Open By Stephen Wallack

 

Open

By

Stephen Wallack

Written by

Steve Sheppard

 

Stephen Wallack has been a main stay of the solo piano genre for many years now; I can still remember my first encounter back in 2019 and the album Chapters, that release was like a breath of fresh air in the huge piano industry that still grows to this day, but Wallack stood out then, as he does some 6 years later, with his latest release entitled Open.

This is the Minnesotan’s 6^th album release, and once again his music flourishes with the energy of a fresh spring morning. The album starts with a prolific beginning called Faith, the performance is almost dualistic in approach, with quieter segments of a pondering nature, and then the more fluid energy is brought into the mix in an outstanding start to the album.

I want to praise Stephen right now for creating numerous tracks over 4 minutes long in the days of the micro piano composition, this is like a huge sigh of relief from this writer, as I at last have something to get my musical teeth into, an example of this would be the flourishing, yet thoughtful prose of the track Love Story at well over 6 minutes in duration, and to follow that up with Fall, at near on six minutes thirty seconds was blissful, thank you so much, the aforementioned track was also a delightful repose, and a delicate yet supportive piano narrative can be found within this lush composition.

Open is a 10 track solo piano release created on a Steinway S Grand Piano, the listener can find compositions of many colours and textures upon it, just like the quite breath taking arrangement of well over 6 and a half minutes long called Ireland, or the rhythmic pastiche of the piece One Last Run, with its natural melody and uplifting nature with a fluent instrumental tapestry, one that plays both light and dark, making for me a creation of great mood, intent and emotive energy.

One track that will encapsulate the listener is the haunting reverie of Girl In The Painting. There is a wonderful juxtaposition here that needs highlighting, the piece itself has an upbeat tempo, but also has a dualistic nature, this is a composition that breathes and recreates its own narrative, and in doing so, could well be seen as music for a movie.

The concluding musical narrative from Stephen is quite stunning and called Storm, one can see with ease the inspiration of one of his heroes in the late but great George Winston here, this is a final track of great quality tone and timbre and a sublime way with which to end the album.

Open by Stephen Wallack is the release that the solo piano genre has been waiting for, here upon this album the listener will find passion, textured fluency and 10 thoughtful and intelligent arrangements, and with all that being said, I have that feeling once again that Open by Stephen Wallack could well see chart success in the very near future, it is that good.

Isabel By Carbe and Durand

 

Isabel

By

Carbe and Durand

Written by

Steve Sheppard

 

The partnership of Carbe and Durand over the years has become legendary, especially in the vibrant Latin styled world of guitar with a globally infused twist, for me personally it has been a delight that I discovered back in the days of Incendio, and I wished I hadn’t checked, as that first album was now 25 years ago and called Misterioso, but here they are once more with another delightful new single called Isabel, so that pleasurable journey gladly continues.

The vibrancy of this new creation is tempered slightly by the emotive aspects of the composition, but fear not that sultry tone and timbre flows strongly within the arrangement, and the added percussion will take one to a sunset on warm summer beach with ease.

A piece perhaps of a dedication to an old friend or perhaps lover, the smooth transmission of the guitars both bass and acoustic is so wonderfully persuasive and blissfully slick, whilst the melody line is filled with a sweltering tenderness that can only be felt on a late August night.

This is Carbe and Durand at their talented best; rich in flavour, textures so transient and textured, and a performance that you only wished you could see live, as such Isabel from the duet has to be yet another massive hit for the dynamic duo of globally inspired guitar. 

Back To My Roots by David Mash

 

Back To My Roots

By

David Mash

Written by

Steve Sheppard

 

I would have to say that this has to be one of my most interesting projects this year without doubt, as today I am lucky enough to voyage with David Mash as we dive on deep into his latest album Back To My Roots, in what would turn out to be the most fascinating mixture of genres all on one album I have thus far encountered.

The opening of the album is enthralling and called Drain The Swamp, a true mixture of new age, meets blues rock, with a little global fusion stirred into a weave of a song so beautifully composed and arranged. Throughout this release you will hear the stunning presentations on guitar by Mash, whilst his partner in this project Bruce Nifong on alto saxophone brings to the table some of the smoothest performances you could ever wish for.

The beauty of music is that it is international and flavoursome, and whilst we may not have heard of some of the artists we come across before, we are sure to find comparisons from our own cultures or countries. Back To My Roots the title track was something to treasure, as a little funk was brought into the scheme of things in a way that at times reminded me of a funked up Soft Machine, or even a prog styled version of the Average White Band, regardless this was simply amazing stuff.

One of my personal favourites was the following musical narrative entitled Just Mo; a full flowing sax from Nifong drove the song along on a highway of charm and colourful textures, in a rhythmic pastiche of sultry sound that was all to addictive and entrancing, whilst offerings like the Appellation Trail drifted across the horizon of a better tomorrow, with the simply beautiful layered percussive elements, keyboards and sax, in a TV theme waiting to happen.

On Blüz For Rufe we have a somewhat deeper offering created by the artist, one thanks to the instrumentation employed it gave us the ever eager listeners an almost progressive jazz modality of sorts, the funked up bass line in partnership with the percussion and sax, ushered forth a sound I hadn’t heard the link of since the Icelandic jazz fusion band Mezzoforte, but harder.

So we can now swim in the deeper waters of the release and as we do so we come across a comforting creation entitled Prime. A soft tapestry of sound can be found here of a symbiotic partnership of both guitar and sax, only this time we can add into the mix the sublime bass presentation from James Nifong, this for me created a back line of sound that raised the narration of electric guitar and sax to an even higher level, and once more would remind me of UK jazz funk pop band Level 42 in style from their early years in the 80’s

Ictonomics was a piece that you are always glad you came across, and found well in the deeper waters of the release the combination of sax and guitar from Bruce Nifong and David Mash was delightfully funky to say the least, and its rhythmic pastiche of a timbre that was truly hard to get out of your mind later on in the day, a delightful issue to have from what is a wonderfully fluent arrangement.

The penultimate offering is entitled Bottles and is as smooth as it gets, one could easily see this being used on a TV show, it’s anthem like manifestation of tone was an utter pleasure to float in for the duration of the composition, the classy percussion and saxophone heralding a bright and ever onward musical arrangement that was simply blissful.

The title to the concluding track here may give the game away, and called Funktion 80•24. Why not indeed complete the project with the vibe that originally created the album, and its consistency like this that needs to happen to create something appealing for entire release, one with both Nifong and David Mash in full flow, and what was a sublime and crafted way with which to leave the album it was indeed.

Back To My Roots by David Mash was indeed a fascinating project to write about, but music of this elk I could listen to all day and never tire of, here the artist takes us back to revisit his Detroit roots, and in doing so manifests a musical reality that is both palpable and addictive, and with some of the most sublime performances to brighten our days, so where ever on the globe we may live, may the funk be with you.

Warmth by Fred Grenot

 

Warmth

By

Fred Grenot

Written by

Steve Sheppard

 

Fred Grenot has been creating some sublime music since his return to the genre, in fact I would say that 2023 turned into being a great year musically with the return of the composer, since then he has gone from strength to strength, and is now presenting some of his finest creations ever, as much can be said also for the beautifully textured new single entitled Warmth.

Projecting a feeling, or a sensation, is never an easy thing to do, musically you literally have to place yourself within the confines of the subject matter and feel it yourself, listen to the tones that come from that experience, take that, and simply create! Here Grenot does that superbly, his deep synths build a timbre akin the great Chuck Wild aka Liquid Mind in structure, and it works beautifully.

The depth in this arrangement is vast, it’s like jumping into a huge lapis August ocean, where one can feel totally surrounded by the immersive experience, but also warmed by its embrace. Fred’s touch on keyboards and synths is beginning to touch his listeners as well, and this wonderful musician is now creating sonic soundscapes for those who need a sanctuary of sound to escape into, and doing so with such ease and tenderness.

Warmth by Fred Grenot is an ethereal new single, it is part of the new vanguard of new age music that is caressing our senses in this decade, and long may it remain so, with manifestations like this around, the genre of new age music is safe, and as such each listener to this creative composition will be comforted in the knowledge that they have just listened to one of the best proponents of it.

Chasing Starlight By Louis Colaiannia

 

Chasing Starlight

By

Louis Colaiannia

Written by

Steve Sheppard

 

It’s a joy in your life to have consistencies, for me I find that in music, and one of those on going occurrences that never leaves my side, are the works of pianist and composer Louis Colaiannia, whose creations have graced my time in the industry for some 12 years now, and thus it always brings me great pleasure when I get to review a new composition or creation, and today is that day, as I turn my gaze towards his latest single Chasing Starlight.

This was indeed a moment of bliss for me as this new single from the artist has a real sense of warmth contained within the narrative, one that reflects the subject matter perfectly, but also one that manifests such a beautiful fluency, and moreover a charming swing to the overall composition can be found here too, one akin to a slow dance with a loved one, or just a warm hug from a very good friend.

This remarkable new single from Louis also stands out as possibly one of those compositions that could also be turned into a lyrical project, and made into a charming reflective ballad, regardless this is a sublime performance and presentation from the composer, it’s rare for a single in the piano industry to have so much contained within these days, but in my view Louis Colaiannia with Chasing Starlight has knocked the metaphorical ball out of the park, this one has to be a massive chart hit with utter ease.

The Return By Her Sound

 

The Return

By

Her Sound

Written by

Steve Sheppard

 

The powerful combinations of musical connections are a wonderful thing, and here Her Sound has manifested something far reaching and self-empowering in their brand new debut single entitled The Return. The group feature instrumentalist Kate Jaconello and two of the finest female vocalists around in Louise Hatch and Lynda Moylan.

Lyrically alone this new song will inspire those to reach high and take control of their own lives and destinies, musically this is a stunning creation that would be perfect for a movie or a TV series, the percussive elements symbiotically mesh with the powerful instrumental values, who in turn weave and dance with the sublime energy that the vocalists bring to the arrangement in such a grand style, I must say they are some of the best I have heard for many a year.

The Return has that essence about it, one of complete success and inspirational values that will easily raise the hairs on the arm with simplicity, one can literally feel the power and intensity grow throughout the compositional structure of the song, which will in turn see the switch of positivity being turned on by the listener at its conclusion.

One can say without doubt that The Return is a dramatic opus that resonates through negativity and stands tall and proud amongst the weary and fearful, an anthem for new beginnings, and a panacea for positive change, therefore it must be a huge hit on the charts as well for Her Sound.

Find out more by following the links: 

www.katejaconello.com

www.hersound.co.uk

Transcendence By Shambhu

 

Transcendence

By

Shambhu

Written by

Steve Sheppard

 

Today I allowed the cadence of the day to wash over me; the morning had started in glorious aplomb, the birds sang on high, a soft warm spring wind blew through the tress whilst walking my dog, and for me in that instant everything in the world was as it should be, I was completely in the moment, and this is exactly the energy I get from a Shambhu album, which is good, as today we journey together through the medium of the artists latest release entitled Transcendence.

The opening piece should be familiar to all who follow the artist’s work, as Heart Awakening was earlier offered to the world as both a single and off an EP from 2021 of the same name; here we revisit a slow gentle soothing guitar narrative that eases the listener into their day, and a track that gifts us some nice harmonics too, in what must be described as a splendid start.

The slight elevation in tempo may be tentative, but here on the track Edge of Eternal we have an exciting narrative that flows with an expectancy of abundance, the presentation on acoustic guitar here is both sublime and sun kissed, this is an arrangement that features a couple of my favourite instrumentalists as well in, Eugene Friesen and Jill Haley on Cello and English Horn respectively.

Such beautiful memories are evoked on this next offering, one that originally takes me back to 2017, and I am of course referring to the track Soothe from the album back then of the same name, such a wonderful experience to bathe in this mix of electric guitars and a little synth, raised and highlighted further by the outstanding contribution of Michael Manring on Fretless bass, an instrument with such a distinctive texture.

The gentle slow river that is the piece Revelation is now upon us, the artist’s tranquil and meditative style here fills one with a deeper sense of emotion, whilst the inclusion of Tony Levin on Bass and the aforementioned Friesen and Haley’s contributions here, elevated this specific track for me, as one of the most heart-warming and emotive compositions from the release.

Nirab Amare is an interesting one for me, I live in a quiet area, and all of the time we have various bird sounds, which is delightful, today I had a couple of crows sitting in a tree nearby, but I was to find out that the bird sound was actually coming from this track not from my winged buddies here in Cyprus. The flute made this track special for me, Premik Russel Tubbs presentation was simply transcendent, and was one that symbiotically partnered Shambhu’s acoustic guitar to perfection.

So we drift into the welcome arms of the second half of the album, and as we do so we come across a serene creation entitled Imagine. To me this must be like one of those fantasy moments in music, to have two acoustic guitars from two of the stars in the genre in Shambhu and the great Will Ackerman on the same track, then add into the mix Manring on bass and magic is made.

I adore the reflective creations of the artist, and we have one of those moments right now with the track, Pondering When. The tranquil and ponderous presentation is utterly beautiful; it truly reminds me of when I used to take my self-off into nature, to hide from the ravages of conflict, and in doing so, would find peace and harmony in a sanctuary of trees and hillsides, this composition is simply divine and could have been a soundtrack for that very event.

We find ourselves now in the deeper waters of the release as we reach the charming musical narrative of Knowingness, once again with Premik Russel Tubbs but this time on Soprano Saxophone, and the inclusion of Frank Martin on piano, and a blissful performance from Shambhu of electric guitars; one that is only enhanced further by the fluent Kristin Hoffman on vocals, whose work throughout this album has been a soothing timbre to enjoy.

The penultimate offering is entitled Windows of Time, fans of the artist would have found this some 13 years ago on the release Dreaming Now. Here the composition is taken further, and its proud jazz styled contemporary instrumental flavours can be enjoyed once again, kudos to both Charlie Bisharat and George Brooks, their contribution on violin and soprano saxophone respectively to this piece has to be applauded.

The aforementioned Dreaming of Now, this time the actual track concludes our voyage with the artist on this occasion, one of the most chilled offerings from this release and indeed from Shambhu. The listener through the medium of this track is left in total peace and calm, with the addition of Tubbs of flute gifting the final composition that almost lullaby status, in what is a caring and tender way with which to leave this quite beautiful album.

Transcendence by Shambhu is a charming and loving look back at all that is good and gold in the musical catalogue of musician as the years have rolled past. This world is a better place for artists like Shambhu, we need calm, tranquil lives that are enhanced by positivity, and music like this will always be the panacea to cure those woes of everyday life. This is without doubt one of the most reflective collections of contemporary instrumental music out there, and as such should be lapped up by those needing a sanctuary of soothing sound to escape into.

Check out the links below to where you can find the music:

STREAMING:  https://ffm.to/transcendence-shambhu

SHAMBHU MUSIC SITE: https://www.shambhumusic.com/transcendence

BANDCAMP: https://shambhumusic.bandcamp.com/album/transcendence

AMAZON: https://amazon.com/music/player/albums/B0DXT26VHP?marketplaceId=ATVPDKIKX0DER&musicTerritory=US&ref=dm_sh_T51g7gqQrUyCoChPsn7sMPnt3

SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/album/3s4kK4jHUicJRcHKhvWfzb?si=HE_7i3rVSEyfASPSQa7k7Q

APPLE MUSIC: https://music.apple.com/us/album/transcendence/1798280269

PANDORA: https://pandora.app.link/aM4cJA9nJRb

Heaven By Eric Tingstad

 

Heaven

By

Eric Tingstad

Written by

Steve Sheppard

 

I have very fond memories of the music of Eric Tingstad; I surrounded myself back in 2007 with the ever timeless tones of Sunrise in Four Corners from his 2007 release entitled Southwest. Here today some 18 years later I have the pleasure to write a review for his latest single entitled Heaven.

This lush and textured new creation has an abundance of guitar, as you would of course expect from the composer, but here we can enjoy electric, acoustic and slide, and an ever onward progression of a song that is utterly beautiful, and I guess heavenly.

The gentle approach here from Tingstad is well received; there is a tender build and progression, but one that manifests a timbre that flourishes in every new stage it reaches, this is a crafted and cultured release, one of sublime high quality that you might expect from the performer.

Each note and each string is manifested with a soft backdrop of sound, and a slight but pertinent crescendo to birth for me one of the best guitar tracks I have heard this year with ease, and one destined to be a very big chart hit indeed.

Unidentified Ambient Phenomena, Vol. 1 By Piscean Daydreams

 

Unidentified Ambient Phenomena, Vol. 1

By

Piscean Daydreams

Written by

Steve Sheppard

 

I had the great pleasure this afternoon to immerse myself into an EP that was just the musical panacea I needed, that collection of sublime arrangements is called Unidentified Ambient Phenomena, Vol. 1, and has been released by the artist known as Piscean Daydreams.

This, as some might know, is my stomping ground, I adore electronic ambient music like this and produce my own music in this genre as well, so for me its inspiration that I am seeking, and I got a plethora of that through this amazing release.

The opening piece Neptune’s Embrace is a powerful, yet floaty construct, and is a track that immerses the listener fully; one can truly feel like they are swimming in the lapis seas of mythological deities, in fact only yesterday I was walking along Poseidonos Avenue in Cyprus, the home of the Greek equivalent, and at eventide this music would have represented this area perfectly, this is a submerging offering that creates a warming and caressing sound around the listener, and in the most beautiful of ways.

The natural sounds of the ocean leads us into track two entitled Transmedium, I must state now that this was my personal favourite from the album, there is a real “as above, so below” feel to this creation that is undeniable, at times the synth electronic performance reminds me of both the more mellow side of Andy Pickford, and perhaps the more fluent aspects of Brian Eno, regardless this is a composition of utterly high quality.

The third of our four manifestations is the penultimate offering entitled Like Tears in Rain, and is indeed a grittier piece, one that has elements of the movie Bladerunner contained within, think of the original movie only, and the Vangelis music that accompanied that moment, he gazed out of the window to look upon a rainy night and the constant flickering of the neon lights and advertisements below, and you will no doubt see where I am coming from. A stunning locational reverie indeed, and one that has a defined sense of emotion contained within as well, thanks to that wonderfully embracing sweeping synth.

How could you not like the opening of this piece, it was like placing an old 45 on a turntable again, immediately drawing one back to a past life of static, dust and great music, my first Tomita album sounded like that, but here the artist adds a delightful eastern vibe to the weave of the composition called Echoes of a Forgotten Past, and goes onto build an arrangement that in truth you never want to end, if this track had gone on for 20 minutes I wouldn’t have minded, and what a sublime way with which to conclude the project.

There can be no doubt that Unidentified Ambient Phenomena; Vol. 1 by Piscean Daydreams is a quality release, up there with the best of the ambient electronic genre, one can only look forward to Vol 2, but here on this collection the listener will find a thoroughly intelligent and professional recording, one that not only captures the subject matter perfectly, but brings them some of the finest examples of modern day EM, Vangelis would indeed be proud.

Dancing in the Storm By Geez Louise

 

Dancing in the Storm

By

Geez Louise

Written by

Steve Sheppard

 

It was a time for a new chapter for me, as we recently moved house to a far better area and dwelling, and for a while I pondered on what album I would review first in my new home, as it happens it was a new artist to me, but from a familiar source as we feature Geez Louise and her new release Dancing In The Storm.

Geez Louise aka Louise Dimiceli-Mitran, now I am sure now that some will have already recognised the final last name there from my previous reviews, and you would be correct, here Louise steps up to the proverbial plate and produces one of the most vibrant vocal albums you will have heard for quite some time.

I have always been told that you need to start off any album with a truly strong track or intention, and the artist certainly does that with the full flowing narrative of Being With You, this flourishing light rock creation reminds me in compositional structure, to the music of The Travelling Wilburys, remember them? Then we move onwards to another favourite of mine called Already Gone, no not the Eagles track from the album of the same name, but a smooth ballad that does actually have a little Eagles or Don Henley feel to its overall mood, the overlaid harmonies here are delicious.

The rhythmic progression on this next piece is simply smooth and called Mexico. Now whilst this is a country I am very unlikely to ever go to, I can do so vicariously with this composition, one that also has a clever hook of a chorus as well.

The listener will find something to please them in all ways within this 13 track creation, perhaps offerings like If You Do, which contain some quite amazing guitar that reminded me of Chris Rea in tone, and performed brilliantly by Kraig McCreary, or they may find solace in the title track Dancing in the Storm, kudos to the artist for their beautiful acoustic guitar presentation, and the amazingly powerful and uplifting vocals on this piece.

The tempo picks up once more as we get to the mid-way track of the album and the song called Hell in the Hallway; this is a classic driving song, full of rhythm, passion and undeniably addictive lyrics. Whilst on After All These Years we can bring a little folk into the scheme of things, this touching composition is so heart felt, and it must be said for those of you who love the nuances in an album, contains the cello of the ever talented Hans Christian.

Five Hundred Ways is one of those offerings that will engage the listener with its immediate chorus and hook line, and indeed it’s possible to say unusually, that 90% of songs of this album could easily be hit singles, perhaps even this one coming up now called Stand Up, now background vocals are just that, but the added tonal inclusion of Annie Mitran Brennan on them was nothing short of genius, as they created a tapestry of tone and timbre that was so symbiotically lush and textured.

We move to a locational track and a place I nearly ended up in by default, but that story is a little strange to recant here! However on the piece Chicago Song we have a personal tale told, and this is certainly one to pull up the lyric sheet to, it is so very moving, and sadly still relevant to the current day, on a musical note I adored the inclusion of Andy Mitran on piano on this heart felt manifestation.

We now move into the deeper waters of this release, and as we do so we come across a track called Connection, now here is a theme that reminded me fellow American new age band The Song Gardeners in content, and yes, another song I would recommend as a possible single release, and perhaps one that may even become a bit of an anthem for the artist in times ahead.

The penultimate offering is entitled Free, and here the artists gifts us a song that in a way is a reminder for us all to embrace life while we have it, and then to conclude the album we have a true classic last composition, and this final musical gift is called You Are A Light, another anthem like offering that is as easy on the ears as an early sunny Sunday morning is on the senses, and a sublime way with which to leave the album, one that contains a wonderful feeling of positivity and hope, something we all need now more than ever before.

Dancing in the Storm by Geez Louise is a vocal based album that will take the listener on a voyage of musical interest; it will explore heart felt narratives and also have that sublime sense of rhythm that the feet will not be able to resist tapping to. Dancing in the Storm by Geez Louise breathes a breath of fresh air and hope into the hearts and minds of the listener, and as such I can see this album becoming a bit of a big hit on the charts for the artist.

Africa By Jim Kimo West & David Vito Gregoli

 

Africa

By

Jim Kimo West & David Vito Gregoli

Written by

Steve Sheppard

 

I have fond memories of this song from the early eighties, I even remember where I was when I first heard it, but that tale is far less interesting than the music, here Jim Kimo West & David Vito Gregoli join forces with MB Gordy and Joss Jaffe and produce something that takes us on another journey down memory lane, with the Toto track Africa.

Written originally by band members Paich and Porcaro and despite the constant rumours of the song being about a personal romance, this creation is indeed a love song, but one for the continent of Africa itself. Here on this fresh, new and exciting rendition the team breathe fresh life into one of the biggest pop rock songs of all time, which is still a constant on radio shows to this day.

One has to be in bliss with a Vito fretless bass and it is here in abundance, while Jim Kimo West produces what he always does, sublime, fluent classy guitar. The further combination of MB Gordy gifts the listener African percussion and marimba, and with Joss Jaffe on the harp like African Ngoni, we must have the most creative cover of this song for all time.

This new single Africa from the effervescent talents of Jim Kimo West & David Vito Gregoli is yet another step in the ladder of creative success for the duo, and one that I feel comfortable in saying, will be embraced by fans and listeners alike, and is therefore a sure fire hit about to happen.

Secrets from a Gemstone By Craigology

 

Secrets from a Gemstone

By

Craigology

Written by

Steve Sheppard

 

It’s good to see Craigology continue to grow and expand his repertoire, here on this brand new EP he does just that, this is a veritable mine of musical exploration called Secrets from a Gemstone, and a most fascinating collection of freshly born tracks it is indeed.

The opening foray is one of the most fascinating offerings I have heard from the artist thus far, a track with many facets, and this presentation of solo piano is almost an entire suite of musical components in just under 4 minutes, in a truly artistic endeavour indeed called Rain Drops.

We now move to the title track Secrets from a Gemstone, and once more we find a beautiful fluent arrangement of a combination of major and minor keys, one that swirls through its time signatures akin to a stead moving stream in April, personally I adored this track, the added keyboard structures manifested a wonderful backdrop, whilst the narration from the artists piano is some of the most expressive I have seen in this style since Neil Sedaka composed Lighting Ridge.

A more ponderous creation can be found on this next piece called Regenerate, a more modern popular presentation starts the process of the arrangement, this soon manifests into an enthralling composition that has you on tender hooks just to see where the piece will end up, the art of any good musical creation is to keep the listener hooked, and this track certainly does that.

The penultimate track is the ever popular Forward Direction; a piece released as a single last year, the steady onward direction of this arrangement is well built upon, and the added instrumentation further builds the narrative into a thoroughly interesting composition.

As you may guess from the title of this next creation Eclosion (Emerging from the Chrysalis), we will find a composition that is slow to build, and to a certain extent is true, however the strings segments added more energy to the overall arrangement, and the coda is a sublime pastiche of power and crescendo as the conclusion is finally reached.

Secrets from a Gemstone by Craigology, has to be one of the most fascinating EPs that I have recently had the pleasure of reviewing, the good news about this collection of musical fortitude, is that it makes me want to listen to it again, perhaps to just make note of any nuances I may have missed, but regardless in my view this is the artists best work thus far, and with that said, Secrets from a Gemstone should be a huge hit for Craigology.

Montana Stillwater By Wayo Hogan

 

Montana Stillwater

By

Wayo Hogan

Written by

Steve Sheppard

 

The genre that is solo piano has been a constant in my life over the last 10 years or so, it’s an ever growing one too, so to stand out in it can sometimes be a perilous thing, however this debut album from pianist and composer Wayo Hogan does the one thing that convinces me that a star is on the rise in the genre, and that thing is the creative intelligence to manifest musical locations and make then incredibly palpable, through the compositional structures of the up and coming arrangements. Here on Montana Stillwater, Wayo Hogan does just that and more, this is an album that depicts Glacier National Park’s breath-taking landscapes, and does it with great style and panache.

The opening offering Stillwater Landing, is a vibrant scene setter of a composition, one that juxtaposes the calming sight of a natural location connected with the life that surrounds it. That is followed up with the piece On Lake McDonald, I adore lakes and nature, and I found that Hogan’s presentation has that quality that only sublime compositions have contained within their narrative, and one that is so redolent of the subject matter, so this for me personally had a lush flow to its arrangement that I simply adored, and it was indeed my favourite piece from the release.

This album flows with passion, colours and textures, which weave a creative tapestry into the mix. When we look at the composition Whitefish Lake, this for me, became a flourishing narrative that created an image of a vibrant location, whilst the offering entitled Swan River delivered a haunting reverie of great beauty and charm. One of the most delightful of things to do if you live in the right location is to watch swans swim with the rivers flow, and for me Hogan once more created that reality from my past.

At the half way juncture I feel the need to acknowledge the moments of natural sounds at the start of some of the compositions, they are brief, but very cleverly added, on the track Going to the Sun, we have a sense of happy times in the wilderness of nature’s rich tapestry, whilst the following creation entitled St. Mary Falls is indeed a horse of a different colour entirely, and its flowing voyage of solo piano is almost regal in its intent, as indeed only a waterfall can be.

When we reach the piece Bear Valley we come across a contemplative narrative, one that ushers forth a mood of contemplation and reflection, and perhaps even the grounding energies of the bear as an animal totem too, whilst the next piece entitled Huckleberry Mountain has a homely feel to its compositional structures, a mood of growth both natural and spiritual can be found here in abundance.

A gentle tonal delight now awaits us on the penultimate offering from the album called Many Glacier, here can be found an almost meditative manifestation of great visuals, and drawing images of a calm stillness from each note played on the piano, and is in my view one of the more mood filled compositions from the album.

The concluding musical narrative called Cherry Pickin ends our voyage of piano with the artist, here is a full flowing creation filled with a mixture of moods and sensitivities. The culmination of efforts here bring about a final cascade of crafted solo work from the performer, one at its final conclusion that brings about a resolution of sorts, and is the perfect way with which to end the project.

Montana Stillwater by Wayo Hogan is a vibrant new solo piano album from an artist who clearly brings a level of excitement, and a fresh perspective to this vast genre with his latest work. Each piece is fluent, artistically sound and always redolent of the subject matter, and will easily be loved by fans of the piano realm with ease.

Hidden World By David De Michele

 

Hidden World

By

David De Michele

Written by

Steve Sheppard

 

There can be no doubt that David De Michelle is making his mark in the new age ambient world of music, now with added vocalisations and vocals, and the changing up a gear into the fantasy world of hidden realms and worlds within worlds, he is fast becoming an artist that one day we could expect to hear his music feature on a TV show or movie, it is progressing to those borderlands of greatness and success.

This new album is called Hidden World, and here is a suggestion, pull up the album art whilst listening to this release, it’s a scene setter and a beautiful fantastical work of art. The opening piece is a proud composition of gigantean proportions; fluid vocals induce a sense of an ethereal paradise.

This nine track release is a sublime recording; De Michelle really has embraced this new path and compositions like the ethnic Forest Echoes explores that narrative perfectly, the cross vibes of an indigenous sound and a Celtic motif in this creation is some of the best I have heard.

This album is a production of the highest quality, all one has to do is to embrace tracks like the Ariel qualities of Hidden World, with its angelic harmonics and its film score scene setting keyboards and synths, then pieces like Realms Within gift the listener a moment of reflection, crossed with a delicate pastiche of mystery and imagination and you have something utterly beautiful and creative.

Dreaming of Elvendom takes the listener to its first dream like mythical location, and literally manifests a portal of music that could transport ones senses into an alternate reality of myth and magic with ease, I did ponder on the scene in Lord of the Rings and the location of the elves and thought to myself that this piece would have been perfect for that sad part of the movie, where all what was left were falling leaves and memories, as the world moves on.

Here is a release that will snare the listener’s imaginings, deliver them a delightful tapestry of sound and to emphasize that, please listen to the utterly charming Into the Night. Note the Celtic percussive beat, the swirling synths and vocals; at various stages this also reminds me of Medwyn Goodall’s Clan series of albums from the late nineties.

By composition seven we have reached a level of brilliance that the artist has been heading for as the weeks and months have rolled by, here on By Your Side, we have a companion of a track that flows like a spring river from the vast mountain range, I was much appreciative of the herald cry, one could literally imagine a row of Elves with their trumpets in hand blowing the arrival theme of a new dawn approaching.

The last but one creation is one of the most ethereal of all and called Awaiting Your Return, the build and progression here is some of the best work I have heard from the artist thus far, again I am left saying this is film score standard and reminds me in part of the great Mike Oldfield with its repetitive presentation, mix that with the supreme power of Vangelis and you have the general idea just how good this penultimate offering is.

We conclude this latest release with a wonderfully drifting musical narrative called The Return, the hero is back on the wings of an angel, the performance reminds me of Kevin Kendle’s album Aerial Vistas, with regard to its creative and flowing synths, then the magic of this track is that its slightly morphs into a piece that reminded me slightly of early Enigma in production.

Hidden World by David De Michele is the latest album in the arsenal of brilliance from the artist, this in my view though is his greatest creation yet, building on the past, and creating for the future, I believe that De Michelle has both the balance, compositional structure, and artistic flair 100% right with this album, I am expecting to see good things on the charts for Hidden World by David De Michele, and maybe even more could be hidden in the forests of evermore for this sublime new creation. 

Liquid Mind XV: In The Love BY Liquid Mind

 

Liquid Mind XV: In The Love

BY

Liquid Mind

Written by

Steve Sheppard

 

When I first landed in the genre of new age music back in 1998, I filled my day with many British composers of that time, as you would expect coming from one born in England, however I came into contact with a more knowledgeable person on the subject at that moment than I, and he gave me an album in 2004 that I would carry with me today called Liquid Mind! Ambience Minimus, by non-other than the amazing Chuck Wild, stating if I wanted to hear one of the finest examples of new age music there is, then I needed to start here, with Liquid Mind, and so I did, and some 21 years later I get another opportunity to write about another stunning album from him called Liquid Mind XV: In The Love.

As with all of Chuck’s albums over the years, each and every one offers the listener much peace and tranquillity. Liquid Mind has been described by the composer himself, as being a weaving of the classical and the more popular music of the day, and with images of Brian Eno and Beethoven forever entwined is a fascinating portrait indeed, but in truth this is very true, and it can be found on the opening piece of the album entitled Gratitude, for me this delightful composition is a drift into a repose so idyllic, and personally has elements of Vaughn Williams and Antonín Dvořák written into the tapestry of the arrangement.

We move into the welcome arms of Soul Whispers, here lays a track that is so calming in its perfection, one can only ponder on the fact that time has slowed down now, that the breathing has eased, and the heart rate in balanced, and tranquillity abounds in all its illustrious pleasure, this is without doubt eight plus minutes of musical bliss, all rolled into one arrangement you never want to end.

Synths, keyboards and the correct tempo and presentation of performance that complement the creation, are vital elements of composing truly good ambient, new age music, here on this next track the artist embodies that with utter perfection on the piece Sanctuary. All those aforementioned instrumentations and exhibitions can be found on this next glorious long form opus, truly good long form narratives keep the listener in a state of awareness, yet partnered with a willingness to listen and just be, here on Sanctuary Wild achieves that goal with aplomb, its 11 minutes plus that you will be more than happy to enjoy over and over again.

We can now step into the second half of the album with the creation called A Willing Spirit. This is the shortest composition on the album at a comfortable 4 and a half minutes plus, but there is more than enough time here to continue this journey of serenity and stillness, here is a track that I like to call tidal music, the ebb and flow of the timbre of this manifestation is so similar in speed and tempo to our ambient oceans here in Cyprus, as they drift up upon the sandy beaches, kiss them, and say farewell for a few heart felt moments.

It is now time to allow another long form manifestation to wash over you, this time through the medium of the composition called In The Love. These delicious tones are the very embodiment of a musical caress, and if when listening to this arrangement you feel yourself start to drift into a beautiful slumber, please do so, the music will continue to play, and you will feel so much better, much more relaxed and soothed by this blessed warm hug of a creation.

The penultimate offering is entitled Forgiveness, Wild has created a perfect moment here that lifts the listener carefully and attentively, whilst allowing the recipient to hold onto the calmness and serenity that they have thus far connected with. Forgiveness is one of the most important aspects of growth as a human being, along with letting go, and here Wild expresses that mood and more on a track that may well bring forth the emotions to be cleared, but done in such a caring and beautiful way.

With the talk at the start of the review of classical inspirations within the artists music, and my preferences of that genre, we arrive at the last track of the release called Coming Home, a piece that reminded me of Dvorak’s Going Home or Largo theme at times, but a track that literally sums up the entire album in just short of eight magical minutes, through the voyage of this tonal delight one truly does feel like they have arrived back home with lessons learned, but one has to truly emphasize the magnificence of peace and harmony one feels when listening to this incredible work, the uplifting nature of this track is so very palpable, and in all honesty, deeply moving and emotive too, what a sublime end to another fantastic album by Liquid Mind.

Liquid Mind XV: In The Love by Liquid Mind now takes me to a 21 year musical journey with the composer, one can only hope that voyage continues with optimism and hopefulness, but there can be no doubt of the effect this artists work has had on my life, and this new album is yet another layer of tone that has now been weaved into that ever growing tapestry of musical mastery. With the new age music scene on the rise once again, I have a feeling that is so empowered by listening to this album, that Liquid Mind XV: In The Love by Liquid Mind is going to grace the top of the charts and become a musical beacon of hope for all to enjoy and benefit from.

Echoes in the Wind By Carbe and Durand

 

Echoes in the Wind

By

Carbe and Durand

Written by

Steve Sheppard

 

The smoothness of this new single makes one long for a beautiful blue sky and a Mediterranean beach, a warming sun and a soothing cocktail or three, however even here on the island of love in Cyprus we still have a little while to wait for that moment, but we can travel so vicariously in our imagination with two of the finest guitarists (including bass) of this genre in Carbe and Durand and their new single Echoes In The Wind.

I don’t know how many times I have played this new creation, but each time I do it comforts me and takes me to my favourite sandy beach a few short miles away, the sublime touch of J.P. Durand on guitar is always an attractive moment to be had, this song is so melodious and heart-warming, yet contains a reflective energy of summers past perhaps, and friends no longer around.

The gentle rhythmic construction by the amazing Lisa Carbe is something to enjoy as well, bringing a delightful sense of warmth into the piece, a woman who clearly knows her instrumentation and one who began playing at the tender age of just 8 years old.

The duo on this new single though have brought reflection, a little whisper on the wind of times past, and magical moments still yet to come, but drifting on a summer breeze yet to be birthed. I know a hit when I hear one, and I believe that Echoes in the Wind by Carbe and Durand could be their biggest one yet.

This Is Your Time by Shervin Boloorian

 

This Is Your Time

By

Shervin Boloorian

Written by

Steve Sheppard

 

This brand new single by Shervin Boloorian called This Is Your Time highlights the very real plight of those who are removed by war from their lands, and found themselves forced into a whole new realm with no fault of their own, like the singer and composer whose family had to escape the Iran/Iraq war, in a region of the globe, that like many others, is still in turmoil to this day for one reason or another.

This is one extremely beautiful moment, and something to be grateful for, as it is a truly powerful creation by an artist who captured the Global Peace Song Awards in 2020, and indeed this specific song, this brave new release, is deeply moving and transformative in tone and timbre, and is also lyrically superior in its content.

The soft vocals of Shervin Boloorian create a warm blanket of sound that you can allow to wash over you, inspired by a poem “Let this Little Girl Win” by Manal Omar, this song has a tenderness that is hard to match, and its sincerity is palpable, utilising Shervin as a multi-instrumentalist of great talent, with a Persian Ney Flute and a piano arrangement that smooths the way to a path of decided tranquillity and calm. At times the voice of the Shervin reminded me of the artist Mitten, with his kindly vocal vibrations, and I feel with ease this should be a huge hit single for the artist, and perhaps even more!