Monday, September 28, 2020

PGM 278: Starry Seas 2


Another ethereal ambient mix to convey a mythical & nocturnal sea voyage!

Artist Name / Track Title / Album Title
Blue Is Nine / Drawing Me Near / A Pool Appears
Acheloo / Mystical Shadow / Debris of Nostalgia
Serena Gabriel (feat. Steve Roach) / The Gazing Pool / Inanna’s Dream
Forrest Fang / Atlantis / The Book of Wanderers
Jos d’Almeida / Atlantic Mist / Aether
David Helpling / Ascension of the Whales / Rune
Ambiscend / Moonlight Serenity / Tranquility II: Mind & Soul
Jeff Pearce / A Voice in the Waves / Hidden Shores/Empty Beach

Monday, September 21, 2020

PGM 277: Into Fall 2


Another ambient autumn mix of cooler tones & deeply chilled rhythms!

Artist Name / Track Title / Album Title
ELEON / Elixir / Chillscapes, Vol. 1
Le Voyage / Fantastic Galaxy (Endless Horizon Mix) / Autumn Breeze, Vol. 2
Michael Whalen / A Metaphysical Morning / Sacred Spaces
Sacred Seeds / Awakening / Alpha Seeds
Patrick O’Hearn / Equinox / Trust
Suzanne Teng & Gilbert Levy / Sueños / Autumn Monsoon
Eguana / Swirling Leaves / Serenity
Sambox / Lojong / Le Son du Miramar
Kevin Keller / Just Over the Ridge / The Front Porch of Heaven
Richard Souther / Chasing Echoes / Waiting in the Wings
BlueMonk & Michael Whalen / Moon Scape / Karmic Dreams

An Interview with Yuval Ron featuring his album Four Divine States of Mind


We’re honored to present an audio interview with Yuval Ron. He's an Israeli-born, world-renowned musician, award-winning composer, educator, peace activist and record producer. Among Yuval’s career accomplishments includes his musical score to the Oscar winning film West Bank Story as well as concert performances throughout countries like Morocco and Turkey. This year Yuval released a beautifully sacred world music album called Four Divine States of Mind and it includes some amazing guest performances by noteworthy names like Deva Premal. So please join us for an inspirational journey into the musical meditations of Yuval Ron!

Music from the albums Four Divine States of Mind and Voyage Through the Chakras can be heard throughout this segment.

Monday, September 14, 2020

PGM 276: Fantasy Flight 3


Another euphoric mix of chill-trance & ambient electronica to convey feelings of boundless freedom!

Artist Name / Track Title / Album Title
Tangerine Dream / Catwalk (Dress-Up Mix) / The Dream Mixes
Schiller / Klangwelten / Sun
Ben Blackett / Deep Currents / Portals
Unusual Cosmic Process / Parhelic Circle / Frames of Silence
Giuseppe Dio / Over the Clouds / The Phoenix
Dream Twice / Begin / Enta
Jim Ottaway / The Skies the Limit / When Eternity Touches Time
ELEON / Last Flight Home / Flight Lounge
Tigerforest / Constellations / Discovery
Dlaivison / Ouverture / Aeon
Astral Fogg / Timelessness (Eternal Remix) / A Breath of Fresh Air


Thursday, September 10, 2020

Album Review: Directions by Kenneth Hooper

Kenneth Hooper is a Texas-born composer and assorted flute player who initially started out playing bass guitar. In 1994, after moving to Redwood, California, he picked up his first flute at a penny whistle workshop, which eventually accompanied him everywhere while on a subsequent trip to the Amazon jungle. Upon returning to the states, he was gifted a Native American flute that he also learned to play. This led to the formation of a musical duo with his friend Garth D. Brooks under the name Elysium Calling, with whom he released two albums. Another creative path would open up for Kenneth when he entered a healing arts certificate program in San Francisco called Sound, Voice and Music, which led to the subsequent release of his debut solo double-album titled Directions.

Characterized by spaciously woven organic soundscapes ranging from gently uplifting to deeply lulling, the album features Anasazi and Chinese Xiao flutes as lead instruments throughout. Likewise, both Udu and Rav drums add an entrancing quality to several pieces, while melodic acoustic guitar gives a notable Americana flavor to three of the nine tracks total. Disc one is more rhythmic while disc two is more meditative, with the second half of the album especially emphasizing the incorporation of many nature sounds along the way, including whale-song, ocean waves, singing crickets, a flowing stream and windy effects.

One of my favorite pieces, “Directions”, beautifully opens disc one with a super-slow shamanic drum pulse, as flutes, shakers and thunderstorm effects soon enter the picture and gradually pick up pace throughout. Native female vocal chants further enhance the Southwest American atmosphere of the composition and collectively calls imagery to mind of a darkening sky over vast canyon terrain.

Another equally gorgeous piece, “Graceful Expanse” from disc two, conveys a nocturnal Pacific feel with its delicately sensuous flute notes played on the Chinese Xiao in tandem with a tranquilizing Rav drum melody. Likewise, gossamer synth-pads sustained throughout add to the composition’s enthralling ambient haze, which effectively paints enchanting visuals of a misty forest softly illuminated by starlight.

A highly praiseworthy album overall that touches on ambient, acoustic and ethnic fusion musical styles, Directions is the perfect listening experience for anyone drawn to the essences of the earth via beautifully harmonious sounds! ~Candice Michelle

Available at Amazon and other music retailers. For more information, please visit the artist's website.

Monday, September 7, 2020


Another sultrily atmospheric mix of ethno-chill & downtempo world!


Artist Name / Track Title / Album Title
Karl Maddison / Sacred Mountain / On the Road to Tibet
David & Steve Gordon / Ambient Spa / Nirvana Groove
Vellúa / Arran / Ancient Echo (Chapter 1)
Kamarius / Air Element / Elements
Guy Sweens / Sanchi / Universal Language
BlueMonk & Michael Whalen / The Way of the Samurai / Karmic Dreams
Kevin Braheny Fortune / The Courage to Love / Dreamwalker Meditation Music Vol. 2
Sommer Sun / West Sahara / West Sahara [single]
The Haiku Project / Before Sunset / Gratitude
Ananta Govinda / River of Time (feat. Pierre Edel) / Mirror of Desire


Tuesday, September 1, 2020

Album Review: Tranquility II: Mind & Soul by Ambiscend

Darren Rogers is a Texas-based electronic music composer who released his first solo album in 1997. He later formed a duo called Orion’s Belt with the late ambient/electronic musician and acclaimed music reviewer Jim Brenholts, as well as lent production and keyboard talents to a couple of albums by guitarist Vance Sheaks. Further releasing several solo albums and singles since, Rogers’ latest full-length recording, Tranquility II: Mind and Soul, was released under the project name Ambiscend and is the sequel to 2018's Tranquility. Comprised of seven compositions spanning just over an hour, Tranquility II is a mesmerizing display of oceanic-infused soundscapes that are accentuated with celestial and cinematic touches.

Previously released as a single, “First Christmas Snow” opens the album with minimalist classical sensibilities of subtle poignancy, making it perfectly suited to a wintry film score. Soothing ocean waves introduce the next piece, “The Calling of the Sea”, which follows with gentle whale-song amid shimmering tonal mists. Like much of the album, its evocative of marine life and underwater kingdoms, often bearing reminiscence to some of the environmental-themed albums that Medwyn Goodall releases on his label by artists like Midori, Paul Sills and Wychazel.

Additionally, twinkling star effects descend upon mysterious passages like “And the Stars Reflection Upon the Ocean” and “Gaze to the Stars”, while the watery “Moonlight Serenity” atmospherically captures our glowing lunar companion’s glistening reflection.

On both “Beyond the Horizon” and the final piece, “The Soul’s Calling”, ethereal vocal intonations seemingly transmit that of a siren calling from beneath the waves. Featuring also the solemn touch of Armenian duduk, the hauntingly beautiful closer paints a solitary scene of sailing through a sea fog.

A remarkably resplendent album from Darren Rogers – and possibly his best to date, Tranquility II: Mind and Soul conveys an enchantingly serene sonic journey throughout that will appeal to stargazers and seafarers alike! ~Candice Michelle



Available at Amazon and Bandcamp.