It’s not backhanded to compare moments on Imaginary Archipelago to 1950s exotica by Martin Denny. They are similarly lush, like rainforest of singing tropical birds, but there’s much more going on here. An improvisatory ensemble, Karuna Trio processes music created by hands and fingers on percussion—and the breath behind the saxophone—through electronics. Brian Eno’s ambient explorations of ethnic music is a primary model—along with African-rooted jazz—yet Karuna synthesizes the past into soundscapes that are timeless.
