Bone Envy By Aleksandra Takala

Bone Envy

By

Aleksandra Takala

Written by

Steve Sheppard

 

It had been quite some time since I had heard from the artist Aleksandra Takala; the last time our musical paths had crossed was back in 2021 with another classy instrumental album called In My Own Time. This new release takes us towards the end of another year of our time on this Earth, but Takala has gifted us an early present with a truly eclectic album that is simply heart-warming and beautiful.

The opening foray is a track called Windswept, a  classic new age styled instrumental keyboard narrative can be found here in the early emergence of the track, but it builds to much more, a vibrant beat and an addictive repose from minor to major and back, makes this track so palpable from the California based neo-classical, new age musician.

A delicious Scottish vibration flows through this next offering called The Highlands. The early strum gifts us that notion, and this track and her performance style started to remind me of another now retired new age artist in Al Conti. Here Takala utilises her usual piano based start and builds perfectly, building melodies that function as conversations and expressions of feeling, with orchestral textures built into the weave, manufacturing in this case a perfect Celtic dance like refrain, on one of the most energetic tracks from the album.

Awaiting the Outcome is our third track on this 7 piece release and has elements of Oldfield’s Tubular Bells and a dramatic crescendo all built into the first few moments of the song. The build and almost suspenseful composition matures with a growing intensity, in an almost progressive rock style melee, this has to be one of the most fascinating pieces from the artist ever, a cross combination of Genesis meets New Age, in one of the most powerful and emotive offerings from the album.

We move into the latter half of the album now with the shortest piece from the release called Missing You. This keyboard driven narrative pursues another emotional roller coaster of a ride and achieves it brilliantly, with some of the most haunting piano in the middle part of the arrangement.

The brilliantly titled El Rio Del Tiempo (The River of Time) is up next, and with its Latin flavours, offers up much to the listener to enjoy and roam around in its corridors of time and tide with, this is a spectacular instrumental manifestation, again one of superior flavours and textures. Here is a narrative that is redolent of the subject matter, with haunting vocalisations and a steady build and purpose in its ranks; here one will find a cinematic offering of a growing eminence and style.

A percussive timbre starts our journey on this long form opus, one that is our penultimate offering from the album and called Dance of Joy. A track that builds like Emerson Lake and Palmers version of Abandons Bolero, but has that lush classical element that manifests something truly special, this suite of cleverness weaves a tale of passion and power, with heavy over tones of classically inspired reveries, which should come as no surprise as the artist holds a college degree in classical music theory, performance, and composition.

We now arrive at the last offering from the album and this one has some amazing elements within its entirely original constraints. Never have I heard a song that mixes a prog Jazz styled Soft Machine influence, with disco pop of the late 70’s, the last few moment of funk were a real treat, and show the utter range of artistry from Takala. I have to admit this is one of the most enjoyable endings to an album I’ve ever heard, and called Latina Fantasia.

Bone Envy by Aleksandra Takala is the very epitome of a musical release that literally has something for everyone, so many genres and borderlands of music are crossed here its unbelievable, but they all work. I must say this is one of the finest instrumental music albums I’ve heard this year, and I have a feeling that a number one spot awaits Bone Envy by Aleksandra Takala, it’s that good.