Some time ago I came across the opportunity to buy Karnataka’s DVD Live in Concert, but I chose to buy another DVD instead. After listening to their new album Delicate Flame of Desire, I realized I made a big mistake... Karnataka was formed in the late nineties and is one of England`s most promising rock bands. Their music is a mixture of Celtic folk, strong melodies and progressive elements. Although Karnataka might be compared to bands like Mostly Autumn, Iona and Clannad, Delicate Flames of Desire exceeds everything I`ve ever heard by any of these bands. The album opens with the instrumental “Karnataka”, a good choice since this track creates the right atmosphere for the songs that follow. There are simply no weak tracks on this album. In every song Karnataka creates a sound which is so strong that you can just visualize the emotion. There are very few bands that can produce this rare phenomenon.

The production of the album is great; producer Steve Evans has outdone himself this time. The entire album sounds as clear as crystal and the CD’s artwork is simply beautiful. With such a positive review you might wonder why I didn’t assign a perfect ten to this album. Well to be honest, there is a small note of criticism. Although nobody will question Rachel Jones` qualities, I must say that her vocals are at some times just a little too smooth compared to the music. Another minor point of criticism is the rather abrupt ending of the CD. In my opinion it would have been better to write a “Karnataka part II”, a real ending to the album. On the other hand, repeat-button-albums do not need any ending. I’ll give it a 10 anyway! The album can be purchased at Karnataka’s excellent web page www.karnataka.org.uk (Geert)