Awesome CD!
Awesome CD!!!!! It is absolutely beautiful, inspired and healing!!! Definitely pick up a copy–you will love having it in your music library.
– Dr. Diana Kirschner
Love in 90 Days
Fabulously Woven Styles
What a beautiful, dreamy, exotic, album! I think I’ve been waiting a long time to hear this music!I knew I was going to like it from the first amazing guitar riff – a cross between Chris Isaac and something Middle Eastern like what Jimmy Page would come up with, set against a backdrop of poignant silence. And then you hear Nijolė’s voice almost whispering — You rarely hear a voice so soothing and sensuous, but so expressive – her voice is audibly painting a picture with its subtle shades of emotional expression — and then the music suddenly sweeps up and out into a lavish chorus of siren song! And then she transports you to some ancient ancestral place when she suddenly goes Lithuanian on ya…! Good stuff… sent shivers down my back. And the girl’s got a range, too – check out the unbelievably high notes in “Rise” – I couldn’t tell if it was the flute until I heard it playing alongside her vocal, except much LOWER!
So I thought, of course the first song is good, the second song is good… but I’m sure all the weak songs are going to be towards the end. Not so!! Every song is wonderful.
Each song is different from each the other – one more pop, one more ethnic, one almost jazzy and the last one is almost classical, though this one is the most unique to me – truly Nijolė found a completely unique voice in “Evening Prayer”.
But somehow no matter how different each song is from the other, the whole album is held together with Nijolė’s own unique style. She is continuing the Peter Gabriel tradition — writing pop songs with a different vocabulary, borrowing from exotic influences but still unmistakably pop (or “art pop”, as some like to call it). Great melodies that stick with you — I’m constantly singing a different song in my head. And the words are speaking to our emotional experiences, as well as offering a positive philosophy. She has a unique insight into our psychology…perhaps into her own soul?
And certainly Nijolė has found an equally worthy partner in Fritz Heede who did the production — very lush, very exotic, walking the fine line between ethereal, airy and otherworldly on the one hand, until he brings you crashing down to earth with some wild guitar riff or pulsing ethnic percussion, carving out a style all his own. Each song is like a dramatic piece with a perfectly meshed musical score underlying the meaning – each like a little movie… The musicians on the album are all very top-notch – always fresh, always creative, nothing clichéd in any of the musical prases or arrangements, which is certainly welcome in today’s musical environment! All in all, I can’t help loving this album,
I really look forward to my drive now, knowing that it’s going to be really special.
– John Banks
Professor, JFK University
What soul-searchers have been waiting for!
Finally there is an aural equivalent of the film “What the Bleep”! If you want to “Create Your Day” (ala Dr. Joe Despenza, the most often referenced interview of the film) by consciously deciding to live it, then this CD is for you. The music is Alternative with a World flavor, musically evocative, blissful and haunting in its lush harmonies. Music is far more entrenching in the subconscious and elevating to the beleaguered soul than reading can be. I listen to it in the morning and the songs keep coming back to me all day long. Not since Björk have the spiritual sensibilities of these lyrics inspired me more. Combine fluid exotic music, inspirational words and a self-reflective honesty and this is what many of us have been waiting for! I hardily recommend it to those who have a spiritual practice of any kind and to work it into your week!
— Art Collector (Chicago)
A Delightful Exploration of Spirituality
I stumbled across this CD when I was 18… I think I heard one of the songs on a podcast and did some poking around to find the artist. Since buying Parallel Universe on a whim, I’ve held onto the album everywhere I’ve gone (that is approximately 5 U.S. states, LOL). As the years pass, I get something different out of each listen. Nijolė’s voice is silky and evocative, her lyrics thought-provoking and a delightful exploration of spirituality. I love her thought process. I also love her dynamic melodies that have me humming along while I’m writing or web-surfing. This is one of the few albums where every song means something to me. I’ve passed it along to a few friends and family members too. Strongly recommended for listeners of upbeat and interesting new age music.
– Royally Reviewed
Hi Nijole,
I’ve been listening to your cd, which arrived last week. Fantastic! I think at the moment my favorite song is Fateful Day, but honestly that’s been changing. 🙂
What I really like so far is how each song is a different sonic world, and yet is part of the same universe. I like the little ‘surprises’ when a song takes an unexpected turn, such as 2:36 on In My Dreams. Those magical moments. 🙂
Those are the kinds of moments that early Genesis used to do a lot.
What’s nice about the overall sound of the album too is that it creates its own unique space. You seem to walk an elegant line between rock/folk rock/progressive and world sounds.
Very well done! You really have some incredible collaborators too, especially in Fritz.
Cheers,
— Wes (Chicago, discovered thru MySpace)
Greetings from Vilnius!
It’s amazing to know that Lithuanian ancient song-spirit is transformed to such heights by the gifted artist who also combines almost all other folk traditions into driving songs of today.
It even made me feel more proud of being a Lithuanian 🙂
— Lukas Devita (Lithuania)
Just had to say…
How really amazing you are. I am a bit emotional at the moment having just watched your video at your website… I was moved to tears and inspiration and there is nothing I cherish more than that.
–Didge Ache (MySpace)
RIDING WITH NIJOLĖ
In the tom-tom leather rum of the Jaguar
Nijolė’s music plays and makes the ride smooth
in the pot holes, and high speed turns
of the Grapevine, in the jigger-gyst of the rush
hour traffic, Nijolė plays — tooling! my ride,
with unearthly calls to prayer.–Todd Mills (Ojai)
Very nice.
You are the Lithuanian Enya!
–Alain Cohen (Ojai)
Wow!
…you are on of the BEST new artists I’ve ever heard. I’m in love w/your music…
I’m going to buy one of your CDs here.Thanks for being so inspiring.
–Teyah Thorn
Enjoying your work!
Been playing it constantly… love the CD…sharing with others who come over and enjoying your innovative productions and wonderful voice work…lovely sentiments in the music…and that song [In My Dreams] is very haunting and memorable..It is my favorite cut on the CD and I am airing it on my www.live365.com radio station, ‘the blue whale’.
— Dov at LovestarRecords.com
I love your music!
I listen to it in the car when I am driving with the boys and we all relax to it. If I am off to a stressful event or meeting, I play it really loud and sing along. It is sooo beautiful.
— Susanne, Rich and the boys
I happened to listen to your music
[on MySpace] and it’s incredible! Do you have a CD…?
It’s lovely… the kind of music I would want to hear on the radio,
opposed to this kind of pop-ish, rap-ish rock inspired crap we hear here in
Florida. What has happened to music now anyway?
You have brought musicality back to music.
— Allison (Florida)
I LOVE YOUR MUSIC!
I just want to tell you how much I enjoy your music!
Your voice is incredible, the music is so full of peace and the songs you sing are so creative.
I LOVE YOUR MUSIC!
— Karen
A Parallel Frequency of Sound … At your reach…
Nijolė’s voice and Lyrics defy category, they send us on a musical ride yet unparalleled! It’s a virtual cave where the ethnic meets the electric, where time-space line fades… where all is yet forming before it materializes in the Universe on a Time and Space line.
Find out for yourself.
— soula (CA)
Touched Me On All Levels
What I love about this CD is that it is great on all levels. The music and production are fabulous, with exotic instrumentation. The vocals are beautiful, they have great tone and depth and the words are meaningful. The notes and melodies are interesting to listen to. Overall the whole CD is passionate and uplifting.
— Evolve
What I want my baby to listen to
The spiritual lyrics and captivating melodies of Nijolė’s cd truly moved me on so many levels. The best way to describe it is a musical shift to a higher consciousness. Some say babies can become more intellectual while listening to classical music in the mother’s womb…I feel that the words combined with the rhythms and beats of this cd can create the same effect, if even more of a transformation…that’s how beautifully empowering this cd is!!
— Tangee Veloso
The Mama WarriorPreneur
Great Gift of Music!
Your CD is not like anything I have ever heard, I love it. It is not the usual pop and you would not call it world music even thought it has both flavors. I got it yesterday and have listened to it ever since. Your voice is so sweet and expressive and the music is so unpredictable and not boring at all. The arrangements are so… perfect.
Thank you and good luck.
— Naser Musa
Nijole,
you are truly a messenger of the gods. What a beautiful expression of the spirits that are in you and acting through you. I am deeply moved by your music and will cherish it always.
— Officer Todd B. Crnkovich (Omaha)
Congratulations on the beautiful CD!
It really works, it put me in a meditative state of mind and peace — and so I’ve been doing nothing — just kidding (about doing nothing). I kept listening to your CD and thinking how fantastic the production is, and how many talented people you had working with you — no wonder it is first rate! I’m giving your CD to my friends for Xmas!
— Sedated in Seattle
We both LOVE the song and the album!
It’s been in my car for the last few weeks, so we’ve been listening to it a lot — it’s haunting and beautiful! It’s an amazing landscape of sound — both the vocals and instrumental tracks…
— Orrin and Shahla
Nijolė sparkles!
Sparkis’ cd is a rare combination of original material using contemporary musical references as well as folk sources. Sparkis combines her diverse influences and sources seamlessly. Highly recommended!
— Aaron Paley (Los Angeles, CA)
Nijole,
I find your music haunting, beautiful and otherworldly, and have it in mind as I meet people, and for my own projects.
— Fu-Ding Cheng
Parallel Universe~Nijolė Sparkis
I just love this CD….I’m in a sad place now and it smoothed me and made me feel better. I’m telling all my friends about this CD.
— Ona G. Hagreen (Chicago)
Congratulations!!!
Your CD is fabulous, from the cover, to the music, to the words. To us, your CD has overtones of Enya and … we love your website too! It is very artistic. It has a “What the Bleep…” look to it. We are sure your CD is going to be a big success.
— Libia & Ben
I’ve been listening to your music!
Your voice is very unique — I can’t exactly compare it to anyone else. Your vocal style does remind me, in some ways, of some other singers and musicians in terms of the elements, keys used, and so on. For example, Enya, Loreena McKennitt, Sheila Chandra in “Parallel Universe” (I like this song), Gwen Stefani of No Doubt, some Irish singers popular right now (the Celtic women), and sometimes you have similar qualities to Karen Carpenter. There are lots of ethnic qualities in the music, lots of Egyptian, Celtic, Indian, and so on, that I personally like … the slow rhythms are good for certain moods or types of work. … [in general it is] easy listening and meditative.
— Nora