Standouts include the sublime “Sleeping in a Dream” which slips from a Bert Jansch-like structure to a narcotic percussive drone, intersecting European folk with world music. Castro's debt to progressive English folk-rock glimmers on Jean Ritchie's seductive “One I Love.” Pan-ethnic instrumentals like Moroccan-tinted “Attar” showcase Castro's world music inclinations.
The longer cuts are the best outings for Castro's multi-tiered vision. “Voices from the Mountains” has a refined, improvisational attitude while “Lay Down Your Arms” is stimulated by muscular rhythms and a hallucinatory vibe.
Castro's colorless vocals and mystical lyrics may limit his appeal, but anyone acquainted with current folk-freaks such as Espers should listen to Castro.
Grade: A