New Age Ambient Instrumental (Classical) Review and Interview: Alexander Sussman-Sonic Calm 2

Release Date: September 27, 2025

Label: Independent

Website

In May, I enjoyed Alexander Sussman’s Sonic Calm Part One. Now it’s time to check out Sonic Calm 2. I would anticipate the continuation of sounds; however, one never knows what they may discover while listening.

As “Hymn” begins, the spiritual essence of the music instantly envelops you, creating a sense of tranquility and peace. It’s a serene experience that begins the moment you hit play.

The layered effect of the synths in “Hymn” guides you on a journey of self-discovery, inviting you to fall into its graceful embrace. It’s a contemplative start that sets the tone for the entire album.

“Hygge” has more resonance and higher-end tones, with a fuller volume. There is a ding of a bell sound that comes in to remind you of its focus and ambient layers of auditory magnificence. The tempos are variable, creating something you want to hear until the end as you notice subtle nuances that are woven into the composition.

“Twilight” would indicate a connection to nature, something organic, a natural course of daily life.

The flow of the music, with its light tones and colors, helps you to envision what twilight looks like inside your mind while listening. I am being reminded of some of the great recording artists who created music like this, such as Vangelis and Tangerine Dream. That is indicative of this kind of composition and a complete compliment to the creator.

Now we move on to the next phase, where the sun sets and twilight gives way to night.

“Nocturne” takes you there gently. A tinkling piano is like a soft pillow to rest your head on as the synths do their work to embellish every note. By now, after reaching this fourth track, you should find yourself in a deep meditative state or gradually emerging from it. Of course, this is solely based on the time you allot for this practice. Similarly, this can be simple relaxation with no specific intent but that. Either choice is a good one, and this track enables you to be in the place you desire consciously.

“Reverie” is a state of being lost in thought or daydreaming, often characterized by a pleasant or imaginative train of thought. It can also refer to a dreamy or abstracted state of mind. The music captures that state of being in an inviting and pleasurable way. Keeping in mind, this is not music to excite you; it’s meant for focus, relaxation, contemplation, introspection, and allowing the jumble of cerebral activity to subside, thereby attaining a deeper level of consciousness.  This is lovely and so engaging in that way, and at the same time, it sounds like it could serve as a soundtrack to many multimedia platforms.

“Hypnagogi” is a strange word I have never encountered before. Hypnagogia is the transitional state of consciousness that occurs as you fall asleep, characterized by vivid sensory experiences, including hallucinations, sounds, and feelings of movement. This state can involve a mix of dream-like imagery and reality, often leading to phenomena like sleep paralysis or lucid dreaming.

As we progress through this listening experience and gain an understanding of the track titles, the concepts begin to take hold. This train of thought encompasses a comprehensive process. The music is the key that unlocks that door as you step into a new world allowed by the frequencies, sounds, and textures created by the synth layers and the adaptations of tempos in those layers.

“Introspection” is the primary focus here, referring to the process of turning inward to reflect on one’s thoughts and feelings.  The piano begins, melodically and purposefully, with wordless vocal sounds enhancing its timbre. As I listened, I could turn inward and travel outward beyond the confines of my physical space. This, to me, allows a healing to begin, and it’s threefold: spiritual, physical, and mental.

“Retreat” is a noteworthy term to consider. It is used in various contexts throughout the English language. However, in this instance, based on the music, this feels like taking stock of one’s frame of mind and shifting the reference point to pull back, allowing the healing frequencies of the composition to take hold.  The insertion of occasional wordless vocals or synths emulating them adds depth to the tracks in a spiritual, healing way. This is an excellent example of that approach within the composition’s structure.

The title track, “Sonic Calm,” aims to draw you into this musical journey from the very beginning. Here are the starting points of the closing track and the eventual end. Coming full circle musically, spiritually, and with purpose. As each track presented itself as a separate meditative experience, the length of this track, 7:16, brings it all full circle, combining the best of the composer’s abilities to maintain the ambient instrumental soundscapes. This music massages your being gently yet succinctly.

Sonic Calm 2, with its colorful, picturesque cover art, evokes a serene atmosphere as it soothes your mind, body, and soul through the sounds of Alexander Sussman. This is a place I would like to be 24/7, but that is not realistic. Alternatively, you can set aside a block of time during your day or evening to listen to these sounds. It is time well spent, and it will benefit you in ways you may not yet realize.

Keith “MuzikMan” Hannaleck-NAMR Review Founder

October 6, 2025

 Tracks:

1. Hymn 4:34  

2. Hygge 4:14  

3. Twilight 5:06  

4. Nocturne 5:50

5. Reverie 5:12

6. Hypnagogia 4:16

7. Introspection 5:08   

8. Retreat 4:50

9. Sonic Calm 7:16

New Age-Ambient Instrumental Review: Rudy Adrian-Reflections on a Moonlit Lake

Release Date: March 22, 2024

Label: ‎Spotted Peccary

Website

New Zealand artist Rudy Adrian said Reflections on a Moonlit Lake is a quiet accompaniment for the listener as they rest, read, meditate, or sleep. If your first impression of the cover art is any indication, that statement would hold a lot of truth. As I readily discovered, the music is a wondrous combination of the new age and ambient sounds, and sounds of nature are also interspersed with some of the tracks.

“Dawn Across the Southern Ocean (Remix)” is an excellent example of that, with birds chirping (seagulls) and waves rolling over your consciousness to calm and ensure that what you are hearing is peaceful and healing. One of the points made in promoting the recording is that the music is a formidable respite for the restless mind. That statement is so true, and the music helps with the necessary elements that calm the mind. My philosophy is if you calm the mind, the body and spirit will follow.

 

Rudy started making electronic music while studying Forestry Science at the University of Canterbury and, in the following years, completed a degree in botany at the University of Otago. It is interesting how one thing leads to another, and everything is connected. Whether we are aware of that happening or not, it is accurate, and sooner or later, that realization does hit home if you are not initially experiencing those feelings or thoughts.

 

Three of the songs are extensive, including “The Belt of Orion” at 6:11 minutes, “Rising Moon” at 7:51 minutes, and “Summer Night Rain” at 7:59 minutes. While “Tantalised” is the shortest track at 2:48 minutes. The longer tracks have exceptional artistry and sound, and I quickly found the significance of each piece as I listened and absorbed all the textures and colors. Ambient always sounds that way to me. It is like an artist with a blank canvas painting the soundscape as I listen intently and let the music take me to whatever space in time in my mind or body wants to go. That, to me, is a meditative state.

 

“The Belt of Orion” is significant in name and meaning for those of you who are stargazers or have any knowledge of astronomy, history, and ancient civilizations that use the skies for many purposes here on Earth. I was enjoying the serenity and blissfulness of the track so much that over six minutes of it did not seem enough. I felt I was being carried away into the ether and beyond to the stars. I believe the artist would be glad to know how it affected me, and I hope that many listeners would have the same experience.

 

“Rising Moon” is soft, flowing, and anticipatory all at the same time. Watching a rising Moon is one of the wonders of our solar system. That could also apply to the sun and solar eclipses as well. You can hear the movement of the music. The short, elapsed time of a ringing bell enters here and there as the music has a deep and steady tone that will allow for meditation rather quickly, or you can listen to relax. If you let it work that way, it is over seven minutes of healing.

 

“Summer Night Rain” and lightning sounds are the perfect backdrop for lulling a person into a meditative state or relaxing enough to fall asleep. Once the crackle of the lightning stops for a few minutes, the cool rain falls as the music begins to enhance that natural sound and beauty. The ambient tones, sounds, and colors perfectly merge nature and music. They are interlinked for nearly eight minutes of spirituality and a connection to the world outside your thoughts that never seem to stop inside your brain. The chatter will dissipate, and all the music you hear will empty your mind and let your soul open and be refreshed. It is like eliminating one kind of energy and reenergizing with another. Towards the end of the track, the rains stop. However, the sound of water moving in the river or a babbling brook occurs. That sound is also very relaxing.

 

Reflections on a Moonlit Lake was a wonderful experience. I enjoyed listening and sharing my feelings and thoughts, which is the entire experience I can appreciate for this music lover.

Please Note: As a special 30-day promotion, a limited edition CD of MoonWater will be included for free with physical shipments of Reflections on a Moonlit Lake, available exclusively through Bandcamp and the Spotted Peccary Music web store. 

Keith “MuzikMan” Hannaleck-NAMR Founder

March 11, 2024

Tracks:

01. Mirror Island 3:10

02. Dawn Across the Southern Ocean (remix) 5:32

03. Papanui Lagoon (remix) 3:50

04. Lunar Shadow 3:47

05. Tantalised 2:48

06. The Belt of Orion 6:11

07. Midnight Angel 4:15

08. Within the Darkness 4:10

09. Rising Moon 7:51

10. Reflections on a Moonlit Lake 4:51

11. Summer Night Rain 7:59

New Age Ambient Instrumental Review: Stephen Peppos-Celestial

Release Date: February 20, 2023

Label: ‎ Independent

Website

Celestial will be the fifth release from Stephen Peppos that I have enjoyed listening to. His new-age ambient journeys are the musical chicken soup for the soul we all need.

There are eighteen tracks on Celestial. You get the complete treatment of the new age ambiance he so expertly produces album after album.

Ce·les·tial-Positioned in or relating to the sky or outer space as observed in astronomy: "a celestial body"

That is the primary term and title of this album. And beautifully illustrated on the cover art with a giant bright moon behind a tree. It was likely the stone age when the moon was that close to the earth, and what a sight that must have been!

I had always had a fascination with astronomy going back to when I was a little boy. That interest has never waned. It has become stronger over the years. I always look to the stars to feel a sense of wonderment about what kind of life could be millions and billions of miles away. It makes you feel small in the big picture of the universe.

Music makes a person feel whole, and at times the sounds put you into a trance-like state or in the space of meditation. Whatever your choice, instrumental music filled with synths, color, the tinkling of bells, etc., presented on Celestial, will allow you to move on to a different level of freedom and existence. For my tastes, that is very important to find that release point where the thoughts of the day melt away, and the focus is on the music alone.

If you are looking for calm, serenity, and the magic healing powers of music, it's time to take a trip on the "Celestial Highway." That is how this recording starts with that track, and it is a beautiful introduction to what you will hear and experience along the way. Track by track, you can take the journey with Stephen and listen to (what I call) experiential music. You, the listener, decide how the door opens and closes on this recording.

There are stars and galaxies so far away that we will never discover them, even with the most powerful telescope. Here is your chance to create your universe with the sounds to soothe and penetrate your being. Your mind and body become one with the music, and you can discover new worlds within your mind's eye and realize you could not go during a typical day without the help of this music. That is the point of music such as this, to step away from the norm and experience something out of the ordinary, relax, and recharge those batteries for another day.

Celestial gave me pause to reflect. All the layers of ambient keyboards reminded me of some of my favorite artists, such as Jean-Michel Jarre, Tangerine Dream, and similar groups. 

As all artisans were appreciated thousands of years ago, they are still today. People like Stephen Peppos are an intrinsic part of our lives and help to enhance our world. So, please sit back, listen, and let the chaos of our planet and perhaps your day, disappear with music from Celestial.

Keith “MuzikMan” Hannaleck-New Age Music Reviews Founder

March 16, 2023

Tracks:

01. Celestial Highway

02. Night Sky Revealed

03. The Sun Sphere

04. Ambrosia

05. Celestial Interlude part 1

06. Look To The Quivering Sky

07. Celestial Longing

08. Fields Of Stars

09. The 4th Dimension

10. Celestial Interlude part 2

11. Heavenlies

12. Celestial Joy

13. Wonder

14. Beautiful Cry to the Universe

15. Celestial Interlude part 3

16. Celestial Dawning

17. Celestial Traveller

18. Celestial Dance

New Age - Ambient Instrumental: Meg Bowles-Pilgrimage

Release Date: May 20, 2022

Label:  Independent

Website

Meg Bowles's newest release, Pilgrimage, is her eighth proper solo album. She explores her talents in a more cinematic ambient-orchestral style than previous releases.  

Some of the instruments used to create this project were Pigments 3 (Arturia), Omnisphere 2 (Spectrasonics), Bioscape (Luftrum), Pharlight (Native Instruments), and Stratus (Olafur Arnalds/Spitfire Audio). Meg said, "Bioscape was particularly interesting to work with. It is a library-based upon field recordings and other found sounds, which can be heavily manipulated and layered, creating these dimensional, other-worldly environments and spaces. The second track, "Cave of Secrets," begins with Bioscape, with a combination of drones, drips, and wind—all suggestive of a dark, subterranean space." This was some exciting information to attain from the artist, and I am sure all the tech-heads will love it.

I did a Google search on the term or concept of a Pilgrimage:

A pilgrimage is a devotional practice consisting of a long journey toward a specific destination of significance, often undertaken on foot or horseback. It is an inherently transient experience, removing the participant from their home environment and identity.

You are putting that train of thought into an experiential musical way. It can be considered several different things by each listener. My perception and belief are where the artist is coming from with this music are within my words. How I heard it is the music fills up space and time so that the audio frequencies and ambient nature of the sounds come together and remove the earthly attachments or physical being from the current area, pushing you gently to another plane of existence. A meditative and relaxed state of mind changes your surroundings' concepts in more simple terms. You then go inside your mind into a different frame of reference and go inward to explore your feelings and emotions and find a path to heal and renew your spirit, thus giving you more energy physically.

I know that may sound complex, but it is not; it's simple. I relate it conceptually to how I listen and process the music. If one thinks about that for a while, you could explain things in the same way with a different set of words. Music that gets your attention can compel you to understand why it was created and finding out something about the artist is a good start. Understanding the release's title and feeling what the cover's image says, then you are well on your way to a journey of expectant color, ambiance, relaxation, focus, and a sense of well-being you cannot seem to find anywhere else.

There is not one track under six minutes, and the magnum opus, which could serve as one meditation session, is "Mountains Reaching for Stars," which clocks in at 12:44. I find myself melting into this music with tracks like that as I absorb it while putting together my thoughts and translating them to words. Time is a factor, hence why each track runs for the longer time span. It gives you the time to get comfortable and let yourself be guided by the sounds, clear your mind and hopefully internalize the good vibrations.

Keith “MuzikMan” Hannaleck-New Age Music Reviews Founder

May 20, 2022

Track List:

1. Ancient Paths

2. Cave of Secrets

3. Cloudburst Over a Parched Land

4. Mountains Reaching for Stars

5. Luminous Garden of Repose

6. Source of Enduring Light

New Age Ambient Instrumental Review: Rusty Crutcher-The Oracle of Delphi

Release Date: April 11, 2022

Label:  Emerald Green Sound Productions

Website

Rusty Crutcher’s recent release The Oracle of Delphi (from the sacred site series) does an excellent job of catching your eye and igniting your imagination with the cover art. Once you hear the music, you will understand how the art matches.

The new age ambient instrumental mixture on the ten tracks consists of many different sounds; you will hear duduk, pan pipes, flutes, choirs, kithara, water moving, mesmerizing bell-like sounds (singing bowl?), and swirling colors of ambiance riding on waves of synths. It is a compelling conglomeration of music that immediately sets you at ease for essential relaxation, reflection, or a meditative state.

Music such as this can ignite an inner flame that was barely flickering into an intense and consistent fire for the curious mind. I am naturally curious and love to learn every day if the opportunity arises. Certain sounds and vibrations in music can change our brain waves and mindset entirely. That is a scientific fact, and I believe it happens to me quite frequently. I do feel a strong sense of gratitude to artists like Rusty Crutcher.

I took some time to look at Rusty’s Facebook page, and you can tell what this man is all about. His profile reflects a soul in harmony with himself and his surroundings. And most certainly, this beauty is reflected in all the music presented on The Oracle of Delphi.

Wikipedia: Pythia was the name of the high priestess of the Temple of Apollo at Delphi. She specifically served as its oracle and was known as the Oracle of Delphi. Her title was also historically glossed in English as the Pythoness. The name Pythia is derived from Pytho, which in myth was the original name of Delphi. Referenced on track #7 with “Pythia’s Trance.”

Ancient Greek mythology is often a subject matter and driving factor to recordings. It is a fascination for many of us. It makes you wonder how much of it is true. Where do the stories originate? Did they suddenly appear in someone’s mind and then take on a life all their own? Or were the ancient god’s beings from another planet sent here to watch over us and guide us? The music can take you to many places. Perhaps the entire idea of this recording, besides letting you relax, is to engage your thought process to think about the possibilities of what each track title prompts you to ponder.

The Oracle of Delphi offers each listener beautiful music to let the day wash away and clear your mind. It is a soundtrack to the past with music for now and in the future. However, if you are anything like me, you find quite a bit to think about once you look at the artwork, the titles, and take in all the music that brings all of those aural sensations to you and invite you to another plane of existence gently.

Keith “MuzikMan” Hannaleck-New Age Music Reviews Founder
April 12, 2022

Tracks:
01. Miriams Wish                
02. Itea Bound               
03. Aegean Reflections        
04.Song of the Muses        
05. Apollo Awakens            
06. Center of the World        
07. Pythia’s Trance            
08. Vapors of Apollo            
09. Castalian Breeze              
10. Know Thyself

New Age – Ambient Instrumental Review: Deborah Martin and Jill Haley-The Silence of Grace

Release Date: April 23, 2021

Label: Spotted Peccary

Website

 

Deborah Martin and Jill Haley have combined their efforts on the Spotted Peccary label and released an atmospheric recording titled The Silence of Grace. While Deborah is a long-standing member of the label this is Jill’s first time working with that team. The collaboration brings the sonic pleasures of an immersive and relaxing audio journey.

Jill Haley’s tools are the English horn, Oboe, Yamaha Motif, and percussion. Deborah Martin provides instrumentation with the Yamaha Motif; Roland V-synth GT; Roland Integra; Spectrasonics Omnisphere; Taos Drums, and percussion.

What we have as an end result here is the melding of the natural sounds of the horn, Oboe, drums, and the electronic ambiance of the synths and computer-generated sounds. This creates a symphony of audio delights to match with natural surroundings that each track title is asking you to picture in your mind. With the artist, it first emerges from the inside, deep in their souls, travels to their heart, then their intellects and then talent translates it all through their instruments. I think I have validated that process through many interviews with artists from several genres. Although I must say this mindset is more prevalent and impactful when speaking of new age artists and what their intent is when recording the music and reaching out to the world inviting them to listen.

What you will receive in these many blessings of aural transmissions are nothing less than four minutes and over seven minutes with the longest track. These are not short jaunts for a listen, the tracks presented here have a higher purpose and they give you time to absorb each one to use as a tool for healing, relaxing, or whatever you wish at the moment. In the end, the result that is desired most certainly can be reached with all these wonderful sounds, colors, and textures being painted into your being.  

One track that really can serve as a testament to my own feelings and appreciation is “The Stillness of Forest Bathing.” My first thought was picturing myself in a stream with cool clean water bathing then I quickly reverted to the subject matter of the forest itself. All of the flora and fauna bathe silently in the morning dew and the rising sun. Besides the event of rain, which is not silent, this is how the living unit of the forest continues to flourish and provide all kinds of resources living in the trees, below it, and in the ground. They are all interlinked in a complex system that works with a flow and force that is not unlike their human counterparts that are interdependent upon so many factors to survive. The music blends so well with Jill’s gorgeous horn and Oboe and the adding of the soundscapes from Deborah gives it the final link, the last essence of completion that each track needs from the beginning to completion. This again can be compared to an ecosystem functioning on an interlinked system that helps each segment to not only survive but grow and provide resources for other living creatures. That to me says it all and it shows you how the artist has taken all of those complexities and related to their music and beliefs and transferred it to a significant auditory contribution for us sentient beings to absorb and enjoy.

“From Fire Into Water” was a very interesting tune as well. I loved the way the sound starts emulating a didgeridoo, then as it fluctuates like transmissions from the cosmos. The track takes different roads as percussion is added and some beautifully layered synths and horn arrive that feels changing and uplifting, like leaving the ground to go explore another part of your world for a time. You will find a lot of those experiences in this music and I highly recommend a complete listen before any sampling to put any tracks on your playlist.

There is so much to enjoy and ultimately appreciate on The Silence of Grace.  It is a precious work of complete art that I found a spiritual connection to that could not be denied.  

Keith “MuzikMan” Hannaleck-New Age Music Reviews Founder
May 11, 2021

 

Track List:
01. The The Silence of Grace
02. Indian Heaven
03. Verdant Sanctuary
04. The Stillness of Forest Bathing
05. Fountains
06. Earth Stone Water Sky
07. From Fire Into Water
08. Water Flows of Clouds and Thunder

New Age Ambient Instrumental Reviews: Liquid Mind XIII-Mindfulness

Release Date: May 29, 2020

Label: Real Music

Website

Liquid Mind is a composer and musician named Chuck Wild. He creates music for those of us in the fast lane that need to slow down and pull over to smell the roses of life.

His Mindfulness release is meant for just that, relaxing, chilling out, whatever you want to label it. These are the kind of new age ambient sounds that will aid you in calming the inner storms and it will quickly soothe the mind, body, and spirit.

Chuck’s many decades of experience working with people like Frank Zappa, for instance, has given him a penchant for extraordinary production values. His classical foundation and pop experience with bands like Missing Persons has pushed his talents to limitlessness and picturesque beauty for the senses to indulge in. Inside the music, I found sounds that reminded me of some of the favorites I have enjoyed such as Jean Michel Jarre and Tangerine Dream and the like.

As one track effortlessly folds into the next, you realize that deep meditation can be realized in this 1 hour plus of synthesized perfection. With titles like “Life in the Slow Lane,” I think you get the idea and the mood Chuck is trying to capture with his music. His intent is crystal clear and if your goal is to find solace within the music, you need to look no further than Mindfulness.

Chuck originally wrote the music of Liquid Mind to be of service to himself, friends, and family in dealing with the anxiety and stress of working long hours in our "information overload" world, and also for friends and family dealing with the stress of life-threatening illnesses like cancer and HIV. This is the world we live in today and it is no wonder our society gets stressed out at the fast pace that information is disbursed and the pressures to keep up with ever-changing technology. The success of his music speaks for itself and it has been available to the world to consume since 1993.

I found Mindfulness to be exactly what I would use for general relaxation or meditation; it fits perfectly for my mindset and needs. I am sure that I am going to be one of many that find the value of listening to Chuck’s musical Mindfulness. It will put you “In the Arms of Love.” (which I added to my New Age Music Reviews Spotify Playlist)

The digital version of Mindfulness is now available and the CD will be released on May 29, 2020.

Keith “MuzikMan” Hannaleck
May 11, 2020

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Track List:
1. In the Arms of Love-10:05    
2. A Calm Heart-11:33    
3. The Wisdom of Kindness-10:34    
4. A Gentle Mind-12:42    
6. Life in the Slow Lane-9:51
7. Mindfulness-9:28