Prana Crafter‘s “Enter the Stream”
Prana Crafter is William Sol, a musical mystic who blends the raw energies of nature with guitars, synthesizers, singing bowls, and a dose of flow-consciousness. Some music is meant to entertain, to be consumed like flashing patterns on a TV screen. Not so with the music of Prana Crafter. This music is a sonic-tapestry of energies that are meant to envelop the listener and deliver a message that, as Sol puts it, cannot be known through symbol or through sign. Likened to artists across the psychedelic and folk spectrums—Neil Young, Popul Vuh, Agitation Free, Träd, Gräs & Stenar, Ben Chasny, Elliot Smith—Sol’s self-professed mentors-in-spirit Jerry Garcia, Jimi Hendrix, and Manuel Göttsching are present as well in familiar and surprising ways. Sol has said he thinks of himself as a conduit for the music and ‘Enter the Stream’ once again proves it. At times highly personal and gently psychedelic, the album always wears its kosmic heart on its sleeve. ‘Enter the Stream’ is an album in the way that so many albums these days are not. Not a collection of singles, not tailor-made for an audience. This is a carefully flowing composition blooming into a kosmische-acid-folk opus. From start to finish, ‘Enter the Stream’ is a journey that takes the listener through a landscape of pristine natural beauty, human emotion, and esoteric undercurrents.
“☆☆☆☆☆ Modern Psych Masterwork: It has an other-worldliness drawn from the mysticism of Japanese acid-folk band Ghost and the trance-inducements of Agitation Free. … poignant fireside vocals entwining with the dulcet reverb-soaked strum … it’s that good.” – Record Collector Magazine | “☆☆☆☆ … As rejuvenating and refreshing as a wild swim.” — Shindig! Magazine
