“Asha’s Awakening” by Raveena

Go on a trip with Raveena in “Asha’s Awakening”

By: Jun Lin

Raveena transforms into Asha, a “space princess from the planet of Sanataan” to guide listeners through “Asha’s Awakening” (raveenaaurora.com). She creates a new universe with Asha, immersing listeners into the princess’ story with dreamy, fantastical music videos, a 16-page illustrated comic book, and the use of South Asian and Western musical instruments.

The sonic introduction to her journey uses playfulness and sensuality to imitate the feelings of traveling to planets unknown. In the first half of the album, she dedicates her attention to her male and female lovers, sharing her affections freely. She touches on her cultural identity as she pokes fun at India-fetishizing white hippies (“Kathy Left 4 Kathmandu”) and switches between English and Hindi verses (“Magic,” “Kismet,” “Asha’s Kiss”).

After the spoken word intermission, “The Internet Is Like Eating Plastic,” and musical intermission, “Arrival to the Garden of Cosmic Speculation (Intermission),” her sound shifts to a laid back drawl. Guitar is a staple throughout the album, but it pulls back from its bounce to lay a canopy of strummed chords and arpeggios for Raveena’s voice to sprawl across. She features Vince Staples when she’s playful and Asha Puthli when she’s contemplative.

Raveena finishes the album with a guided meditation—for us, for herself, or for both—and closes the book on this part of Asha’s journey. Asha’s character gives Raveena space to experiment, and the result is a deeply personal exploration. While this chapter might be over, she invites us to wonder what could possibly happen next in her richly created universe.