Nerell is an American who became spellbound by Bali and Java's gamelan music after a chance encounter with it over 20 years ago. He merges field recordings of said music with his own studio manipulaitons (via synths and samplers), but only skilled ears could tell which is which. Nerell's tools include various Indonesian gongs, rain-stick, dholak and slenthem. LILIN DEWA should strike a resonant chord with Westerners receptive to contemplative musics, even if they don't have a clue about gamelan. The moan-and-groan drone of "Galungan" has ritualistic overtones that induce an uneasy, peaceful feeling, like being isloated in a desert. "Borobudur" is akin to Paul Schütze's cinematic take on Southeastern Asian ambience. Muted chanting and cricketsong add to the song's mesmerizing chill. "Bamboo, Iron, Resin, Bronze" is one of the most gorgeous and euphoric pieces of music since Don Cherry's "Brown Rice" (1975), conjuring the image of a stately glide down an Indoesian river. -- Dave Segal, Alternative Press