Pooja Goswami Pavan – The Mind, Ecstatic – Songs of Kabir (Neuma Records, 2026)
Hindustani vocalist, composer, and scholar Dr. Pooja Goswami Pavan latest work is The Mind, Ecstatic – Songs of Kabir. The seven-track album presents precious, enthralling and beautiful new musical interpretations of the poetry of 15th-century mystic Kabir. The Mind, Ecstatic – Songs of Kabir combines elements of Indian classical tradition with contemporary composition.
Pavan composed five of the album’s seven tracks, while two pieces were penned by her father and guru, Pandit Surendra Goswami. Ranjan Sharma provided the musical arrangements. Throughout the album you are treated to gorgeous vocals and equisite Indian instrumentation.
The album opens with “In the Cave of the Sky,” which explores themes of inner reflection. From there, the collection addresses subjects that frequently appear in Kabir’s work, including ego, mortality, wisdom, and spiritual inquiry. Tracks such as “I Won’t Come or Go,” “I’m Terrified and I’m Laughing,” and “The Wedding Sari Has Come” examine contrasting emotional and philosophical perspectives. Meanwhile, the title track, “The Mind, Ecstatic,” serves as a focal point for the album’s exploration of transcendence and self-awareness.
Other selections include “First Get Wise, Then Sing” and “This Body, a Beautiful Tambura,” both of which reflect on embodiment, knowledge, and devotion through Kabir’s poetry.
In addition, the release features a foreword by Kabir scholar and translator Dr. Linda Hess, author of The Bijak of Kabir, Singing Emptiness, and Bodies of Song. In her accompanying notes, Hess highlights the role of singers in preserving Kabir’s legacy throughout six centuries and connects the album’s themes to the poet’s enduring spiritual and philosophical ideas.
Pavan is based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and has trained in Hindustani classical music since childhood under the guidance of Pandit Surendra Goswami. She currently studies with her brother, Professor Shailendra Goswami. She holds a PhD in Indian Classical Music from the University of Delhi and has performed at venues including the Ordway Center, The Guthrie, and the India Habitat Center. Furthermore, she has also served on the faculty of the University of Minnesota and Macalester College. The Mind, Ecstatic – Songs of Kabir is her fourth album of original compositions.
Sharma, who is based in New Delhi, works as a composer, arranger, sound designer, and audio technologist. His credits encompass projects in film, television, and music software.
Buy The Mind, Ecstatic – Songs of Kabir.
Author: Angel Romero
Angel Romero y Ruiz has dedicated his life to musical exploration. His efforts included the creation of two online portals, worldmusiccentral.org and musicasdelmundo.com. In addition, Angel is the co-founder of the Transglobal World Music Chart, a panel of world music DJs and writers that celebrates global sounds. Furthermore, he delved into the record business, producing world music studio albums and compilations. His works have appeared on Alula Records, Ellipsis Arts, Indígena Records and Music of the World.