This album matches modern English and American Christmas music with pieces using the same or similar texts from earlier centuries. It shows how timeless and universal are the sentiments and poetry of the season.

Iconic pieces like "In the bleak midwinter" by Gustav Hoist and "A Hymn to the Virgin" by Benjamin Britten are paired with counterparts from the 14th and 19th centuries, respectively. Michael Prætorius's beloved "Es ist ein' Res" from 1607 appears alongside two settings of "A spotless rose" - one by Herbert Howells (1919) and another by Paul Mealor (2010). And the chord clusters of Eric Whitacre's "Lux aurumque" - the Internet sensation sung by an international "virtual choir" are foreshadowed by the pungent cross-relations of Thomas Tallis's "O nata lux."

Full liner notes are available for download in the artwork.

A Different Story, Ensemble Panic's second album, contains the elements of magic and heavenly witchery that were present in their debut album, and simultaneously carries a new spirit - a strong connection to the earth, which is expressed in the fresh and colorful electric sound.

The music is driven by a rhythm section of drums, bass and electric guitar, orchestrated together with viola, accordion, piano and trumpet, creating a mixture of folk rock pop and cabaret music. The song lyrics were written by poet Karen Alkalay Gut, and deal with life conflicts, relationships, and humanity.

To deepen Panic Ensemble's new sound dimension Roy Yarkoni added Avi Belleli (Tractor's Revenge) and they produced the album. The mix smoothly completing Panic Ensemble's weave of celestial vs. corporal, was made by Richard Woodcraft, who won a Grammy for his work with Radiohead and who has worked over the years with Arctic Monkeys, Neil Young, Robbie Williams and others)in the Flexi Sound Studios in London.

Tracks 1-7 are a continuous mix, originally titled "Survival" - a live set performed in Long Beach, California in November 2011. No controller was used - only a keyboard, a mouse, and Ableton Live.

The remainder of the album is designed to mix live with "Exit Planet Dust" by The Chemical Brothers, provided the tempos of each track are synchronized.

No melodies, harmonies, rhythms, or chord progressions were borrowed or stolen from that album - these tracks are all completely original.

Hans Christian, veteran cellist, music producer and member of the GuruGanesha Band, is offering a new album called Hidden Treasures. The music on this instrumental album spans a four year creative time period in which Hans would freely record musical ideas, often archiving them for future completion. The lyrical, orchestral blend of layered strings within a contemporary production reflect Hans' fluid musicality, ranging from gorgeous melodic structures to deeply felt emotional renderings on solo cello.

This unique sound was first shared with a wide audience through his work with his mystical world music group RASA (featuring singer Kim Waters). His appearance as a guest musician on countless albums in the greater devotional music genre has often added a highly virtuosic and emotional quality to those projects, and so it also happens on this album, there is something infectious about the strong sense of melodies on this album which weave, turn, and morph with a captivating beauty.

Some pieces on Hidden Treasures are contemplative in nature, while others are rhythmically driven to reveal a darker and more muscular color. This musician is not afraid to express the frequencies of all chakras with an earthy foundation, imaginative soundscapes, and ethereal overtones in the upper frequency range.

A deeply sonorous cello weaves a continuous lead throughout the album, and Hans Christian fans will not be disappointed with his heartbreakingly beautiful performances on Heart To Heart, Cathedral Of Tears (recorded inside Chartres Cathedral, France), and I Lift Up Mine Eyes.

Review of Hidden Treasures
While the harp may be the instrument of Heaven, the cello is the voice of the soul, especially when Hans Christian holds the bow. His mastery with "live looping" - accompanying himself with rhythm, melody, punctuation and majestic strings - and expertise with other exotic instruments (mohan veena (adapted sitar), the Swedish nyckelharpa, and the sarangi) creates mini-masterpieces that form an exquisite whole.

His appearance as a guest musician on countless CDs in the devotional music genre has added a virtuosic and emotional quality to those projects. There is something infectious about his strong sense of melody which flows with a captivating beauty. Some pieces on Hidden Treasures are contemplative in nature; others are rhythmically driven to reveal darker tones. Hans is not afraid to express the frequencies of all chakras with an earthy foundation, imaginative soundscapes, and ethereal overtones in the upper frequencies. Hans' deeply sonorous cello weaves magic throughout this album.
Lloyd Barde

Bask in the aural aurora of traditional folk music from Sweden, Norway and Finland. This album will take you on an exciting and exotic instrumental journey to lands of herding calls, polskas, hallings, waltzes and airs - all arranged for Celtic harp and creatively self-accompanied on a panoply of traditional acoustic instruments. Passionate and exuberant, haunting and romantic, lyrical and playful. Always inspiring and evocative.

Like Harp Songs of the Midnight Sun, this recording draws on music from Scandinavia. I consider it to be my most exotic, diverse and adventurous recording. Beautiful, but exciting and passionate, this album is not something you put on for background music. Rather it rewards close attention and repeated listenings. A favorite among my musician friends and recommended to audiophiles and classical music enthusiasts.