Tibet (20th Anniversary Remaster) By Deborah Martin & Cheryl Gallagher

 

Tibet (20th Anniversary Remaster)

By

Deborah Martin & Cheryl Gallagher

Written by

Steve Sheppard

 

When I need a sanctuary to rest a while in, I usually turn to the East and gaze towards the magical realms and meditative bliss of places like Tibet, I have a lot of time and respect for Buddhist traditions, unlike some western belief systems they are free from overwhelming dogma, threats of eternal damnation and infinite suffering for nonsensical crimes, and thus a rare beauty, a perception, of blissful tranquillity, a calm and a oneness can be found, and here on Tibet (20th Anniversary Remaster) by Deborah Martin & Cheryl Gallagher, we have that in all its glory.

I can only imagine what it must be like to have your works re-worked some twenty years later, here the artists must have felt each drum beat, each chime and tone still to this day with such great clarity. The opening piece gives me that ambiance with ease and is simply called Palace. A gentle progression I have not heard the like from an electronic musician since Thom Brennan on his seminal album Mountains.

The entire 8 track release is a step into a world that is in perfect harmony with its surroundings, both Martin and Gallagher capture that atmospheric spirit with ease on pieces like the mysterious and moving opus of Morning In Tibet, a sparkling home spun reverie containing wondrous electronic wizardry, and ethereal vocalisations, and also on compositions like the transcendent Seeker and Sought, a powerful, yet still meditative manifestation that brings us pristine musicianship, and also that aforementioned sanctuary of the soul we all so readily desire.

The location is captured splendidly on Eklabatti, a snow driven arrangement with a true indigenous feel to its progression. One can also enjoy the bells and chimes of the region, at my age I doubt that I will ever be able to visit this stunning site, but at least through breath-taking albums like this from Martin and Gallagher I can do so vicariously thought the music.

The entire project is concluded via the medium of the last track called Procession, a delicious long form creation that one can literally float like an eagle upon the thermals of a timeless reverie of serenity with. A river of energy flows from this piece, and in doing so manifests a musical moment of sublime mastery like I have never heard before, for me, this is exactly what truly great electronic based music should sound like, this last work I got lost within and never wanted to return, kudos for the inclusion of pertinent natural sounds too.

Tibet (20th Anniversary Remaster) by Deborah Martin & Cheryl Gallagher is an influential release that commands respect, its soft and creative journey is simply remarkable. A huge tip of the hat must also go to Howard Givens, Mark Hunton, Mark Rownd and David Helpling whose musical contributions were a pleasure to be enjoy, and one must also not forget the tireless work Todd Boston with his engineers hat on in this case.

Tibet (20th Anniversary Remaster) by Deborah Martin & Cheryl Gallagher is an album that should never be forgotten, it is a timeless pastiche of peace and harmony, a tonal universe of electronic music and added instrumentation, that manifested for me one of the finest releases I have heard in this genre for years, and thus should be a guaranteed hit and perhaps even more!