Anyone who has been fortunate enough to visit the ancient standing stones of Callanish will well understand the rich vein of Celtic history that runs through that sacred place.
Jon Mark has created a remarkable album that fuses the captivating quality of the stones and their barren yet beautiful environment with all the mystery of the ancient sacred site upon which these stones were knowingly placed.
Cloe's Day starts with a haunting synthesized flute that evokes mist and mystery. You can feel the sparse Lewis landscape begin to weave its magic into your being.
The track Eye of the Hawk creates a fantastic journey of insightful awareness akin to the shamanic vision experienced way back then. For us it allows imagination and meditation to journey the inner realms.
The title track brings us full square to the essence within the Stones themselves. The central stone at Callanish contains a natural crystal wand that positively chose the stone for those ancient architects. Its significance comes straight back to the present day and the discovery that when chanted into this stone creates an orchestral 'split' that resonates around the whole outer circle and beyond.
Jon Mark conjures this magical harmonic resonance of the music Celtic origins have in this place and makes us feel right at the centre of this megalithic wonder.
It is awe inspiring to listen to the final track Remembering as it seems to take us back to familiar roots of the past ( or is it the present?)
The Standing Stones of Callanish is a masterful work and evokes a time gone by where magic was the very stuff of life in the moment. The ethereal ever present and the now - Beauty incarnate. This album conjures up all this and more.
It has been long known that the best music is that which beats slower than the heart. The sacred fifths that Mark uses in this album make it an ideal meditation accompaniment.
This is music for deep contemplation and centering. Great for yoga and used as background in healing therapies.
This reviewer has visited the Callanish megaliths and knows first hand the power held within these guardians. Jon Mark captures that magnificence and evokes the Celtic magic and otherworldy nature of the place to perfection.
You may be interested in a magnificent poster of the Standing Stones of Callanish - buy one here - see image below. The music Celtic folk knew about and how to use it for healing and transformation leaves much room for us to rediscover this ancient wisdom. These stones contain extraordinary vibrational magic even through this stunning image.