Zen Summer Love

Rafi Bookstaber’s new album, Late Summer, is like a calm sunset. Each track is colorful and serene with melodies so spiritual that it causes a reflective experience. The tracks are made up of a composition of soft instrumentals and humming vocals which make the album experimental, romantic and absolutely inviting. Late Summer possesses such tranquility that it automatically connects to the soul. The album elevates the listener to a higher level of self-awareness through its chill vibrations.

The title for the album “Late Summer” contains imagery that coincides perfectly with the music itself. The melodies are warm and worry free. The album is light on lyrics and heavy on whimsical guitar riffs. The chanting vocals help to focus the mind, unknowingly aligning the listener to his or her spirit along with the album -chakras and all.

In the song “make up yr mind,” Rafi plays with a rhythmic flow of drumming and what sounds like Hindu-inspired instrumentation. The inclusion of conga beats adds a tropical aspect to the song and the combination of the two creates a unique arrangement of uplifting sounds that are effortlessly satisfying. The title, “make up yr mind” seems to have a meaningful connection to thought and personal choice. Therefore, listening to the album, the word meditation often surfaced. This track makes it easy to clear one’s mind and help focus millions of sporadic thoughts to just one.

A personal favorite from Late Summer is the first track on the album, “we can find a way.” Something about the melody paints a movie-like love scene. Imagine a moment when two people look at each other and don’t say a word, but know they love one another. The song feels exactly like that moment. The humming of the vocals is slow and romantic.

This all may be little too hippy dippy for some people but it is undeniable that Late Summer is poetically genius with its contribution to experimental rock. So relax, and pop in the album on long summer night next to a roaring fire.