As One with the Sky By Gregory Cain

 

As One with the Sky

By

Gregory Cain

Written by

Steve Sheppard

 

It’s always excellent when you find an album so good you wished you had composed it yourself, but with my musicians hat on I found much inspiration from the ambient and contemplative composer from Northern California Gregory Cain, and his latest release As One with the Sky, upon it the listener will find some of the most fascinating ambient and electronic constructed observations they could ever wish for.

Starting strong Cain gifts us a moment of clarity and great beauty with the soothing narrative entitled Wandering Curious, gentle synth pads swirl around us creating a cadence so soothing for the onward sonic voyage, a careful percussive element and bass line take us on a musical journey it will be hard to let go of.

The electronic vibe gets a deeper wash thanks to this next moody composition by the artist entitled Full Moon Over Nob Hill,  this is one of several tracks that I adored, and in some way track two of my up and coming release is similar in its depths and textures. Here Cain breathes tone emphatically into a vast wide open range, a vista so expansive, that the overall mood of the track is utterly breath taking.

I’m always a big fan of title tracks, I believe that they should reflect the overall narrative of the project, and this piece for me called As One with the Sky certainly presses all the right buttons, and also in creating a spacious open atmospheric tone, it gifts the listener a sense of ambience much needed to take sanctuary within, and at time reminding me of the most soothing creations of the late but still great Vangelis.

We can now move to a somewhat shorter piece entitled Celestial Machine, this is a true space ambient offering, one that also reminded me in part of the UK’s Kevin Kendle and his deep skies series with its textured synth pads, subtle atmospheric layers, and gentle evolving tones over the course of the three minute plus opus.

The midway marker is reached when the listener casts the rope to the dockside of truly sublime electronic music, with the following arrangement entitled October Dream. This is yet another favourite of mine; October is one of my favourite months, and for me, here the music evokes a quiet, reflective autumnal mood, a sense of cooling air, drifting leaves, and shifting light that mirrors the emotional and sensory qualities often associated with October evenings. Deep, reflective and extremely artistic music can be found on this track alone.

Now for a total course change as we arrive at a more powerful creation, and curiously called This Thing Shouldn’t Be Just out Here, this one has a decided more forceful feel to its construction, evolving from a dream like scenario perhaps, twisting and turning the knife of normality with complex sounds and percussive beats, and reminding me of US electronic experimental artists Hanslik and Moinz at times, in an almost controlled chaotic juxtaposition of a track.

One of the longer tracks from the album is called Give Me Your Tired, the inception seems to herald water sounds, perhaps like the boatman Charon conveying souls to Hades, in one of the most inventive and artistic pieces from the release, at times floating into the realm of electronic artists like Laraaji. Here Cain literally bends sounds and manifests a pace of electronic styled music that is similar to that of Berlin style, but more artistic in texture.

Next in the deeper weave of the album, is a track that is close to my heart, as I don’t live that far from the subject of this next piece, as here in Cyprus, where I live, we have such an area where turtles can be found. Flowing In Turtle Alley, the music, I can confirm is very redolent of the subject matter, fluent, slow paced and wistfully meditative, a title that evokes images of water gently moving through a quiet, hidden channel, or upon a sandy beach, where gratefully the touch of humanity has yet to tread, for me this was one of the best slices of ambient new age music I have heard for years, and I hope one day to create something as beautiful, the sweeping synths evoke a transcendent moment on what is indeed the longest offering from the album at just short of eight bliss filled minutes.

The penultimate track from the release is called An Eddy in the Stream; Cain has followed the last opus of beauty up with another, a gentle sonic movement is found here and one that perhaps invites listeners into a meditative, introspective space, regardless this goes to further emphasise just how good a composer and musician Cain is, as he creates a place in a musical stream where current doesn’t hurriedly carry you onward, but lets you linger longer, and circling around whilst doing so, in tone and timbre.

The natural sounds at the inception of this parting gift called Winter Shadows at Lost Slough, remind me of the tree frogs here in the summer, the teasing synths drift in and out manifesting a truly lush sunset arrangement of outstanding natural beauty, the sonic palette on this composition conveys cool, hushed tones and a sense of slowed time, but one moment that could easily be described as halcyon.

I salute the artist for this album. As One with the Sky by Gregory Cain is with ease one of the best electronic new age ambient styled albums I have had the pleasure to dive deeply into for around a decade at least, its creative, contemplative, exciting, mysterious and utterly beautiful, I would recommend As One with the Sky to any fan of instrumental music in a heartbeat, it has all the hallmarks of something utterly magnificent and transcendent, and could easily be held up as a prime example of the very apex of the new age music genre. 

Wishing Song By Ilka de Gast

 

Wishing Song

By

Ilka de Gast

Written by

Chrissie Sheppard

 

The latest single release from Ilka de Gast entitled Wishing Song serves as the lead single for her forthcoming children's meditation album, a project that focuses on safety and confidence for younger listeners, however, its profound sense of calm offers universal appeal.

Originally from the Netherlands and now based in California, de Gast brings a unique multidisciplinary perspective to her art as a singer-songwriter, sound healer, and licensed psychologist. For this release, she once again collaborates with award-winning multi-instrumentalist Tommy Graven.

"Wishing Song" opens with the rhythmic sounds of the ocean, layered with melodic vocals and a drumbeat designed to mimic a steady heartbeat. Complemented by a soft acoustic guitar, the track then transitions into a brief guided meditation. This segment encourages listeners to practice gratitude and serves as a powerful reminder of self-worth—a message that is often overlooked in daily life.

This track is a standout addition to de Gast's growing discography. Her work continues to resonate deeply, and this single is poised to become a staple for listeners of all ages. Incorporating "Wishing Song" into a daily ritual provides a meaningful opportunity to pause and reflect on one's inherent value.

Eternity By Kate Jaconello

 

Eternity

By

Kate Jaconello

Written by

Steve Sheppard

 

It is so great to be back and connected musically with Kate Jaconello, we first met in London way back in 2011 after the release of her album Earth and Sky, and so much has changed for everyone since those heady days of the past, but in 2024 Kate returned with a single called Silent Alchemy, now two years later and we have a grand release called Eternity.

The beginning opening sequence starts in traditional new age style with a fluent progressing onward keyboard, reminding me of fellow UK artist Phil Thornton in the early stages of the piece, however a sea change of absolute genius is about to evolve from the volcano of talent that is Kate Jaconello.

Percussion is employed; a flourishing keyboard and we are in a totally different ocean of sound, one you may expect artists like Kerani to swim within, regardless this symphonic almost neo classical excursion is incredible to listen to, with elements of Vangelis within the weave as well.

A dramatic last one minute can even be found lurking like a musical Kraken in an under pinned soundtrack of an ending, one that is simply breath taking and compositionally stunning. One has to ask is this the artists best work thus far, and one would have to emphatically say yes, in fact I would dare to put my money where my mouth is an predict a top 5 slot at least for Eternity by Kate Jaconello, it’s that good.

Creation By Soul Improvisations

 

Creation

By

Soul Improvisations

Written by

Steve Sheppard

 

Soul Improvisations certainly made a splash on the instrumental scene during 2024, and my first encounter with this brave new world of solo piano was through her debut single called Warrior Heart, Conquering Life's Challenges, which I had the pleasure of reviewing, as I have her other releases too. After the release of an album called From the Depths, Devorah M. Lewin known as Soul Improvisations is back with a brand new single entitled Creation, and it is probably the most grand of all her manifestations thus far.

This arrangement is utterly glorious, in its early stages the tone and timbre manifests a steady voyage of vibrancy, the fluency drifts into musical eddies along the river bank of this ever onward tonal delight, and with an element of a cinematic production the piano explores the narrative deeper, and a more impassioned piece comes forward like the foam bursting from the waves of a winter ocean.

There is also a beautiful melody floating within the arrangement that is so exquisitely palpable and imploring that needs to be enjoyed as well. The theme of the planet and the universe combined in its cosmological manifestation is beautifully illustrated. The artistic qualities of this piece are both dramatic and cleverly presented to each and every listener.

This lush and creative opus sums up in a single composition the glory and majesty of our world and the universe in which it resides. Each note emphasises a certain aspect of life, a mountain range, a sunset, a passing cloud, all of which go on to sum up how wonderful and incredibly special our mother is.

When one deeply listens to this moment of musical charm and crafted magnificence, one can feel utterly connected to it, within the last one minute of the piece a reflective energy can be adored in the same way with which David Lanz did with Cristofori's Dream, and then concluding the musical narrative with a deep and meaningful coda.

Creation by Soul Improvisations is a power arrangement bathed in the glory of the globe and the transcendence of the cosmos, here is an emphatic arrangement, one so colourful and textured that a veritable tapestry of tonal delight awaits each and every listener, and as such an absolute huge chart hit must be on the cards for Creation by Soul Improvisations.

Belong by The Song Gardeners

 

Belong

By

The Song Gardeners

Written by

Steve Sheppard

 

Back in the year of the pandemic The Song Gardeners burst onto the scene for me, bringing us Altered States, Love Flows, Love is the Magic Of Change and Sabbe Satta Sukhi Hontu, and year after year since, more incredible music has been added to a part of the overall genre, and the nuanced side genre of New Age Pop, today some 6 years later they have released a brand new single to hit the airwaves called Belong.

The theme is pretty current given the mood of political tyranny in the country of The Song Gardner’s, America. The band themselves say it all and I quote “The lyrics and music were written by Corrie M. Dunn at a time in her life when she felt disconnected; an outsider, not fitting into the norms of society. Currently and throughout history we’ve seen groups of people being labelled as aliens and treated as less than human, the chorus is written from the point of view of an alien in society yearning to belong”, very poignantly said ladies, and very true.

Musically the song is one that grows on you and never lets you go, it has that singer songwriter feel to its arrangement, and is beautifully performed and sung by Dunn, as a singer myself, what she has achieved here on this new creation is quite difficult, with differing tones, pitches and keys all being alternated in the space of one superb song.

One might say typical Song Gardeners and it is, but there is a clever underpinned narrative here that juxtaposes a specific mood at the moment in the world or part of it, that has to change and perhaps Belong by The Song Gardeners is the creation to do it.

The Weight Of The Sky By Derek Wille

 

 The Weight Of The Sky

By

Derek Wille

Written by

Steve Sheppard

 

It’s always nice when you come across a new musician to you personally, and then are so impressed with their work, that you wondered how you have missed them in the 30 years that both the artist and yourself have been in the music business, so it is with joy that at last I listen to The Weight Of The Sky by Derek Wille and what an abundant ride of piano mastery it was as well.

The Weight of the Sky is a 14 track release of great power, intensity and flare, tracks like Eyes Across The Room is a delicious arrangement built on the back of a hopeful pattern of tenderness and love, and is a composition that has a sparkle and a certain romanticism about its construction too.

Rhapsody In Shadow is a fine example of blending jazz, classical, new age, and improvisational styles all into one sumptuous slice of musical magic, the classical influences within this gentle narrative gave this arrangement an almost timeless feel to it for me.

There literally is something for everyone on this release, like the rapid jazz feel of Shadows on the Sidewalk. One might say that this piece is from introspective to whimsical and back again, there is certainly a fun juxtaposition between dark and light being played out here, and in the most palatable of ways.

Moving with pace now to one of my personal favourites from the album called The Years Between. The left hand here is the constant that keep us grounded, whilst the tension of emotional portrayals of musical colours and textures is brilliantly presented to the listener.

The longer my journey through this release went on, the more I feel in love with its expression, its sometimes meditative, sometimes excitable arrangements, and on Reflections On A Quiet Night, the piano conveys a sense of night-time calm, memory, and subtle emotional nuances that remind me of the most fully flavoured compositions from my dear friend David Lanz at times.

The listener will find opportunities to experience the occurrence of crossing genres with this album as well, and sometimes on one piece of music as well, flowing from a globally infused arrangement towards new age piano we can enjoy the rhythms and textures of the track Standing In The Storm, a veritable power piece of a performance.

The concluding narrative is entitled A Lifetime Ago, it channels nostalgic sweetness and bittersweet memory, evoking emotional reminiscence and introspection, through its melodic phrasing. For some reason I am mindful of other artists like Elton John on his more passionate tracks like Funeral For a Friend, and in some ways reflects perhaps on the slow passing of time and the never ending tick and tock of the relentless clock.

The Weight of the Sky by Derek Wille may have been my first introduction as a music writer and broadcaster to the musician, but one that I thoroughly enjoyed, and with total honesty, I now yearn for more. For me this says everything that is good about solo piano, everything that is inventive, artistic and interesting, and drawing on many of Wille’s influences like jazz greats and classic solo piano traditions. This is a solo piano of great style and distinction and one I hope will take the charts by storm, it’s The Weight of the Sky by Derek Wille.

Heaven by Anaya Music

 

Heaven

By

Anaya Music

Written by

Steve Sheppard

 

There can be no doubt that Anaya is a fine instrumentalist in her own right, my first encounter with her music was an album called Eternity back in 2016 and since then 10 years have passed, she now embraces new technology to manifest vast soundscapes, and her arrangements have become both poignant and touching, here on the album Heaven she immerses the listener into a project that is both deeply moving and palpable.

The opening track is in fact the title header and of course called Heaven. The strings are both emulated and orchestral in nature and are prominent on this and most tracks, thus giving the music a cinematic, orchestral feel. The idyllic sound frame one has of this mythological environment of hope is deeply moving and heartfelt.

Tracks like the flowing Ethereal give the listener a happy and uplifting narrative to enjoy, whilst offerings like Harmony in Nature offered another moment of enriching lyrical brilliance and an outstanding vocal pastiche on tonal delights. One can then move to one of the most fluent offerings from the album called Whispers in Harmony; this is another fine example of Anaya’s cinematic tendencies, as a veritable movie sound track is explored.

This release is a seamless transition from one milieu of beauty to another, Melodies, is a piano keyboard solo to start, and then it becomes a gentle duet with flute, supplemented by soft keyboard textures and gradually building with other instruments in a wondrous juxtaposition of instrumental fluency.

Tender notes can be found on tracks like Celestial with its neo classical roots, silent moments of reverie can be found here, an instrumental stargazing twinkling composition of great passion too, and reminds me of the work of artists like Kerani, with its lush and all-embracing sweeping melodies.

Harmony starts with an acoustic guitar leading the piece, strings in abundance soon follow in this more pop styled music approach, the perfect single for the 21^st century perhaps is on offer here.

Offerings like Afternoon sees the artists in her old stomping grounds, natural sounds of birds accompany her ethereal and angelic keyboards, and in some ways it reminds me of her early albums in texture. The penultimate piece is called Ethereal Dawn, once more that cinematic touch is found, but this specific manifestation has a more mellow vibration about its construction.

The concluding music narrative is the vocal based track of Harmony of the Spheres, in a song which is rare these days at just short of eight minutes in duration, but it is one that is utterly transcendent and the perfect way with which to depart the album.

This album is a sea change for the artist, embracing the technologies of the 21^st century and pursuing an instrumental narrative with occasional powerful vocalised tracks, this release should bring the artist many new fans and plaudits. Piano and keyboard foundations are central throughout the release, and then add sweeping orchestral scopes and additional flute and guitar passages, and magic is made by Anaya and her album Heaven.

There is a Reason By Craigology

 

There is a Reason

By

Craigology

Written by

Steve Sheppard

 

Craigology has literally been knocking it out of the park recently, 2025 was an excellent year for the artist, and 2026 looks like it’s going to continue this theme of brilliance, and this brand new single entitled There is a Reason, is an exciting pastiche of sound and vibrancy, melding funk, smooth jazz and chillout, something he does so very well indeed.

From the very first note, the listener is lulled into a world of vibrant colours and beautifully fun textures of tone, Craigology really has that magical touch with his trusty keyboard, one that will make anyone smile and be happy.

I can still recall our first connection in 2021, when the world was locking down, he lifted our moods with A Time to Chill, ever since then he has grown in musical stature and built upon those classy roots, and is producing some of the sweetest music of his career.

The song itself is more intricate than you might first think, its light start gifts the listener a funky vibration of tempting keyboard motifs and sultry and teasing percussion, the progression of instrumentation is classy, ranging from smooth to progressive Jazz at times, and then at the half way juncture twists again into familiar melodies that bands like Spirogyra and Level 42 used to produce in great abundance at one time.

The half way juncture of this track continues to build upon that strong change into smooth and chilled jazz, it becomes a tapestry of smooth funk, and increases its musical potency until its final flourish and coda.

Craigology is a smooth jazz, instrumental music artist known for piano‑driven, mellow, groove‑oriented compositions, that blend smooth jazz with world rhythms, mellow vibes, and melodic storytelling without vocals. Here on There is a Reason he produces a musical tale that flourishes in all of those aforementioned aspects and characters.

Following hot on the heels of tracks like Swell! And Orange Blossom, Craigology has, and is going to hit gold with this one, tempered perfectly in the fires of a smooth Jazz forge, and with just the perfect amount of light funk, to make There is a Reason, perhaps one of his biggest hits thus far.

Quogue Morning By Shambhu

 

Quogue Morning

By

Shambhu

Written by

Steve Sheppard

 

The beauty of this song isn’t purely its structures or even arrangement, it is the place that it comes from, the very heart and soul of the composer, this is simplicity in musical creation, taken from a twinkling in time, a halcyon moment at the Quogue Wildlife Refuge, a natural born manifestation of tone and timbre and called Quogue Morning by guitarist supreme Shambhu.

I can really relate to this as it is something I too have done, I used to take my guitar down to the coast, sit on the rocks and just play with what the cadence and energy of the day brought me. Here Shambhu with guitar in hand has allowed his muse freedom to breathe and create naturally, and the resultant offering is utterly sublime and quite beautiful.

A smooth start befitting of the location, a sun kissed climb of notes and tones adding to the vibrant yet easy laid back vibration of the overall narrative, soft synth pads add a texture below and in the back drop of the overall creation, and magic is born.

Quogue Morning by Shambhu isn’t just a happy piece brought about by a mood or a feeling within nature, it is the energy of stillness transmuted into living tonal delights, and brought to our attention in an almost meditative way as if saying, life is actually easy, it is us that complicate the tale. With ease this is a hit in the making, and a gloriously delicious slice of acoustic instrumental elegance.

Unidentified Ambient Phenomena Vol. 2 By Piscean Daydreams

 

Unidentified Ambient Phenomena Vol. 2

By

Piscean Daydreams

Written by

Steve Sheppard

 

I remember with great fondness the first part of this album which released in 2025, back then I found great solace in its tone and timbre, indeed much can be said for this latest release Unidentified Ambient Phenomena Vol. 2, the mastery of the electronic wizardry on this release is indeed an inspiration, so I am truly grateful for Piscean Daydreams for taking me on this familiar journey once again.

Piscean Daydreams is the creative alias used by JJ Rogalski; his music aims to foster contemplation and imagination, sometimes melodic, sometimes dissonant, always rooted in ambient textures, and that is what bliss surrounds our senses today, the explorative moods of Neptune's Requiem is one that features Edoardo Gastaldi, himself a master of ambient piano, and between them this release is off to a textured beginning.

Lady of the Lake, featuring the amazing Christian Alsemgeest & Tatiana Korkach is next up, the combination of musical greatness here brings us ever eager listeners a powerful moment of ethereal charm and peace, and at times reminding me of Llewellyn’s Journey To The Faeries album from 2003, rising tones and vibrations allow the listener to soar upon clouds on high with this beautiful repose.

Now we move towards one of the most expressive ambient constructs, so much so, I felt a certain symphonic almost classical element within the narrative of the track, but regardless, this piece is glorious and called Indra's Net and it features the skill set of Michael D. Tidwell, an artist himself that is another powerful member of the ambient music top table, his compositions often transcend typical ambient genres by incorporating rich layers that can complement visual media, live installations, and contemplative listening experiences, which would go some way to explain the film running sound through the offering in this incredibly classy creation.

The final part of this music jigsaw is entitled Voyager's Lament featuring ThaTricksta, his work spans different aspects of creating and refining recorded music, and this track is a fine example of that said talent. Here is an ambient soundscape, one designed to evoke expansive, contemplative moods and immersive listening experiences, and what an incredibly vast and roaming musical vista to conclude the release with.

Unidentified Ambient Phenomena Vol. 2 by Piscean Daydreams is the second part of JJ Rogalski’s’ original work released last year, and is a smart and lush collection of electronic ambient compositions, sometimes expansive, sometimes manifesting tender ambience, any true seeker of beautiful music must not miss out on this glorious opportunity, and purchase a copy of Unidentified Ambient Phenomena Vol. 2 by Piscean Daydreams as soon as possible, it is a panacea of cultured sound and delight, an ambient music lovers must have.

An Offering By Fred Grenot

 

An Offering

By

Fred Grenot

Written by

Steve Sheppard

 

There are a mixture of tones within this new release from Fred Grenot that are deeply touching, this brand new composition is entitled An Offering and it shows a sign of the artists maturity along the dusty pathways of time and musical tide; here is a truly beautiful moment of musical history unfurling literally before our eyes.

A tentative start draws us as listeners in, then a soothing keyboard motif and sound; one that I have used on my own work from time to time, elevates the composition to a stage by stage increase in meaning and intent, it’s like pushing away from the bank side of a river, but full in the confidence that what is about to follow will be purely magical, and it is.

Further into this delicious release comes an angelic choir hovering in the distance to add a further layer upon the already consummate banks of brilliance. The sound of a male vocalisation akin to an ancient chant reminds me of Al Gromer Khans work in his early Monsoon Point album, and sure enough a storm does break within the arrangement at around the 2 minute thirty second marker, as the rains fall blissfully.

For me Fred has manifested one of the best new age tracks I have heard for a long while, the entire song is brilliantly created, arranged, produced, and brought to the ever eager ears of the listener. The quality of production is a real key element in a track like this, and one must congratulate the artist of manifesting that to utter perfection.

The latter half on the piece is pure meditational bliss, in fact whilst thinking about it, it would be possible to create a long form version of this track at around 10 minutes for meditational purposes, and it is that good that I would even recommend it.

Textured, layered and tenderly produced, the cleansing rain of this piece washes away pain and sadness, allowing one to begin again in peace and love, and with that being said, I believe that this single track alone cements Fred Grenot’s legacy in this genre, because in my view it is his best work thus far with ease, and a guaranteed chart hit and possibly more for, An Offering by Fred Grenot.

One More Day By Shervin Boloorian

 

One More Day

By

Shervin Boloorian

Written by

Steve Sheppard

 

The world is full of deeply introspective music at the moment, whilst there is nothing wrong with that at all, it does make a change to be gifted a song to write about that has a lighter touch to its vibration, as we take in the latest single from the artist Shervin Boloorian entitled One More Day.

There are several references that I will mention later but to introduce the song we have an arrangement that pairs acoustic textures with a warm, comforting vocal delivery and succeeds brilliantly, its tender tonal delight manifesting a warming and comforting ambience of sound.

One More Day is an indie-folk, soft-pop single by the Iranian-born singer-songwriter and sound artist Shervin Boloorian, and is part of his upcoming EP called Unbroken. The likeness to artist like Mitten is evident, the soft pastiche of notes and tone and the soothing vocal narrative brings about a certain familiarity of sound.

The song itself balances sombre themes with bright, folk-tinged melodies, creating a piece that feels both uplifting and poignant, it has that energetic structure about it that makes it one of those pieces that you just can’t stop listening to if you tried.

Could the song in fact serve as both a tribute and a source of comfort for listeners navigating their own feelings of loss and reflection? The juxtaposition of an uplifting arrangement with a more sombre intent is certainly crafted and clever, this is not an easy task to do at all, but the skill set that the artist uses here is similar to the imploring nature that Cat Stevens used to use on tracks like Peace Train, a serious theme, created in the most attractive and uplifting way.

There can be no doubt that One More Day by Shervin Boloorian is going to take the attention of the fans of both folk and new age pop genres and rightly so, here is a panacea of music that is thoughtfully produced, beautifully presented, and mindfully created, and thus all good things must be on the musical horizon for One More Day by Shervin Boloorian.

Muse of Winter By James Michael Stevens

 

Muse of Winter

By

James Michael Stevens

Written by

Steve Sheppard

 

There can be no pianist around today that is as prolific as James Michael Stevens, I have an abundance of albums by the artist, but time after time and with each passing release, that astounding quality is always there. And this stunning production of brilliance we see here on this latest topical release called Muse of Winter, emphasizes that statement.

Even here in Cyprus we are having our coldest winter since our arrival in over 10 years, so this winter muse is in full operating mode indeed, and tracks like Arioso Semplice ease us into the project. In practice, it tells the performer to play in a gentle, flowing, expressive way, without too much ornamentation or dramatic emphasis, whilst keeping the phrasing natural and straightforward, this Stevens does with his usual skillset.

The more dramatic Blue Falls is now upon us, the sensitive touch ushers forth images of a chilling yet beautiful landscape, one emphasised by the artists colourful performance on piano, whist on tracks like Forever Sunset a shorter form is explored, with all the delicate essences of the fading light of a January evening.

The mastery of piano performances can be found on show here on Peaceful It Flows, the smooth transitions from notes to chords is manifested with a perfect touch and tempo, whilst on Reflection at Winter Lake, one of my favourite compositions can be found, there is something so mournful about this track that makes it stand out, yet even then the phrasing of Stevens performance lifts it up, to turn out a somewhat tranquil and peace filled narrative at its conclusion.

Silence in the Moonlight is another colourful creation that literally gleams across the room, begging to be played, again Stevens manifests an interesting juxtaposition of tonal delights, by adding a little empathic energy into the song, creating a moody piece that literally seems to slow down to give the listener more space.

We move with joy into the second half of the album, to a piece entitled Snowflakes in the Night, there is a wonderful symbiotic sense being played out here with repeating motifs talking to each other, a gentle yet nurturing musical narrative indeed.

On The Gentle Snow we have a track that for me brings back memories of childhood and days of winters past, there is a charming ladder of tone that Stevens explores here that illustrates the gentleness of the snow as it falls, sadly the likely hood of me seeing snow again is remote, the only location here in my country that one might see it, is on our Troodos mountain range, and Mrs S, would not allow me to take her on that trip if I begged her, so thanks you James for taking me vicariously on a snowy journey through this beautiful piece.

Then Came a Swan is a stunning reverie, swans are indeed a dichotomy, a veritable contradiction of clumsiness out of water, and utter beauty in it. Here through this sparkling presentation, the artists bring us the latter, whilst on Water Lilies a more lyrical narrative is explored, a composition of great quality and depth, almost like it was being musically manifested by the great Claude Monet himself, who in his lifetime produced over 250 paintings about Water Lilies.

The penultimate piece is entitled Winter Sky, here the artist treats the listener to one of the most reflective pieces of his career, with a deep and searching offering that builds upon a solid minor foundation, to exemplify such a chilling vista.

The concluding musical manifestation is Winter Soliloquy, again the deeper notes and darker chords start the offering. In music, a soliloquy means a solo passage that sounds like a performer is “thinking out loud.” Here to end the album, James Michael Stevens concludes it with a brilliant textured piano based musing of thoughts, and sums up the entire project brilliantly whilst doing so.

Muse of winter by James Michael Stevens is a far deeper and more reflective album than you might expect from the composer, but given the subject matter you would expect that. Here the exploratory nature highlights the realities and beauties of this most chilling season. This is classic Stevens, an artist who will never let his fans down, a must buy release indeed, and certainly and one that is likely to rise high in the charts, for Muse of Winter by James Michael Stevens.

One and Only By Extasis

 

One and Only

By

Extasis

Written by

Steve Sheppard

 

One of the most interesting pieces of music has come my way, and does somewhat emphasise my journey through life, and my life on the island of love, Cyprus. One and Only by Extasis is a song about believing in yourself and wanting better. Was it not William Faulkner who once said “Always dream and shoot higher than you know you can do, do not bother just to be better than your contemporaries or predecessors, try to be better than yourself”?

Here Extasis the artists manifests something remarkably different from his usual new age styled arrangements, and bathes us with powerful instrumental motifs to raise our energies towards our goals. The intent is set perfectly in this piece that recollects a halcyon moment in time for the artist, and so it should, his rise to fame here on One World Music Radio has been nothing less than spectacular.

Using piano, various pads, and an assortment of instrumentations, Extasis conquers the instrumental genre with this vibrant new release, packed with passionate textures and tones, flowing with an unbridled lust for life. One and Only by Extasis is the go to piece for raising those energies towards those goals, and lifting up those possibilities towards becoming realities, this one is a guaranteed hit. As Maya Angelou who once said, “Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better”. 

Blossoming of Ancient Beauty By The Bentley Project

 

Blossoming of Ancient Beauty

By

The Bentley Project

Written by

Steve Sheppard

 

For those of you who had the good sense and discernment to purchase the last album from The Bentley Project called Kind As Shade, you will now be delighted to hear another release is on offer from the fantastic duo of calm and serenity.  The group consists of Theresa Bentley and Mark Bentley, and the contents are some of the most heavenly you could ever wish for, just what the word needs right now.

The album contains 9 lush tracks of new age instrumental music, its suitability for relaxation, reflection, and contemplative listening is at its very apex of musical brilliance and tonal core here. Tracks like the opening piece Realm of the Crystal Room, a composition so ethereal in structure and arrangement it is the perfect start to any album of this elk, and at times reminding me in context of the Uk’s new age band, Runestone from the 1990’s.

The delightful refrains on pieces like Breathe, literally allows the listener to soak in the music, whilst offerings like Labyrinth of Love add a further layer of a Celtic influence into the overall narrative of the composition, a veritable journey of music from ancient times can be found here.

Sun on My Face however is a guitar fans haven with a beautiful presentation from Dino Pacifici on this offering, in an almost Mark Knopfler style of performance, whilst the harmonic resonance of the following narrative entitled Blossoming from Ancient Beauty, is atmospheric and new age‑inspired music, blending ambient soundscapes with acoustic and modern textures, into an almost title track of an arrangement that is utterly beautiful.

The stringed element of the following piece End at the Beginning, manifests a tone of yesteryear, and glimmers of sun kissed reveries through the canopy of trees in an ancient woodland, in a Richie Blackmore styled performance, whilst offerings like Give Me Life have that empowering anthem styled motif, and a delightfully slow build to an inventive structure of crafted intelligence, the vocalisations here lifting the composition to new heights.

The penultimate offering has one of the most beautiful titles ever and called Lost in the Water Garden, there are several aspects to this slice of instrumental genius, its meditative qualities, its soothing narrative, and its restorative tonal delights, make this one for me, a go to track from the album.

We conclude this release with another wonderfully titled offering called Sanctuary of Dreams, when I first heard this I was taken back to the start of the century, 2005 to be exact and a release by the artist Llewellyn called Journey to Our Dreams, this is a pure harmonic conversion of transcendent beauty, experiencing dreams and journeys but being safe and secure in a sanctuary of sound whilst doing so, a genius move, and a composition of utter style to complete the album with.

Blossoming of Ancient Beauty by The Bentley Project is an album that I would personally recommend to all fans of ambient new age instrumental music, it’s up there as one of the best from any decade and Theresa Bentley and Mark Bentley should be applauded for bringing it to our ears, and to the world. Here is an album that is a rock bottom guaranteed hit, and I believe award worthy as well, and called Blossoming of Ancient Beauty by The Bentley Project.

The Wishing Well By 2002

 

The Wishing Well

By

2002

Written by

Steve Sheppard

 

For me personally 2002 are the very top of what we lovingly call the New Age music genre, even on a recent poll they narrowly came in behind Enya at number 2, and she doesn’t even class herself as a new age artist, for me it’s always a delight when a new album is on offer, here is a band who have stayed true to their cause over the years, and have never once failed to bring their audience and the world a quality release, and here on this brand new album gifted to the world in 2026 called The Wishing Well, we have another slice of the beautiful musical pie, one lovingly baked over the years by the Copus family, and laid before us on our table of tonal dreams and delights.

Overture: The Restless Heart starts our onward journey in a proud keyboard synth styled opus that is as grand as the highest mountain, and as deep as the darkest ocean. The swirling keyboards gift us a sublime scenic view of the voyage ahead for the band, with traditional stylings wrapped in a fluent blanket of sound, also featuring guest artist Keyreel Raskolenko on violin.

If ever you wanted an artist to create something meaningful and full of emotion, you would need to look no further than 2002, and here is that very piece right before you, and called Three Wishes. This song is beautiful, but it has a mysterious lilt to its proceedings, perhaps just a hint of something deeper in the weave of the explorative musical narration, one that is gloriously cinematic and proud of it.

On Twilight we are treated to something quite beautiful, in fact I would go as far to say transcendent; a light childlike narrative is explored in a gentle cohesive way, the harp and guitar combine to add a wonderful juxtaposition between the strings, keys and lush ethereal vocals.

The very opening tone of The Spiral of Heaven, brought a mood of a possible star trek into the offering, the ancient energies of the past and long before were mixed beautifully into the weave of the piece, the strings sublime and the orchestration as moving as you could ever wish for, another cinematic offering with utter ease is played out here, the gentle pristine keys usher forth something quite breath taking and scenic.

Dream Chasers is solidly back on home turf for the Copus family, that signature harp and orchestration with flowing guitars is there on this wonderful new age ride of a track, add in the flute and you have the original sound of 2002, and that chase through this lush galaxy of sound is upon us all.

I’m often moved by the textures of moonlight and the orb that sits proudly in our night skies, and on Moon Lore we explore that in more detail. Lunar deities in many cultures personify the moon, such as the Greek goddess Selene, the Roman Luna, or the Hindu god Chandra; here 2002 manifest something as redolent of the subject matter, with wispy keyboards, dream like vocalisations, and a veritable lullaby of peace as the overall dynamic.

A Safe Harbor takes us to a sanctuary of sound that is both calming and secure in its port of restful seas, the drift here for me was the heavenly vocals that floated on the crisp ocean waves of tomorrows destiny, reminding us all that the seas of life, as well as of water, are meant to be sailed too.

As we flow into the deeper parts of this musical lake called The Wishing Well by 2002 we arrive at the bankside of a piece called On the Wings of Angels, and in doing so manifesting one of the most powerful compositions that has been brought to the world in years. Flowing guitar, harp and orchestrations are added to by flutes and string sections, in a deeply moving oasis of sound, in an ethereal and angelic composition like no other could ever possibly do.

Our penultimate piece is entitled Bellehaven, ok so I just had to research this, and I found out it was the location where 2002 first began their musical voyage back in 1992, from that early inception magic was made and still is, but this light hearted reverie is a tip of the hat to their sparkling first footfalls as the band, and how glad are we that this happened.

We conclude the album with the piece called Savitri's Dream, with its own steady progression this song feels deeply special, and the symbiotic tonal energies create moods from decades ago, with elements of the past present and future all rolled into one. Here on this last track is what 2002 are all about, lush soundscapes, glorious ethereal vocalisations, and dramatic and magical chord changes, on what has to be the most sublime ways to end an album ever.

The Wishing Well by 2002 is an album that any musical aficionado will not want to miss, this is the band standing tall and on their own ground proudly, and in doing so producing one of the finest new age instrumental music albums of the decade thus far. The Wishing Well by 2002 is a stunning new release, a solid rock bottom guaranteed number one, and should be award worthy easily, here is a release that simply cannot be denied and is an absolute must for everyone.