Lone Birds on the Mara By Lis Addison

 

Lone Birds on the Mara

By

Lis Addison

Written by

Steve Sheppard

 

This is a moment that is special, a tick of the clock that can be stopped for a short while to feel the ever growing ambience and reality of true life that is always around us, via the refrains of this beautiful new single entitled Lone Birds on the Mara by Lis Addison.

I adore the self-description that Lis uses to describe herself and her art by, as a musical alchemist, never has a truer word been written, and it’s been a delight for me to have been able to have listened to her albums and music collections, since the release of Crown In The Sky in 2013, indeed the new age music industry has been all the better for her being in it.

Here on this brand new offering Lis creates a special arrangement of ambience and tranquillity with her new manifestation entitled, Lone Birds on the Mara, and whilst I have never, as of yet been to this continent, I can do so vicariously with the artist, thanks to this simply amazing composition.

This idyllic mixture of delicate tonal percussion and natural sounds of the aforementioned birds, is a blissful pastiche of colours and textures, Addison’s pitch perfect vocalisations equally so, the keyboards that caress both a major and minor refrain, do so with such a tenderness and serene quality.

Locational music is a truly special genre and Lis does it so well, pull up some images of the Mara on your computer and listen to this at the same time, it is a sublime experience, one I am certain that will be embraced by the listeners, her fans, the charts, and possibly even more, this is new age music at its very best.

Check out the new single now: https://lisaddison.bandcamp.com/track/lone-birds-on-the-mara

Starfield By Michelle Qureshi

 

Starfield

By

Michelle Qureshi

Written by

Steve Sheppard

 

The depth of this latest single entitled Starfield is incredibly palpable and introduces us once again to a magical instrument, which is the flute of Michelle Qureshi. I have long been a fan of her ambient structures and here on this new offering we see that in abundance, a compositional creation of an incalculable vast cosmos, and the myriads of star fields that reside within it.

The floating aspect of this track reminded me of my time in various planetariums across the world, that moment when all goes dark and the light show begins, and we are gifted a truly magnificent spectacle of an endless space above and around us, it is so humbling.

Michelle’s flute manifests that perfectly, and we are presented with a piece of music that would have gone well on many starlit skies in places of zero light pollution, fortunately for us we have many here on our island, and this very music would indeed be the perfect soundtrack for that event.

Personally I rate Qureshi as one of the finest ambient artists of her time and her style, she doesn’t just compose the music, she both feels it and allows it to consume her, this is why her powers of musical creativity are so compelling, as they are literally felt and brought into a musical reality that is so exciting.

Starfield by Michelle Qureshi is a hit waiting to happen, and one that I am sure will be embraced by her fans and those who like their music to literally draw them a locational narrative that is utterly real, and then leave them an immersive experience to enjoy.

Silent Alchemy By Kate Jaconello

 

Silent Alchemy

By

Kate Jaconello

Written by

Steve Sheppard

 

Today sees the return of an old friend, one that I have not seen in person since our visit to the Tate Modern in London back in 2011, but never the less, it is so good to see the musical return of one of the brightest stars in instrumental new age music in Kate Jaconello, and with a sparkling new single called Silent Alchemy.

Kate’s musical career would bring us Earth and Sky in 2011, an album that would bring much colour, style and grace into a then flourishing genre. I remember it well, then a few single releases, they were rare in the genre back then, and now some 9 years or so later, she has embraced the now flourishing singles culture, with one of the most sensitive and beautiful pieces of the year thus far.

Her touch reminds me of neo-classical composer and pianist Kerani; her compositional structures have that textured and stylish craft that David Lanz became famous for, but here on Silent Alchemy we have a proud new tapestry of tone and timbre that is literally transcendent in all of its components, from its gentle symphonic background, its emotive melody, and its smooth and heartfelt note progression.

If Kate ever wanted to remake her mark in the world of new age instrumental music, she has certainly knocked the ball out of the park with Silent Alchemy, fluent, sensitive and deeply touching, and whilst we’re at it, a guaranteed mega hit and perhaps even more is in the making.

Momentum By Javier Márquez

 

Momentum

By

Javier Márquez

Written by

Steve Sheppard

 

There are times an album will float into your life with all the harmonic grace of a feather from an airborne dove, a release filled with peace, tranquil beauty and a sublime nature that makes the listening experience so very heart felt and emotional. That occurrence has just happened with the arrival of Momentum by Javier Márquez, a release that may well be one of the most outstanding of 2024 for me.

I have listened several times to this album, it’s something that truly has to be done, I wanted the experience to be immersive before I reached for the keyboard to start writing, and I am so glad I did, tracks like the stunning Resilience filled my musical heart with an abundance of colour and joy, the convergence of an ethereal bliss was brought to a new height by the charming vocals of Julie Elven, with Pablo Cano on electric guitar also creating great charm, and in doing so adding much to the multi-instrumental mastery of Márquez.

The Spanish born composer and musician is a breath of fresh air to the music business, and Momentum a release that should be praised for its utter quality, like the track Duermevela which is a fine example of that prowess, however the highlight for me on this piece was the amazing work of one José Manuel Posada "Popo" on fretless bass, that segment is worth multiple listens.

I liken this release to an album I have loved for years called Pictured Within, by the late but great Jon Lord, it’s completely different in its musical compositional structures and style, but creates such a deep and emotional response, as did the aforementioned album. Listen to track 3, as yet another segment of emotive bliss called Quietude can be found here, the arrangement is reflective and serene. The Gito Maletá piano was a thing of great beauty, whilst a sublime idyllic sense of solemn peace could be found in the Armenian duduk of Márquez.

As we approach the half way juncture we find the title track, this slice of creative genius is yet another moving musical tribute of high class contemporary music, and called of course Momentum, there is a soothing pastiche of classical overtones within this track that is so beautiful, whilst the energies of the new age genre float across the cumulus clouds of textured harmony, with such lush contributing performances within its frame as well, from the operatic styled vocals of Clara Sorace, to the sensitive tones of Daniel Sáez on cello.

I cannot state just how deeply touching this release truly is, each composition is so poignant and powerfully stirring in its arrangements, like this following narrative called Balada das ondas, a piano reverie so tender, whilst a more global fusion shaped composition could be found on the piece Pulsar, whilst the instrumental elegance of Márquez was in full flow, a remarkable performance on percussion by Javier Rabadán on percussion was something truly captivating.

The deeper waters of our musical boat ride now take us into the fluent canals of absolute musical loveliness with the piece When we leaving home, the fretless bass is once again there, but the convergence of tone between guitar, piano and duduk created a ballad so heart felt and romantic in its overall nature.

The penultimate offering from the album was with ease the most fascinating I have ever heard from the artist and called Éphémère. Now I happen to speak French, so I recognised the word as meaning, lasting for a short period of time, in fact with this slice of percussive mastery some 3 minutes and 26 seconds in total, a huge tip of the hat can also go to Iván Ruiz Machado on double bass. I have heard some great jazz performances relating to this instrument, but this one was doubly inventive, and artistically presented music for percussion and bass indeed.

Our final arrangement now takes centre stage and is called Under no flag, the acoustic guitar here was as blissful as a summers day in early June, whilst the     entire reverie created by Márquez had a slight Jazz element to its construction, one could just fill their realities full of one of the finest instrumental offerings off the release, a superb concluding creation by the artist indeed, and what a great way to end the release.

Momentum by Javier Márquez is one of the most magnificence albums I have had the pleasure to review this year, every inch of compositional creation and structure, each exquisite performance, and the delicious quality of production makes this release for me one of the best in this style, I have heard for a long while. Prepared to be moved, uplifted, calmed and enthralled, this is an album that has it all, and whilst doing so it creates for each and every listener, a sanctuary of soothing sound to willingly escape into.

Angkor Wat By Ron Korb

 

Angkor Wat

By

Ron Korb

Written by

Steve Sheppard

 

I have now listened to this new single from Ron Korb entitled Angkor Wat several times, and I think if truth be told it will be several times more over the months and years ahead; this is a perfect example of a timeless reverie, one that brings solace, calm and tranquillity to the senses, so why should that ever end.

On this new creation Ron plays a bamboo woodwind called a Pie Pook, created for him by Cambodian master flutist Yim Saing on a visit to the country. The tones and timbre that are created here are stunning, today I have allowed myself to get lost within the composition and I’m very pleased I did so, a fine energy of tranquillity and serenity seemed to descend upon me, and whilst doing so it created a lush garden of meditative bliss to enjoy.

The vibrancy of this new single is something to behold, it magically creates images of deep green forests and ancient temples that are hidden by the ever encroaching vines and woodlands. This is a superbly textured performance by Korb, on a piece that reminds me of artists like Deuter on tracks like Amida from his Buddha Nature album.

There can be no doubt that Korb is a master of his art and over the years has proven himself so, here on this new single Angkor Wat he shows both his humility and his mastery, by manifesting a sublime new solo woodwind (Pie Pook) arrangement, one that I think will be embraced totally by fans of both the New Age and Flute genres, and as such a big hit could well be on the cards for Ron Korb and Angkor Wat.

YouTube video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TJg05e4cWGk

 

Spotify Link https://open.spotify.com/album/1H5yutHGJxqlxxNDWV8PMz?si=LpfNJtmXQMmoPvADbAwg8w

 

Aphrodite’s Rock By Steve Sheppard ft. Chrissie Sheppard

 

Aphrodite’s Rock

By

Steve Sheppard ft. Chrissie Sheppard

Written by Andy Rogers

 

Steve Sheppard lives with his wife Chrissie on the island of Cyprus in the Mediterranean and the influence of the island with its beauty, myths and legends runs through Steve’s music.

Aphrodite’s Rock, Steve’s current single, is based on the tales of Aphrodite in Greek Mythology and uses sounds from Aphrodite’s birth-place and features Steve’s atmospheric keyboard work along with flute and vocalisation from his wife Chrissie.

Opening with sounds of nature and a strummed bouzouki we are then transported to the beach with gentle waves, soothing keyboards and an ethereal flute (courtesy of Steve’s wife Chrissie). The sound of footsteps takes us slowly along the beach as Chrissie’s vocals merge seamlessly with sounds of beach life and nature, an intriguing mix of ancient myth and the reality of life in the 21^st century, before we end our visit to Aphrodite’s Rock with gentle piano and flute.

Steve’s music is of course inspired by the new-age and ambient genres which he has been listening to for more years than he would probably wish to count, but make no mistake, his own brand of music is utterly unique. This new single is compelling and pulls you in to hear more. Once again Steve Sheppard has taken us on a remarkable and intriguing musical voyage of discovery. 

Sacred Waters By David Lanz & Kristin Amarie

 

Sacred Waters

By

David Lanz & Kristin Amarie

Written by

Steve Sheppard

 

I had the pleasure of watching a video of this new single on a recent visit to the residence of David and Kristin, it was stunning to view such a smooth beauty roll out before my eyes, and one that encapsulate my senses too, Sacred Waters returns to our musical table, the unbeatable partnership of David Lanz & Kristin Amarie, with a new exciting cinematic release of great quality.

It is always good to see the fruits of ones labours come to fruition, especially when it is as musically profound as this new release, and the growth of neo-classical music across the world is amazingly vast in proportion, and now awaits its comforting refrains with glee. David Lanz is one of those artists who can just look at a piano and magic happens; in fact the piano to Lanz is akin to the wand of Harry Potter, which I have just realised makes Kristin Hermione Jean Granger!

When you add in the compositional creative genius of Kristin Amarie you are always going to be totally destined to witness a brand new mega hit, this offering doubly so, as I rate the soft string sections, the pastiche of calming notes from the artist, and the wondrous crescendos that smash against the rocks of musical fortitude, as being some of the best that Lanz’s has ever manifested.

Simply put, and one has to be brave here, this piece is a master work like a Cristofori's Dream waiting to happen, David and Kristin have produced a compelling cinematic musical manifestation of emotive courage and beauty here on Sacred Waters, and now we’re waiting for a movie director to salute that moment, and feature it on a new blockbuster of choice, either way this is going to be a huge mega hit.

Growth By George Pendred

 

Growth

By

George Pendred

Written by

Steve Sheppard

 

I have had a fascination for the most mysterious sounds of flute based instrumentation for decades; I think this started with the reverie of Gheorghe Zamfir’s theme for the 70’s movie Picnic At Hanging Rock, this lead me further into the welcoming arms of flute performers like Terry Oldfield and Deuter, and now it seems George Pendred.

However, there is a truly delicious flavour here that explores that vibration of mysterious things even further on Pendred’s latest sing Growth. The inquisitive opening seeks its way, or perhaps Growth, then its explorative narrative builds ever onward into more complexity and fluency.

By the mid-way section of the piece a rhythm is fully formed and the additional keyboards and piano give a wonderfully haunting energy to the overall theme of the composition, one that once it achieves its goal, disappears gently into a coda of completion

Growth by George Pendred is a fascinating new single from the artist, it’s one of those songs that hooks you into its tale, and doesn’t not let you go, you will not be pressing skip on this one, Pendred has built a perfect platform here on Growth, a single that should indeed take residence in the charts, and possibly in the minds and hearts of the ever eager listeners too.

Solitude By Bryan Quinn

 

Solitude

By

Bryan Quinn

Written by

Steve Sheppard

 

Debut singles are a time of nerves and letting go, as musicians we tend to be perfectionists, and fear what others make think of our efforts, so letting the music go, is akin to allowing your child, for the first time, go to the shops on his or her own.

Here Bryan Quinn delivers his debut single for flute and guitar to all, it is called Solitude and is one of the finest examples of a entrance single in this genre, I have in my time, heard many artist be too cautious upon releasing their debut release, but here Bryan allows his muse full access to his memories, emotions and artistic palate, and it works brilliantly.

There is a depth to this single that is rarely found from this genre, clearly the mood created is letting go of past events and possible trauma, and in doing so finding a sanctuary of oneness, otherwise known as much needed Solitude, Quinn through his instrumentation and compositional structures, manifests this perfectly.

This is a beautiful example of instrumental music that truly means something, and from an open heart perspective too, which allows the fluency of the composition to simply flow with grace and humility.

It is also good to see that Bryan performed the guitar, bass E flute, mid E flute and bird calls on a high E flute, and is in fact the master of all that he creates, as such I truly believe this is a special, and more than likely a cathartic moment for the artist, that point will be well received by the listener, and as such a huge hit could well be on the cards for Solitude by Bryan Quinn.

Evening Song for Woodwinds and Strings By 4 Bar Café

 

Evening Song for Woodwinds and Strings

By

4 Bar Café

Written by

Steve Sheppard

 

4 Bar Café is a unique project created by composer Michael E. Schofield, and within my collection I have a plethora of singles released from 2023 onwards, and each of them show a growth and a progression to a fascinating level of quality of compositional structure, so today his latest single arrived on my desk entitled Evening Song for Woodwinds and Strings, and it was a most pleasant neo-classical voyage indeed.

The strings to start the piece are simply sublime and set the scene in an instant, the imagery one draws from a title is rarely executed with such precision as on this new single by the artist, the mood is a steady andante, we can indeed glance from the soft pastiche of a summers evening, and take a moderately slow walk through nature with the strings and woodwinds as our musical partner.

The compositional configuration is one that reminds me of the music of friends, in what is still called to this day, chamber music, this style of composition has a great intimacy about it, indeed pieces in this style are created for a small number of instruments, and the artist has done that beautifully here and captured that aforementioned intimacy with such grace and purpose.

I have a very real sense that Evening Song for Woodwinds and Strings by 4 Bar Café could well be the artists biggest chart hit thus far, and should be a sought out recourse for fans of this ever growing neo classical genre.

Deep Currents By Douglas Morton

 

Deep Currents

By

Douglas Morton

Written by

Steve Sheppard

 

The genre of piano is one of the biggest in the music business, its sheer size and monolithic proportions are incomparable, so to stand out in this realm you have to have something unique to give a totally spoilt audience something of an exciting alternative, Douglas Morton with his latest album Deep Currents has done that and doubly so, with one of the finest examples of ambient piano I have heard this year.

Make no bones about it, this is a huge body of work created by the artist, some 23 compositions can be found within this piano dimension called Deep Currents, and it is very easy to get lost in the wake of its piano tide, and get swept away on one creation after another, like the opener Art’s Tune, a dedication no doubt, one that gets pride of place as the beginning of our journey.

There are many moments of ambience to be found within the blankets of soft tonal structures here on the album, like the abundant flow of Decisions, a track that seems to be caught in the preponderance of the moment, but creates a compelling narrative to move onward, or the creative and memory filed opus of Downhill, one of those compositions that you find yourself enticed by, a slow but convincing alignment of notes can be found here.

The shadow lands of emotion are captivated brilliantly on the work Beyond Tears, whilst a more upbeat energy gifts us the track Necessity, and thus ushering in a change of mood within its compositional formation. There are also offerings of great texture and colour on the album; I would point to both Summer Gray and the brilliant Stillness for those moments of musical delight, the latter would turn out to be one of my personal favourites, and a sublime example of ambient piano if there ever was one.

The anthem styled, almost folk like structure of tracks like Never Ending, or the artistic creativity of another favoured piece of mine in The Bridge are happily on offer for the listener, the latter an idyllic day out in nature, over the bridge and far away into freedom, a quite beautiful composed piece indeed.

There can be no doubt that Morton has manifested something most pleasurable here with this album, and while the never ending construct of The Path becomes our intriguing penultimate offering, the fluent and charming reverie of Untold concludes our journey of harmonious piano, and does so with such grace and charisma, a sublime ending indeed, one of great character and tenderness.

Deep Currents by Douglas Morton is a veritable cornucopia of ambient piano delights; never has a massive album like this encapsulated my thoughts and imagination so much, and whilst doing so relaxed and soothed my senses in its halls of atmospheric mastery. For me this is solo piano at its very best, creative, artistic, thoughtful and reflective, what more could you ask for, as such a huge hit must be on the cards for Deep Currents by Douglas Morton, and moreover if you are a fan of piano in all its guises, then this album must be winging its way to your collection or playlists at all costs, it is indeed that good and under no circumstance be missed.

The Sketchbook of Max Ernst By Walter Holland

 

The Sketchbook of Max Ernst

By

Walter Holland

Written by

Steve Sheppard

 

I get to listen to many genres of music as my days roll onward, many styles and much instrumentation; however one of the most unique albums that I have had the greatest pleasure to listen to this year has been The Sketchbook of Max Ernst by Walter Holland, this is by far a superior work of art by an artist who delves deeply into the realm of art itself, mixing the perfect juxtaposition of guitar and electronic music in a weave of sheer class.

The opening piece is called The Marriage of Heaven and Earth and what a wonderfully grand start indeed, the base of the piece reminds me of Floyd with such a depth of guitar and keyboard mastery, one entwined within the compositional structure of the offering. A powerful processional manifestation can be found within this arrangement, one that builds with such power, but has an element of grace too, added to that abundance the German spoken audio was idyllic “Du Bist Jetzt” (You are Now).

The following delicious electronic narrative is entitled The Beautiful Season, natural sounds abound here in an almost jungle like backdrop of sound and mood, whilst Hollands electronic technical prowess forms the basis for what could be described as one of the most ambient constructs off the release. The painting by Ernst was actually created in 1925, and was part of the blossoming surrealist movement, and is certainly worth a gaze whilst listening to this track perhaps.

The following manifestation is filled with colourful imagery and called Of This Men Shall Know Nothing. Two years earlier than the aforementioned Beautiful Season work, Ernst would execute this piece, and if I remember correctly this is still located at the Tate in Liverpool England. Of This Men Shall Know Nothing has a blissful floating new age feel to its construction, and in style reminds me of the work of US electronic artist Forrest Smithson in its space like ambience. The smoothness of this track is also an idyllic pleasure; one could literally drift in its ever abundant arms for an eternity.

We now move into the deeper waters of the release where we will find the composition The Elephant Celebes. This creation is of an even earlier time dating back to 1921, and within it we can perhaps see elements of Dadaism too. The transitional flow of the tone and timbre here is sublime in creating waves of sonic bliss, ones that drift up to the beach of tomorrow, kiss the sand and retreat into the haze of yesterday; this is utterly encapsulating and one of my personal favourites from the album, the organ segment toward the latter half of the piece was simply emotive and breath taking.

The King is Playing with the Queen, our penultimate piece is now upon us with its regal tones. This slice of electronic wizardry is based on a sculpture this time, where we see the chess piece of little moves, the King, playing his own game whilst defending the Queen. There is a cadenced objectivity here that is so delightful, the rhythmic pattern flows with grace and passion, but the piece itself matures into a more complex arrangement, much like a game of chess, a game of many possibilities, but the overall aim is not to lose.

Our concluding musical narrative is entitled L'Ange du Foyer, (Fireside Angel) ou Le Triomphe du Surréalime, is with ease the most powerful and deeply moving pieces from the release, and a rare political statement in art by the artist, symbolism from this raging bird like creature highlighting the wave of fascism flooding across Europe, and created in of course 1937. This is a level of mastery of electronic musicianship that you are ever likely to hear; the repeating motif in a Berlin style is a constant reminder to us, the flowing synths heart felt and emotive coda never to be forgotten.

The Sketchbook of Max Ernst by Walter Holland is without doubt one of the most superior works of musical art that I have listened to this year, beautifully choreographed and sublimely performed, its intelligent and musical inspired constructs pay a great homage to the master of Dadaism and Surrealism in Max Ernst. For me this was a voyage of total pleasure, as I gain great gratification from these styles of music and art, and I’m reminded of the work by William Neal from the UK, who, although thought of as abstract in style, created the iconic art work for Emerson Lake and Palmers Tarkus album, in my view some similarities can be found within the works of Ernst.

The Sketchbook of Max Ernst by Walter Holland should be a much sort after resource for all fans of truly exceptional electronic music, this is an album that embraces its subject matter meaningfully, and in doing so makes it even more accessible for everyone, and an album of great quality can indeed be found here and surely a big hit on the charts too.

Watercolors By Mark Barnes

 

Watercolors

By

Mark Barnes

Written by

Steve Sheppard

 

The music of Mark Barnes has been on my musical radar ever since 2008 and the album called Awakening, it’s amazing to think 16 years have passed, and now I have his latest release before me called Watercolors, and with each step on the musical ladder Marks compositions and collections have just got better and better with each passing measure.

This latest creation is totally blissful and offers the listener a multitude of peace-filled havens with which to find a musical sanctuary from, including the beautiful opening piece Watercolors, the title track, and how pleasing it is to see this bright and colourful narrative as the opening offering on the album.

Watercolors is a 12 track album filled full of textures and soothing manifestations, a veritable tapestry of calm can be found here, like the explorative  Holston Valley Days, or the charming refrains and reveries of Water Lily, or perhaps even the romantic touch of the track Poetry in Motion.

This whole album reminds me of some of the classic keyboard based new age manifestations from the 1990’s; such fond memories can still be found there. One of my favourites here is a track that was released as single early on this year in While the Forest Sleeps, a dramatic fluent and moving opus of sound, and such a profound melody as well, and it can all be found on this stunning offering.

Mark has been touching some amazing melodious arrangements lately, tracks like Under the Sea, a gentle and pristine tale told by a delicate keyboard motif, or, and here we go again so please excuse me, another favourite of mine in House by the Sea, this one is perhaps personal as we live in a house near the sea, and every morning I wake to watch its lapis oceanic qualities drift across the horizon, this I rate to be one of the most attractive tracks that Mark has ever created.

The tones alter with this next piece called Seasons Change, we’re heading that way now as we reach the middle of August, and my favourite season of autumn will soon be upon us. There is a memory tinged aspect to this track that is so pleasing, it is as if we are literally watching the season move from one state to another through the music.

Next is a composition paying homage to French artist and Impressionist Claude Monet, also one of my favourites to gaze upon, the smoothness of this manifestation was lush, clear, and amazingly coloured in all aspects of tone and timbre, this is without doubt a track that its contents are so palpable you could literally touch it.

As Édouard Manet once said “Still life is the touchstone of painting” if that be so, then this track from Mark must be the soundtrack for that genre of art, this track is so expressive, so charming, and one has to adore the change in tempo, the softness of touch, and the tapestry of calm it provides the listener.

I remember Don McLean once singing about Van Gogh, here Barnes takes that further and delivers one of the nicest tributes to the great painter I have heard, with a slight dramatic flair, a touch of style and elegance, and a melody that will hold a moment tight and never let it go on the track Vincent, our penultimate offering from the album.

I love what Mark has done here musically, bringing our attention to art through his art of music, and he has done it so well. Mark Barnes is without doubt an accomplished instrumentalist that seems to grow in stature musically with each passing album and each passing year, and I have a feeling that Watercolors could well be another huge hit album for the artist and deservedly so.

Anthem By Jeffrey Baker

 

Anthem

By

Jeffrey Baker

Written by

Steve Sheppard

 

The realm of solo piano these days is vast, wide and deep, and to stand out a certain mood, a heartfelt presence and a performance that is as filled with not only technical brilliance, but one of passionate tones is a must, for me the compositional structure, minor refrains, colours and textures must be there too, here on Anthem composer Jeffrey Baker has achieved that and more, and with the talented pianist Frank Martin at the keys, literally anything is possible.

The flow and fluency of this arrangement is impressive, it has that processional anthem style, but also many rotating textures of tone and timbre that are both charming, but utterly encapsulating; the mid segment of this passion filled opus is deeply imploring and begs to be felt and listened to.

The elevation of pitch towards the latter half of the song gives the listener a mood of truthful intent and steadfast forward movement, the conclusion and eventual coda brings a gentle cooling down of the arrangement to an comforting sense of musical security, whilst deftly slowing the tempo to its tranquil finish.

A fine performance indeed by Martin, his ability to usher forth such an emotive power from Bakers outstanding composition is most certainly worth many listens. Anthem by Jeffrey Baker played by Frank Martin has to be a sure fire hit, and a piece that will have fans of the solo piano genre simply begging for more.

Advent of the Symphonina By The Symphonina Foundation

 

Advent of the Symphonina

By

The Symphonina Foundation

Written by

Steve Sheppard

 

This is the second release from The Symphonina Foundation; their mission is an interesting if not challenging one, that of bringing the art of symphonic music to younger audiences around the globe, and in doing so perhaps a new genre has evolved from the classical to the symphonic.

The album is created in four parts, with the first of the composers being the winner of the 2023 Symphonina composition in Alexander Unseth and performed by the 2024 International Symphonina Orchestra. The composer’s lighter touch on his 4-4 part symphony is blissful, reminding me of screen and stage presentations, full of life and colour. Symphonina No. 1 (Symphonina in C), Movement 1 starts the proceedings, with a veritable swathe of passion and power in the most grand of ways, whilst Symphonina No. 1 (Symphonina in C) Movement 2 has a far more gentle caress of tone and timbre, its textured string sections almost remind me at times of Vaughn Williams, and its more ebullient vibrations a simple delight to behold, with a fluent and gentle coda too.

Symphonina No. 1 (Symphonina in C) Movement 3 of Unseth’s magisterial arrangement is a ride of a higher elevation of tonal power, an almost procession at times moves us through the piece with utter precision. I adored this piece; the juxtaposition from the middle segment to the latter is a work of genius, with a short allegro, then moving into a careful diminuendo, this was truly captivating and enjoyable.

The conclusion comes with Symphonina No. 1 (Symphonina in C) Movement 4, a proud and lively piece, an arrangement that will never hide itself from the gaze of humanity, the clever notes, tones and singular performances on this piece were quite frankly amazing, it was the depiction of Espressivo in all its glory, and a completely breath taking ride to end this amazing piece.

Our second composer, Jordan Jinosko came in as runner up in the 2023 Symphonina composition. Her work I found had such a profound depth and such a sweet heart-felt timbre, the early string opening to Symphonina No. 1, Movement 1 (Water) was beyond desirable, and showed the moving emotive qualities of the composer in great clarity, and utilising the skill set of The Budapest Scoring Orchestra whilst doing so.

Symphonina No. 1, Movement 2 (Woodlands) has a whole new feel to the compositional structure, starting off with a slow and teasing opening we are then shifted up a gear, to a piece that contains a slight Celtic influence as we roam among the musical forests and woodlands of our heart, this arrangement had not only depth to its structure, but also such a vast open space with which the listener could freely roam.

The slow, but progressive measures on Symphonina No. 1, Movement 3 (Heights), was once again moving in its initial energies, this is a composition that raises the desire of peace in one to come to the fore, this was without doubt one of the most emotive creations ever, and once more I likened the quality to that of Williams and A Lark Ascending, this was without doubt a great experience and was simply, utterly and magnificently stunning.

As we swim willingly in to the latter half of the album we come across the work of David Fogel, who is also both CEO and Co-Founder of the great organisation that is The Symphonina Foundation. This work of 3 movements was recorded by The Budapest Scoring Orchestra and is a simply delightful voyage through the ripe orange groves of piano mastery; the opening piece starts with a lush and textured symphonic entrance, whilst the piano of Fogel allows us to move in time with the artist and composer in the most creative and artistic of ways on Symphonina No. 5, Movement 1.

The glorious refrains of Symphonina No. 5, Movement 2 are now upon us, this is utterly splendid in colour, tone and timbre, and Fogel’s fluent piano performance is a ride one will never wish to end; the wonderful symphonic juxtaposition is a pleasure that is much appreciated.

The pianist within his concluding movement in Symphonina No. 5, Movement 3, literally takes the listener back in time, to a moment when the grand nature of symphonic music was at its highest, perhaps even back as far as Theodor Kullak in 1847. Regardless this is one of those symphonies that will always remain close to your heart, a jig of a composition at its latter stages, and an arrangement filled with true uplifting musical narrative.

We now look down the valleys of musical plenitude to our final composer Daniel Fisher, a man with the good fortune to have recorded at Abbey Road Studios with non-other than both the London Philharmonic and the Royal Philharmonic orchestras.

Fishers Symphonina in 3 movements is a beautiful voyage of a sun-kissed moment of time, a gaze across the plains on a sunlit day perhaps; this is idyllic in every sense of the word, and reminds me of compositions created for TV and film by an old friend of mine in Michael Hoppe.  Symphonina No. 1, Movement 1 is a grand cascade of colour falling from an azure sky; this is music to lift both the heart and the soul.

Symphonina No. 1, Movement 2 is almost Baroque in its elegance, the added gestures of guitar are beautifully layered within a string based creation, which would be easy to simply dance to. The rhythm and tempo here are utterly undeniable and flourish with a true sense of happiness and joy.

When we move to the final movement we find a more emotive and reflective offering, Symphonina No. 1, Movement 3 is an ever onward journey of a creation, one that takes us on its carriage of musical fluency, and drives us along lanes of smooth and melodic melodies, which eventually bring us to an exciting and effervescent crescendo to conclude the symphony with both style and grace.

Advent of the Symphonina by The Symphonina Foundation is an album of bubbling potential, to garner interest from a younger audience for this style of music is a worthy cause indeed, music that inspires and creates a waterfall of artistic possibilities will always be. Here on this release we have four composers who have played the long game, and with their heart on their sleeves whilst doing so, and my thoughts are that this release should be adored by all ages, as it is one of the finest examples of symphonic music around in this 21st century of ours.

What If Laughter Were Really Tears By Ask Askr

 

What If Laughter Were Really Tears

By

Ask Askr

Written by

Steve Sheppard

 

Self-described as post-rock ambient, the band Ask Askr are back with another brand new single this time called What If Laughter Were Really Tears, and this the follow up from their previous hit Stiklestad. There is something about this band that you just can’t help but like, and here on this fresh opus we have, what in my view is their best work thus far.

Ask Askr are Quinn Turner, Guitars, Ian Turner, Bass, Brass and Piano and Matthew Turner, Synthesizers and Percussion, and their fluent genius has manifested one of the smoothest singles in their career so far, the soft and charming guitars, with that sensitive synth backdrop are an utter delight.

Ian’s bass on this new single is some of the best I have heard for some time, and adds a wonderful depth to the composition, whilst the build and cascading effect on guitar manifested a delicious element of texture to the single, allowing it to flow into moments of light rock, soul, Jazz and chill out whilst doing so, and with a superior production quality too.

I can see this song doing incredibly well across the board, this is indeed the best work from the band as of yet and should be one that will grace the charts, and possibly even the awards too it is that good. Everyone should have a little Ask Askr in their lives, now you can do so with this new single What If Laughter Were Really Tears, so go on; give your ears a treat.

A Year of Sundays By Sandi Kimmel

 

A Year of Sundays

By

Sandi Kimmel

Written by

Steve Sheppard

 

This certainly makes a nice change for me, to dip my toes into the singer songwriter and folk genre, this new album from Sandi Kimmel is a refreshing new release that touches the heart and offers hope, and offers magical songs with uplifting lyrical reminders, it is an album that can be described as a cathartic journey of global oneness, peace, happiness and tranquillity, and all wrapped up nicely on an album called A Year Of Sunday’s.

The opening to this grand album is called 10,000 Dreams, a song that reminds us that we can still dream as much as we want, and those dreams can be as healing and as peace filled as we wish. The piano and percussion add to this composition a layer that could well be an anthem at a concert, it’s a superb start from the artist.

Time to strum a few chords and bring a sublime new track to fruition called In Between The Cracks, then add a lyric that reminds us who we really are and you have a winner of a song, the pace and style of this specific manifestation reminded me of Scotland’s very own De Amitri, and if a single were to be released from this album I would point to this one, the time signature, melody and hook are simply perfect, this is New Age pop at its very best.

This next piece is classic singer songwriter material and called Cycles within Cycles. The lyrics teach about the circular nature of life, its rich patterns and the roller coaster rides along the way. The guitar is sublimely fluent and reminds me of artists like Ralph McTell, and the gentle addition of a flute in the background to this piece was a clever choice too.

So I Sing eases us further into this album and its nature teaches us not to forget to dance, sing and be creative, please note the inclusion of brass and a slight Jazz styled guitar here, one that elevates into a light rock piece, in the most anthem of ways, this has to be one of the most complex pieces from the album and easily the most fascinating.

This next song is one of the most emotive from the album and called The Last Mile. Whilst that folk ethic is still there, a sense of country is also entwined within the structure of this song as well. The lyric is simply brilliant and highlights the heart felt truth of unconditional love right up and until the end of time. Kimmel’s vocals on this track are both reassuring, but also quite impressive in tone and harmonics.

The half way marker of the album is nearly reached by breaching this point of the album, and we find a powerful song called Storm before the Calm, the ongoing and quite literally true mantra of we are one is continued, and of course when one thing is destroyed, something new grows, and opportunities are abundant, there is a light rock element to this track that I loved, and the chorus is one of the most commanding I have heard for quite a while.

Now time for a song about one of my favourite subjects, New Moon, the moon has always been a fascination for me, and there is something about this song that is so attractive, Kimmel’s guitar work here is some of the best from the album, and the intentions of the moons that we hear are yet again opportunities to be taken or not, a galactic calendar perhaps.

The reflective, but quite brilliant Grief Is Having Her Way with Me is up next. Zeus knows I have suffered in the last few years more grief that I thought imaginable, here is perhaps the soundtrack for those times, but here is one of my personal favourite tracks from the album, the minor chords used on this piece are so colourful and textured, when we add string segments, percussion and piano into the mix, magic is created.

Time to go down to the crossroads, no not the ones sang about by Robert Johnson in 1937, but the opening lyric to this new composition of thoughtfulness and consideration entitled The Journey Is The Destination. For some reason this song reminds me of Dylan’s Knockin On Heavens Door in its main lyric, but changes to a more upbeat piece within its chorus.

Time can even be found for a little dedication in Sienna's Song, a smooth onward song that is as fresh as a new born day, the piano on this piece was utterly majestic, whilst the gentle refrain was most welcome, and one that led us nicely into the following offering Analog Girl.

We could have a couple of hit singles on our hands from this album; this song is another, a humorous look at online life. Whilst this song sounds nothing like it, the tone, subject matter, and the frustration of having to comply in this highly digitised world, was touched by non-other that prog rock giants Barclay James Harvest and their song In Wonderland, a song about a girl and her fascinations to phones and the internet. However on Analog Girl I wonder how many listeners will stand up and totally agree with the artist here, most people over the age of 50 for certain!

The Sweetest Form is our penultimate song from this quite crafted album, another beautiful number can be found here, but also musically this is a delight. A superb change of tone can also be found on this creation, one that carries the composition from the main lyric into the chorus in an almost seamless way, and for me this is one of my personal favourites from the album and yes, there are many to choose from.

The penultimate piece is called Nothing Better, a song we can all sing along to if you so wish. The beauty of this track is its simplicity, all you really need is a guitar and you could perform this last piece on the street if desired!

We now round up with a great anthem like ending to what has been an ourstanding release, with our concluding arrangement called The Cure, It is like the artist has taken us full circle, except now, we have opportunities and experiences to make those all important changes, and what a perfect way with which to sum up the album.

A Year of Sundays by Sandi Kimmel is a bright kiss of musical light in a darkened room; this is an album that has it all, it entertains and uplifts the listener, it contains some wonderfully performed presentations, and is lyrically crafted, an extremely intelligent and thoughtful release. If you are a fan of the sing songwriter genre, then you are going to be on to an absolute winner of an album here with, A Year of Sundays by Sandi Kimmel.

Oceanic Heart By Fred Grenot

 

Oceanic Heart

By

Fred Grenot

Written by

Steve Sheppard

 

Since Fred Grenot’s return to the music scene his compositions and songs have been like a breath of fresh air in this part of the music business, and instrumental new age music is all the better for it. Fred is now back with a brand new single called Oceanic Heart; this is yet another panacea to sooth the weary mind and soul.

Oceanic Mind is a keyboard based delight of many colours and textures, with added natural sounds and an incredibly smart performance, we have yet another example of why we are all very pleased to be enjoying the Grenot revival here in the new age music genre.

The tempo is paced harmoniously, the flow of the music is in a perfect balanced blissful state with the energy it creates, and the natural sounds add a layer of truth and reality to the overall construction of the arrangement, this solidly grounds the composition, and after all water is a great healer, as it is attached to the emotional essence of who we are.

Oceanic Mind is very different from what we have become use to from Fred, but the smooth transitions on synths and keyboards, the cogent and fluent melody, the calming positive energy of the musical narrative will be sure to bring Fred Grenot another huge hit with Oceanic Heart, and deservedly so.

Piercing the Veil By Piscean Daydreams

 

Piercing the Veil

By

Piscean Daydreams

Written by

Steve Sheppard

 

This is one very expressive and powerful sonic message, one that opens the void, transcends it, and then finds a reality of inner peace and ambience, the project is called Piercing the Veil, released by JJ Rogalski known to us in the music world as Piscean Daydreams.

This 7 track album will take the listener on a journey of an auditory state of an inner meditative and introspective condition, take the first track for example entitled The Further Shore, this explorative piece wends through tonal alleyways of sound, and allows the listener to drift off into an aural voyage of plenty.

Piercing the Veil, Threshold is a much gentler manifestation, the synths provide a soothing backdrop of sound that seem to hover with the same intent as a mist across a summer lake in early June.  The swirling nature of this unearthly piece is both meditative and musically mature in its textures; I would say that it creates a lush tapestry of sound, whilst the musical seeker can roam freely on this distant beach of transcendent possibilities.

We now move to a much deeper composition called The Words of My Perfect Teacher; one can feel a shift of energy within the track, one that highlights a symbiosis of sound, perhaps as we embrace our new found path among the gardens of a peace filled tranquillity. The layered synths and modulations here are simply beautiful, this is a track that emanates a sense of trust and knowledge too.

So to the middle section of the album, and this piece is called Piercing the Veil, Entrainment. There is a level of lightness I hear here that I find deeply compelling; it may also be my passion for long form music of this style. The composition itself grows experientially as it goes, one could easily get lost in a track like this, and there is nothing wrong with that. Its tone, timbre and textured synths remind me of sacred spaces that I once created, where all that is in the very moment you are in now!

Ouroboros Rising is up next; I researched the name and was quickly reminded of the subject matter by being show a picture of snake eating its own tail, illustrating perhaps the constant regeneration and cycle of life, rebirth, death and so on. Perhaps this could well be the most ambient of musical structures from the album, its depths are ones that I would love to follow, the dark swirls and textures of the synths here are powerful in their intent, and remind me of one of my meditational compositions that I use by David Lang called The Passing Measures.

There is a calming field of musical energy here on the piece Piercing the Veil, Holos which is most reassuring, it’s like floating on the top of a salty ocean and drifting into a bay of utter bliss. The ambience on this track is utterly sublime and almost hypnotic in texture and tone.  The layers of this soundscape are both encapsulating and utterly immersive, and bring a complete sense of wholeness and peace to the listener.

Our concluding offering is called The Outer Reaches of Inner Space; this is a smart composition, one that rounds off the entire journey, revealing the deeper reality of the meaning of the journey. There is something also strangely anthem like about the compositional structure of this track, one that is most pleasing to bathe within. One can without doubt feel the competition of the voyage of sonic sound and vibrations, and the satisfaction through the ever onward synths and their low but addictive drones give up a whole new level of serenity and calm.

Piercing the Veil by Piscean Daydreams is an electronic ambient album that will create a field of quality sound for any listener who has the good sense to purchase it, an opportunity to delve deeper for a more inner reflective gaze upon their existence. The performance of the artist on this whole album is incredibly immersive, deeply satisfying and absolutely superbly throughout. I have longed for a long form immersive album like this to use in my meditational exercises and I think I have found it. The musical voyage is a joy to be a part of, and as such one that should also appear on the charts at some stage, this is one ambient album you really do not want to miss.

Available on bandcamp now: 

https://pisceandaydreams.bandcamp.com/album/piercing-the-veil and on all major streaming sites from August 16^th.