How do you measure the quality of an album that has already been declared a winner? Ricky Kej and Stewart Copeland’s Divine Tides (2022) won its second, and Kej’s third, Grammy Award on February 6 as the Best Immersive Audio Album. The album also won Best New Age Album back in 2022.

Produced by Kej and Copeland (founder of The Police) and Lonnie Park, the album retains a strong Indian aesthetic in its melody, style and structure. From the opening strains of ‘Wonders of Life’, the album showcases the wealthy rhythms that unify Eastern and Western vibes. The timpani, sitar, violin and flute flow seamlessly with the vocals to set the tone. Nine tracks might feel a lot in the age of short EPs, but they are a refreshing experience. The ambience of the track, Himalayas captures the ambition of epic scale. Co-written by Copeland and Kej, the track has distinct Indian melodies in the sitar, flute and violin combining with Copeland’s percussion.