“Ektā” Connects New Age & Ambient Music Through Culture and Spirituality 

Ektā, the new New Age & Ambient album is a nine-track exploration of spirituality, mindfulness, meditation, and shared humanity, bringing together artists, musicians, and traditions from across the world.

Taking its name from the Sanskrit word for “oneness,” Ektā was created around a simple idea: that different cultures, voices, instruments, and musical traditions can come together through one universal language — music.

For the project, the international renowned collective Cafe De Anatolia ventures deeper into the worlds of New Age & Ambient music alongside an international group of collaborators, including GRAMMY®-winning artist, producer, and composer Antaeus; Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree Madame Gandhi; Amani Sol, creator behind the Relax My Dog brand.

The result is a mantra- and meditation-inspired album that combines organic instrumentation, ambient soundscapes, spiritual influences, and contemporary electronic production.

Released on August 14, 2026, Ektā made an immediate impact, reaching #1 on the iTunes New Age Albums chart in the United States and #1 on the iTunes Overall Albums chart in India. Since its release, the album has surpassed 100,000 streams across all platforms, marking a strong start for Ektā and its journey into the New Age & Ambient world.

Nine Tracks, One Journey

Across its nine tracks, Ektā moves through different cultures, emotions, and forms of meditation while maintaining the concept of oneness at its core.

The album opens with “Home,” a cinematic, mysterious, New Age composition featuring guitars & tambura by Billy Esteban and the expressive vocals of acclaimed GRAMMY® nominee and three-time Latin GRAMMY® nominee AleMor. The song introduces the album through themes of belonging, reflection, and the search for an inner sense of home.

The second track, “Ocean,” moves into a more meditative space, with Madame Gandhi introducing a conversation with nature and inviting the listener into a deeper state of awareness.

“Goddess Mantra,” the album’s third track, draws inspiration from Indian mantra & chant traditions, connecting the project to the spiritual roots that helped shape its broader concept.

The fourth track, “Echoes of You,” explores a more classic New Age direction and features violin from two-time GRAMMY® Award winner Frederika Krier.

That journey continues with “Shiva Nirvana,” an extended guided meditation blending elements of Indian culture guided by the beautiful voice of Madame Gandhi and spirituality with a downtempo electronic beat created by the wonderful Cafe De Anatolia. 

The sixth track, “Kyrie,” is conceived as a musical blessing, drawing inspiration from the atmospheric and spiritual character, a true New Age gem by Antaeus.

It is followed by “Aether,” a cinematic New Age composition that expands the album into a wider, almost filmic soundscape.

The eighth track, “Deep Water,” combines choir from East Balkan Noble Voices and flute to create one of the album’s most immersive and contemplative moments, lead by the amazing producer Nickarth. 

Finally, “Desert Night” closes Ektā with violin performances from two-time GRAMMY® nominee An Vedi, bringing the nine-track New Age & Ambient journey to its conclusion.

A Meeting of Cultures and Instruments

Musically, Ektā blends organic instrumentation with lush electronic textures and atmospheric production.

The album features keyboards & music production by Antaeus; arrangements and music production by Nickarth; dulcimer by Pete Giatrakus; ney flute by Thanassis Vassilopoulos; sitar by Iasonas Psarakis; tambura and guitar by Billy Esteban; and kaval, duduk, and oud performed by members of Rialians On Earth.

Vocals are contributed by Madame Gandhi and AleMor, with lyrics by Monika Ilieva, alongside expressive violin performances from Frederika Krier and An Vedi and contributions from the East Balkan Noble Voices choir.

The production is further elevated by an acclaimed international engineering team that includes GRAMMY®-winning engineer Joe Maldonado, multi-GRAMMY®-nominated engineer Tony Correli, recording engineers Stefan Petanovski and Valdera, and multi-GRAMMY®-winning engineer Alex Psaroudakis.

Together, the production and engineering teams create an expansive sonic landscape built around warmth, clarity, and emotional depth, allowing the vocals, acoustic instruments, choir, and ambient textures to exist naturally alongside the album’s electronic elements.

“A Soundtrack for Reflection and Inner Peace”

For Cafe De Anatolia, the project represents both a musical exploration and a more personal approach to the possibilities of New Age and Ambient music.

“New Age and Ambient music are spaces where silence becomes part of the composition. We believe this album has the power to create environments where healing can naturally unfold. With Ektā, we blended organic instruments, meditative voices, and ambient textures to create a soundtrack for reflection and inner peace.

What makes this project truly special is that it brings together so many incredible artists from different cultures, traditions, and musical backgrounds, each contributing their own unique voice to a shared vision of unity. Our hope is that every listener finds their own quiet place within these compositions.”

The Sony Music Publishing MENA Connection

A significant part of the story behind Ektā is Cafe De Anatolia’s connection with Sony Music Publishing MENA.

Sony Music Publishing MENA is the exclusive publishing team behind five tracks from the album produced by Cafe De Anatolia: “Home,” “Ocean,” “Shiva Nirvana,” “Deep Water,” and “Desert Night.”

The works are composed by Nikola Iliev (Nickarth), Monika Ilieva, and Zoran Iliev (Billy Esteban), exclusive songwriters signed with Sony Music Publishing through Cafe De Anatolia’s publishing arm, CAMELWAV.

Dounia from Sony Music Publishing MENA says of the project:

“EKTĀ is a wonderful project that Nick and Monika presented to us, and we are happy to support it. Cafe De Anatolia, together with their collaborators, created a wonderful piece of music, and we all enjoy this beautiful New Age album, probably the best one in 2026.”

Taking “Ektā” Beyond the Album

The team is also extending the concept of Ektā beyond streaming platforms through a series of intimate listening and experience events designed to bring the album directly to New Age & Ambient listeners.

The team planned events in San Francisco on August 18, New York on September 24, Los Angeles on October 4, and London on October 18, creating spaces where audiences can experience the music and the philosophy behind the project in a more immersive setting.

At its heart, these experiences reflect the same idea that inspired the album itself: oneness.

Through nine tracks, musicians from different cultural backgrounds, traditional instruments, meditative voices, choirs, electronic textures, and contemporary New Age production, Ektā attempts to create a meeting point between musical worlds that might otherwise remain separate.