[1] A writer for Billboard noted Santana's "extraordinary guitar work," and called the album "a musical excursion into various moods and feelings.

"[7] Critic Robert Christgau described the album as "frustrating," calling it "spiritual program music that mixes genuinely celestial rock with the usual goop.

"[4] The Bay State Banner opined that, "at this point, Santana would be well-advised to rid himself of Greg Walker's vocals, which are empty and corny.

"[9] In a review for AllMusic, William Ruhlmann noted that "the difference between a group effort and a solo work seems to be primarily in the musical approach, which is more esoteric, and more varied than on a regular band album.

"[3] Rob Caldwell of All About Jazz stated that "though this was essentially [Santana's] first solo record, it marked the work as a definite remove from any 'Santana sound'."