Om, which was once two-thirds of stoner deities Sleep and used to sound like a loose approximation of just that, hath leapt beyond their roots into something much less earthbound. Advaitic Songs is the sound of a band coming into its own.
While other Om-related ensembles (e.g., Grails, Shrinebuilder, Sleep, et al.) have flirted with religious themes and motifs, this record finds Al Cisneros and Emil Amos sounding downright spiritual. This is music for a power higher than the previously almighty herb.
There are only five songs here, “five roads subsumed by grace,” but they clock in at just under forty-five minutes, meaning this record is meant to be heard on vinyl. Cello, flute, tabla, viola, and violin outweigh guitars, so the close listen is as rewarding as basking in the volume. And your bong is welcome, but it’s not required. This is a different kind of heavy.
If you’re interested in the next step in the evolution of a (sub)genre, Advaitic Songs is the state of non-return.

—Roy Christopher, 03 September 2012