Beckett - Soft City Glow

Review by Karl Magi

Overall Album Impressions

Beckett’s Soft City Glow evokes images of living in a cool, cosmopolitan city and enjoying the ambience of city lights and jazzy sounds. Beckett combines jazz fusion with synthesizer sounds and Japanese city pop to draw images of a laid-back yet urbane lifestyle. The way in which he mixes soloistic jazz elements with an intriguing synthesizer palette and chilled-out vibes carries me on an auditory journey.

I've always enjoyed Japanese jazz fusion and city pop, so Soft City Glow is a treat for me. The jazz elements are well done and full of entertaining, catchy solos, while the relaxed feeling of city pop permeates the album, creating rich imagery of a bustling city cooling down at night. The music is an ideal accompaniment to the journey on which the album takes me.

Atmosphere is an integral part of Soft City Glow. Beckett combines all of his musical elements, especially his synthesizer palette, to paint pictures of high-end apartments where people live sophisticated lives as they sip cocktails and mingle with their cosmopolitan friends. I enjoy the retro cool within the music that allows me to indulge in fantasies of a lifestyle and a place that never really existed but feels nostalgic to me.

I also want to mention Luca Ricardo's guitar work on the album. He captures the sensibilities with which Beckett has infused the music, and his skillful soloing adds to the jazz part of the music. I enjoy the tones and feeling he gets out of his guitar as it unfolds on the tracks on which he is featured.

My Favourite Tracks Analyzed

“City Skyline” comes to life as glistening chords played on a jazz organ add soft luminosity as a hi-hat ticks. A kick drum begins to rebound as the gleaming chords flare out. Bending synth carries a silky smooth melody above throbbing drums and flashing notes. The lead synth twists through the music with a laid-back melody, drawing images of city lights sparkling against the twilight.

Ringing synth accents add a bright glow while the drums trip along easily. I enjoy the mingled warmth and chilled-out vibe of the music here. A slap bass adds a touch of funk while the lead synth's melody sails along with elegance and style above the guiding drums and lush bass. The jazz organ’s round tones carry the slick melody that creates lush relaxation.

Now the drums tick as chimes flash out, the slap bass sits in the groove and the jazz organ dances. The funky bass is joined by the drum beat and an open-voiced synth dancing above the jazz organ as it drifts with peaceful, cool lightness, and silence falls on the ringing chimes.

Sparkling chimes leap in a pattern that invokes drama as bass rumbles underneath to open “The Dockyard.” Howling synth cries out as a metallic keyboard carries a descending line and the drums throb. I enjoy the way in which excitement and uplifting energy fill the gleaming synth, as Luca Ricardo’s guitar cuts through with wild strength, climbing in warm and victorious notes.

The drums and bass are clean and rebound with throbbing motion while the spinning chimes flit past. Now the guitar calls out with intricately interwoven energy, creating propulsion and joy while the funky bass moves below it. The chimes continue to add a sense of anticipation as the rounded notes flow past. The chimes tumble as the guitar also fades out.

“Star Pulse” commences as cymbals flourish and a snare drum pops in sharply. razor-edged synth moves in an active pulse, and clapping sounds burst. Breathily, synth carries an encouraging, gentle melody over the sharply driving low end. Panpipe notes sing out with airy lightness, and a keyboard with full tones carries a positively moving melody.

Playful panpipes flit through the music in easy exhalations, and the guitar carries a hopeful, uplifting melodic line as chimes glimmer with delicate light. The low end propels the track with exuberance as the panpipe dance continues. Luca Ricardo’s guitar has a free and freeing feeling as it carries the interwoven melody on a tide of energy.

The drums and bass throb on as the guitar unfolds in relaxed motion. I find the openness and easygoing nature of the guitar addictive in this track. The melody unfolds with intricacy and joyful life as the pan pipes add glittering accents. The keyboard moves smoothly in the background, and the track comes to an end with happiness and a laid-back feeling.

The slap bass and drum groove create an irresistible pulse to begin "Surappu Fanku." It swings along easily as the bass sits in the pocket and the synth matches it with a bouncing pattern, feeling warm. A flute-like synth dances in a dynamic, leaping pattern that bops along with a playful feeling.

Fluting notes are joined by piano and a medium-high, full-sounding synth that sings out a melody full of enjoyment and chilled-out emotion. The drums and bass are locked together in a funky pulse as the elevated synth swirls past with breathy energy. I enjoy the way in which the mingled piano and flute-like notes create a hopeful feeling in the track.

Slap bass entangles in a pattern that is undeniably cool, as the tripping, raised synth jumps through the track with twirling life. A twisting synth with a trumpeting quality snaps through the music with lively motion before the main melody flies past with positive feelings pouring out of it, and the track ends.

“First Light” kicks off as a rather energetic bassline bounces, with quickly flitting, sparkling notes supporting a flute-like synth melody that sings with comfortable sensations. The drums have a guiding pulse as the flute-like synth unfurls in a cool and relaxing line, and the sparkling notes flicker in the distance as the bass throbs.

The track accelerates with joyful, freewheeling life, and the drums and bass pulse rapidly as the chimes shimmer and flow past. The low end continues to rebound and drive the track forward as the flute-like notes glide past with breathy momentum, and the rapidly shining background notes add twinkling luminosity.

I enjoy the music’s sense of possibility. Bursting notes flash past with a bouncy sensation as the bass cascades. The drums flourish, and the flute floats out again with a feeling of uplifting liveliness, while the glittering notes in the distance add textural delicacy. Now, that breathy synth slides and quarrels in a melodic line full of laid-back emotion.

A groovy, bouncing beat and a voiceover talking about aerobics starts off “Personal Best”. The low end has propulsive, driving energy and climbing, glowing synth that supports the aerobic voiceover. The main melody, carried on a medium-high, sharp-edged synth, dances along with unrestrained happiness, as orchestra hits flash through.

The percussion is energetic and full of elastic life as the melody provides encouragement and positivity. Now, richly toned synth carries a smoothly flowing melody, brimming over with exuberance and vitality. Delicate notes are passionate in the background with light ease as the melody flows forth. I enjoy the pure fun that Beckett has with this track.

A trumpeting synth surges out, providing an energy boost. Now, a jazzy keyboard solo explodes with passionate, speeding motion and interwoven notes before the trumpeting, confidence-boosting melody carries the song to an end.

Conclusion

Soft City Glow is a musically rich, ambience-drenched experience that draws me into a magical urban world of sophisticates, dimly lit jazz clubs, and richly appointed apartments looking out over the glistening lights of a metropolis.

Max Cruise - Sunrises

Review by Karl Magi

Overalll Album Impressions

Max Cruise’s Sunrises brings together talented performers with strong songwriting, perfectly judged nostalgia, and beautiful melodies to create music full of life and soul. When one adds in the jazz-inflected solos and the clear enthusiasm with which all of the performers approach the album, the result, in my mind, is magic.

I can't say enough good things about all of the musical performances on Sunrises. Max Cruise plays the saxophone with assurance, soul, and emotional depth, while Cam Blokland’s guitar work is expressive, intricate, and genuine. Pat DiMeo, Alessandra Gonzalez, and Shaun Holton each bring their own distinctive and powerful vocal abilities to bear on the album. Taken together, the result is moving and impressive.

Sometimes nostalgia is the most dangerous thing to play with in music. If one judges it wrongly, it comes off as contrived and cloying, but Sunrises hits the mark. There's a sense of warmth for times past, leavened by a sense that this is all rose-tinted memory. However, the music embraces that soft-focus remembrance and gives it emotional weight as the album unfolds.

The melodies and solos on Sunrises are another integral part of the album's success. Expressive beauty fills the melodic writing on the album, and the solos reflect the individual performers’ interpretations of the album's musical themes. When these two components come together, they create an affecting and lyrical whole.

I also enjoy the way in which the synths are layered on the album. They create another level of musical depth and give the album a textured and ear-catching complexity for which I have a great deal of appreciation. They make the music come alive even more.

My Favourite Tracks Analyzed

"Sunrises" comes into being as a warm synth sweep is cut into by a deeply expressive sax performance by Max Cruise calling out with sincere longing. Shaun Holton's voice captures the same fervent, needy emotion in a slowly trembling melody above rebounding drums and undulating bass.

Glittering synth echoes out as the drums flourish, while Shaun Holton lets loose with a powerfully emotional performance. The sax has a directly engaging ability to elicit emotion in a way that I enjoy. Shaun Holton's vocals have a pained quality as they shiver through the music, carrying the caressing melody.

Full-sounding notes ring out on a bell-like synth, the melody gentle and calming. The drums rebound, and now Shaun Holton's voice climbs with melancholy as chimes add a starlit shimmer. Max Cruise’s sax howls with piercing emotion, driving home the song’s expression of need and desire.

Powerful drums support an lushly woven sax solo, the sax intertwining in a thoughtful improvisation, adding to the lyrics' emotional power. I enjoy the solo’s freedom and unbridled emotion. Shaun Holton's voice soars along with the sax, doubling up on the impact of the song before it comes to an end.

The narrator says that "my heart is lonely tonight and it really don't feel right" because the song's subject knows he's been waiting for them. There isn't anything left for them to say because the other person just turns away. "You know that it's something I can't get used to." He wonders why it hurts so much and why he gets depressed when “I know you don't want me,” but his “foolish heart won't set me free.”

Our storyteller says that "the sun rises, no surprises" because everything's just the same as it was before. He still wants the other person, but they are uninterested. He says that he can't force the song subject, and he wouldn't want to. He adds that "the way you feel, I just can't deal," even though people tell him “there's more fish.” All he can see is an empty ocean. He says that it's just him and asks, "Who do I want to be?”

Massive drums pound along with gliding sounds and slowly pulsing, gleaming notes as the sax trembles to kick off “Midnight Racer”. The drums flourish, and the angular synth pulse is broken into by Max Cruise’s lyrical sax. It glides with easy-going motion, full of earnest feeling as the drums and bass undulate underneath.

Chimes add star-like light, and bell-like synths ring out. Now the sax skims along with smoothly unfurling dynamism, spinning out over a throbbing low end. The sax cries out with impassioned life, the melody full of bursting energy. The playing is silky smooth and confident in a way I find compelling. Max Cruise’s sax cries out with ardent yearning and Cam Blokland’s guitar unwinds with a powerfully affecting melody, unfolding in intricate lines.

The drums flourish and press on as Max Cruise solos with true skill, capturing propulsive energy and the feeling of streetlights rushing by. The solo is ear-catching and complex. Now the guitar and the sax mingle in one rush of lush sound, climbing up with a feeling of speeding down empty streets.

I can picture the blurring rush as the car explodes down empty asphalt. Cam Blokland solos with crying, bending intricacy as it spins and flies above the pulsing low end. The guitar’s accelerative sensation pushes the music forward before it fades out on the sax echoing into space.

"Heart on Fire" opens as glistening chimes flow above colossal drums that punch in a slow beat along with deep bass and the guitarist's smooth sound. Cam Blokland’s guitar brings peace as Pat DiMeo’s voice slips out in smooth, expressive lines that carry a melancholy melody. The chiming notes rise as Pat DiMeo's voice wrings out every bit of emotion from the lyrics.

The drums rebound, and the chorus glimmers as the guitar flickers past while the drums and bass throb weightily. Pat DiMeo's voice has the ability to press home the feelings captured within the words. I enjoy Pat DiMeo's soulful performance here. Cam Blokland’s guitar illuminates the track with softly surrounding sound as the massively pulsing drums and bass shape the music.

The chimes have a tenderness as the vocals soar with emotional power and affection. The drums flourish, and Max Cruise’s sax carries a solo that shines with the same emotive depth as the lyrics and vocals. It climbs with leaping energy and deep feeling before the song falls silent.

Our storyteller is in "the shadow of a city that was built on faded dreams," on streets that "creep and whisper," where nothing is as it appears. He says that when he's lost in the darkness and feeling as if he could go insane, he sees "a fire in the night; you're my guiding light," and with the song's subject, he can always find a way out.

The song subject’s love is "like a flame that never fades away" for the narrator. He can see in their eyes an undying love and a "burning gaze that sets my heart on fire." In the shadowy, lonely city, the other person gives him "hope when there is fear" as his world falls apart around him.

Our storyteller says that looking into the song subject’s eyes makes him feel like flying. They "lift me up when I am down" and embrace him when he cries. The other person is "just like the morning star, rising higher and higher." The other person turns the darkness into light and sets his heart aflame.

Smoothly lapping synth moves with chimes like sunlit glass, echoed by a more richly toned synth to commence "Runaway." Sparkling notes trip through the music as the bass undulates and Alessandra Gonzalez’s voice slips into the music with gentle expression. The melody she carries is fragile and touching as her voice rises along with ringing jazz organ chords adding brightness.

The drums and bass jump in an energetic pulse as Alessandra Gonzalez brings strength and expression to her voice while the chimes glitter with delicate illumination. The drums and bass rebound with strength and shaping energy. Alessandra Gonzalez imbues the vocals with energy and feeling, carrying the melody, which gains an uplifting quality.

The guitar comes in with a solo that bursts with more feeling, intensifying the emotions expressed in the lyrics. Alessandra Gonzalez fills her voice with heartfelt strength as it arcs into the song and captures the mood it tries to express. Max Cruise’s sax howls with the reedy expression that only a sax possesses.

Max Cruise drives home the song’s feeling of need with the skillful application of his talent while Cam Blokland uses his own talented fingers to let loose a solo that feels celebratory and joyful while Alessandra Gonzalez carries the song out with her undeniably ear-catching voice.

The narrator says that even "hidden in the darkness, locked away from sight," she can hear the whispering that echoes in the night. She adds that she is in a serious situation, imprisoned in her mind. She is "held captive by emotion and taunted by desire.” She wants to run away with the song subject to "cross that line" if she wants to run away with the other person.

The storyteller finds herself "lost at sea without an anchor," confronting many path shipwrecks. When she sailed past a siren, "she just stared at me and laughed.” In her serious situation, entrapped in her mind, she says that she has to "find a key to break out and leave all this behind.”

"Dark Clouds" begins with tranquil synth, crystalline bells, and softly touching drums supported by a rich bass upwelling. An unctuously flowing synth carries a wistful and dreamy melody as trickling notes flit through the background and the bass pulses. The melody reaches out with gently touching emotion, and the drums come in to add shape.

Limpid arpeggios ripple past with aquatic smoothness as the bass surrounds me. Broad-sounding, rough-edged synth carries an aching melody full of gentleness, touched with shadow. The glimmering synth in the background shines, and watery notes float past. Max Cruise's sax captures the music’s tender emotion and translates it into a layered solo that perfectly encapsulates the song's mood. His skill on the sax is indisputable, and his performances have true soul.

The big drums continue to throb, and the sax leaps out, piercing right to the emotional heart of the track. The low end continues to add support as the sax skips through the music with intense feeling. The track ends on the liquid synth and glittering chimes, along with the hugely pulsing low end and a sax flourish.

Scintillating synth carries a soothing melody out above a rippling background to commence "Unfair Love." The guitar doubles the chiming synth with rich backing, and Shaun Holton pours out vocals with silk, tones, and deep feeling. The melody is yearning and affecting as the chorus chants in the background.

A lithe synth accompanies Shaun Holton's powerfully expressive voice, and the guitar adds similarly hard-hitting expression. The drums and bass rebound with guiding strength, and the vocals in the chorus are full of emotion. Cam Blokland’s guitar cries out with a heartbreaking feeling as the drums rebound and the bass throbs. Shaun Holton’s voice soars, and Max Cruise's sax adds more emotional layers.

The chorus is chanted, and Shaun Holton gives free rein to his feelings as the guitar twists and cries to the sky with touching sensations. The guitar somersaults through the music with smooth intricacy, and the track ends with the vocals drifting out above the guitar and drums.

The song's narrator asks, "How can you say that love is not fair?" because it was never meant to be that way. He adds that it's hard to believe "that we came from there" as everybody says what they thought it was.

Our storyteller wants to know why people stay when nobody's there. He wants to know what they feel and why they care. He continues by saying that he knows "how it can feel like nothing is real."

The narrator points out that when everything's said and done, "we're free to the sky above," and things will never come to an end.

"Azure" begins with tranquil chimes echoed by Max Cruise’s mellow sax as rounded, glowing notes flow out. The sax grabs hold of my ears as the luscious notes roll around them and pull me into the music. Chimes flash and the percussion adds a smoothly ticking shape as electric bass twins to add support.

The sax flows out with punchy, intricately intertwined notes and a full tone. The chimes sparkle again, and Max Cruise pours out his soul through the sax as string-like notes trickle. The drums are powerful and full sounding, with metallic synth moving out. The sax solo is complex and played with deep skill, weaving an emotional tapestry as it howls out over the pulsing low end.

I enjoy the way in which the sax puts me in touch with the music’s expressive centre. The drums rebound again and ringing synth flickers before the sax carries the plaintive melody through the music. The track ends with the bass moving along with rippling xylophone-like arpeggios and clapping percussion.

Conclusion

Sunrises is an emotional and musical journey for me as a listener. It captures a time and place effectively while exploring love, loss, and the past. There's nostalgia, but it's a nostalgia tempered by freshness and obvious musical passion. All of these factors make this an album I could listen to many times and not get tired of hearing.

ANNIEE - Captured

Foreword by Vero Kitsuné. Single Review by Karl Magi.

American synth and electronic artist Anniee is Anne Eisandrath, a classically-trained vocalist and musical theatre composer based in Montclair, New Jersey. Her music centers around the effervescence of nostalgia, combining lush synth soundscapes with dynamic new wave dance beats, layers of angelic yet indelible vocal delivery, and evocative lyricism about love and longing. The classical nuanced performances fused with retro electronic sounds give this project a very unique touch, thru a fluid mix of genres including synthwave, new wave, electropop and trip hop. Over the last couple of years, Anniee has been releasing singles and collaborations with fellow synth and electronic artist-producers such as Von Hertzog (VHxRR), Cassetter, and guitarist Dimi Kaye. Earlier this year, she embarked upon the production of her first long-play, slated for release spring of next year. “Captured” is the first single from the upcoming record.

Anniee’s “Captured” explores a complex and dark relationship. The song commences as ticking drums move below widely sweeping synth and glistening chimes. Powerful bass pounds along with the crisp drums, and Anniee’s voice calls out with expressive emotion. An enigmatic synth glides in the distance while Anniee’s vocals have a chanting quality. 

The synth moves in an active line as shimmering notes add flickering illumination while bass rumbles. Aching emotion fills Anniee’s haunting voice. The trembling synth has a nervous feeling as the melancholy vocals drift. The main melody, carried on a tightly rebounding synth, has a bouncing quality as Anniee captures the twist in the lyrics as the drums and bass form an undulating pulse. 

Tautly rippling, slicing synth moves along, accented with sonic bubbles as Anniee’s voice trails mysteriously. I am enamoured of the darkness captured within Anniee’s performance. Ringing chimes sparkle as the lyrics slip past. Massive, razor-edged synth carries the main melody, which moves with a sense of threat as the song fades to silence.

Our storyteller says that every time she thinks about a certain moment, she falls apart. She points out that "I just took the photo, but you took my heart," like a "wandering flash of light" that she left behind her in the shadows. She repeats that every time her thoughts turn to that moment, she falls apart.

The narrator says that she captured the song's subject in "one star-soaked moment," and at the same time, the other person captured her. She points out that she runs away "before true love can start," but she can hear the song’s subject "calling me out in the dark."

The song's subject is "callin’ on that red game of death," as our storyteller again says that she was captured by the other person, just as they captured her in one "star-soaked moment."

For more Anniee, visit https://anniee1.bandcamp.com/

GammaFlow - Gaia

Review by Karl Magi

Overall Album Impressions

GammaFlow’s Gaia carries listeners on a tranquil musical tide that washes with pastel colours and surrounds one with beautiful sonic combinations as it glides along in silken motion. GammaFlow and his guests weave a glittering, lustrous musical tapestry that captures misty emotion, complex feelings, and sensations of relaxation and ease. I enjoy Gaia’s depth and richness as it unfolds.

Atmosphere plays a crucial role on Gaia. This is music that radiates delicate, unctuously flowing feelings. Each track skillfully layers together synths to paint gorgeous imagery and create a plethora of emotional states. GammaFlow and his guests bring together their musical abilities to draw listeners deeply into the luscious beauty contained in this album.

Layering and contrasting synths allow Gaia to fully express the musical world created by GammaFlow and the other artists. They’re able to thoughtfully bring together a range of different synth sounds, from sparkling fragility to deep bass rumble, in order to create tracks that beguile and carry one along in placid beauty.

The guest contributions to this album give it more depth and expression. GammaFlow has chosen collaborators with whom he is able to integrate his own musical approach. Each guest contributor brings their own unique sensibilities to the album while still allowing it to remain a cohesive artistic expression.

My Favourite Tracks Analyzed

“Sonata” starts as a bass upwelling grows along with coruscating synth. Delicate synth bends as it carries a floating, galactic melody. The massive bass trembles as the easily shimmering synth is joined by massive drums with a hollow sound.

The main melody is bright and sunlit, sailing out with a light touchfully, capturing my ears as it does so. Now, a rounded synth trips through, in slowly unfolding, tranquil motion has the twisting synth intertwining. A meditative synth is joined by broadly gleaming notes that end with drums rebounding.

A broadly flashing synth flows in calming lines, glittering with delicate luminosity to open “Lightwave.” Varied percussion forms a fluttering pulse as open-voiced, breathy notes slide outwards. A richly rounded synth flows in slowly flickering waves while chimes sparkle.

Wide-sounding, gleaming sounds climb in the background while the active percussion flicks past. The drums form a steady heartbeat as effortlessly radiant notes plane outward with sunlit brightness. Aquatically trickling synth echoes as the background slightly varies in volume, adding a distorted element.

I'm drawn to the ear-catching interactions of this track’s different musical elements. Tripping sounds catch in the distance as the gossamer lead synth floats out, carrying a tender melodic pattern. Chimes burst with fragile illumination and the drums and bass shape the track. Sharp-edged, scintillating notes leap through the background as the track fades into silence

“Oasis” starts off as cleanly expanding synth moves with Alex Boychuk’s echoing, slowly floating guitar. The background layers are luscious pastel, while sharp-edged, glimmering synth is joined by weighty bass. The elevated guitar cries out, and crystal chimes sparkle with limpid lustre as the drums and bass form a solidly throbbing underpinning.

Now the guitar drifts out with a melancholy, relaxing vibe, combining soaring energy with smoothness in a way I find irresistible. The oscillating bass and powerful drums guide the music, and there's a bluesy twist in the guitar along with more poignant emotions. Gruff-sounding, broad synth moves as trembling sounds skitter past and the wind sweeps.

The track drifts into a segment in which the glassy chimes add diffuse radiance and the rough-edged bass contributes darker weight in balance. The guitar cuts in again, climbing and floating out with unmoored ease as the low end throbs. The guitar carries the music out on a haunting refrain, touched by an aching feeling as the low end skips past.

Bright-sounding, climbing chords expand as ethereal notes flit past to start "Retrograde." Bells like glass chips move along with heavily throbbing bass and pan pipes that levitate above the throbbing low end with fragile lightness.

The bass is all-encompassing as diaphanous sounds trail through the music with a feathery touch. Trumpeting synth vibrates into the track with echoing tranquility as the low end adds shape.

The chimes exude clean light as the background undulates and the drums punch again. Shadow fills the low end to balance the fragility of the high notes in a way that I find pleasing.

The drums and bass undulate as the open voice and hovering synth flow through the music in a melodic pattern that conveys soothing relaxation. The track ends on the gruffly pulsing bass and ringing chimes before silence falls.

“Coral” opens as luscious bass washes along with a scintillating synth that flows in a smooth tide. Sharp sounds cut in before a fluting synth carries a dreamy melody above pulsating drums and deep bass. Open voiced notes shift with gliding lightness as a lower, fuller synth ripples with a more mournful melodic pattern.

Tender noises slip through in whorls as chimes sparkle with cleansing light. The drums and bass rebound again in a steady heartbeat as the elevated synth, silken and delicate, moves past. Fluting notes call out in a slightly aching pattern as the pan pipes swirl together and the deeper, more resonant synth ripples out with aching emotion.

I enjoy the way wistfulness mingles with softness in this track. The drums and bass continue to burst with a strong beat as the chimes fill the music with tentative effulgence. The track comes to an end on a cloudy background flow and chimes that shine with starry light.

Ethereally glimmering synth comes together as clean, clear notes echo and a wind sweeps to begin “Gemini”. Gigantic bass slowly throbs as gauzy notes shiver past. Xylophone-like synth repeats an undulating arpeggio while the drums snap and pop.

A raised, extended sound cries out with emotional depth, while a richly rounded synth carries a melody that caresses my ears. The gigantic bass pulses as sparkling sounds play out, and now a glittering synth fills the air with tiny bursts of light as the drums and bass rebound with strength. A series of shining notes descends, touching like dandelion seeds.

The slowly undulating arpeggios add soothing touches to the mournful sound of the extended synth. Gliding, airy notes carry a melody that takes me away to a place of deep blue water and utter relaxation before the track comes to an end with the deeply pulsing bass.

"Tropical Blush" comes to life as echoing keyboard notes ring out with encircling tenderness, and the crisp drums burst as misty notes rise in the distance. Vocal sounds briefly echo as a soft-edged, ethereal synth carries a joyful melody above the solidly pulsing low end. Vocal sounds flow past with an easygoing feeling as the frolicking notes skip lightly through the track.

Now, string-like notes entangle in a swinging melody, free-flowing and laid-back as the drums and bass continue to shape the track. Brightly scintillating notes trip past in a celebratory melodic line as full-sounding chords swell up. A jazz organ bounces with a happily dancing melody, while the raised, breathy synth that comes in moves with tranquil lightness. I am enamoured of this track's lively energy.

The drums and bass have a sharp clarity as the intertwining strings add gem-like light. Vocal sounds drift past again with a delicately caressing feeling as the low end continues to guide the track. The jazz organ flits through again with carefree abandon, and the background notes add luminous warmth. The track ends on the light-hearted melody and the solid drum and bass pulsation.

Ominous bass and broad, lustrous chimes move above sweeping air, becoming warmer as “Horizon” commences. Colossal drums throb with deep power as ringing, diamond-lit chimes call out and bass shapes the music.

The background is full of balmy glow as rippling panpipes cascade into the track, carrying a melody that evokes gliding travel across a cloudy landscape. RAN’s guitar calls out with passionate strength, curling through the music with intricate lushness. The drifting guitar adds an expressive element that I enjoy.

Languidly flaring notes pulse out in a silken flow, while widely echoing synth floats to open “Wings”. Fragile, misty notes wash through the music in a lulling glide as lithe bass slips below and the drums add their shaping influence.

The elevated synth has a silky delicacy as it slides into the music, and Sleepless Nights’ echoing, slipping guitar playing creates tranquil motion. Tentative, medium-high synth drifts past as an aquatic flow slides underneath. Bending, gauzy synth calls out, creating a feeling of complete placidity while a xylophone adds sparkling delicacy.

The guitar moves through the track with utter serenity and slips past, creating sensations of gliding on warm, caressing air currents. Cloud fills the track with billows, and silence falls as the melody moves like dandelion seeds on a carefree summer breeze.

“Mana Pool” comes into being as deeply peaceful keyboard notes float out into almost silence, and hollow chimes gleam with clean light. The extending keyboard chords flow out into pure blue calm as the twinkling chimes echo well. Lush bass throbs in undulating pulses.

The chimes continue to ring with glowing light, and after a windy sweep, the drums and bass form a steady heartbeat. In the distance, fragile sounds glisten, and bending synth briefly wriggles before smooth-edged, medium-high notes trickle through with a tranquil sensation. The bending synth glistenss again as the higher accents emanate fragile light. The background exhales hazy, sunlit warmth as the chimes glitter.

The twisting synth intertwines again as the tripping low end pulses. The bass is rich, and the cleanly metallic notes flash as a tightly skipping synth moves through and the ringing notes echo. I enjoy the depth and complexity of all of the sounds within this track. The track ends on the open-voiced chimes pouring out crystal light.

Ghostly notes drift off in the distance as open-sounding bass rushes and cutting sounds move through to open “Deluxe Fantasy Dream Sequence”. There is a steadying gentleness in the openly gliding sounds as slowly sweeping chords send along bright notes. Giant drums slowly burst into the music and echo as ethereal notes float through delicately.

The bass is massive as the silken notes trail across the musical background and the bass rumbles. A breezy feeling permeates the music in a way that draws me in. The swelling notes exude luscious luminosity, and the lighter sounds above create a sensation of suspension in cloudy skies before the track ends.

“Cloud Crystals” starts with sharply washing synth as metallic bells ring out in an angular pattern and fat bass surges. Piano-like notes move in the background as the drums and bass form a snapping pulse. The lambent chimes flit past, and a fluting synth carries a fluid melody touched by sadness.

Entangling keyboard chords add support while the mournful flute drifts past. The drums and bass create a strong heartbeat as finely shining chimes carry a wandering melody above the weighty pulse below. The bass bubbles and surges as the metallic bells fill everything with piercing light.

The steady low end propels the music while a luminous cloud pours from a chiming synth. The piano moves in rich chords that add depth to the music. The drums and bass are a steadily shaping influence as the pinpoint chimes dance out in an angular pattern. I enjoy the way in which the ominous bass contrasts with the fragility above it.

The bass growls as the metallic chimes glister, and the piano adds rolling chords that create more motion. The drums and bass burst again to move the music forward as the piano intertwines. Starry chimes come in once more, and the track comes to an end on lush piano chords.

Diamond synth undulates slowly into echoing space to start “Bolero”. Now a broken beat stutters in the background as the gossamer synth, with its metallic ringing, flows easily. The drums and bass become a more powerful throb as dark sounds reverberate.

Rounded notes slowly drift against a static-filled background, adding a hypnotic tenderness, as distantly elevated synths slip past in a tentative melody. The low end has a searing power in contrast to the silky motion above it. The chimes slowly dance in the distance, carrying a wonderfully wistful melody. The drums and bass have a shadowed movement as the broad, bright notes flash out with a ghostly feeling.

The drums and bass fade into the distance, still tripping along, before tremulous synths shine in widely vibrating lines. Chimes call out again with their haunted fragility while the bass is a deep well, and the trembling notes lead the song to a conclusion.

“Shadowlands” begins as warming synth ripples in gentle motion. There's a windy sweep, and gigantic drums create a heartbeat as swirling sounds roam with wandering lightness above the luscious bass. The music rises up and surrounds me in soothing clouds of pink light, allowing me to travel far from the world of stress.

RAN’s guitar cries out with passionate intensity, reaching high and filling me with yearning emotion. The drums and bass move together as the guitar rises to the sky. Bass rumbles as distant, lightly touching sounds fade into silence.

Conclusion

Gaia is a beautiful musical expression, full of tranquil, warming soundscapes, leavened by moments of aching emotion and darkness. GammaFlow and his guests create scintillating musical moments that call me back over and over again to hear them unfold.