Oriental Sunshine was a short-lived psychedelic band that was formed in 1969 in Norway and split apart in 1971. The group came to my attention when Anton Newcombe tweeted a song from them. I looked the group up on Apple Music, then saw the related artists suggested to me by Apple Music and immediately saved the album. The trio that was Oriental Sunshine was inspired by acid folk and Indian music, and from what I can tell was a band that fell somewhere in the psychedelic prog genre. I’m pretty stoked to give this album a listen, so with that said, i’m going to jump on into the music.
“Across Your Life” begins with a super interesting medley of sounds that has a sitar that brings a raga sound, and is backed by what seems to be a smooth jazz section with the gentle bass and easy swing in the drums. Oh wow, the track seems to add in a tabla part, and some increasingly psychedelic smooth organs and keys. Holy smokes, I’m really digging this track at the moment. Oh wow, the tune seems to pick up into a gentle gallop of some sort that seems to become both more jazz-like and more raga-like. Great track, and I’m excited to hear more.
Oh wow, “Mother Nature” begins with some gently folksy acoustic guitar that gently plucks in some sweet notes, a flute that sounds like it’s from a J.R.R. Tolkien novel, and a sitar that brings some interesting raga flavors to the folksy soundscape. I’m digging the easy-going bass line, which seems to gently move the tune along. The vocals have a very gentle feel to them as well, creating an overall sound that feels like a sweet, folksy lullaby. Great tune.
“Look At Me” picks up with many of the same sweet and folksy flavors as the previous track, but with a heavier inclination towards raga with the addition of the tabla in the soundscape. The track almost seems to be building momentum as things keep grooving along. Super sweet track.
“Unless” begins with some classic raga flavors from the sitar, and is soon joined by some piano that brings a gentle western feel to the soundscape and tabla that seems to walk the meridian between east and west. There’s a really interesting mystique in the soundscape with the mellow piano and the sitar that brings a sort of soft psych feel that I really dig. Great tune.
“Land Of Wisdom” begins with what sound to be some vocals that seem to attempt to take the track in different directions, before resolving to a really sweet raga movement. Super sweet track.
“Let It Be My Birth” begins with some tabla and is soon joined by some folksy acoustic guitar. Oh wow, I’m really digging the mixture of flavors in this track. The rhythm/percussion evokes a distinctly eastern, raga sound, while the flute, acoustic guitar, and vocals seem to stick to a sweet, earthly folk sound. Wow, super sweet track.
“Can Anybody Tell” begins with some sitar that brings about that raga flavor, while the mellow, nearly sullen vocals mix with the simple acoustic guitar and the folksy sound of the flute to form a sound that resembles the late 1960s resurgence of British folk music. Oh wow, the organs come in and bring in a smooth psychedelia that I’m really digging. I really dig how the organs gradually begin to swell with the drums (from a drum kit) and come to a smooth psychedelic crescendo of sorts. Oh wow, the percussion adds in the tabla and the organs seem to bring the track into a raga-inflected psychedelic breakdown. I really dig the sitar movements in this track. Oh wow, the tune resolves back to the super sweet, smooth psychedelia from earlier. Great track.
“Visions” starts out in a style that feels reminiscent of some old British folk tale with an epic sound from the gentle movements in the acoustic guitar that are matched nicely by the sitar on the other side of the soundscape with some droning flavors. Oh wow, I really dig the flute in this track as well. This track reminds me a lot of some of my favorite songs from the British folk revival movement, but with a sort of raga twist. Great tune.
Oh wow, “My Way to Be Hurt” begins with a gentle bass line, some groovy cymbals, and some smooth acoustic guitar that all come together to have a sort of bluesy-inflection to the overall sound of the track, while the vocals seem to walk along a bluesy folksy line as well. I’m really digging the overall sound of the track so far. The tune seems to come to a very gentle crescendo near the end of the track, and gently eases out. Super sweet tune.
Oh wow, “Where You Went” leans into the raga nature of the album so far with the tabla percussion and sitar, and even with the melody played by the flute. I’m really digging that the keyboards in the background seem to bring in a sort of psychedelic echo to the vocals, sitar, and flute. There’s a really mystical aspect to the vocals in this track, which seem to be sung in a raga fashion and aren’t in English as far as I can tell. Great track.
Oh wow, “I’m Going” begins with a beautiful piano line that is soon accompanied by some gentle acoustic guitar and some sweet vocals. Wow, great track and a great way to tie together this listening experience.
Wow, I really dig the sound of Oriental Sunshine. I wish the group put out more music during their time together, but I’m thankful that they made this album; this seems to be in line with a lot of psychedelic folk bands from Europe around this time period. At least one of the members went on to work in other bands, so I’ll have to look into those soon. The album had a great balance between eastern raga and western folksy flavors with a smooth psychedelic touch. If you’re into psychedelic folk, the British folk revival of the 1960s, and raga, you might want to consider checking out this album. If you do decide to give this album a listen, I sincerely do hope that you enjoy the listening experience at least as much as I did.
-A