Rasa creates a bridge between the ancient temples of India and the hushed atmosphere of a European cathedral. The music is anchored by Kim Waters' crystalline, reverent vocals, which deliver traditional Vaishnava bhajans with a clarity that feels both timeless and immediate. Supporting her is Hans Christian’s cello, which provides a deep, woody resonance that replaces the traditional drone of a tanpura with something more melodic and emotionally complex.
What makes Rasa truly distinctive is the lack of clutter. While many 'world fusion' acts lean into heavy percussion or electronic beats, Rasa maintains a spacious, chamber-music intimacy. The cello acts as a second voice, weaving around the Sanskrit and Bengali lyrics with a mournful, searching quality that highlights the 'yearning for the divine' central to their mission. It is high-fidelity spiritual music that avoids New Age clichés through rigorous musicianship.
Newcomers should start with 'Devotion' or 'Union'. These albums perfectly capture the duo's ability to turn sacred chants into accessible, deeply moving sonic experiences. It is the ideal soundtrack for moments requiring absolute focus, spiritual centering, or a total decompression of the senses.
Rasa are a musical duo that perform bhajan (Indian devotional music) and Western derivations. Hans Christian is a German-born cellist and multi-instrumentalist. Kim Waters is an American vocalist and devotee of A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. Christian and Waters formed Rasa in 1998, in San Francisco, California. Hearts of Space Records published Rasa's first three albums: Devotion (2000), Union (2001), and Rasa in Concert (2002). Since then, the band has released three additional studio albums through New Earth Records. Their fifth album, Temple of Love (2006), is a tribute to the Khajuraho Group of Monuments.
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