A Seeker's Slumber By Cheryl B. Englehardt

 

A Seeker's Slumber

By

Cheryl B. Engelhardt

Written by

Steve Sheppard

 

There is something truly haunting, yet riveting about this brand new album from Cheryl B. Engelhardt entitled A Seeker's Slumber, it has a multitude of textures and colours that seem to literally vibrate with a growing sense of anticipation thought the release.

The harmonic convergence begins with the opening piece Ithaca, the vocalisations mixed with the piano brings our ears a wonderful treat to get us underway.

Engelhardt has an ever growing reputation as a composer and songwriter, and on this album that standing continues to grow. Awæcnian is a fine example of a song that has everything built within the weave, a textured build and progression, perfect vocals and lyrics to build a sense of mystery, and all to a backdrop that truly lifts the energies and mood of the listener.

Circlet of Pisces is a classic new age styled track, a gentle progression on piano, water sounds and a natural soundtrack that manifests a wonderful realm of mystery and imagination, tracks like this are sublime in there creation, they are so good, you have to stay with it all the way, and drain each and every moment of satisfaction from them.

When we drift into the welcoming arms of the next track Unwind, we find ourselves floating on vibrations of a masterful song that would make a sublime single, certainly the most commercial and perhaps, even music for a film too. This is one of the most amazing tracks of this style I have heard this year, it grabs hold of your attention and never allows it to wonder.

The midway point of the album is hallowed ground; it is where we find a blissful piece called Emerald Dreams. The ethereal vocalisations seem to hover all around us like a summer mist, whilst a soothing piano plays with the energies of an early morning sunrise, on what I would without doubt class as the most idyllic track off the album.

It is time for an anthem like opus that will hold you tight and caress your senses; it is called Mother Gaia and contains the talents of Joanie Leeds & Chava Mirel. There are elements of both Eneya and Kin Za Za here, but these are easily over powered by the lush uniqueness of the presentation performance and style, on a track that has to go down as one of the most influential off the release.

Another favourite for me would be the following piece Anyway You Chose..., a simple song sung so well, a piano segment that is so creative, but delicate, and a lyric that is so easy on the ears, mind and soul, that we can literally just float with the melody and enjoy in bliss.

Deeper into the weave of the album we will come across a track that is vast and open and has a classy build and progression, it is called Pentacle Path. This has a reality to its structure that of course gives us the ever eager listener a touch of mystery built into the menu of the piece, but is also one that allows that listener, to enjoy but reflect at the same time.

The penultimate piece could easily follow on from the aforementioned offering. Temperance takes us to cobwebbed rooms in search of something we need! The piano is spectacular at creating this mood with its haunting like progression; one must say this would be a perfect piece for a Tim Burton movie too.

The final and concluding arrangement is Sopor, the build here is simply fantastic, everything you would want as a concluding composition, it has a layer of suspense and anticipation that once again rivets the listener to their seat until its last note, the drifting angelic vocalisation, and harmonically resonating keyboards, manifest a truly fine finish to what has indeed be a quality journey through the realms of what is or should be, an award winning new age album.

A Seeker's Slumber by Cheryl B. Engelhardt in my view is easily the artist’s best work so far, it is creative genius connected to a muse that simply flows like a spring river, each track is presented produced and performed with such style. I would find it almost unbelievable if it wasn’t truly respected with an award of some description. If you like music that will take you on a journey and won’t let you go until the last note played, then A Seeker's Slumber by Cheryl B. Engelhardt is most certainly the album for you.