Ambient Visions Blog

Releasing on March 20, 2012

Eternity is John Lyell’s second solo release and his fourth release total counting the two releases he did with Brent Reiland from 1998 and 2002.  Eternity is pretty much a one man show for John who composed, performed, engineered and produced this new album at Light Year Studios in Minneapolis, MN. Heck he even did the graphic design, the layout and the art concept of the project as well. The only thing that was outsourced so to speak was the digital mastering which was done by another well-known talent in the ambient music field in the person of Robert Rich in his Soundscape Studios in Mountain View, CA.  John has included 10 wonderful tracks on this release with only two of them falling below the 6 minute threshold so listeners are in for some excellent long form pieces that will allow them to really enter into each composition and into the album as a whole. The album runs a little over an hour at 63:17.

First off let me say that I love this album as a whole. The compositions are well suited to each other and even as the tempo occasionally changes it does not disrupt the flow of where the music wants to take you. John has created some fantastic otherwordly moods on this album which envelopes you in densely atmospheric soundscapes that massage the mind allowing you to open to the journey before you. The song titles tell me that the journey is one that could be an extra planetary voyage beyond this world or perhaps a journey within yourself as you contemplate the meaning of eternity or exactly what forever might mean to you. Either way the music is well suited to providing a soundtrack to that journey because whether you journey within or without the compositions stir just the right kinds of emotions as you listen.

The album starts with a deep spacey kind of song called Eternity. It is a contemplative and peaceful song that allows the listener to untether themselves from their day to day worries and enter in fully to the world that John has created with this album. It is fitting that this is also the title song of the album as well since it does indeed set the pace for what is to come. I have always enjoyed pieces that engage me as a listener and invite me to “hear” the music actively instead of lurking passively in the background while I am busy doing something else. Don’t get me wrong I also enjoy purely ambient music that requires nothing of me other than to load the disc in my player and go about my business letting the music break into my consciousness whenever I have a break in what I am doing. It’s just that I have always liked to pay attention to what I am listening to whether that is the lyrics in a new rock song or a layered piece of ambient/space music by John Lyell. By the way Eternity is one of my favorite songs on this album. Of course I could probably say that about most of the songs on here but this one does stand out to me. The song has a mysterious haunting quality to it that evokes images of unfamiliar waters or uncharted space all the while creating a sense of adventure in the back of your mind about where the music will ultimately lead you.

Some of my other favorite tracks from this release are Dreams of Orion, Pulse of Destiny and the closing song called The Breath of Time. Pulse of Destiny is the first song that you might say has a beat or some sort of rhythm. The repeating rhythm that flows through this whole song is an apt way of looking at destiny in that it illustrates perfectly the inevitable movement of things and events towards a predetermined conclusion. While this pulse is moving the song forward you will also hear water sounds along the way and other synths that punctuate the journey adding some sonic variations to the landscape. Another interesting song that actually caused me to write to John on first listen was Vector Atmospheres which is track three on this CD. After repeated listening’s I understand it now but I thought that there was some unintentional static on this track at first. John explained that it was meant to be there and that he used a Synth Patch to create it. So for the first time through just be aware that the static is meant to be where John placed it.

John has created in Eternity an album that is intimate and inviting and that is instantly engaging to the listener. John has expertly woven a musical tapestry with the songs on this CD that creates a relaxing atmosphere that caresses those listeners who delve deeply into the compositions. John’s musical sensibilities have been honed to a sharp point over the last decade and now he is comfortable crafting cohesive artistic visions like you will find on his latest release. The lush landscapes that John has created on this release are very revealing of his heart and underscores his impressive skills as a musician and producer. This album is very accessible and quite an enjoyable way to spend a few hours. That presupposes that you will want to listen to it several times the way that I did hence the few hours instead of just one. This album is due out on March 20, 2012 and you would do well to get your own copy to set out on your own journey. And of course this release is highly recommended by Ambient Visions.

Frank Steiner Jr.’s latest release called Into Forever is just what the doctor ordered when it comes to spending a little over an hour relaxing and letting the stress of the day flow out of you through each of the 7 tracks that comprise this album. On the back cover of the album Frank states that he wanted to create a “musical fragrance to help listeners relax and unwind.” After listening to this CD several times I have found the music contained herein to be a contemplative and peaceful selection of songs that gently washes over your consciousness allowing you to drift along with Frank’s soothing piano playing which is the foundation of all the music that you will find on this album.

There is an ethereal feel to the music throughout all of his compositions that gives you the feeling of floating on waves of light after you have acclimated yourself to the world that Frank has created through his songs. This process doesn’t take all that long and before you are even half way through the first track called Love’s Whisper with its rich emotional sounds you will find yourself dislodged from the day to day grind and for the next hour you will find yourself wandering the tranquil soundscapes that Frank creates with his piano.

It is obvious that the music on this album was composed and recorded so as to not break the mood and the flow of the CD. Each song seems to fold into the next maintaining the same serene qualities as the song that came before it. I very much enjoyed this fact because I was not jarred out of the soothing cocoon of stillness that wrapped around me with the first song and continued right on through the last track called Mystery’s Invitation. Many times these albums will be used in their entirety as background music for Reiki or Massage sessions, sleeping or for meditative purposes and it is critical that the mood is maintained. Frank has done an excellent job of immersing the listener in an environment of peace for the entire 60 odd minutes that this album plays.

The tracks on this album range from the shortest which is 4:58 up to the longest which is 14:59. Most of the tracks are of the 6 minute or longer variety and the only reason that I mention it is that the tracks tend to be perfect for allowing Frank the time to effectively create these peaceful landscapes. Oftentimes on shorter songs you feel like you are just getting started when the song comes to an end. With these longer compositions Frank is allowed the time to develop the song and engage the listener more fully in the experience which in turn deepens the overall effect of serenity that pours over you as you listen.

From the gentle synths that ebb and flow behind Frank’s piano on songs like Sparks of Love to the bird sounds that ever so gently appear on Lead Me to You or the tinkling wind chimes on Love’s Whisper Frank has created a gentle and comfortable realm where the insistent call of the physical world is left behind. You will find that Frank’s music wanders the ground between ambient and new age while executing each style effortlessly and with a masterful touch on the keyboards. The sound quality is impeccable and his music has a captivating flow to it that instantly engages the listener. You will find much to love about this album and when you are done listening to it the first time you will probably go back for seconds or thirds as the music allows for multiple listenings without ever becoming tiring. This is an excellent effort by Frank Steiner Jr. and is certainly recommended by Ambient Visions.

Reviewed by Michael Foster editor Ambient Visions

From the opening track called Portal Quest with its dark and brooding textures you know that you are leaving the confines of this galaxy to journey through the cosmos via the music on Thierry David’s latest release called Stellar Connection. This is his fourth release for Real Music and this album offers us a mixture of ambient, space and some densely atmospheric pieces that are filled with piano and synths that give you the sensation of flight and of soaring through space. By the time that you reach track four which is called Surfing the Blue Orbit the music has morphed into something a little more rhythmic but not overly so. The piano is still the underlying foundation of the music but there are some synthesized versions of Bali bells which gives this song a unique character of its own.

A few of the songs have hills and valleys within the compositions in which the song moves from a rhythmic beat to a pause where the beat momentarily disappears and you are left floating in space with an opportunity to briefly take notice of where you are. The beat returns and your journey resumes with new and interesting sounds to act as road signs along the way. The music manages to maintain a shadowy feel to it that completely compliments the idea of moving through the darkness of space in the vastness that is the universe. You never really feel that the darkness is a threatening thing but rather it feels like a dark night where you look up at the stars in wonder. There are many compositions among these 13 tracks that would be perfect if used within a sci fi movie or perhaps a TV show that deals with the strange and mysterious.

Stellar Connection runs a little over 62 minutes and during this hour the songs keep you on course for the stars the entire time. Thierry David manages to always aim you towards even darker space with music that is slow-moving and filled with spaciousness without wandering meaninglessly. There are many deep passages in these compositions including the final track called A Silent Voice Answers which leaves the listener in the void without bringing them back home.  The music leaves you pondering the infinite reaches of space and fades out while you remain floating until the music is gone. I can see this music as being something that would work well with inducing a serene state of mind or even with doing some mediation but it is a little dark for going to sleep by. Of course I’ve used Craig Padilla’s Vostock to go to sleep by so perhaps you might find this to your liking as you drift off to sleep as well.

I am partial to the ambient music that adorns the beginning of this album so some of my favorite tracks are Plenty of Space, A Long Crossing and Surfing the Blue Orbit each of which seems to flow together almost as if they were a longer composition broken down into three tracks. I would classify these three tracks as the heart of this space voyage and which sets the mood for all that is to come. Surfing the Blue Orbit does begin to add the rhythms that will become more prominent through the rest of the album but it still fits in well with the first two songs. My other favorite track on this album is track six which is called Feeling a Stellar Pulse and as the name implies there is a pulse contained within this song. It sounds like a frame drum that punctuates this song with its beat but I think in reality it is called a Wavedrum.  It is well done and if I didn’t know any better I would swear that someone was playing a frame drum on this track.

All in all this is an excellent album that would be good as a background for certain activities like reading, meditating and even sleeping too depending on the mood that you are trying to achieve as you fall asleep. Thierry David does indeed create the soundscape that he set out to when he called this album Stellar Connection. Thierry David has created an immersive environment in his compositions and he takes the listener on a sonic journey with his imaginative compositions that are both mysterious and enlightening. The music on Stellar Connection conveys wonder and awe and is filled with a dense undercurrent that acts as a foundation for the otherworldly journey that the listener has embarked on. This album does not disappoint and is something that I would recommend to the readers of the Ambient Visions website.

Reviewed by Michael Foster editor Ambient Visions

For the last decade Kevin Kern has shown that he has a flair for new age music and he is both a talented performer as well as a creative composer. As Kevin speaks of his bond with his piano you would think that he was talking about a person with whom he had spent a lifetime walking and talking with. As you listen to him playing his compositions from the Enchanted Piano album on his beloved Steinway B you will find yourself entering into that same friendship along with Kevin. If you open your heart and your mind you may walk away from this album with a better understanding of yourself and of the bond that Kevin feels with this his favorite musical instrument.

Enchanted Piano is not a new album per se but it is Kevin’s first solo piano album where it is just Kevin and his Steinway B and nothing else. The songs that he chose to play are a tribute to his fans because they represent the songs that have touched the hearts and souls of his listeners over the years. Kevin like any successful musician receives mail or e-mail from his fans letting him know what they thought about his music and how it touched their lives. Oftentimes music has a way of helping people through the rough periods of their lives by allowing them to still their minds and quiet the tumult that is assaulting them from without. It allows people to turn within and find the strength that lies at the heart of their being so that they can face the next day no matter what circumstances are awaiting them. Kevin has taken these recommendations of the songs that have helped people the most and has created Enchanted Piano as a way to put all of his most powerful music in one place.

The album consists of 11 songs and runs about 43 minutes in length. While the overall feeling of the album is very contemplative in nature it does have a little variation in the themes that the music covers. While some compositions evoke a feeling of serenity or tranquility there are other songs that feel more celebratory or bring to mind a happy or joyful event in one’s life.  It is apparent throughout all of the songs that Kevin has had an enjoyable time crafting this music as an expression of those feelings and emotions that we all have and at times have a hard time expressing. His music invites you to let go of those things that are holding you back and to soar to the heights that your heart and soul can imagine.

Kevin’s music has a way of relaxing and inspiring the listener at the same time. His skillful playing which started when he was a little over a year old has matured over the years to the point where now he has achieved a mastery of the instrument that allows Kevin to communicate his emotions through his fingers on the keys of the piano.  This is a solo piano album which has stripped away all else so that we are left to immerse ourselves in Kevin’s passionate love for this instrument. You might think that an album that was simply a man and his piano might lack the depth that an album with full instrumentation might offer and in that you’d be wrong. There is nothing that I would change about the simplicity and the heartfelt emotions that this album communicates.

This disc stands out as a winner and an absolute classic in the choice of the compositions to include and the performances given by Kevin Kern. While the album can be put on in the background while you are doing other things I think that you owe it to yourself to sit down in a comfy chair and listen to this album in its entirety to fully appreciate the music that has been included. Kevin’s musical sensibilities are impeccable and this album should win him new fans right along with giving his existing fans a cause for celebration. My favorite tracks on this album were hard to choose as all of them are beautiful in their own right but I found Through the Arbor, Sundial Dreams and Hide and Seek to be the songs that I would return to again and again. This album is definitely recommended by Ambient Visions.

Reviewed by Michael Foster editor Ambient Visions