The new album ‘The Calling Whisper’ is another masterpiece by talented musician Mark Mendieta, in my ears. It doesn’t follow the directions from the previous album ‘A Haunting Presence’ to a hundred percent, mostly because this time around TWT’s new album is completely instrumental. What you will experience on ‘The Calling Whisper’ is a majestic opus, a hauntingly beautiful album that carries you away with synth driven soundscapes & guitar themes from start to finish.

The opener ‘The Calling Whisper’ is probably the most haunting (and somewhat dark) piece on the whole album. It does a good job in leading the listener deep into a rather deep cinematic experience. It could best be described as a good opening track to a thriller/horror movie if you ask me. Other remarkable tracks are ‘As The Angels Tread’ & ‘Across The Serene’. Both tracks really showcases some of TWT’s most emotional synth passages along with nice guitar playing that keeps the excitement up and going. But the real cracker here is ‘Beside The Mirror’. It’s a highly versatile piece of ambience, ranging from light ethereal synth moods to dark and mysterious passages. One of the very best & unique tracks on this album!.

I would say that this album is a soundtrack to a movie not yet made. It’s very easy to start conjuring up images and scenes while listening to it, much because it’s very haunting atmosphere, that at times, leaves you quite breathless. Much in the ambient music “scene” has already been done over and over, again and again, but with ‘The Calling Whisper’ we do get to hear something rather exciting and fresh to the ears!.

And speaking of fresh to the ears. If you’re familiar with TWT’s previous album ‘A Haunting Presence’ then you’ll probably love this offering too. The only major difference on this album is that it’s 100% instrumental, no vocals at all. If that’s a good or bad thing, you decide, but personally I prefer this album over the debut as I’m more into instrumental music than anythting else. Also, this offering is a bit more structured and versatile, and the production sounds even better, too!.

So the verdict is, if you’ve heard most of the ambient music out there today and you’re looking for something quite ground breaking, then this great versatile thought-provoking album is for you!. Highly recommended!

The new installment ‘The Singularity’ expands alot on many of MD’s previous albums, but this time, perhaps in a more romantic & ambient/ethereal way if you ask me. The songs on ‘The Singularity’ are of the finest calibre available when it comes down to MIDI guitar soundscapes. There are so many precious and lush moments to find on this release, making it very hard to pick out any particular favorites. But my personal fave has to be ‘Event Horizon’. It’s on of those tracks that will stick in your head for a long time, and certainly even more so if you’re familiar with MD’s style from his earlier albums, ‘The Myth’ from 1985 immediately comes to mind.

The album offers the listener a MIDI-guitar tour-de-force from start to finish, and the production and sound is better than ever. All this said, ‘The Singularity’ will appeal to both new and old Mark Dwane fans as this album has both something new and something old in the mix. It’s a highly versatile and atmospheric album and also probably one of his best albums to date, ‘Planetary Mysteries’ being his second best album according to me. Without a doubt a must-have in any New Age/Ambient collection!. Highly recommended! Buy…buy…buy!

The music you will hear on this album is absolutely breathtaking. It could best be described as a cross between David Helpling & Jon Jenkins style and the rhythmic side of Tangerine Dream. Particularly their 80′s years. Now that’s a combination I like!. All of the tracks here flows into one another in a gorgeous way, and played with heart and emotion from start to finish. And speaking of emotion, If you listen to the track ‘So Many Miles To Go’ you will be blown away with it’s infectious synth passages and the slow moving and epic atmosphere. A track that’s filled with hope, sadness and a dash of longing. Breathtaking synth piece!. Other extremely epic tracks on this wonderful album are ‘Indigo Sun Theme’ and ‘In Search of Life’. Those two showcases another sensible side of the artist ‘Jeff Scott Castle’. They also deliver an epic ammount of heavenly beautiful synth passages that you simply can’t get enough of. My room was filled with positive and uplifting emotions when I played this album during the evening at home. I was totally blown away by it’s rich atmospheric sound, a sound very few I can think of as I write this can immitate. Not even TD knows the recipe that Jeff has conjured up on this marvelous album. All I can say for now is…GET THIS ALBUM!. You won’t find a better synth album this year. To be honest, I doubt there will ever be another synth album sounding this good ever. That is, unless Jeff comes up with new ideas, and follow up the sound he has delivered on this album. So to summon up this album with one word, all I can say is….EPIC!!

A new incredibly infectious album has surfaced by the great ‘Glyn Lloyd-Jones’. And if you, just like me, love the 80′s output from Tangerine Dream, with albums such as ‘Poland’ and ‘Logos’, then you’ll LOVE what this album has to offer you!. It could have been entitled ‘Poland’ Pt.2 for all I know!.

As for the music. All four tracks are filled with late 70′s to mid 80′s synth bliss material from the moment you press play. The brilliant long piece ‘Reflections of Perpetual Abstraction’ is proof of that. The structure of that track is outstanding and gives me chills down my spine each time I listen to it. No, it’s not that scary, just THAT good!. But most notable is the last track that really turns my ears on called ‘The Dimensions of an Impossible Perspective’. That perfect 80′s sequencing sound is there with infectious rhythms building up the track in all it’s supreme glory. I would say it reminds me alot of the album ‘Alterstill’ by ‘Arcane’ (Paul Lawler), yet Glyn’s unmistakeable sound is always present, keeping the rich atmosphere exiting.

This album will, without a doubt, appeal to fans of the great mid 80′s sequencer driven EM style. Also highly recommended if you loved albums such as ‘Poland’ by Tangerine Dream (which I know you did!). Buy it, you won’t regret it, but you will regret that you didn’t if you don’t!.

The music on ‘A Haunting Presence’ can best be described as progressive New Age/Ambient, sometimes infused with a small ammount of rock influenses. The soundscapes are highly melodic and ethereal, and will take you to places only your dreams can generate. One of my favourite tracks on this album has to be ‘Through Shifting Lines’ as it has a great deal of melodic guitar textures that shines through like a pendulum from start to finish. Other great notable tracks are ‘Into A Solace Room’ , with (as the album title says) it’s haunting and evocative feeling throughout, and the track ‘Beneath’ which is a rockier and more uptempo piece that keeps the pulse going on strong. The album closes in with the beautiful piano driven piece called ‘ In Seclusion’. This song is indeed gorgeous, especially if you play it loud using headphones!. All that said, ‘Transcend With Time’ will, without a doubt, immerse you into a haunting presence. It’s an astonishing and versatile album that demands attention and repeated listenings to really grow on you. It could perhaps best be described as a mix of Clannad (their instrumental works), Jeff Woodall and Simeon Harris. That said, pour all of these artists in a mixer and add some of  Mark’s own imaginary ideas, and this is the music you’ll get!. Recommended!!

Now here’s an album that demands deep och concentrated listening. I remember loving the first album by Cymphonic called ‘Strataradialis’, much because of the extremely haunting and breathtaking atmosphere it surrounded me in. After a while I almost felt “drugged” to the extent I had to take off my headphones for a while to let my mind and ears rest. The album was that good, and ‘Post Mortem Investigations’ is just that…..and more.

The new album continues very much in the same vain, with a deep, abstract, and surreal atmosphere. While listening to this album (particularly on repeat, using a good pair of headphones!) I get sucked right into the infectious and haunting atmosphere of ‘Post Mortem Investigations’ before I know it. I can easily imagine and/or picture myself somewhere far away from home, observing what’s going on around me in other parts of the world, and what other people are doing etc. Use headphones for maximum pleasure, as you will feel sucked in after just 2 minutes or so. The music is highly surreal, and takes both mind and soul to far away places. It is very hard to resist the experience that this album has to offer. Highly recommended album for fans of abstract ambient music such as Brian Eno, Bruno Sanfillippo and ‘The Glimmer Room’!. Very highly recommended!

Mark C. Petersen is without question and without exception, one of the most prolific composers in the space-music genre today, and once again it shows on his latest installment Stella Novus. This album is definitely one of his very best albums to date, right beside Stellar Collections. It portrays space and the infinity of the universe perfectly with its ethereal and floating sound textures that surround you in a blanket of warm sounds, and takes you on a deep-space cruiser before you know it.

The structure of the tracks is incredibly atmospheric and immersive, and makes you feel as if you really were drifting around to otherworldly places in the galaxy. Good examples are the tracks Protostars and Light Echoes. Both are filled with some of the most beautiful floating synthesizer sounds you are unlikely to hear on any other space-music album out there today. Very haunting atmosphere, yet very peaceful and beautiful at the same time. A visionary’s dream come true! Other highly notable tracks are the title track Stella Novus and the last, whopping 30 minute long track, entitled Hubble Suite.

Stella Novus starts off with a colorful sound palette that paints and fulfills the shimmering synth work that breathes emotionally in the background; one to pay attention to if you like a somewhat brighter side of space-music. The last track is my favorite of them all. It’s a 30 minute long-form space cruiser that slowly and carefully builds to enormous amounts of ethereal sonic soundscapes that push Mr. Petersen’s creative force to his limits, if you ask me. Mark’s distinctive synthesized sounds are all over this track and shows off some of his very best work, ever!

Rarely, if ever, do I hear such beauty in space-music, and I’m a ‘die-hard’ space-music enthusiast. So if you ever thought of, or dreamed about the possibility of travelling without moving to space, then do yourself a favor and buy this album right away. It’s the next best thing to actually being there. The verdict is: If you like the albums Fourth Universe and Stellar Collections then this album is a safe bet. It’s any space-music enthusiast’s dream come true. Stunning work, Mark. Mission complete!

Just when you thought David Helpling & Jon Jenkins were at their heights with the album ‘Treasure’, the album ‘The Crossing’ has surfaced after 2 years of waiting. And what a stunning album it is!. And I always thought ‘Treasure’ would be unbeatable, boy how wrong could I be. With ‘The Crossing’ they have pushed their creative musical ideas and inspiration to the next level. The album itself is a highly melodic synth journey, very similar to ‘Treasure’, only this time there is an ever deeper (and somewhat darker) melodic feel to it. All the tracks are incredibly well structured, and contains some of the most gorgeous sonic soundscapes I have ever heard before. Both the synths and the percussion plays a very important role in this album, with it’s melodic themes washing over you on most of the tracks. It is so lush and infectious that you will want to listen to the album on repeat, again…and again!. With tracks such as ‘From the Smallest Seed’ and ‘To the ends of the Earth’, these artists have eclipsed themselves. These tracks are a synth feast for your ears and contains the most stunning synth sequencing I have ever heard in my entire life, no doubt about that. It reminds me alot of tracks such as ‘This Day Forward’ & ‘The Frozen Channel’ from the album ‘Treasure’. Brilliant melodic atmosphere!. Other notable tracks are ‘For The Fallen’ and ‘Not Forgotten’. There’s a sense of depth and mystery to them and will surely evoke your deepest inner feelings. Another moody yet melodic piece is ‘Two Paths. With this track you will be in for another highly cinematic treat!. It builds very slowly with echoing guitar textures and lush synth work, and has tons of atmosphere to it. It’s another melodic soundscape that washes over your ears in a very delicate way. All in all, this album has it all in it’s very own and unique (but typical Helpling/Jenkins signature sound) way. It’s drenched in elusive textures, guitars, synths, and percussion that forms this ambient masterpiece way beyond words. It will take you on a journey to the ends of the earth…and back!. I can’t recommend this album enough, wish I could give it 10 stars instead of 5!.  Another winning epic masterpiece!. Buy it without hesitation, and do it…NOW!!

I came across this beautifully crafted CD while browsing CDBABY for new Ambient/New Age music. And I can’t say I’m disappointed a bit!. This release contains a strong versatile mix of tunes, with everything ranging from ambient and atmospheric synth layers to a more uptempo trance music feel. I don’t know how Rick managed to combine all these beautiful elements the way he did it, but I do know this. If you like ‘Tangerine Dream’ and ‘Future World Orchestra’, then this album is definetely for you!. Even some ‘Serrie’ sounding synth textures can be heard, especially on the first track ‘TimeSpaceContinuum’, which is one of the best pieces on the disc after the incredibly spacey (and TD sounding) ‘Heaven’s Path’, a track that has some incredibly stunning and swooshing synth layers that will capture your ears before you know it!. The whole CD is an infectious thrillride through the many aspects of the EM ‘scene’ and will take you to otherworldly places in the universe with it’s majestic and spacey sound and feel. It’s like travelling without moving!. All in all, this is a well crafted epic release full of lush sounds not of this earth, created by a very unique artist that I will be looking forward to in the future!. So what can I say? Another must-buy!!