Cheryl B. Engelhardt - A Seeker's Slumber (2021)

Cheryl B. Engelhardt’s sophomore New Age release, a followup to her chart-topping 2020 album LUMINARY, gifts the listener with an etherial journey through a day of awakening, conflict, resolution, release rest, reflection, remembrance, and finally, relaxation. Bringing the science of the heart rate into her music, Engelhardt carefully chose tempos that would assist the listener in slowing down, quite literally, into a state of rest. Additionally, she chose to bring in lyrics reminiscent of her early pop records to assist the processing of emotions, a much-needed practice prior to falling asleep.

Half of the tracks are lyrical expressions, while half of the album highlights the voice as an instrument alongside intricate piano performances and even a live kalimba, all performed, engineered and arranged by Engelhardt. With special features by GRAMMY winners Joanie Leeds and Chava Mirel, 37 members of Cheryl’s independent musician mastermind AMPLIFY plus an appearance by SNL drummer Shawn Pelton, and even Cheryl’s own deceased father’s voice, the collaborations speak to the breadth of the emotions found on A Seeker’s Slumber. Listeners will experience what has been called “a goddess’s song” in “Unwind”, and “a sense of grounding” in “Ithaca” and the other instrumental pieces. The magic that is unleashed in “Awæcnian”, “Mother Gaia”, and “Anyway You Choose…” is unprecedented in Cheryl’s prolific body of work. Enjoy!