Enya "Watermark" (1988)

 

A Day Without Rain made quite the impression, Watermark has a similar revelry in the sublime. Released twelve years prior, Enya's musical philosophy seems more remarkable for a decade often marred by cheesy Glam and cheap Synthpop. Her adoration of harmony through voice and traditional instruments plays out on contemplative compositions. Performed via keyboards, the production handles their synthetic nature expertly, one could be fooled into picturing her with an assemble of trained musicians orchestrating these deeply emotive songs.

Swaying from the imaginative, colorful throws of New Age, into cinematic scores of sentimental stirrings, Enya graces us with a range of humanist emotions. Evoking sentimental pondering, themes of beauty, love and warmth caress by. With ambience and a touch of gloom the scenes painted occasionally slip into a melancholic haze, a curious space of gently handled sorrows. So to our there flushes of exuberance as worldly sounds usher in colorful strides of adventurous melody.

Each idea feels nurtured and understood, expressed expertly as dense orchestrations of instruments play alongside lone piano pieces and minimal compositions. Through it all, her soft soothing voice sings as a guiding light. Occasionally drifting into the scenery itself, she becomes more of the melody than words uttered. Its a delight how she is always in equilibrium with the varying temperaments explored.

Then there is the case of Orinoco Flow, an explosion of exotic, tropical delight. This song was a huge hit and still sounds fantastic today, as if it exists in a space of its own. Interestingly, the dialed down, meditative ambience of River with its quirky bass aesthetic almost sounds like an echo of that track. Perhaps the link between these two songs lies in a similar aquatic sentiment felt.

Other highlights include the dramatic The Longships and a darkly epic Cursum Perficio. Giving the track listing a little more attention in my closing remarks, the oceanic theme seems all to obvious now. No doubt I'll give it more attention on future listens. This ones a gem I'm sure will only grow closer to the heart with time.

Rating: 8/10

Enigma "MCMXCa.D." (1990)

Catching my ear through the Spotify playlist shuffle, a curiosity was peaked given its early release date. This both felt and sounded like a missing link in the tapestry. A convergence of New Age and Worldbeat, at the alter of 90s drum machine aesthetics from the emerging House and Dance scenes. Before, I've covered similar evolved vibes from En Voice, Dead Can Dance and most keenly Delerium. This one swiftly clicked into place. Research revealing its position as a pioneering record, with surprise commercial success for these relatively unknown German-Romanian musicians.

The record has a trance like meditative presence. Easy listening, as its Dance rhythms gracefully drift through soundscapes of worldly atmosphere. Loaded with samples, spoken lyrics, Ethereal synths and keyboard instruments jostling New Age melodies. It forms an evocative collage of complimenting aesthetics suggesting deep and slightly esoteric themes about the human experience. Best of all, the inclusion of Gregorian Chants aids in playing up the ever present sense of spiritual significance.

Highlights include the mini epics Principles Of Lust and Back To The Rivers Of Belief. Both venture through lengthy song structures, packing a lot of intrigue as their powers hold over the listener. A shorter four minute piece, Callas Went Away, catches the ear with an even touch of plagiarism, as its subdued tom drums and lonely atmospheric synths clearly borrow from the timeless Phil Collins mega hit, In The Air Tonight.

The rest of the music falls into place around these key pieces. MCMXCa.D. is a soothing experience from start to end. One to return for, in need of these worldly spiritual vibes but with a touch of pace from its classic Dance drum machine patterns driving the music. I'm glad I stumbled onto it. It seems they had continued success with the following few records, which I may just check out next.

Rating: 7/10

Enya "A Day Without Rain" (2000)

 

Enya! A name known far and wide across the musical realm, yet for why I wouldn't of been able to tell you, until recently. Hearing Orinoco Flow again, for the first time in decades, that sublime imaginative piece turned me onto her genius. Learning this record is one of the millenniums best selling, I've been set loose on a new journey.

A Day Without Rain strikes me as a union between classical instrumentation and modern convention, her voice arriving as an added dimension of charm, chiming in among the cast of apparatus making up an orchestra. Its mostly the staccato strings offer a melodic focus, as Classical grandiose arrangements are simplified into repetitive sections mimicking Pop music's verse chorus structure. The rest of the aesthetic range nestles into soothing ambiences, soft and gentle, giving space for the character of her subtly understated yet powerful voice to breath its life.

At times her exquisite tone takes on temperaments akin to a lead voice in traditional church music, hymns and psalms evoking rural echo's of Ireland and Wales. In these songs a deeply human empathy and sense of natural beauty emerges. One can almost see the rolling green hills of endless countryside and rural life that comes with it. Somehow, these moments flow perfectly with another half. Voice and instruments take on an adventurous, playful quality, exploring into fantastical spaces.

I couldn't talk about this record without mentioning Tempus Vernum. Led by Timpani drums and cold bells, Its cautious venture into stormy temperaments yields a danger from this orchestral setup I simply adore. This explains a curious bridge to the fantastical realms of war and darkness explored by the likes of Emperor's keyboard section and Glenn Stafford's medieval battle music heard on Warcraft II.

On some level, similar themes that evoke agrarian, un-urbanized, primitive yet spiritual emotions exist both here and in Fantasy music and Dungeon Synth among others from the more esoteric and obscure side of music I am usually indulged with. Enya is a refreshing take on that territory, making those connections without venturing into the abstract. Her older music however, might take a different direction.

Rating: 8/10

Willow "The 1st" (2017)

 

Armed with a charming youthful naivety, Willow's sophomore effort gracefully dodges its own awkward imitations as inspiration and "talent" saves its heartfelt expressions from mockery. Venturing dangerously near the pitfalls of teenage philosophy, her introspective self expressions carry an emotional weight and sincerity that is hard to ignore. Sentiments extending beyond herself scarcely play hollow however the personal insights seem befitting of the records peculiar coffee shop tone.

Backed by sullen, broody instrumentals, strings, pianos and acoustic guitars start out on a Classical tone. Track by track the setting inches into different territories through minimalist compositions that leave a lot of airy space for its inconsequential melodies to drift by. Picking up pace and intensity, things brighten up as sounds of New Age, Soul, Dream Pop and Alternative Rock start to color these intentionally stripped back songs. The final few tracks then lean into a folksy current that was always present.

These thirty four minutes drift by without a misstep yet feel just out of reach from something grander. Early on, Willow's singing contrasts the backings, drifting above with a sense of free flowing expression. Later, the two find unison. Along the way, a few obvious echos of 90s singer-songwriters make themselves known. Considering her trajectory, the creativity expressed here is enjoyable but is yet to really click.

Rating: 6/10

André 3000 "New Blue Sun" (2023)

 

A name that would forever manifest anticipation, the talents of André 3000 held promise, surely a musical gem in waiting? Many years on from his legendary career as the artistic half of Outkast, his return to music is a subtle one, venturing into mellow New-Age ambiences. His voice comes not through rap but woodwind as Andre expresses himself with flute performances that meander on free flowing journeys.

Clocking in at a meaty ninety minutes, these eight stints average over ten minutes in length but all share a common breezy ambiguity. Blurry forms, warm and resonate, yet illusive, express wonders lacking comprehension. A swaying mix of environmental sounds and flashes of dazzling melody, nothing concrete is ever anchored to. Instead we drift across moody landscapes in perpetual limbo, at the mercy of this whim.

Its hazy, fever dream nature and free forming spirit makes these songs hard to latch upon. On the journey, many moments of textural beauty and fleeting chemistries arise but they dissolve into the ambience. Each track boils down to that flavor, if you want its company for however long it endures. The two lengthiest cuts didn't do it for me but the rest served a peaceful, captivating New-Age experience, reveling in their own mystique. Its far flung from the rap record everyone wanted but why not? Clearly Andree had a different expression within him and its worth checking out.

Rating: 6/10

Emerald Web "Dragon Wings And Wizard Tales" (1979)

 

In recent years my Dungeon Synth curiosity has led me down interesting avenues. Fantasy music, Folksy Ambient works and the Psychedelic inspired early Electronic sound of the 70s. They all seem to have an intersection with this curious record that has outdated much of what Ive discovered, unraveling more of the unending map of musical influences. Id never heard of the Husband and Wife duo Emerald Web before, until hearing them appraised by Devin Townsend on a recent podcast. Described as New Age music, I wasn't quite sure what to expect. The promise of flute led songs had old prejudices suspecting I wouldn't enjoy this but for many of my recent discoveries, the likes of a Jim Kirkwood, this dimension has been opened up for me to explore!

What I have discovered here shares much of the mystique for natural beauty and nature I have come to adore in music. It emanates from an inner warmth and inspiration, carried on a care free breeze one can relax deeply to as its Flute is played with a force of personality by Kat Epple, who lends her soft voice too. The woodwind instrument is graceful and timely, drifting in like a leaf caught in the breeze, she swirls and swings through lively iterations between swooning on the soft cloudy texture of its notes, gracefully cruising by with a captivating gleam that I just adore!

Dragon Wings And Wizard Tales moves through many compositions, focusing on melodies from gentle acoustic guitars to creating scenic visions with innovative synths and a little soundscape work between with the blowing of dusty winds. It meanders beautifully, straying subtly into moments of wondrous experimentation that feels ripe of the heels of Progressive Rock. One of its best songs, Chasing The Shadowbeast, a nine minute epic, captures much of what the record offers through its expansive tale that swells with energy and Post-Punk baselines in the end. It gets there through a warm and steady build up resonating on some strong King Crimson vibes.

Leading up to that climactic moment, each of its songs feel like little flowers of inspiration, blossoming in their exposure. Flight Of The Raven captures a little esoteric melody and animated electronics in its conclusion to give a sense of seismic event. Twilight gets scenic with the chirping of birds with its dusky, spooky synths whirling like winds. It all comes together on Firenight as the driving force of its Psychedelic electronic bass line carries the aforementioned ideas on a journey to a full formed entity. The darker side of there sound reminding me of Erang in moments.

Lifeforce Celebration is another standout track as its choppy percussion fading in and out of focus echos of ideas all to common now in music but here a true force of originality. Its so intriguing to put these ideas in the context of the year they were released. Best of all, the music is endearing and has been a constant delight. At only thirty six minutes, its been on repeat a lot these last few weeks!

Rating: 8/10

Radiant Mind & Steve Roach "HelioSphere" (2019)

In need of indulgent ambiences and meditative music I turned to Steve Roach again, who has an large and extensive collection of records under his belt at now 64 years of age. Dreamtime Return had, excuse the pun, returned to my consciousness, setting a spiritual atmosphere for my yoga practice. Looking for a new flavor I picked out this collaboration with Radiant Mind. Eight tracks and sixty four minutes of calm and soothing, gentle streams of sound to evoke peace and reflection. Its all steady and linear, temporal music stripped of event and urgency. All chapters offer different pallets and arrangements of synths and reverberation conjuring safe and warm atmospheres that also feel a fraction of mystery as an astral component blesses the music. One can feel the stars graciously drifting by in the stillness it masters with its layers of yawning, hazy sound drifting in and out of focus, just a grasp away.

The seventh track takes a slight and welcome detour from this construct. Ironically similar to Yagya, who's new Stormur release I recently covered, it has a pulse from start to end, a subdued dub beat gently droning its monotone pulse through the spine of the song. It adds a little pace and movement to the track as a key instrument lingers around the attention it draws, coming in and out of focus like the breath. Like the other songs there is little progression to the sound design yet the beat gives it a sense of presences the others don't have. It stands in contrast but works in the overall run time which is less about a bigger picture and more about minutes in which to loose your thoughts to the persuasive calmness. Its a simple and effective formula executed well enough to reach that space and feeling of inner peace.

Rating: 6/10

Steve Roach "Eclipse Mix" (2017)

In the mood for more meditative music I stumbled onto a free, hour long release from Ambient master Steve Roach! It is initially quite the uneventful and hard to pin down record as its soft alluring drones of calmness continuously perpetuate the stillness of space. The spacial humming murmurs illusive creaks of notes that fall like a blanket, one big blur of rising sound that makes a moment feel eternal. The knobs and dials of Steve's synthesizers are tweaked to that magic tone where the reverberations ooze into one another as gleaming synths seem to turn over each other without collision. It grows in intensity, its repeating elements building up and then unwind.

The calm, inviting space carved in the beginning of the track gives way to a darker shift as the twenty minute mark passes. Eerie, uneasy synths bring disharmony to the forefront with buried, disjointed melodies and reverberations that sound reversed to unsettle the listener. Whenever enjoy the relaxing music in the background, it doesn't take long to notice this shift in tone as one feels on edge in its presence. Beyond this phase the music rears itself on an icy path, the warmth and fire of the two opening phases seem distant, the tone is of limbo, as the new setting holds hints of these differing dynamics yet is suspended between them all.

It lacks the distinct and consistent tone of the opening, always unsettled by subtly shifting and allowing for big, glacial synth tones to rise, melt and flood the soundscape. It may be devoid of obvious melody but it becomes quite eventful in the final phases as big brooding sounds revolve around each other and cut the stillness like passing monoliths, inanimate but massive in scope and presence. All in all its a really enjoyable hour when in the right mood. I sought something out and got exactly what I was looking for! Best of all it was free on Steve's bandcamp page!

Rating: 6/10

Jean Michel Jarre "Magnetic Fields" (1981)

The fun of this retro synth journey has begun to flicker as my interest wavers in these chirpy adventures on the timely frontier of electronic music. With this next installment we are introduced to an emboldened foray of punchier buzz saws and sine waves that come rather close to tones heard on the NES game system. Its a sharper, harder hitting record that starts of with an opening seventeen minute tangent song. Its got a cool temperament and darker undercurrent reminiscent of Oscillotron. Unfortunately it doesn't manifest in that direction and the music fleets through various arrangements with a lack of direction and disorienting cohesion that meanders.

With a lack of clear event, build up or emotional entanglement, the music can easily slip from focus and descend into a rattling whirl of animated synths zapping away in the distance. The second track deploys a jarring stereo shuffle beat of claps that dispels the magic of its lead melody which itself is quite the ear worm. The last three tracks expand the pallet and experiment with different tones, temperaments and sound sampling but there is little going on to resurrect my already lukewarm feeling. The first few listens were enjoyable but quickly it lost its charm. Oxygene and Equinoxe were a blast but moving to the eighties Im sensing there isn't much left for me in his sound, so I conclude my exploration of Jean Michel Jarre's music here.

Rating: 5/10

Jean Michel Jarre "Equinoxe" (1978)

In the mood for more of this nostalgic, imaginative yet primal electronic music, I picked up French composer Jean Michel Jarre's following record from the classic Oxygene. In the two years elapsed since, the music has advanced with a subtle refinement in composure and the evolution of bold and sharp, chirpy synths. In the brightest appearances they become reminiscent of Chiptune and 8-Bit tones in passing. The records use of environmental sound, wind, waves and the like are far more complimentary and overall the visions conjured resist any detraction from the quirkiness off these experimental noises, although blurbs, beeps, blips and barbs talk like an alien voice on Part 4 inbetween the sounds of limbs slashing through air like hasty karate chops.

It seems that in its beginning Equinoxe leans more so into the dark, paranoid and dystopian realm. With decades of music between this and now, what once may have been quite the shock now sounds more ambiguous and open to interpretation in the wake of progressively evil music. It has its upbeat and cheerful tunes too, Part 5 being a particularly playful, the soundtrack to an interplanetary cosmic fairground. These adventurous, chirpy melodies continue into the next part and then the record slowly finds its way to a darker setting before the roar of thunder and patter of rain leads us to the present with the sounds of French fairground music panning the stereo. It ushers in a contrasting conclusion to the record with more spacey, galactic wonder.

Equinoxe is seemingly a step up in production but it mostly spins similar ideas to its predecessor, which has quite the impact on first listen. Its an enjoyable record, the atmosphere and adventure is ripe and vivid but also novelty too. I can't help but feel I'll enjoy each record less as the wonder of a fresh stylistic pallet subsides. I spend a fair amount of time with these records, maybe ten or more spins before I write these blogs and Its music like this I'm sure you can form strong bonds with if it fills a gap in your musical experience or arrives at the right time. For all my listenss little has stuck with me in terms of its key melodies, they mostly fall back into the tapestry of instruments that make up its atmosphere.

Rating: 6/10

Jean Michel Jarre "Oxygene" (1976)

Early synthesizer music has always fascinated me, the likes of Kraftwerk and Tangerine Dream have been a pleasure for years so its always a delight to stumble onto some of these old records where electronic music sounded vastly different from today. Retro synth tones and soundscape ideals, an embracing of ambience and the imagination make these records starkly different from what else was available at the time, Its a true fascination to hear these early artists and their emerging visions. French composer Jean Michel Jarre certainly had a finger on the pulse and this forty minute classic is a delightful work that still holds up well to this day.

Its six songs flow like a river. The whirl of layered looped synth cycles buzz out entrancing and repetitive indulgences that subtly expand and contract as its various elements slowly shift over the songs. The droning constructs give way to lead tones that play out like a guitar solo on a couple of particularly engaging passageways. Its percussive edge is varied from track to track. A range of synthesized emulations, hi hats, kicks and snares, sit softly in the background holding tempo and for large parts of the record drops down to a construct of two or three hits as it ebbs and flows into its different degrees of intensity, complimenting the mood and tone of his synths.

What sticks out like a soar thumb but certainly works is its use of rampant, rolling laser zap sounds and other "gimmicky" synthesized noises that are hashed in. The chirps of birds, calls of dolphins and husky whispering electronic waves wash into the music with a firm boldness that add to the atmosphere despite being clunky in nature. Its the underlying melodies that rise up from a repetitive foundation that make the music transformative, giving it sparks. Within the lure of chilled out, indulgent atmospheres, mysterious, new age synth tones played with curiosity, always emerges a lead instrument, sometime two in tandem, to follow and make sense of the scenic sounds.

Its a marvelous listening experience that visits six distinct chapters, of which four was immediately recognizable. It dives straight into a memorable lead melody that was very familiar. I couldn't find any movie soundtracks I suspected I might know it from but it did feature in the GTA IV soundtrack so perhaps that is where the familiarity extends from. All in all its just a fantastic gem of a record that any lover of electronic, retro or ambient music should take the time to check it. Its entrancing, indulging and full of vivid imagination birthed through sound.

Favorite Track: Part IV, Part V

Rating: 8/10

Steve Roach "Mercurius" (2018)

Far from the minimalist magic of Structures From Silence or the spiritual revelations of Dreamtime Return, I underestimated what an old master would be up to far from the emergence of Ambient music. Steve has not lost his touch, Mercurius delivers four soundscape pieces amassing over seventy minutes between them. This lengthy record isn't about event and progression. Its built around mood and tone and with layers of select synthetic tones and appropriate reverberations Steve conjures gleaming, glossy and meditative atmospheres to sink the mind into. It may be thought of as background music but it is potent and powerful, sucking one in slowly.

Liminal is a light and airy piece of peaceful ambiguity, gentle murmuring synths drifting in and out of focus with a heavenly vibe that flirts with illusive melodies. The lengthy Immanent rumbles into darker, spacey territory with its deeper, dense synth tones bleeding lengthy notes that overlap as they fade in and out of each other. Aeon is my favorite, with a similar pallet to Liminal but spiraling instruments take on a psychedelic sense of exploration as a semblance of tune and melody creeps in. Mercurius has a thick, rich smothering of smooth synths with a grander stretch of sound fading in and out, having the closest sense of "event" in bulging growths of volume.

All in all its an easy record to let pass you by as its soft atmospheres breath slowly and the uneventful nature of the music may dull but in the right moment its meditative magic seeps forth and will cast its calming spell. It did take a few listens to click and now its a noted "go to" for in need of some calming relaxation. A great listen!

Favorite Track: Aeon

Rating: 7/10

Steve Roach "Dreamtime Return" (1988)

American composer Steve Roach's third major release, Dreamtime Return, has been lavished with praise, finding its way onto many essential listening lists, especially within the Ambient community. I share in its appraisal but must also put my trust in the critics who cite the records significance. The ideas on this record are not new to me, its execution however is stunning and to put yourself in the mindset that this is the first emergence of these new approaches to sound creates little more excitement. It barely elevates the already metaphysical experience at hand, which is truly transformational music at heart.

Temporal, meditative and deeply spiritual, the sonic pallet of spacey, exploratory electronic synths advance into the winds of life as the beating heart of mother earth pounds through slow, vast tribal drums and percussive instruments. They form a disconnected experience as their tempos are stretched by the lack of any measurable groove. In sway deep, engrossing sounds, phasing in and out of existence around the illusive anchor to reality. The atmospheres are large and engulfing yet with the percussive backbone they feel earthed by scale, as if primitive man gazes in awe upon the unending lands of earth he can explore eternally.

It is simple to dissect and understand the musics formula yet the power and persuasion it has over a willing listener is the work of a master. Dreamtime Return lasts over two hours and there are some sections that will appeal more than others but its length is testament to the metamorphosis it takes into the roots of our culture-less heritage. In my personal experience I see baking red deserts, vast savannahs and tropical paradises, all beautiful and deadly, the life of an apex predator far from the emancipation of civilizations neutering.

The spiritual side, embraced by the sweeping, windy synths, induces a subtle psychedelic quality that make me think of native Americans on spirit journeys or vision quests, an intrinsically profound experience under the aid of chemicals. There is a strange sense of isolation within the music but it is not loneliness, the hypnotic nature of the record will let one find their symbiosis with mother nature and bask in the awe of insignificance we are as individuals. Where Structures In Silence gazed upon the cosmos, this record gazed internally to the core of our being.

Rating: 9/10

Steve Roach "Structures From Silence" (1984)

Every now and then you stumble on the record you have been waiting to hear, years of adoring ambient music has had me desiring for an experience so simple yet deeply majestic and here it is. American composer Steve Roach's third full length is considered a classic within the genre and it takes one listen to know why. The seventies brought in an electronics revolution thanks to the likes of Kraftwerk and Progressive Rock outfits who embraced synthesizers. Brian Eno emerged at the forefront of this musical movement with his Ambient record series, brandishing the term and laying down foundations that would inspire many artists to come.

One of them is Steve Roach, who on this record focuses much of his efforts into the texture of his synthesizers, which at the time were big old clunky machines that had lots of knobs, dials and cables to manage. Working them was a true craft that would of taken Steve much time to achieve the gloriously soft and airy tones heard on this record. That may of made it sound like a novelty of sorts but the power and magic of these finely tuned instruments gives tremendous weight to stirring an enchanting atmosphere that's stood the test of time.

In terms of its composition, many sounds are temporal and devoid of any obvious melody or structure. These three songs, thirteen, seventeen and almost thirty minutes long focus on the arrival, duration and departure of astral synths that find chemistry with one another in their passing encounters. The length of one note bleeds into another an in some instances their unions persuade with the power of a chord but its temporal nature diverts the pace and measure required for melody to emerge, giving enigmatic influences to the instruments ability to memorize with its aesthetic.

The atmosphere and visions it conjures may be rather personal. Its smooth, calming persuasion and gentle pace is undoubtedly relaxing and soothing but the places it takes you may differ from one listener to the next. For me a feeling of immersion in a moment takes place. Time stands still and one can gaze their eyes upon the details that a slice of time has hidden in its arcane mystery. Color and cosmic wonder cross the mind in what to many might be star gazing music, to look up and ponder, to look inwards and reflect. Steve's compositions put the mind at ease and subsequently opens a door to deeper thoughts locked in the crevasses of the mind.

Rating: 9/10