Music
The best kept secret in music
Press
“I really enjoy good ambient music and it was a pleasure to discover ambient sound designer, Al Mikula of Maneki Neko ("beckoning cat" in the Japanese language) and his latest CD, "Auracle". …Each of the five tracks on the CD are recorded and mixed to perfection with layer after layer of subtle shakuhachi flute melodies, narcotic body-numbing vibrations and layers of electronic space sounds that allow the mind to drift into other realms…This CD is in the style of exceptional electroacoustic ambient musicians such as Steve Roach, Patrick O' Hearn, Vir Unis, Stephen Bacchus and Koorunba. I especially enjoyed "Drifting Between Stars" and "Cat's Sleeping on Clouds", but the entire CD is superb.” - Steven Parente, Producer “Smiling Ear Internet Radio”
Discography
2005 Auracle (Stray Pointer Records)
Photos
Feeling a bit camera shy
Bio
Maneki Neko is composer, soundscape artist, and recording engineer Al Mikula. Based in Austin, Texas, Maneki Neko crafts electro-acoustic ambient music for relaxation, meditation, and the healing arts.
Born in Hawaii, raised around the world in places as diverse as Iceland and Southern California, Al’s early career in interactive digital video and audio took him around the world. He left the world of high technology to pursue his lifetime love of music as a recording engineer in Austin's vibrant music and arts scene. Austin's music scene is as diverse as it is vibrant, and he has been privileged to work as a recording engineer on classical, jazz, rock, pop, and ambient releases.
Mixing influences from his travels, Al debuts his own music as Maneki Neko on his new CD, “Auracle.” Maneki Neko takes a chilled out vibe, layers it with gently rolling hints of melody, and grounds it in deep, satisfying, resonant beds. The result is music with depth and purpose, music that invites the mind and body to slow down and relax in its ambient textures. The five compositions on “Auracle” combine traditional instruments and melodic structures from cultures with long-standing meditative traditions to build soundscapes that aid the 21st century meditator on a relaxing inner journey.
Steven Parente, Producer of The SmilingEar.com, describes “Auracle” as “…narcotic body-numbing vibrations and layers of electronic space sounds that allow the mind to drift into other realms.”
Al sums up the philosophy of Maneki Neko’s music, "Sound is a core element in almost all meditative traditions. Sound can really change the way we feel - our heart rate, brain waves, and muscle tension. With my music I try to blend the musical traditions I experienced around the world with ambient sounds that let listeners relax or explore through meditation."
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