Instrumental New Age Review: Anne Trenning-The Sunflower Waltz

Release Date: October 9, 2015

Label: Shadetree Records

Website

Anne Trenning greets us with her fourth album, The Sunflower Waltz. This album focuses on solo piano workings and is comprised of ten original compositions and six re-imagined pieces. All of the songs are played on the spectacular Shigeru Kawai piano, each note presented in clear and crisp fashion, tempting the listener with each keystroke.

The first piece on the album is “Max’s Birthday.” Floating and light with all the potential a new year of life can bring, this track frolics and dances to the music of life in all of its mysteries. A puppy racing through the lawn, a young boy chasing after him with laughter trailing in the wind. The gentle imagining of this piece invokes musical nuance that carries through the entire album.

“In the Gloaming Light” is the eighth track on the album. It is a walk through a sea of memories, a bittersweet blend of nostalgia, longing and regrets. A collection of photographs under the bed from an era gone by, this piece resurrects the voices of the past. Note after note, a composition emerges of lives lived and bonds forged to last forever.

“The Sunflower Waltz” is the title track to the album and one that is lush and filled with joy. The whimsical dance of each note summons the child in all of us, freely dancing in a field of sunflowers. The sun shines down on us as we spin and let the vast blue sky envelope us. Such a happy tune and one of my favorites on the album.

“A Prayer for the World” is the last piece on the album. Tender melodies comprise this composition. Each stroke of the keys is a prayer for humanity in all of our foibles and shiny imperfections. It is the air we breathe, the decisions we make both good and less stellar. Each twisting and turning chapter of the song inches us closer toward unity with our maker.

Anne Trenning is a talented artist and composer. Her work with the solo piano in The Sunflower Waltz is mesmerizing and a soothing experience that I highly recommend. Twisting melodies that embroil you in their simple grace, each of the sixteen tracks takes you on a journey outside of yourself. A great listen.

5/5 Stars

Key Tracks: Max’s Birthday, The Sunflower Waltz, In the Gloaming Light, A Prayer for the World

Tracks:
01. Max’s Birthday
02. The Sunflower Waltz   
03. Claire of my Heart   
04. Just Fly   
05. Fade to Blue   
06. Letting Go   
07. Cowgirl Daydream
08. In the Gloaming Light   
09. Sing to the Lord   
10. Backyard Dreamer
11. Where Rivers Run   
12. Days Gone By
13. Ben’s Song   
14. How Fair My Love
15. The Welcome Song
16. A Prayer for the World

Dana Wright, Sr. Staff Writer

October 21, 2015

Review Provided By New Age Music Reviews

Instrumental New Age Review: Joanne Lazzaro-Under The Stars

Release Date: March 1, 2015

Label: Indie

Website

The flute must be one of the hardest instruments to master. I have a deep respect for any musician however there are certain instruments that seem more difficult to produce an entire album with. I definitely think the flute is one of those that qualify.

Joanne Lazzaro took on the task of mastering this mystical instrument and created a fine album titled Under The Stars.

“Path of the Departed Souls” was my introduction to Joanne’s music and it was featured on the Rate The Tracks site. There is something simplistic and beautiful about this music. The flute is the only instrument being played so you cannot help but focus on that. The difficulty for this type of recording is to pull in the listener and keep them interested. For my ears it worked as every track has a different tone and ambiance to keep it interesting. Although I enjoy rock music I am drawn to this kind of music more all of the time for its healing qualities. I find that I can get more focus on thoughts and feelings that are dismissed during the course of a busy and sometimes frenetic day.

There is a lot of great music to enjoy on this album and each track is an individual offering from the artist for you to use as you see fit. “Zuni Sunrise (extended version)” is as mesmerizing and relaxing as one track can possibly be. It has a mysterious element to it and reminded me of a time far away, perhaps ancient China. Like watching a movie as the scenes flicker by, you conjure all kinds of thoughts and images. This is what music of this sort is supposed to do and I think the artist accomplishes this consistently throughout the run of this recording.

I love the way Joanne closed out the album making her flute sing like a bird, literally. In the appropriately titled “Lark Who Sang His Song to the Sun Every Morning” she demonstrates the capabilities and power of her instrument by emulating a bird saying good morning to the sun. What a perfect way to close the curtain on a magical journey provided by a very talented flautist. If you want to feel like you are Under The Stars I highly recommend listening to this album.

5/5 Stars

Key Tracks: Path of the Departed Souls, Zuni Sunrise (extended version), Lark Who Sang His Song to the Sun Every Morning

Tracks:
01. Evening Star Song
02. Sky Chief   
03. Medicine Wheel
04. Moon Dances With New Star   
05. Giant Cactus-Gathering Hook   
06. Path of the Departed Souls   
07. Bear Who Wanted a Mango   
08. Rabbit Tracks
09. Spirits of the Long-Eyes   
10. Amazing Grace - Trail of Tears   
11. Zuni Sunrise (Extended Version)   
12. Lark Who Sang His Song to the Sun Every Morning
 

Keith “MuzikMan” Hannaleck- New Age Music Reviews Founder

October 18, 2015

Review Provided By New Age Music Reviews

Instrumental/Electronic Review: AeTopus-When

Release Date: Sep 10, 2015

Label: 12ton Productions

Website

Bryan Tewell Hughes is the man behind the music and the name AeTopus. Last month he brought the world When. I featured the track “Burst” on the Rate The Tracks site. That was the beginning of my journey with Hughes.

His music has many colors and textures. It is like watching ice cream melt in your mind’s eye. The music reveals layer after layer, as if the ice cream had a different flavor underneath each layer that melted away. That is the beauty of any music; you can use your own correlation when listening.

I was mesmerized by this album When. I had to listen several times with great joy to what I was hearing and absorbing and then translate it into something that made sense (on an individual level rather than all inclusive). I like the way each track starts so simply then continues to build into something wonderful…like an artist taking a blank canvas, starting with an idea then assembling it into an explosion of colors and sound, this is what Hughes accomplishes on this recording.

“Gather” sounds like it could be a soundtrack to a movie. I can envision a group of people on a long sojourn to their destination when I hear this track. Keep in mind this my own personal vision. Or it can be more on the lighter side of the spectrum of emotions and meaning, like taking a hot air balloon ride along a massive mountain ridge. The point is, it all means something and you can let it happen. Thoughts, feelings and the inner spirit “Gather” to form a medley of life.

“Protean” has a mystical and magical feel to it. The subtle percussion elements and keyboards blend into an alluring mixture. It is like the unknowns of the jungle and all its dangers beckon you to explore and then ask you to trust every step you take. I found “Apostasy” to be similar with the pace and atmospheres. Again here is the cinematic reference…it is like an intriguing soundtrack to a movie playing frame by frame inside your head.

This music speaks to me and says let the music lead and your heart and soul will carry you to the destination you seek to arrive at. That is comparable to life itself and all its challenges staring you in the face and then in the music you find the grace and solace to handle it all calmly.

The most important factor is the way the artist utilizes various forms of keyboards and synthesizers. The combination of ambient, electronic, new age and world is a mixture that works very well within these tracks. It is a purposeful focused work of art. The fun part is you get to hear it all like it’s a work in progress, the curtain rises and the show begins! So it is up to you When you decide to listen!

4.5/5 Stars

Key Tracks: Burst, Gather, Protean

Tracks: 
01. Hypersuns
02. Sashay
03. Hindsight Axiom
04. Gather
05. Dubious Numbers
06. Protean
07. Apostasy
08. Neverwheel
09. Quietus Est
10. Burst
11. Metanoia
12.Sage

Keith “MuzikMan” Hannaleck-New Age Music Reviews Founder

October 8, 2015

Review Provided By New Age Music Reviews

Instrumental New Age/Classical Review: Barbara Hills-Moon and Shadows

Release Date: October 19, 2014

Label: House in the Wood Productions

Website

Barbara Hills has always been influenced by music. Devoted to her chosen path, this artist and composer sold paintings to pay for her guitar. Barbara has been an educator and has founded her own studio House in the Woods Productions. Barbara’s Welsh heritage influences her work and it often shows in Celtic undertones and a focus on nature and the environment. The photographs on the cover of the album are all locations around the artist’s home, sharing with us the love of nature and all of her glory. Moon and Shadows was arranged, recorded, engineered and produced by Barbara Hills.

Moon and Shadows is a journey of sorts that takes you over fields, deserts, moon covered skies and babbling brooks. Sea and space, woods and the flutter of butterflies can be found-but so can quirky pieces like “Hidden Depths” and “Landfill Tango.”

An ethereal piece filled with woodwind instruments and tender piano sequences, “Moon on the Moat” evokes a dark fairy tale in the making. Mist rises from the ground and you walk out on the veranda to meet a figure as he rises from the fog. The moon peeks through the cloudy sky and a shiver of trepidation slides through you. One dance. One night. One breath of passion. Where will it lead as the music only the two of you can hear takes you away? This piece is seductive and projects a midnight landscape rife with possibilities. Electronic elements are woven in further adding to the layers of mysticism and wonder as the dance goes on, winding into the night…

“Indigo” is the last piece on the first CD in this collection. Pensive, the song begins with a synthetic floating sound, quickly morphing into magical chimes, a plodding rhythm dotted with percussive elements and melodic voices. Starry skies filled with nature’s wonderment cascade around the listener until the very last portion of the song when it erupts in a vivacious blend of instrumentation as vivid as a painting.

“Dark and Sleepy Forest” is on the second part of this two CD set. Leaves crunch and percussive elements pound as you try to get away from whatever it is that stalks you in the night. Floating electronica music wafts through, reminding me somewhat of the Nightmare Before Christmas soundtrack. More leaves crackle and blend with dark synth and multi-instrumentation to craft a trip down nature’s shadowy realm. Enter if you dare for you do not walk alone.

Barbara Hills is an artist and sound engineer who has crafted an album devoted to nature. She was inspired by locales near her home, creating an audible landscape of earth, sea and sky. This album was an enjoyable experience with ethereal pieces like “Moon on the Moat” and quirky little numbers like the heavily electronica based “Landfill Tango” and “Hidden Depths.”

4/5 Stars

Key Tracks: Moon on the Moat, Dark and Sleepy Forest, Indigo

Tracks:
01. Desert: Midnight Ride
02. High Pines
03. Hidden Depths
04. Landfill Tango
05. Galaxies
06. Moon on the Moat
07. Deer at the Brook
08. Winter River
09. Woods After Rain
10. Pebbles
11. Field of Clouds
12. Indigo
13. Walk to the Fallow Meadow
14. Caverns
15. Kingdom of the Swan
16. Suburban Dawn
17. In the Shadows of Roasting Spring
18. Dark and Sleepy Forest
19. Snowflakes
20. Sea: Sunrise
21. Northern Lights
22. Leaving Orbit
23. Return of the Butterflies
24. Rain On the Road

Dana Wright, Sr. Staff Writer

October 4, 2015
Review Provided By New Age Music Reviews

 

New Age World Instrumental Review: Get Tribal-Radio God

Release Date: October 6, 2015

Label: Indie

Website

Get Tribal is a group that pays tribute to ancient rhythms and spirituality on their recording Radio God. The goal is to awaken the Chakras and indeed it does. Each track is named with four radio call letters inspired by regional or religious iconography. Radio God is due out on October 6th 2015.

Kari Hohne is the artist that drives this new project. As stated in their press - Radio God is a surreal revival of world spiritual music arranged with ethnic rhythms, modern beats and infused with radio/media nostalgia. This recording is a follow up to the acclaimed album God of Drum.

Kari started composing music at the tender age of 6 so it is no wonder that she has advanced into so many segments of music and spirituality. She is a diverse and talented artisan with boundless energy without limitations. The music on Get Tribal is a direct reflection of that eclectic approach.

“GUIP Sunrise” opens up the album with gentle stirrings of life just as we experience on a daily basis. The combination of tribal rhythms and electronics make for an inviting sequence of events that unfold before you and then continue to advance with each track. 

“RUAH: Breathe” steps up the pace with more earthy tones and atmospheres with the drums providing the heartbeat that pumps the musical blood of the track as it builds and transforms. At this point I am becoming more and more intrigued with this music wondering what is going to come next.

“TABA: Out of the Underworld” creates an anticipatory and movie like soundscape for the listener. It excites and energizes then takes it all down a notch and relaxes within the same composition. Soft keyboards enter the scenery and it makes you feel like you are floating along on a wafting cloud. You feel like this should not end as it feels so natural and good for the spirit.

“KVED: At One in the World” is the album closer and perhaps the most prolific track that personifies this recording. It was featured on one of our sister sites Rate The Tracks. It starts off with a gentle invitation of an acoustic guitar closely followed by ever present drums to drive it along as different instruments gradually added create a world instrumental simmering kettle that comes to a full boil literally overflowing with good vibrations and spiritual awakenings. It gets injected with a shot modernization then some strong electronic essences via the synthesizer at different points. This kind of mix is what makes not only this track but the entire recording a true musical adventure.

The good vibes and earthly tones and rhythms are dominant on Radio God however what makes it all so special is that it takes the old and mixes it with the new in a distinct musical fashion, and transformed into a delight for the senses. The best of both worlds intermingle to make this album interesting and a completely fulfilling auditory experience that serves the main purpose of giving each individual listener an opportunity for a spiritual awakening

4.5/5 Stars

Key Tracks: GUIP Sunrise, KVED: At One in the World,  TABA: Out of the Underworld

Tracks:

1. GUIP: Sunrise
2. RUAH: Breathe
3. BEJA: Elegant Flow
4. TABA: Out of the Underworld
5. RADIO GOD: Into the Outerworld
6. KEOK: The Gift of Fire
7. ADON: Across the Sea
8. ANKH: Dancing Desert
9. KSHEN: Remove the Red Dust
10 KVED: At One in the World
 

Keith “MuzikMan” Hannaleck-New Age Music Reviews Founder

October 1, 2015

Review Provided By New Age Music Reviews

Instrumental New Age Review: Bob Ardern-Eight Winds

Release Date: November 2015

Label: Indie

Website

Hailing from the shores of Nova Scotia, Bob Ardern brings us a new masterpiece with his newest album Eight Winds. Twelve original compositions including contributions from David Findlay and Duncan Woodcock cover the bases from Classical, New Age, Celtic and light hearted Jazz. This album is a wonderful example of Arden’s finger style playing and offers the listener a reprieve from the hustle and bustle of the everyday world.

“Zephyr” is the first track on the album, bringing the listener into the captivating realm of springy playing and intricate movements. Bobbing along the water, you watch the sea hit the side of the boat and hold your head high as you crest wave after wave. This is freedom. Every note. Every wave.

“Matilda’s Dance” is a peppy and frolicking piece that invokes a child at play. Dressing up in too big dresses and shoes and dancing around the house with your father. Afternoon tea parties bumble alongside quirky melodic combinations that give loose tooth smiles and the carefree laugh of a child who knows her father’s love. This is the joy of family, of belonging. Picture the dance of a puppy as she figures out her feet, stomping and hopping over the carpet and stairs….the strumming guitar takes you there, every step of the way.

“Matushka” is a twisty and windy piece that caught my attention immediately. The guitar work is more intricate and I had to think about what was going on in the mind of the musician as he crafted this composition. Like a decorative top, this piece winds its way over street and sidewalk, taking you on a journey as rich as A Christmas Story and as full of mystery and intrigue as Stand By Me. This is the music of growing up and learning who you are. Sometimes it’s beautiful and others not so much, but with every twisting turn, you see another layer spinning out for the world to see-and the picture is marvelous if you stand still long enough to really listen.

Bob Ardern is a skilled guitarist and has picked some excellent contributing musicians for this album. Eight Winds is an experience that will take you skimming along the ocean, revisiting old memories of youth and even playing tea party as a child. Each song invokes an emotional response and a series of pictures that strum along with Arden’s guitar. Take a moment and listen. I think you’ll find a little of yourself peeking from inside…

4.5/5 Stars

Key Tracks: Zephyr, Matilda’s Dance, Matushka

Tracks: 
01. Zephyr 5.00
02. Matilda's Dance 5:36
03. Timing Is Everything 4:32
04. Mistral 4:42
05. Crusaders and Jesters 2:59
06. Cascading 4:03
07. 50 Not Out 3:27
08. Another Time Maybe 4:09
09. Three Years On 3:41
10. Matushka 5:49
11. Sangiovese 4:41
Bonus: 50 Not Out (Full Band) 3:24

Dana Wright, Sr. Staff Writer

September 28, 2015

Review Provided By New Age Music Reviews

New Age Music and The Grammys 2015

New York, NY-September 29, 2015-New Age Music continues to gather momentum with each passing year and the relevance of the music becomes clearer with Grammy Nominations.

 

According to Wikipedia it is used by listeners for yoga, massage, meditation, and reading as a method of stress management or to create a peaceful atmosphere in their home or other environments, and is associated with environmentalism and New Age spirituality.

That is a fair assessment of what this music can offer however there is much more to it. Avid listeners of this type of music can find so much more inside the music. It most certainly is a spiritual journey but one cannot put it in a box and tuck it away in the corner. Many elements and influences from all over the world converge to make this genre compelling. World, classical, electronic music and more find their way into this community. This in turn has the power to connect us all regardless of where we are from.

I think what stands out strongly within this genre is that every artist that records New Age music can put their own unique stamp on it. Many enlightened artisans will take the old and the new to formulate a refreshing sound. 

This year there is a newcomer to the genre that has emerged, Russell Suereth. Listeners should take notice of this developing talent. Suereth’s album Spiritual Haven focuses on a spiritual journey that takes the listener to a place far away. Suereth played all the instruments and Tom Eaton of Will Ackerman’s Imaginary Road Studios did the final mastering.

Spiritual Haven was a bold step for an artist that came from the contemporary rock sector. It was the right direction for the artist to go as the album has made quite an impression. Suereth was able to cross over any barriers and create something special. From an idea, a seedling planted and then nurtured, the album took shape and matured into a beautiful group of tracks.

With this year’s Grammy Nominations right around the corner there is hope that this fine recording titled Spiritual Haven will be recognized for its contribution to the genre and listeners across the globe.

Contact: Russell Suereth

Location: New York, NY

Email: rsuereth@optonline.net

Website: http://www.russellsuereth.com/spiritual-haven-58th-grammy-awards-fyc