The Los Angeles band Sukha is comprised of a married duo of musically inclined yogis, but their new album, Rise, doesn’t sound like anything you’re likely to hear emanating from your local Bikram studio. And that’s not a dig at either Sukha or what most people think of as yoga music.
Surprisingly, Rise is distinctly upbeat. It’s a particular style of “kundalini mantra rock” that’s perfect background music for a frenetic Monday morning or a Sunday drive on PCH.
Rise is the second album by Sukha (the Sanskrit word for bliss), formed by Sukhmani Kaur and Sukhman Singh five years ago here in L.A. The lush production and layered instruments of the eight tracks may not mesh perfectly with your morning sun salutation—except for the final song, “Mul Mantra”—but it’s a perfect fit for anything you do after that. Impressive guitar work by Singh elevates songs like “Humee 
Hum” and “Wah Yantee,” while Kaur’s vocals shine on “Gobinday Mukhanday.” Violin and percussion work, from Kenneth Oberholtzer and Tripp Dudley, respectively, are top-notch, while Eliza Shah’s vocals add to the rousing sounds.
Appropriately titled, Rise never flags in its efforts to get the listener up and moving, appreciative and ready for the day or night ahead. With a stirring crescendo, the title track—like much of the album—will get you motivated in a way a latté never could. (Spirit Voyage Music)
This article is a part of the Our Fragile Planet April/May 2016 issue of Whole Life Times.