If you want to hear dynamic chanting at its most ecstatic, Dave Stringer’s MALA is the disc for you. Stylistically similar to his album JAPA, which featured call and response kirtans in an East/West fusion setting, MALA takes things further with more powerful singing and a stronger use of Eastern instrumentation. The album’s opening track alone – a powerhouse rendition of the chant “Govinda Jaya Jaya,” will move you in more ways than one with the passionate singing of Stringer and crew backed by a symphony of Asian sounds and pop/rock elements. The album calms after that, but is no less intoxicating in its devotional beauty. Featuring special guests Donna DeLory, Lili Haydn, Girish and Domonic Dean Breaux, this is a must for anyone with a taste for contemporary chant music.