MuzikMan's Reviews And News: Instrumental Ambient

9/01/2018

Instrumental Ambient/New Age/Classical Review: Barbara Hills-The Flowers Suite

Release Date: August 1, 2018

Label: House in the Wood Productions

Website

Barbara Hills likes to refer to her music as “painting sound.” Interesting enough is the fact that she does paint, and flowers are her specialty. One of the examples is the cover of her latest release The Flowers Suite. What you find out after hearing her music is how these two things can go hand in hand.

I also have referred many times over the years to music as taking a blank canvas a filling it with colors, feelings, atmospheres, and life. In the same thought process, any listener can then do the same while and paint their own canvas in their mind. I always have been able to create some kind of running story or images listening to moving instrumental music. With The Flowers Suite I found that ability to do so quite easily, it was a natural transition. She also takes sounds of nature and her surroundings and blends it with her music to get a wonderful result.

What I appreciated the most about The Flowers Suite was how eclectic it was. All twelve tracks have their own personality, a different painting if you will from the multi-talented artist. The most moving songs for me were “Sweet William,” it captured my imagination and stirred my spirit, then “Hedgerow Walk” really got my attention. The “Hedgerow Walk” is an entertaining 16 minutes of progressive ambient instrumental music. Granted 16 minutes is a long run for any track however if it is done properly it can mesmerize the listener. In the case of this particular a musical stretching of thoughts and forms, it most certainly sounded like music being painted into your consciousness. I think the end result is quite amazing. It is a great example of an artist using all of the talents and instrumentations at her disposal to create something special and memorable for the instrumental music fan.

If you happen to fancy ambient music with some changing scenery this will be a real pleasure. It is all done with a new age flair and a solid foundation of classical to hold it all together. It is an omnibus of sounds and colors conjoining to make a beautiful painting.

The Flowers Suite is a triumph of sound and art for Barbara Hills. I am certain that any instrumental music fan can find appreciation somewhere amongst the bounty of sounds that this talented lady provides. I think this recording could serve as soundtrack music for the film industry or for an individual searching to create their own soundtrack or painting in the mind's eye. I highly recommend giving this album a thorough listen as there is so much just waiting for you to discover!

Keith “MuzikMan” Hannaleck

August 30, 2018

Founder of:

New Age Music Reviews

Rate The Tracks

Review Provided By New Age Music Reviews

Tracks:
01. Love-In-A-Mist
02. Among Lilies
03. Through Iris Halls
04. The First Snowdrop
05. When Cherry Blossoms Fall
06. On Hawkweed Bank
07. Sweet William
08. Forget-Me-Nots
09. Creeping Buttercup
10. Where Heather Grows
11. Hedgerow Walk
12. Canyons Of The Black Tulip

8/29/2018

Instrumental Ambient/Electronic/New Age Review: Stephanie Sante-Clear Light

Release Date: July 20, 2018
Label:Sante Music
Website

According to Stephanie Sante’s website her newest offering, Clear Light is as follows:

Clear Light, a tribute to the beauty, mystery and power of earth’s oceans, from ancient times to the present. The music ranges from buoyant, jubilant and energetic to softer, gentler, floating pieces. Clear Light takes the listener on an underwater journey of exploration and fascination.

After hearing the first few tracks of this album it was sounding more ambient and electronica than new age. It is more like Jean-Michel Jarre than say Kitaro for instance. Here is a point is well taken, music such as this borders on being new age or very close to it. I think if I were to put any kind of label on it I would choose ambient/new age instrumental. The ambient for its obvious textures and layers of synths and keyboards, and the new age in slices that line up with the image on the cover of the album, the title, and the relaxing elements that would allow a listener to sink into a chair a float away inside their mind or meditate. I think that is a fair enough assessment of what I heard on Clear Light.

I am not saying all this in a negative context at all, it is quite the opposite. I love music like this and the two artists I mentioned are favorites of mine along with others such as the work Bowie and Eno did on Low. When I was younger and first heard that I thought Bowie had gone off the deep end. Now I absolutely love it and can see the genius in what the man created. Music that is explorative and reaching out to find different realms of consciousness, can be found on Clear Light. It becomes an extension of that beginning process every listener goes through. For me now it through the ears of a more mature and advanced listener, not to mention a more spiritual and wise man (which took me many years to arrive at and many mistakes and obstacles).

It truly is amazing how music triggers so many emotions, thoughts, and good feelings. It stimulates every part of me, my brain, body, soul, and breathing. It is only music with different tones, colors, and rhythms that can make that happen. If there is repetitiveness in the background for rhythm and many other things coming in to keep it interesting and attention-getting, then I am good to go. Stephanie does an excellent job of keeping it all fresh and interesting. I think it can be difficult to do that as a solo artist working with various synths, computer-generated sounds, and keyboards.

Clear Light carries on the tradition of thoughtful and creative music as it the busyness of the day melts away. All of those thoughts and tasks of the day just flow away, then are replaced by joy, warmth, love, and clarity. Stephanie takes you there with her music. In 9 tracks of an enchanted journey through time, space and nature, you are delivered to another world, perfect for those of you seeking simple solace or an opportunity to meditate.