My 2.14 By Hiromasa Keya Kobayashi

 

My 2.14

By

Hiromasa Keya Kobayashi

Written by

Steve Sheppard

 

Hiromasa Keya Kobayashi is a relatively new name for me from the world of solo piano, but one that I have a certain fondness for musically, his mellow presentations are delightful to listen to, and that simplicity of style and construction is just what a listener needs to ease them into another day.

This new album entitled My 2.14 is a blissful parade of sublime solo piano works, ushered forth by the short form narrative of the heart-warming composition entitled Prologue; from then on in it is a journey of delightful piano themes, like the following arrangement The Last Kiss of Summer, a tender touch of the keys is needed and given with such skill and class, this is a beautiful performance, and one to be remembered perhaps as a timeless reverie.

The melodious and smooth Can't Let You Go is our next port of call, and here is a simply delightful composition, which brings me to a conclusion I have been holding back from, but this track highlights for me a similarity between the compositional style and performance, of the late but great Annie Locke, that sensitive warmth and tenderness is most certainly there with Hiromasa too.

Time for a little light hearted reverie now, in fact it’s time for Infatuation (Midnight Jazz Bar Mix). How can one not like this track, it is fluent, charming and happy, and that’s exactly what this crazy world needs this day more than ever. The following narrative For Alice will always make me think of the girl who went through a magical mirror and investigated wonderland, listening to this gentle thoughtful narrative, this could easily be used in a movie for that tale, it is that good.

There was something quite rhythmic about this next piece entitled China Rose, one could almost call it poetic too, it has a pastiche of gentleness about it that is truly palpable, and the performance is both confident and filled with colour.

Without doubt one of the prettiest pieces from this most delightful release is The Winds Of May - Letting You Go, one could imagine the sincerity pouring from this composition, a song that has a melody line so strong and uplifting, the musical expression here is also inspiring in its tone and timbre, but by using a soft palate of sound to do so, once more the artist has manufactured a piece that is utterly timeless.

The solo piano genre is vast, but I must add that there is room for someone like Hiromasa Keya Kobayashi to come into and make a name for himself, and as an example of the artists rise to piano fame one could easily point to this memorable and moving opus entitled The Room That Used To Be, a perfectly created composition, one filled with emotion, memory and a sublime and powerful performance, and yes, my favourite track from the album.

The album concludes in the same vein as it started, with a short form narrative called Epilogue (Alone Once Again), a composition that is like having the bedtime blanket pulled up around you before a calming sleep.

My 2.14 by Hiromasa Keya Kobayashi has to be one of the best solo piano albums I have reviewed this year, at its conclusion I felt fulfilled and happy, and that cannot be a bad thing can it? The artist is a name waiting to happen, a musician who clearly feels his music, understands its twists and turns, and for me was one of the most enjoyable piano based albums I have had the pleasure of listening to for a very long time indeed, this one has chart hit written all over it.

Best of Hanslik & Moniz Experiment

Best of Hanslik & Moniz Experiment

By

Hanslik & Moniz Experiment

Written by

Steve Sheppard

 

There is something so vast and all-encompassing about this latest release from the Hanslik & Moniz Experiment, we can gaze back over years of work, in a musical voyage that span’s almost a decade and be grateful for this moment of electronic mastery that ushers forth the best of the pairing in this best of manifestation.

The two opening forays are inspirational, and contain some of the finest experimental guitar work I have heard for ages, the first of two being the explorative tones of the mega track The Visitor, which at times almost creates an interesting juxtaposition between a little jazz orientated progressive rock, and classic EM, and then onto the fascinating vibrancy of Seagrass Siren, a track filled with segments of artistry, and combined with a thoughtful and create tonal progression.

The guitar work of Moniz and Hanslik’s sublime keyboard efforts works beautifully on this next colourful textured offering entitled Parallel Circus; and gifts the listener a sweeping out look of a composition that was birthed in mix of a Jazz progressive composition of extreme colour and expression.

Much can be said for pieces like Time, with its quite brilliant chime and onward movement of sound, tone and timbre, this is a particular favourite of mine and can be found also on the album Gell’n released back in 2021, and the next few offerings come from the first album I received from the artists in the powerful, yet flowing release Friendly Planet, the title track is first up and is a good reminder just how fluent and smooth this creation most certainly is.

While the subsequent pieces in On Shore and Meadow highlight the abundant creativity of guitar and electric piano, both are instruments I love to play, and one can find also that both, like these two tracks, offer a soundscape that is so evocative and ambient in creativity, especially in the aspect of tonal descriptive music.

The album Evolution was release in the year of 2022 and was a huge step up the ladder for the artists, there is a layered aspect that is more pronounced in the compositions Evolution, Here to There and Escape, that is utterly transfixing, the instrumental work is moody on the title track and is a self-manifesting combination of great quality, whilst Here to There is breathtakingly cloud-like in its structures, and offers the listener a moment to float with keen and stylish guitar and keyboard work, whilst the final creation in Escape is a more earthly creation, but one that has a decidedly deft and mysterious texture to its overall timbre.

The year 2023 was a very productive time for the duet, firstly we can look back at the release of the album Call and Answer of which there are no less than 5 from the collection, starting with the bright and inspiring title track, which is a perfectly balanced in its structures, but still engages the nuances of a more explorative nature, whilst The Weight Of Truth has elements of ambient mega star Eno contained within the clever meandering composition.

This album for me was a much needed sanctuary away from the ravages of life’s rich and sometimes turbulent pathway, so pieces like the mellow and thoughtful pastiche of Serene Encounter meant a lot, and a fine example of transient keyboard and synth work from Hanslik indeed. Whilst the glorious track Did We Miss Anything, postulated a form of musical art work that was, and is so deeply compelling and palpable, the bass here may sound simple, but it is a key element in the narrative of the composition.

Then we finally move to the haunting reverie of Conversation Interrupted to conclude the arrangements from this powerful release of ‘23, with the questioning and experimental values of the arrangement. A manifestation of artistic endeavours, which seem to open one musical door after another, whilst leaving a sense of a surprise interjection in the mix, the synth work of Hanslik here was simply outstanding.

This best off compilation is brought to its inevitable conclusion with the inclusion of four tracks from what I personally believe to be the pairing’s best work thus far in the album, Modern Art. This is a release that is captivating, as is the first piece we traverse entitled Eye of the Beholder, the electronic mastery of Hanslik is brought to the fore here like never before, and the piece even contains a symphonic feel to it, in the same way with which the late but great Isao Tomita used to give us.

The short but very sweet Tapestry highlighted the sublime guitar work of Steven Moinz, which reminded me of work of prog guitar master Steve Howe and may also a little Steve Hillage into the mix as well, whilst the offering Impressionist would be our penultimate creation, one could indeed imagine walking around a modern art gallery listening to such music and viewing the works of say Claude Monet while doing so, this piece has so much room and ambience and perfect for that very moment of artistic perusal.

The ending to this massive body of work from the duo comes in the guise of the longest track off the album called Starry Night, the swirling motifs of both guitar and keyboards certainly match the cascading swirls of paint on canvas from Dutch Post-Impressionist painter Vincent van Gogh with ease, and is utterly the best most ambient and emotive manifestation with which to finish this amazing project off.

Best of Hanslik & Moniz Experiment by Hanslik & Moniz Experiment is one of those albums that if you are a fan of this experimental electronic ambient guitar genre, will look back upon later and be very glad you made the choice of purchasing it for your collection. This is nothing less that walking and talking musical art, and is some of the finest examples of the aforementioned genre out there and as such is one fans should not miss out on at all cost!

 

Open By Stephen Wallack

 

Open

By

Stephen Wallack

Written by

Steve Sheppard

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Isabel By Carbe and Durand

 

Isabel

By

Carbe and Durand

Written by

Steve Sheppard

 

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

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

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

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

Back To My Roots by David Mash

 

Back To My Roots

By

David Mash

Written by

Steve Sheppard

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Warmth by Fred Grenot

 

Warmth

By

Fred Grenot

Written by

Steve Sheppard

 

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

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

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

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

Chasing Starlight By Louis Colaiannia

 

Chasing Starlight

By

Louis Colaiannia

Written by

Steve Sheppard

 

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

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

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

The Return By Her Sound

 

The Return

By

Her Sound

Written by

Steve Sheppard

 

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

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

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

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

Find out more by following the links: 

www.katejaconello.com

www.hersound.co.uk

Transcendence By Shambhu

 

Transcendence

By

Shambhu

Written by

Steve Sheppard

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Heaven By Eric Tingstad

 

Heaven

By

Eric Tingstad

Written by

Steve Sheppard

 

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

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

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

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

Unidentified Ambient Phenomena, Vol. 1 By Piscean Daydreams

 

Unidentified Ambient Phenomena, Vol. 1

By

Piscean Daydreams

Written by

Steve Sheppard

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Dancing in the Storm By Geez Louise

 

Dancing in the Storm

By

Geez Louise

Written by

Steve Sheppard

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Africa By Jim Kimo West & David Vito Gregoli

 

Africa

By

Jim Kimo West & David Vito Gregoli

Written by

Steve Sheppard

 

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

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

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

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

Secrets from a Gemstone By Craigology

 

Secrets from a Gemstone

By

Craigology

Written by

Steve Sheppard

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Montana Stillwater By Wayo Hogan

 

Montana Stillwater

By

Wayo Hogan

Written by

Steve Sheppard

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Hidden World By David De Michele

 

Hidden World

By

David De Michele

Written by

Steve Sheppard

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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