New Age Acoustic Review: Ryan Michael Richards-More Than Time

Release Date: February 20, 2021

Label: Independent

Website

 

Ryan Michael Richards started playing guitar at 14 and was influenced by artists on Will Ackerman’s Windham Hill label like Ackerman himself and Alex De Grassi. The acoustic guitar performances of the EP More Than Time, echo those influences in a most profound and appealing way.

I enjoyed all of that Windham Music myself back in the early 90s so have some familiarity with the artists he references on his bio and in his approach and style. For this listen that is a door I willing walked through without any hesitation. Not to say I knew exactly what to expect but had some idea.

The five tracks on the EP are beautifully presented with Ryan Michael’s precision acoustic guitar playing.

“Moving Forward” starts off the proceedings with a warm introduction to the acoustic bliss you are going to experience from beginning to end. A little over 3 minutes gets the atmosphere set with some very nice and infectious notes. The sound of one man playing acoustic guitar and sounding like two is an amazing thing to hear. I most certainly appreciated his abilities straight away and anticipated more of the same.

“At Your Leisure” continues with the relaxing ambiance and the exquisite addition of Premik Russell Tubbs (Lyricon) and Michael Manring (Bass). The additional instrumentation is added layers of serenity that are easily created by the joining of all three instruments. Ryan’s guitar permeates the track and invites the other sounds to intermingle with his acoustic guitar like it was simply meant to be. In case anyone was wondering, the Lyricon is an electronic wind instrument that sounds similar to a flute. The track is the longest on the EP clocking in at 5:18. It was my favorite track.

Charlie Bisharat (violin) and Jill Haley (English Horn) join Ryan on “May I Have This Dance.” The title is very insightful into the question being asked of a prospective dance partner. I think what brings that element out more than ever is Charlie’s violin. It sounds elegant and with the appropriate addition of Jill’s English Horn, the track takes on a very majestic aspect, like watching the King and Queen dancing in the ballroom to start the coronation of the new prince in the castle.

“Friday At Five” is quite different than all the other tracks. It has a distinctly different rhythm to it, as all the others do, however, this one caught my ear as a different style of picking than what I heard previously. It is very purposeful and succinct but once you hear it, it definitely feels like a step away from the flow you heard prior.

“Timeless” which is the second-longest track at 4:01, closes out the EP. Premik returns to play but this time a lovely “quiet storm” saxophone gives the track a nice acoustic new age jazz feel. This I absolutely love and have appreciated for many years now. The interface of the genres, Ryan’s beautiful playing, and Premik’s lovely sax make this one a real gem and superb way to close out the album.

Although More Than Time is a brief excursion of acoustic ear candy, it is enough to satisfy any musical palette. It was done well by all involved including the unbeatable production team of Will Ackerman and Tom Eaton.

So, grab your favorite comfy chair, pop in the CD “At Your Leisure” and enjoy every second offered on More Than Time. I know I did.

Keith “MuzikMan” Hannaleck-New Age Music Reviews Founder
June 2, 2021

Tracks:

1. Moving Forward
2. At Your Leisure
3. May I Have This Dance
4. Friday At Five
5. Timeless 

Acoustic Contemporary Instrumental - New Age Review: Shambhu-Heart Awakening

Release Date: May 31, 2021

Label: Independent

Website

 

The Heart Awakening EP features 5 full-bodied tracks of instrumental acoustic guitar.

*I have provided an insightful look into each track directly from the artist. This is a nice addition to have available while streaming and deciding to support the artist by purchasing the CD.

Like many musical recording artists, this is a time for reflection and healing if you are fortunate enough to still be here and healthy at the moment. The scourge of the pandemic took its toll on all of us in one form or another. Of course, we do not think that kind of event inspires talented people like Shambhu to make great music, it is a stepping-off point. The driving force behind this is the need to hear healing sounds. In the five tracks on this EP, there will be a Heart Awakening.

The variety on display is engaging and very enjoyable from my perspective. I do appreciate fine musicianship on display showing all the facets and colors that can be brought forth through the various instruments. The main instrument is Shambhu’s inviting acoustic guitar playing. He is a standout player with a lot of talent and he spreads the wealth of that blessing in all five tracks.

The title track opens things up with a nice slow entrance down the path of relaxation and enjoyment. Every track is a tasteful treat of aural escape, to another mindset or space in time if you will. Then for a complete change of direction “Infinite Eyes” takes on a worldly feel inspired with an Indian flavored melody.

For yet another twist, “Preparing for Flight” is a jazz-new age journey that brings your spirits high so get ready for takeoff. The combination of those two genres always works so well, as witnessed yet again in this quiet storm meets the new age foundation at the musical crossroads. “Little B’s Poem” is acoustic beauty personified with piano and poignant guitar lines punctuated with a mellow jazz inference.

“Song For You” is similar in jazz tones, however, the acoustic guitar is more contemporary and then the saxophone gives it that all in jazz ambiance. It lights the inner spirit and keeps that fire burning from start to finish. It is tastefully done and could easily be a crossover to different genres and enjoyed by all.

The Heart Awakening EP will be a welcome addition to your collection this year and your mind, body, and spirit will thank you.

*ABOUT THE SONGS FROM THE ARTIST:
Heart Awakening - Slow, Reflective, Hopeful, and Heartfelt. Features Shambhu's shining and radiant guitar like a devotional prayer.

Infinite Eyes - Upbeat, enchanting Indian-inspired melody with a gorgeous piano / guitar dreamscape that touches the heart. Features Geoffrey Menin, a pianist and friend from college days. And Matteo Palmer, an inventive, young guitarist and composer who invited me to play on his last album, “The Minstrel’s Return.”
Preparing for Flight - Laid back Brazilian / Jazz / New Age groove with an easy melody and tasty horns. A post Pandemic song for the road ahead. The song had its first life as the theme song for a JVC Jazz Festival nationalradio commercial. Features a wonderful flute solo by Premik Russell Tubbs and tasty marimba, percussion, flutes and horns.

Little B’s Poem - A cover of a song by Bobby Hutcherson written for his son, Barry, three years old at the time. "The melodic line reminds me of how he used to play," said Bobby. Features a lush arrangement by Shambhu and a gorgeous piano performance by Frank Martin.

Preparing for Flight - Laid back Brazilian / Jazz / New Age groove with an easy melody and tasty horns. A post Pandemic song for the road ahead. The song had its first life as the theme song for a JVC Jazz Festival nationalradio commercial. Features a wonderful flute solo by Premik Russell Tubbs and tasty marimba, percussion, flutes and horns.

Song for You - A magical saxophone and guitar duet that beams with warmth and light. Celebrates all listeners and features saxophone virtuoso Premik Russell Tubbs, who I first met when we were a mere 20 years old. A love of soulful music has sustained a long and productive friendship and that warmth is indeed reflected.

Keith “MuzikMan” Hannaleck-New Age Music Reviews Founder
May 29, 2021
 

Tracks:

1. Heart Awakening
2. Infinite Eyes
3. Preparing for Flight
4. Little B’s Poem
5. Song for You

Contemporary Instrumental Review: Masako-Wanderlust

Release Date: June 11, 2021 (on artist site)

Label: Independent

Website

 

Wanderlust will be my fourth recording covering Masako’s music. When the announcement comes through for such an artist you feel instant gratification and anticipation. For my listening experience, this initiates comfort and knowing. Not so much knowing what to expect but to know that what I will hear I will be completely immersed in.

While I enjoyed all of Masako’s releases to this point, I believe Wanderlust exhibits an exceptional advance in maturity. I say this because each track is brilliant and quite different. She has mastered the art of diversity and utilizes the other instruments in the mix to her advantage.

The one track that caught my ear as different than anything she has ever done was “Forestology.” It is like a cool breeze, a lovely mixture of ambient, contemporary, jazz, and electronic. It sounded like something I may have heard on another album from a jazz innovator like Ponty, Corea, or one of those luminaries. I loved it of course, and feel now the sky is the limit for this artist.

Then there is the cello and horns in gorgeous and poignant tracks like “Shades of Memory.” Speaking of “Diversity,” as I mentioned earlier, I did not realize it was a track until it came up. It is quite simple and direct with just Masako and her piano. I think the message here is different than the one I was conveying. I believe what she is saying with the track is that the world is a diverse place of many cultures, religions, and backgrounds. With the beauty and soft invitation of her piano, she extends a worldly handshake to all listeners. Reaching out with music is very powerful and words can be a strong statement in the track title alone. This is all accomplished in a little over three minutes.

To coincide with that thought process, “Year of Love,” perhaps speaks to the virus that invaded our lives last year. The love of each other and the healing powers of music are a very effective combination. My inner being acknowledges music as such, as I am sure it does with many listeners. The music speaks to you in many ways. The connection we have with it is universal and spiritual. This track evokes the tides of the ocean and the sounds pull you out to the sea of sound and sweep you away for some time of relief. Over six minutes of excellent musicianship and emotion is tied into this track. It is a masterful instrumental and one of the best on the album.

Wanderlust is an amazing achievement for a solo piano artist. Masako continues to push the musical envelope with each successive release. As a very particular and hard-to-impress listener, I found it an absolute joy to experience from start to finish.
 
Keith “MuzikMan” Hannaleck-New Age Music Reviews Founder
May 22, 2021

 

Tracks:

01. Lily of the Valley (2:10)
02. Ocean and You (7:18)
03. Wintering Birds (4:56)
04. Forestology (5:13)
05. Wanderlust (4:54)
06. Lake Willoughby (3:34)
07. Shades of Memory (5:02)
08. Diversity (3:12)
09. Year of Love (6:04)
10. Aquifer (4:34)
11. Wisdom of The Heart (4:45)
 

Ambient-New Age Instrumental Review: Keith Richie-Ambient Highways

Release Date: April 13, 2021

Label: Independent

Website

Keith Richie’s Ambient Highways was 5 years in the making. 

Sometimes life can get in the way of things we want to do or accomplish. And then it takes intestinal fortitude and a supportive family to help you reach the end of the line to complete what you set out to do. Check all the boxes for Keith.

Now I begin my travel down the colorful Ambient Highways. The eye-catching artwork, provided by Keith’s wife and the colors of 180-gram LPs (purple white marbleized, and translucent blue), and the album sleeves with its dystopian view, bring many things to mind. Everything syncs up beautifully into one clear package of instrumental ambient music with a new age feel and color.

The engines start and you are rolling down the highway with “Neutrino.” The steady pulses provide the focus and you are seamlessly engaged, as the light keyboards are echoing through the cosmos. “V Feeling” provides ambient layers down this new highway with the cosmos as a backdrop. As I listen and I look at this cover art I am thinking how quickly everything is moving on the highway, at light speed, and how life can be that fast, then we are once again stardust. Side one closes with “Xenogenesis,” offering some nice keys to relax and draw you into the mix of orchestrations and rhythms that create an ambient bubble in time.

Side B brings you the title track as the “Ambient Highways” are now an extension of you as the music moves you. This fantastic voyage and the softness of the synth ushers you into all the layers of sound. The “Weeping Angels” are now calling with synths sounding like a harp playing at the gates of heaven. This is a prolific track title with the music to emulate what the words say beautifully with purpose. “Faiths Song (Ptilopteri Waltz)” closes out the purple and white marbleized spinning disc with a dance of divinity and color pulsating with love.

Now as the beauty of the translucent blue disc spins on your turntable, the chilling “Arctic Shores” get some warmth from sounds that Keith is creating on side C. You feel the chill turn into something new and refreshing as the waves hit the shoreline, the cold is gone and the water is inviting again. “Dew From The Morning Star” takes shape as the music drips it inviting sounds on the grass and leaves on the trees. The only thing missing is the sound of happy birds chirping. The piano is engaging, bringing about these visions in your mind’s eye. Then the storytelling track, and Keith’s musical bio, “Keeping The Dream Alive” begins. This is personal and a victory for the artist and all the people he loves. It is all at once cinematic, emotional, and bursting with many colors of joy. It is the perfect closer for this side of music.

Side D finishes in epic form with some very exciting and powerful music. “Neptune’s Awakening” puts the ocean on notice and all of your senses, as you envision this God emerging from the depths. The music is anticipatory and exciting like an important scene in a movie. “Distant Visions” is a continuation of this turn of events and musical direction. I enjoyed how much the music changed and continued to get my attention from beginning to end. You can feel the energy and strength of the music making its way through your heart and soul. The curtain closes on “Ultima Thule.” This is the Latin variation of the Greek meaning of “furthest of the far places” or a reference to people located beyond the borders of the known world. Look into the cosmos they may be waiting for you on the edge of time or perhaps the beginning or end of the universe? The sounds echo through the mists of time and the constant ticking of life's clock is present, as the beauty of every molecule that makes up this vast universe is represented and captured within the music.

Ambient Highways is a musical story that you will not forget. The fact that Keith composed, performed, and engineered this entire recording, is a credit to his immense talent and vision that we can all appreciate in his music. This one is a keeper for the ages in the world of ambient instrumental music with a taste of new-age essence tucked within every track. Ashes to ashes, dust to dust, into the ground we return and our spirits ascend to return where we began. Music, heaven, and the cosmos can be found traveling along the Ambient Highways.

Keith “MuzikMan” Hannaleck-New Age Music Reviews Founder
May 6, 2021
 

Tracks:

Side A:
1. Neutrino
2. V Feeling
3. Xenogenesis

Side B:
1. Ambient Highways
2. Weeping Angels
3. Faith's Song (Ptilopteri Waltz)

Side C:
1. Arctic Shores
2. Dew from the Mourning Star
3. Keeping the Dream Alive

Side D:
1. Neptune's Awakening
2. Distant Visions
3. Ultima Thule

Contemporary Instrumental-New Age Reviews: Omar Akram-The Light Will Come

Release Date: April 23, 2021

Label: Twinbrook Entertainment, Inc.

Website

 

As my life goes by quicker with each passing day, month, and year, I find the addition of music is a quintessential element of my happiness. It brings forth the best in me and makes my heart smile. If it does not manage to do that I will not listen again. This is where the importance of all instrumental music plays such a definitive role in accomplishing changing my thought process, attitude, and overall mood and perception of the world around me.

So, what does that have to do with the new album release from pianist Omar Akram titled The Light Will Come you may ask? My answer quite simply is everything. This music is beautiful and full of rhythms that are easily assimilated and catchy while remaining different as you go from track to track. In the same instance, all ten tracks have a similar effect on you, the listener. This is piano-based instrumental contemporary music with a new age foundation in regards to the presentation, meaning, and pace.

It has become apparent to me over the last year in particular, that the presenting artists of this genre all have a commonality and purpose. And that my fellow listeners are to heal you in some way, shape, or form, however you perceive what you are hearing, in the end, we all hope to gain something from this experience. I am selfish in the sense that I have certain expectations and needs at the outset of listening and writing about this music. In all actuality, this is not much different than someone listening for pure enjoyment, but I have a dual purpose, and that is for my overall mental, physical, and spiritual health. I then attempt to convey what I can to potential listeners what they would hope to gain from listening. And the bottom line is it has to be excellent music and hold something extraordinary that clicks something inside me that propels me to write these words.

I do have difficulty at times identifying certain tracks as exceptional when the entire album is. In this case, that is exactly what happened with The Light Will Come. It does happen enough during the course of my listening journeys; however, I will say that the all-important first track has to catch my ear and get me focused as well. And the first and title track did exactly that, launching me into that “zone” where expressiveness becomes the key element in putting it all into words that everyone can understand. Once again, this is not that much different than just giving the music a spin for the enjoyment of it with no commitment attached, with the exception of what you are wishing to gain with one listen. The ultimate purpose for the recording artist is to garner emotion, then getting a reaction from a listener. This music is like a river of feelings the runs right through your heart, soul, and then to the brain for the last process of interpretation.

If I was asked to pick favorite tracks I would have to go with “The Light Will Come,” for starting things with energy, “Pressing On,” whose title alone held a lot of meaning for my life and the drive I have every day to keep learning and moving forward in a positive direction. And finally, the elegance of “Caught Dreaming,” and how it changed so much, and the lovely interludes of the singularity of the tinkling ivory keys that are added within the song.

The flow and rhythm of The Light Will Come is exceptional and the main reason I was able to connect to it so quickly. The fingers of Omar Akram are gifted with translating what his heart and spirit are conveying through the music. I heard that message from beginning to end and it will make you look at each title to see if it all makes sense. It did for me, and I hope it does for everyone that listens, and if you take the time to listen then The Light Will Come shining through, just in different intensity for each listener.

Keith “MuzikMan” Hannaleck-New Age Music Reviews Founder

April 23, 2021
 

Track List:
01. The Light Will Come
02. For George
03. Hear My Heart
04. For Merry
05. Waterfall
06. Since I Met You
07. Wish I Could See You
08. Pressing On
09. Caught Dreaming
10. New Morning Sun
 

New Age Instrumental Review: Dyan Garris-Orenda: Breath Of Angels

Release Date: April 23, 2021

Label: Journeymakers, Inc

Website

Dyan Garris is set to release her fourteenth proper album titled Orenda: Breath Of Angels.

Looking at the title, the first thing I needed to do was endeavor to find what Orenda was. Fortunately, that was provided by the artist.

From the Urban Dictionary:  Orenda is "a supernatural, divine force within every human being. Always omnipresent, it empowers people to change the world in a positive, loving way. It is also the energy that effects change in one's own life.”

From Wikipedia:  Orenda /ˈɔːrɛndə/ is the Iroquois name for a supposed spiritual energy inherent in people and their environment. It's an "extraordinary invisible power believed by the Iroquois Native Americans to pervade in varying degrees in all animate and inanimate natural objects as a transmissible spiritual energy capable of being exerted according to the will of its possessor."

Now I am off to a good start on this audio journey. The cover image projects exactly what it needs to. It’s soft and very spiritual and angelic of course. If you look at both interpretations of Orenda there are similar meanings, however what I think Dyan is projecting through her music is peace, serenity, love, hope, and ultimately a meditative and healing experience listening to her music. If that force is present then all of those things can happen.

If you are part of the new age community and are into this genre of music, Dyan is not hard to find. Besides being a fine musician that enlightens her listeners, she writes reviews regularly for her contemporaries on Zone Music Reporter, and most recently launched her radio station called New Age Notes. So, to say the least, she is multi-talented and offers so much to others. She is one of our gifts that all of the music community can thank the heavens for.

I had previously covered two of her singles “Every Time You Breathe” and “Forest Whispers.” I completely enjoyed that experience. Now I had the opportunity to settle in and take an entire album in. Dyan allows us to get outside ourselves, and become willing to remove the thoughts and distractions of the day, and focus on the beautiful music she provides on Orenda: Breath Of Angels.

The primary instrument from which each composition is created then performed is her keyboards. For those of you that want to be informed of what equipment she used to record, there are three configurations of keyboards including the Korg Triton Extreme, Korg Krome EX, and Yamaha MOX8. In addition to all the amazing sounds, you will hear the very popular in demand Rebak Eden, who provides the ethereal wordless vocals to give it that special heavenly touch.

What is there not to like on Orenda: Breath Of Angels? The answer is nothing. All ten tracks were wonderful and gave me such solace and regeneration of my mind, body, and spirit, that it was over before I knew it. That is a good thing from my viewpoint, if the music is good then it goes by fast. The sounds while electronically generated, are amazing, to say the least. The combination of all the keyboards and additional instruments makes for a classic contemporary new age music album that will be a joy to hear. It is, as I always say, a great healing tool and will help you get into a meditative state. If you seek relaxation, meditation, either deep alpha or minimal to focus, it works.

If you are ready to take flight on the wings of an angel, then Orenda: Breath Of Angels will make a path of restoration that you will want to visit more than once.

Keith “MuzikMan” Hannaleck-New Age Music Reviews Founder
April 19, 2021

Tracks:
01. Every Time You Breathe (3:34) (feat. Juliet Lyons, VOX and Sherry Finzer, flute
02. Another Place (3:32)
03. Forest Whispers (5:20) (feat. Sherry Finzer, flute)
04. Orenda (2:59)
05. Moonlight Breeze (6:30)
06. Gentle Traveler (5:05) (feat. Rebekah Eden, VOX and Tony Garviz, guitars)
07. Water For The Soul (Remix) 2:56)
08. Timeless Traveler (6:21) (feat. Rebekah Eden, VOX and Sherry Finzer, flute)
09. Home (Remix) (5:19) (feat. String arrangements by Louis Anthony deLise
10. 5th Eye Trance (5:27) (feat. Rebekah Eden, VOX)

Total run time: 47:23

All music written and performed by Dyan Garris

Classical Instrumental Piano Review: Charles David Denler-Portraits In Season Live

Release Date: April, 9, 2021

Label: Independent

Website

My love for music goes back to when I was a child. It has been an exponential growth since then to the present day. My listening is broad and continually evolving. In the context of evolution, Charles David Denler has shaped and molded a previous version of Portraits In Season, virtually released as a synth instrumental suite which premiered on November 30, 2015, with the Boulder Philharmonic. The latest release that came out this month is Portraits In Season Live. Charles plays acoustic piano and is accompanied by the City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra.

The end result is absolutely stunning. When I hear music like this, I hear the “truth.” To illustrate that further…I hear how all music was founded, via the great concertos and genius of Bach et all. Although it all started hundreds of years ago and even though it has evolved immensely, musicians continually reach back to the essence of that music to become inspired either reproducing it in their own image and creating it with their own personal stamp or taking their own creations and building on them as Charles has with this new release.

I imagine the synth version would have been enjoyable as well. Even though I do not have that to compare to this newer version, my appreciation is beyond words (which I am never short of when it comes to music). The one factor that came as a surprise was the length of these tracks. I believe the simplicity of the acoustic piano as a lead instrument and the embellishments of a live orchestra changes everything. With that in mind, your expectations may be a bit beyond the process here and what was intended for a listening audience. And while this recording moves along quickly from piece to piece, my appreciation and wanting to hear more was magnified. This could have easily morphed into a magnum opus and a lot of improvisation. That was held in check and what you get is the absolute beauty of the piano and a magnificent orchestra to make each track a thing of art to be admired.

As one track was flowing into the next, it did feel like a suite in two parts as presented. It is similar to opening a book and reading through each chapter. The difference was the embodiment of an aural escape rather than a cerebral journey through the reading of pages. One can become detached in many ways through the sound of music. For myself, I felt an overflowing of gratitude and a reverence for all music and from whence it came. Individual perception is the freedom of music and you choose what path to take upon listening.

The theme of nature is always a celebration of our connection to mother earth and all its inhabitants. I get this from much of the music I hear and actually do not think we hear it enough. As a civilization that looks bound to destroy the beauty and bounty of our planet, we need the calmness and inward thoughts that music can engage and help us to realize. While this sounds philosophical and as a belief system, and it is, I look at it for what it represents, the reality that needs our attention before it's too late.

Portraits In Season Live is an elegant representation of all the things that are quintessential to the human spirit and life itself. This is music unencumbered by computers and technology, a presentation that is live and spontaneous, and subject matter that we all should hold dear to our hearts for our continued existence here on the globe. I would like to thank Charles David Denler for such an engaging recording and triggering all of my thoughts and feelings on how connected we all are to our planet and the music that can sing us a song without words, the truth.

Keith “MuzikMan” Hannaleck-New Age Music Reviews Founder

April 17, 2021

 

Tracks:

 

SIDE ONE: Portraits In Season Suite for Piano & Orchestra:

I. Season's Overture II. Return of Spring III. Woodland Flowers of June
IV. Mid-Summer's Intermezzo V. Autumn's Last Leaf VI. A Winter's Memory
VII. Season's Finale

SIDE TWO: Seasonal Variations for Solo Piano:

Spring Variation: Spring Meadows • Summer Variation: The Water Garden
Autumn Variation: Leaf on the Wind • Winter Variation: Winter’s Repos
 

Contemporary New Age Instrumental Review: Timothy Crane-Halo

Release Date: January 22, 2021

Label: Independent

Website

 

As we work our way back to some kind of normalcy after the worldwide devastation of Covid, who do we have to thank for surviving it, keeping a job, and getting vaccinated? Timothy Crane knows all the angels that sacrificed all of their time and lives to help others. In dedication to that special group of people in healthcare or any other industry, he has dedicated his most recent release Halo. And for those of you, and there are many, that lost a loved one or are digging out of a hole financially, there is hope in the music and love and help from so many giving people and institutions, so let the music direct you to that.

My last encounter with Timothy’s music was in 2017 with

The Fall of a Sparrow. Three years is a good stretch in between albums from an only listening perspective. I of course enjoyed the last piano-inspired journey and would expect nothing less on this listen. The expectation of hearing something I know I will enjoy is comforting and having that link and or familiarity with an artist. It is that much more natural to let yourself melt into the music. It is a mind, body, and spirit melt if you will.

As I was looking through the tracks my attention was drawn to “The Boxer.” Ahh…instant recognition to Simon and Garfunkel. This was a great choice and addition to anyone’s list of tracks. The interesting part will be his take on that track.

The album starts off most beautifully with “Waterfall Secrets” and sets the tone and atmosphere just right for the rest of the tracks. The title track “Halo” clocks in at 9:50 and is absolutely gorgeous. I kept getting the chill you get when something really strikes you as special, a moment in time that is captured directly from the aural soundscape that is surrounding you. This is something that happens often enough but I still consider it special, a blessed moment to remember. This is a prolific track and it surely came from the heart and soul of a gifted artist.

As listeners and seekers of a natural therapeutic, we all must remember the healing power of music, especially the instrumental variety with the foundation of a new age mindset and a contemporary approach and classically influenced sound. This is Contemporary New Age Instrumental or for those of you that prefer brevity, instrumental piano will do. It is all of those things but much more can be held dear to your heart if you believe why the artist created this music and appreciate who he dedicated it to.

Many of these tracks have a mesmerizing effect like the first two. Then with the third track “The One About Light,” fits the description perfectly. It has a light and airy feel to it. I felt waves of happiness and the coolness of air against my skin on a hot summer day. Something that could happen on an evening walk, which is very simple and normal, yet something recognizable, enjoyable, and appreciated even more now because of this music engaging me with those thoughts.

Those are just a few of the things that can happen for you if you are an attentive listener and let yourself flow along with the music, taking the journey, your own film flickering through your mind’s eye. It is a beautiful thing isn’t it now?

Getting back to “The Boxer,” it is done with great care and a wonderful tribute to the original. I found myself singing along to it. It is an epic track full of the right amount of emphasis and a musical statement that deserves all of the accolades for being so spot on and moving. This was an unusual treat, being a Simon and Garfunkel fan from way back, it was easy for me to appreciate. These piano instrumental-based albums do not have covers like that included normally. It was a definitive step away from the norm but it also showed the diversity of Timothy’s abilities to jump from one type of style to another with ease.

I must also mention the superb orchestrations on these tracks. One of the good examples is “Cards.” It sounds like a stirring movie soundtrack or something that would accompany a nature or wildlife documentary with majestic mountain peaks, flora and fauna, and the great creatures that inhabit those environments. It is so inspirational and uplifting, as a matter of fact, Halo is exceptional in that frame of reference in many instances during this recording.

Halo will be a great addition to any music collection. It is music for any setting and not just for something nice to have to play in the background, this is music that will lift you up and keep you there from beginning to end. If you are not listening and paying attention to all of the sounds and vibrations emerging from your speakers you would have lost the entire meaning of this album. When it was over, I had one succinct feeling, gratitude.

Keith “MuzikMan” Hannaleck-New Age Music Reviews Founder
April 7, 2021
 

Tracks:
01. Waterfall Secrets
02. Halo
03. The One About Light
04. The Boxer
05. Cards
06. Uberchic
07. Southern Steps
08. Chelsea Walk
09. Tenants of the Heather
10. Covenant
11. I-70 Sojourn
12. Solaris

New Age Reviews: Lia Scallon-Return of The Star Elders

Release Date: March 21, 2021

Label: Sounds of Sirius

Website

There is a prophecy that speaks of a Pleiadean spaceship that came to Earth a long time ago, leaving behind a special device to be activated at a predestined time. The Aboriginal Elders refer to this device as a “Magic Box,” and say it is beyond the comprehension of mere mortals. This event will ignite a fundamental change in all people.

Musicians are the unsung heroes of our society and particularly in this time of great need, they all come through for us. They spread the positive and shine a new light on our lives.

Things of this nature are either taken to heart, completely ignored, or taken with a grain of salt. This is all dependent on your systems of beliefs or what you know as truth in your life. What you have to decide is where you fit into this belief.

One part of me says it’s a lot of hope and it may be true and the other half wants me to believe there is such a thing and it will actually happen and the world will change. Lord knows we need some kind of change after what we just experienced in 2020. So, in conclusion, my belief is that anything is possible and there is a vast unexplored universe with billions of planets out there that could actually help us to heal and heal our planet.

So on to this spiritual journey with Lia Scallon titled Return of The Star Elders subtitled On The Cosmic Wings of Song. There are nine tracks on this recording are composed with Lia speaking and singing in a different language. That fact usually does not steer me off of my goal, listening and absorbing the music and the message held within for me to discover. This process usually happens in a matter of minutes and I am off on my journey. I must say that the key to going into music with this subject matter or unfamiliar language requires an open heart and mind. Because of being open to any possibilities, I am able to achieve this state even though there is doubt tucked away in the corners of my mind. I can get past that quite readily just listening to all the sounds and letting it take me over. Once again, opening my mind and exploring the possibilities.

All the track names are ancient references so if you are not familiar you will have to do some research to put it all together. My only regret listening to this beautiful music is that I could not understand the words. Even so, I see the titles of the tracks and get the idea of what is being projected here. This is cosmic, spiritual, and all about how the stars and planets in our solar system have a significance in their movements, in this case, the Winter Solstice on December 21st. The Solstices are significant every year marking the change of seasons and the rotation of the earth around the sun.
 
Return of The Star Elders holds a lot of meaning for many reasons and the music is what I would expect from Lia and her vocals are always so beautiful, making the way for yet another great listening experience that provides hope, relaxation, and the ushering in of new age for the earth and all its inhabitants. If we all believe then it can and will happen, let the music lead the way!

Keith “MuzikMan” Hannaleck-New Age Music Reviews Founder

March 18, 2021

Track List:
1. Call from the Heart  
2. Arrival of the Star Elders
3. Mayan Star Majesty   
4. Tibetan Skygods    
5. Isle of the Druids  
6. Uluru Galactic Portal   
7. Ancient Kachina Wisdom   
8. Return to Lemuria  
9. The Rising of Isis

Ambient Instrumental – New Age Review: Thierry David-Slow Motion

Release Date: March 15, 2021

Label: K-Vox

Website

Thierry David has a very large catalog of music displayed on his website. It makes me wonder why it took so long for me to discover him. He is from France and as the music started on his new release Slow Motion, the first thought that came to mind was Jean-Michel Jarre, the legendary keyboard maestro. Being a fan of Jarre for many years, it was only natural to think of him.

If you go to the artist website and take a look at the information regarding this release it states the following… In this twilight period made up of fears of the Unknown, Thierry David's album brings us back to fundamental values by wrapping us with universal and restorative benevolence.

So onward we go listening to this ambient musical spectrum and all the gifts found in every track. There is some really strong bass in some of these tracks, and I mean coming from the keyboard, not an actual bass. All of this music is the keyboards and computer-generated and quite good I must say. When you look at the cover it shows the essence of humanity, water, in you guessed it, Slow Motion. I look at music and as an audible journey, another page turned in a comprehensive book of sounds. And so, it is as this recording takes shape from one track into the next.

Each track is an exercise in color, layers, atmospheres, and collectively served to your senses as ambient electronica with a solid foundation in new age in regards to the artwork and the implications of each track title. This is the key for my listening experience, to look at the entire picture of what this project represents and is sending to the listeners. This is wonderful music with shifting sounds and colors weaving in and out of each delicately placed note. It gets you transfixed very rapidly once you accept the purpose of the music and the presentation as a sentient being of sound and light ready to transfer to your senses.

I think in many ways I enjoy this music because it all connects the dots. From track to track you effortlessly float and feel like you are going from one spiritual space to the next. Think of how a soul is released from a body at death, and how it makes its way to heaven. I think what happens is a gradual ascension through many layers as your life flashes before your eyes. This is my picture of what will happen when I die. I did not mean that statement to be foreboding or final, as I do believe it is a time of rebirth and a different dimension. I visit my deceased relatives in my dreams so to me that is another dimension, a peek at where I will go eventually, we only find out when our day arrives.

That may sound farfetched for some of you however it takes a good listen to this transcendental music to create that spark to bring those thoughts back to me. Like anything good for you, it’s a process, completed in steps, to reach your final destination.

Is it time for you to look at life in Slow Motion? That may be exactly what we all need in these uncertain and ever-evolving times we live in. The music is telling you that there are release and relaxation points to be found and time to stop and smell the roses, as the old saying goes. The roses are there, you just need some help to discover them again and the music of Thierry David will you get you there.

Keith “MuzikMan” Hannaleck-New Age Music Reviews Founder
March 3, 2021

Tracks:

1. CONVOLUTIONS
2. WILD HOPE
3. SLOW MOTION
4. DIAMOND DROPS
5. DIVINE SPARK
6. DAZZLING BLUE
7. WEIGHTLESS KEYS

New Age-World Instrumental Review: Jonny Lipford-Balance

Release Date: March 1, 2021

Label: Independent

Website

My introduction to Jonny Lipford and his flute music began in 2019 with Migration. Nearly two years later and I have received the latest release Balance. You cannot help but notice the cover and how the title ties into the visual.

Music and its far-reaching capabilities meet and merge to create true meaning for the potential listener. I look at how the rocks are so perfect and how delicate the Balance is. Through my own personal interpretation, I see this how it relates to life itself, human, animal, plant, insect, any form of life and how it maintains a delicate balance and how one thing can break that chain. If were to go to that little tower of rocks it would be easy to knock it over. But my respect for what it stands for and my awareness of how quickly the formation can change makes me step back and take in its perfect beauty and peacefulness. This is as if nature and man are in sync and we are not on a path of destruction.

Thinking on this further is the core beliefs of Native Americans and their respect for all of nature and the gifts it provided for their survival. Jonny is an accomplished performing and recording artist and educator of Native American flutes. This is the visual and musical aspects that are presented on Balance. And the last thing the artist presents with this recording is a list of all the tracks are their meanings. This is more than a listening experience, it is three-fold, mind to ponder upon and have good thoughts, body to heal and regenerate our core energies, and for the soul, the purity of the music and internalizing it with the combination of the music and spiritual passages being offered with this complete experience.

You will hear the expertise of an enlightened individual playing the Native American flutes while implement a steady tribal drum along with sounds of nature and synths and keyboards. The mixture is absolute heaven and would give even the most stressed out individual a pause to actually stop and listen. How could a listener possible not feel better while hearing all of this music? Tracks with titles like “Clarifying Your Vision,” which is very possible while using this music for a meditative state. “Enlightening Your Spirt” and “Awakening Your Heart” will surely have you “Living In Your Power.” It says so much and with such conviction then the music solidifies those thoughts and meanings.

These track titles are exceptional in that they show you the way, it is the first door to open, you read the track name, process it, listen, then fall into that rhythm of the spirit and nature. My belief is that those two things go hand and in hand and they co-exist in peace and harmony. Without that we have companies tearing down our rain forest and populating the now open fields with cows to produce meat for consumption. There are other ways to get things done and feed the people without ravaging an entire eco system. That is but one example of many and I felt it important to discuss that and how it relates to the messages in the music. This is my own thought process and what the music made me feel. Everyone is different and will experience things in a different way and go do a path that is all their own.

We all could learn a lot from our Native American brothers and sisters. The music on Balance brings all of those realizations and beliefs back to the forefront of my mind. Listen closely to the music and how it is in harmony with nature and the true meaning of what our presence here on earth should accomplish.
 

Keith “MuzikMan” Hannaleck-New Age Music Reviews Founder
February 2, 2021

Track List:
1. Sun Salutation
2. Believing Your Truth
3. Affirming Your Desire
4. Living In Your Power
5. Awakening Your Heart
6. Nurturing Your Word
7. Clarifying Your Vision
8. Enlightening Your Spirit
9. Moon Salutation

Contemporary New Age Instrumental Review: Force For Good-Innocence

Release Date: February 1, 2021

Label: Sprout Recordings

Website

I had the pleasure of listening to and covering the Force For Good release Passions nearly one year ago. This is a group founded by Jonathan Sprout.

And just as I mentioned in that review, a new album would be forthcoming in February of 2021. They are right on schedule with his latest instrumental recording Innocence. That word is one that I did not hear in 2020. It was just the opposite all year long. How could you focus on the innocence of a child, or a beautiful animal with the world in turmoil? These things I am sure were presented to us at one time or another during the year. That is a decision we all can make to enjoy those pleasures in life regardless of what is going on around us or is on the news 24/7. If you need some music to help you I have just the right prescription.

We are going through a fundamental change worldwide, although I am unsure of where it all will end, I have hope in humanity, our resilience and common sense collectively. Music is the healer and it always has been, although I did not come to that realization until I reached adult life and was presented with spiritual music to gather my thoughts and emotions to change my outlook, only then would it change significantly.

So, what does all this have to do with the music of Force For Good and the album Innocence you may ask? It is the natural elegance of contemporary new age instrumental that brings all of these thoughts and emotions to the forefront and I feel compelled to share it. As this musician is immersed in his music and the meaning of it all, my experience follows that process. For me as a listener this all intersects and merges into one thought process and translates to spiritual awareness and growth.

I think many listeners looking for enlightenment and healing will find it in Innocence. In that one word we can find love, spirituality, humor, happiness, and above all a slice of heaven we all can use to our benefit.

There are fourteen tracks on the album and consistency and the flow prove to be some of Jonathan’s best work to date. Potential listeners must look at each track title and listen carefully to what is inside the music that relates to that inference. “Adirondack” which is the longest track clocking in at 8:19, is the culmination of one man’s beliefs, process, and innermost thoughts that drive the creative process. Certainly, the track is a tribute to the Adirondack Mountains and the essence of its natural beauty, colors, sounds, and the awesome power of natural occurrences and wildlife that populate the area. I believe the track captures the spirit of all of those thoughts within the song and because there is so much to discover in those mountains, he had to make sure the track flowed and gave the listener a glimpse of beauty held within nature.

Another high point was the orchestrations in “Plastic.” This is one that would be well suited for a soundtrack or documentary on our environment. The apex comes just before the four-minute mark and will leave you floating on a cloud as it transitions back in the softer layers of the track. “Oceans” was impressive as well with so many changes and the varied instrumentation made it inspiring and unforgettable.

Those are a few examples of a masterful performance and significant achievement for Jonathan Sprout and A Force For Good, it is what we need for these times. Innocence will surely be recognized as one of the best releases this year in the genre of contemporary new age instrumentals.

Keith “MuzikMan” Hannaleck-New Age Music Reviews Founder
January 31, 2021

Track List:
01. Natural    3:12
02. Uplifters    3:51
03. Reverence    7:10
04. Vinyasa    6:17
05. Wilderness    4:07
06. Adirondack    8:16
07. Hunger    4:25
08. Plastic    5:46
09. Homeless    7:10
10. Oceans    5:20
11. Wind    3:10
12. Force - Acoustic Version    0:15
13. For - Acoustic Version    0:22
14. Good - Acoustic Version    0:31