by Alex HendersonBecause of its tranquil, hypnotic nature, some reviewers described o earthly gods as a new age release. But truth be told, Govinda's largely instrumental experiments have a lot more bite and edge than most of the instrumental music that was considered new age in the 1980s and 1990s. This often intoxicating, if a bit uneven, CD isn't really new age, but is best described as an interesting blend of electronica and world music. Uniting his Gypsy violin and chants with synthesizers, sequencers, and scattered samples, Govinda is especially fond of modal playing and draws heavily on the modal styles of India, the Middle East, Eastern Europe, North Africa and Spain. In fact, he shows us the parallels between Spain's Gypsy flamenco and the raga music of India. But he's also fond of Celtic music, and takes us to Ireland and Scotland on "Celtica." Not perfect but chance-taking and unorthodox, o earthly gods demonstrated that Govinda had a lot of potential.