melody expressed with a mixture of organic and electronic flavors wash over you as seductive and pleasing vocals weave throughout the stratosphere of Aurah's lush, absorbing music. "Etherea Borealis" is an uberpretty slice of vocal ambient, a fine dish of chillout warmth (yeah, I know it's an oxymoron but it's true). This is music in which it's easy to become enveloped and enmeshed. And while it doesn't have the depth of texture possessed by some top shelf chillout, it's still a solid, enjoyable release. -- review by Kristofer Upjohn
smoother.net
Ethereal vocals sway your mood amid downtempo grooves and experimental soundscapes. This is just the beginning of an album that soars high and hits hard. Crossing Dead Can Dance with Portishead and Zero 7, Aurah is a group that has made a bit of a name for themselves by composing the film score for “Loving Annabelle” and “Never After”, as well as having their music heard on “Little Miss Sunshine” and “Blood Diamond”. Melodic synthesizers offer a psychedelic landscape with heady music fit for the hippest lounges and clubs. J-Sin
Sounds Like
Dead Can Dance, Massive Attack, Pink Floyd, Morcheeba, ....................................................
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Another chapter closes ...and opens with Etherea Borealis.
We first came to America and stranded as students in Boston. It was a cornucopia of information and at the same time a period of culture shock. We soon understood that we had nurtured our left brains enough and that it was time to dive into the actual practice of being musicians rather then studying its technicalities.
We packed our still small studio and 2 cats and drove to sunny California. (Heard that one before, right..?) With our first album entitled Judith Martin, we immersed in the path of songwriting we had practiced and learned through years of schooling and formal training.
Very soon our approach to music took on a whole new vantage point. The inspiration to record music as an emotional backdrop, a painting of sounds if you will, allowing us as well as the listener to undertake a journey of day dreaming and imagination, was born out of reading the novel The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho.
We told ourselves, “Let's forget everything we learned about traditional songwriting, about catchy song forms, hooks, 3 min. 30 second time limits, etc” and we created from intuition and heart. Without being fully aware of it at first, it just happened. The music wrote itself. Yes, we still had to put it all together, but it was effortless.
Just like the difference between a task you feel you have to perform and something you love to do. Out of this came our eclectic CD entitled Songs of the Alchemist. Some songs were ethnic and organic, while some were instrumental and electronic. Some had vocals but no lyrics. Some were reminiscent of a film-score.
Why not take it a step further? Judith took paint brushes, her diaries of poetry and recorded dreams and emotions, and started looking for sounds to create and all encompassing and multi-sensory experience. We called it Kismet.
It is as much an art project as a record. How can you separate one art form from the other anyway...; sometimes they just merge together. We came to understand that in order not to dictate what a listener should feel or think, the music should have a certain amount of room. This consequently resulted in a very meditative and placid record. We described it as "exploring the space between sound and silence".
This brings us to Etherea Borealis where we combine songs with the elements of ethereal soundscapes we had learned to love with the last two records. Some tracks are extended cues from the feature film score Loving Annabelle, which we recently composed, and others were written over the course of the last years.
The creative process is an interesting and unpredictable one, sometimes one cannot explain what makes something ready and ripe to be released into the world. We feel this music to be a true reflection of who we are today, knowing that tomorrow a new truth will be born again. We hope you will enjoy it, too.
AURAH_Marc Dold & Judith Martin
Originally from Switzerland, both Marc Dold and Judith Martin created Aurah as a musical journal of their quest to experience lifes alchemy.
"We love songs and improvisations alike. They complement each other magically." Emotional guitar sounds and scintilating vocal arrangements are part of the essence of music that is as much pop as transcendental as meditational and electronic.
The twin sound clouds of film scores and songs that reflect their personal journey. Each one of their albums has a completely unique sound and purpose.
As a producer, Dold has given both Enya and Celine Dion number one hits, has worked with
Peter Gabriel, Cindy Lauper, Nelly Furtado, many artists of the pop music world.
He says of his experiences: Some of the greatest leaps in music evolution have been made by artists like Gabriel, Sting or Pink Floyd who refuse to be pigeonholed.
As a stunning vocalist and producer, Judith Martin has lent her skills to numerous Television shows from Sex In The City to Queer Eye for A Straight Guy and more. She loves teaming up with other musicians whether its in the role of producing, writing lyrics or simply singing a melody.
After Aurahs release SONGS OF THE ALCHEMIST Martin took pen and paper on the grassy knolls of Griffith Park and began writing what would become KISMET. "I thought it would be great to bring the music together with journal poetry and images, for a enhanced introspective experience. (Adding some Balinese Incense was fun to....)."
Aurahs music share the reflective essence and rare quality of being both intimate and universal.
Embarking on breathing life into the emotional world of picture and word Aurah wrote the music score for the films Loving Annabelle and Never After in 2006 and keep going in 2007...
"It's HOW you do what you do that matters..."
Good Morning from Ireland. Thank you for "Loving Annabelle" OST. It is really nice to have a chance to listen to that! Despite sound distortion on Loving Annabelle Soundtrack music is awesome, as always. You Rock! have a lovely weekend! /Aleksandra
Dear Aurah: Thank you for YourFriendship. My eight-year-old-peace-activist son Axil's quest for World Peace Before 2021 is gaining momentum! I'm so proud of him. Please embrace him AND his song "World Peace Before 2021" which he sings beautifully. His performance can be seen on MySpace, his webpage www. worldpeacebefore2021. com and/or YouTube (by searching his name Axil Kollist.) It is my intention to post a new video of him singing his song every few months so people can watch his talent grow as impressively as the momentum for his quest! I'm sharing two photos with you. The first is of my son distributing his free world peace bumperstickers and the second photo is of him singing his song “World Peace Before 2021” at Maui's Martin Luther King Jr. Peace Day Festivities in January 08. Best regards, Axil Kollist’s mom
Thank you for the request, and especially for the appreciation for my works... I'm working on selling on the net, ebay or etsy, still not sure... for now, just meeting me in person (which I prefer...)
I listened to all your songs available, great sound and great voice... if you plan a date in Italy, let me know!
Hello I discovered you watching Loving Annabelle, and then the music literally... carried me away. It was so... wow, you know! So I just wanna tell you you're full of genius composers, creating some wonderful music. I only wish one day I could become a composer like one per cent of you... Go on this way, you're amazing!
In this chaotic world we live in, when life can be somewhat stressful, it is nice to know that I can visit your site and listen to your music... and feel so much better after I do. Peace! ~ Brian ~
wow... u comment on my myspace. thats so coool and sweet <333. honestly, ur doing a very gud job. just keep it up and one day u will get more recognition. xoxo from Vietnam :]
hello to our new friends...i have been listening to your beautiful spiritual music..and it is beautifully done. you have such a beautiful voice..we will drop in often to catch your music..love to all...honeydew...big daddy bullfrog blues band
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