7/10

Created by Victoria-based songwriter and producer Cale Anderson, 'Yemaya (We All Come from the Goddess)' occupies a fascinating space between electronic experimentation, acoustic songwriting, sacred expression and intimate confession. Its language is occasionally surreal, its rhythms refuse easy categorisation, and its central ideas move between human desire and something far larger. Yet beneath all that strangeness is the need to express reverence.

The opening 'We All Come from The Goddess' establishes the record’s ceremonial atmosphere without sounding bound to a traditional form of worship. Its electronic pulse and layered vocals suggest a private ritual assembled from whatever materials were available, with melody, repetition and texture taking the place of formal liturgy. His approach here is sincere, but never solemn to the point of stiffness.

'Mother of Souls' expands that mood into something more enveloping. At almost five minutes in length, the track has room to unfold gradually, allowing its devotional themes to become sensual, emotional and abstract all at once. This willingness to let affection and spirituality occupy the same space is central to this release, as romantic longing, admiration and belief appear as different expressions of the same need to surrender oneself to something meaningful.

While 'Project Kali' is among the album’s boldest moments, bringing heavier rhythmic energy and more pronounced electronic detail into the sequence. 'The Mindless Serenade' and 'Invincible Heart' then reveal a more concise side of his writing, cutting through the surrounding density with compact melodic statements.

'Yemaya' will not suit listeners looking for clean genre boundaries or conventional pop neatness. Its charm lies precisely in its refusal to simplify itself. It's erotic, spiritual, eccentric and heartfelt, often within the same few minutes.

Here, Cale Anderson has created an album that feels handmade in the truest sense. What begins as one artist’s private act of devotion gradually becomes an open sanctuary for anyone willing to accept its unusual language.