PGM 338: HYPNOTIC VOYAGE 7

A mind-bending excursion into psychill & space trance.

TIME / ARTIST / TRACK / ALBUM
00:20 / Divine Matrix / Moon Freighter / Sequencer Drift
05:40 / GMO & Dense / Hitchhiker Through Gravity / Hitchhiker Through Gravity
10:30 / Argus / Wait for Me / The Architect of Time
17:54 / Dreaming Cooper / Crystal Cave / Mysterious Places
24:40 / Rising Galaxy / Midnight Sunset / Midnight Sunset
32:30 / Echo Season / Gravity Assist / Solarmetric
40:30 / Cosmic Cadence / Eclipse / Eclipse
46:51 / Joystick / Entanglement / The Landing
50:25 / S1gns Of L1fe / Collective Awakening / The Age of Cymatics

Journeyscapes DJ Set: Imaginary Boundaries 2

A cinematic chillscape of surreal ambient electronica.

TIME / ARTIST / TRACK / ALBUM-EP-SINGLE
00:20 / Sine / Caught in Time / Einklang
04:41 / Michael Whalen / Imaginary Trains / Imaginary Trains
08:42 / Divine Matrix / Blue Origin / Journeys
13:55 / Cosmic Cadence / Coriolis Effect / Eclipse
21:11 / Keith Richie / There Are Other Worlds Than These / Epica
24:48 / Robert Fox / The Serpent’s Tail / Timeless Vol. 2 (Best of 2005-2022)
30:10 / Delerium / Metaphor / Semantic Spaces
37:45 / Santiago Trigueros / Daydreamer / Daydreamer
42:49 / ELEON / Dive / Hidden in Time
48:26 / David Helpling / Slipping (featuring Miriam Stockley) / IN

Album Review: Imaginary Trains by Michael Whalen

Review by Candice Michelle

One consistent thing I’ve come to expect from Michael Whalen is that I never know where his endless flow of creativity will lead him next. A distinguished composer, producer and Emmy Award winner, Whalen effortlessly moves through various musical styles and influences ranging from ambient to jazz, film score, solo piano and experimental fusions of different genres.

His most recent album Imaginary Trains notably recaptures the melodic ambient and euphoric chill vibes of previous masterworks like Sacred Spaces and Dream Cycle, while at times incorporating subtle touches of the colorfully vibrant nu-jazz elements of his prior 2021 album Future Shock.

Comprised of eleven compositions spanning just under an hour, Imaginary Trains could be described as sleek and sophisticated ambient-electronica that mesmerizingly elevates the soul and ignites the imagination with its bubbling and buoyantly complex three-dimensional spheres of sound. Cycling and shimmering sequencer patterns characterize most of the arrangements, which are often led by soaring synth-horn melodies that convey a sustained mood throughout of emotional suspense and elegant sensuality.

From the opening title track, “Imaginary Trains”, the listener embarks on a whimsical voyage through a seemingly utopian dream-world that simultaneously feels tangible yet surreal. “Against the Sky” follows with an equally lush arrangement and sultry bass-laden chill groove that sends this piece to the top of my favorites on the album.

Whalen enlists the guest performance of Grammy Award winning artist Ricky Kej, who lends a delicate touch of Indian instrumentation on the third track “Across the World to Be With You”.

The fifth track, “The Wayward Sun”, is especially noteworthy for its glistening aquatic textures and haunting atmospheric tension that subtly recalls the mystique of Tangerine Dream’s film song classic “Love on a Real Train”.

The closing “Distance” features singer Donna Lewis whose breathy soprano voice casts a magical haze upon this dream-pop soundscape of serenity and sunshine!

~Candice Michelle for Journeyscapes 

For more information please visit the artist's website. Imaginary Trains is also available at Bandcamp, Amazon and Apple Music.

Journeyscapes DJ Set: Infinite Dreams 6

A lushly chilled electronica mix to convey a waking dream state!

ARTIST / TRACK TITLE / ALBUM TITLE
Frank Borell / Let’s Go Far Away (Ethnocussion Mix) / Best of Del Mar, Vol. 10
Oliver Schlolaut & Frank Doberitz / Missing You (Beauty Vocal Mix) / Best of Chill & Lounge 2017
Giuseppe Dio / Rebirth / The Phoenix
The Starseeds / Parallel Life (Nova Nova Club Mix) / Parallel Life [EP]
Time Traveler / Repeat That Day / Sky Falter
Atlantis / Paradiese II / Logic Trance 2
Artenovum / Dream Away (Deep Moods Chillout Mix) / Offline, Vol. 2
Jean Mare / Ageless (Allmira Enigmatic Mix) / Seven Dreams
Michael L. Rogers / Energy Transformation / Energy Transformation
Delerium / Flatlands / Semantic Spaces
ELEON / Stepping Stones in Time / Crossover

Album Review: The Phoenix by Giuseppe Dio

Review by Candice Michelle

Giuseppe Dio is an Italian electronic music composer and photographer who has released several impressive albums ranging from atmospheric space to chill-out trance.

His most recent album, The Phoenix, is named after a mythical firebird that was said to come from paradise and fill the skies with its heavenly voice. According to ancient Greek legend, this creature was associated with the Phoenicians of antiquity, a maritime people inhabiting present-day Lebanon, who spread their empire throughout other parts of the Levant and Mediterranean coastal areas. Perhaps then, it’s more than mere coincidence that Giuseppe has effectively, even intuitively, rekindled the spirit of this mysterious civilization, and possibly even recalled a hidden piece of his own ancestral past through this magically magnificent album.

Drawing upon both vintage and modern electronic music styles across several decades, The Phoenix revisits much of the sonic framework that permeated his 2017 album Lights, Shadows and Colors, once again combining elements of ambient, trance-dance and electronic film score motifs.

Spanning 72 minutes long, The Phoenix is comprised of 18 dynamic compositions that majestically takes off with the first track, “Flight of the Phoenix”. Somewhat reminiscent of Jean-Michel Jarre, whirling cosmic patterns are expressed through melodic sequencing, choral-synths and thundering clouds of percussion.

Imparting a sense of euphoria, the hi-energy “Magic Freedom” ensues with bouncy keyboard notes amid a trance-dance beat, as one might imagine a phoenix flying over a fantasy island paradise.

The sensual yet transcendent “Rebirth” is easily my favorite track on the album, with its soaring lead guitar synths, dreamy vocalizations and encompassing slow-tempo drum-kick casting an imposing and mysterious presence throughout that pleasantly echoes Enigma.

“Long Road” is another magical highlight conveying a theme of both old-world and futuristic fantasy melded together, as a beautiful bell-tone melody is juxtaposed with robotic sequencers amid a fluid trance rhythm.  

Additionally, the dance anthem “Landscapes” showcases a sublimely infectious melody and beat signature evocative of colorful laser lights bouncing around a classic European discotheque.

The mythical phoenix continues to soar on other soul-elevating favorites like “Over the Clouds” in fantastical adventure mode, which is introduced by mechanical bleeps that smoothly progress into an instantly memorable synth-string melody.

Concluding with the positively sublime “Sunday Morning”, shades of Vangelis imbue an epic chill-out soundscape set to a mid-tempo beat, as the phoenix flies away into the distant horizon.

Bearing stylistic similarities throughout to Jean-Michel Jarre, Energy 52 and Orbital, The Phoenix is classic European electronic chill and dance music that could be described as ‘dream trance’. Easily rivaling – if not topping – Lights, Shadows and Colors in terms of compositional arrangement, melodic beauty and the euphoric experience the album offers, The Phoenix is sure to appeal to electronic music fans across multiple generations past, present and future!

~Candice Michelle for Journeyscapes Radio

For more information, please visit Giuseppe Dio's website. The Phoenix is also available at Amazon, Apple Music and more.

Album Review: Sound Condition by Nicholas Gunn

Review by Candice Michelle

UK native and veteran composer, producer, arranger and music engineer, Nicholas Gunn, returns with his hotly anticipated third album in the Balearic chill/ambient-trance genre titled Sound Condition. With a professional recording career spanning several decades, Gunn became a household name in the new age/world music scene during the early 1990s, having since evolved and progressed through a myriad of sensuous soundscapes on his many solo and collaborative recordings over the years.

An immediately striking element that sets Sound Condition somewhat apart from Gunn’s prior two chill-out albums is the return of his enchanting flute melodies that became a defining signature hallmark of global fusion albums such as the American Southwest themed Music of the Grand Canyon and the Latin extravaganza Thirty-One Nights. With Sound Condition, Gunn has perfectly re-integrated this old familiar friend into the framework of the ultra-chilled vocal trance stylings (courtesy again of Alina Renae) and sequenced synth-patterns of his newfound musical motifs.

A sensual “Unfolding” introduces the first track, which combines haunting flute and subtle guitar with drifting piano figures. A gradual build-up of hi-hats and trance-loops impart an emotional tension amidst a spacious breath of underlying calm, like deep still waters concealed beneath raging tides.

A euphoric aesthesis descends upon “Shine” which employs encircling piano drops and electric guitar shimmers amid a churning ocean rhythm, effectively evoking a sunny paradise island with birds soaring above the seascape.

Edging up the pace ever slightly more is “Angels”, wherein the familiar vocals of Alina Renae lend their lyrical sultriness to yet another Balearic chill anthem.

Dipping back into a more nocturnal pensive mood, the instrumental title track, “Sound Condition”, slowly rises and falls throughout to a gently cruising pace. Continuing along this vibe while also circling us back to the opening track is the sensually sacred “My Body is a Temple”, one of my favorite pieces on the album. Drifting along a floating dreamscape, the familiar flute returns along with emotive piano and guitar figures, as a stirring sense of passion that’s been seemingly restrained begins to emerge like a flame from a nighttime fog.

Alina returns for the urban-tinged “Broken”, a downtempo clubby track that imparts feelings of longing while lounging to the groove.

“Language” speaks to us in the form of chill-trance waves of intermediary calm and swirling synth blasts. Easing right into the intimate space of “Just Us”, Alina lends a soulful melody to an atmospheric haze.

Continuing with the “Flow”, this mysterious flute-led piece is another favorite of mine wherein crystalline textures illuminate a watery environ like a bioluminescent tide under starlit skies.

Closing out the album with Alina’s final vocal performance, “The Promise” strikes a perfect balance between celebration and serenity.

“Music gives life to everything” as Nicholas Gunn says, and Sound Condition perfectly exemplifies all that music has to offer to the senses, emotions, and boundless imagination. Having spent the earlier part of this year and the summer by Atlantic-Mediterranean shores, likewise the album’s sonic brilliance beckons us like the irresistible call of the sea!

~Candice Michelle for Journeyscapes Radio

For more information, please visit Nicholas Gunn's website. Sound Condition is also available at Amazon, Apple Music and more.

PGM 282: Infinite Dreams 5

Lushly mesmerizing ambient-electronica to convey a waking dream state!

Artist Name / Track Title / Album-EP-Single
Apples from Mars / She is the One / Apple Number One
Tigerforest / Amankila / Discovery
Eguana / Negative Charge / Destiny, Vol. 2
Ethereal Pilgrim / Star Formation / To the Edge of the Universe
Kerensa Stephens & Rheon feat. Connor Vosh / Rehua / Supernature
Infinite Dreamer & Solarsoul / Sunset Eclipse (Solarsoul Guitar Mix) / Sunset Eclipse
Sambox / Taman Sari / Le Son du Miramar
Aviron / Farthest Star / Farthest Star
Sverre Knut Johansen / Dreams Beyond / Dreams Beyond

Album Review: Portals by Ben Blackett

One of the best musical discoveries this year hails from recording artist Ben Blackett with his magnificent album Portals. Comprised of 9 compositions spanning approximately 42 minutes, Portals takes the listener on an epic chill-out escapade that seemingly transgresses the boundaries of natural, supernatural and technological realms. Brightly euphoric yet blissfully serene, Portals is atmospherically resplendent and radiant. Processed piano and electric guitar melodies are woven among translucent electronic textures, quasi-gothic choirs, ethereal vocal washes and semi-muffled grooves, which collectively create an overall dreamlike haze. Imparting sights, sounds and sensations of the elements, electricity and energy, the compositions on Portals variably evoke mesmerizing images of the sun, the stars, the rain and the sea.

Highlights include “Last Rays of the Sun” wherein majestically soaring guitar and ascending choral figures are interspersed with exotic vocal touches. Conveying a magical and mythical quality, the piece brings-to-mind that of riding on a Pegasus across a sunlit sky. My absolute favorite is “Quiet Stillness” with its sun-kissed atmosphere and ecstatic mood. Here, swirling tonal layers and encompassing muted rhythms impart feelings of being caressed by warm ocean waves and glistening soft sand, resulting in a gorgeously lush, sensual soundscape. Likewise noteworthy is “Essence” with its chill-trance rhythm underscoring psychedelic patterns of color and light, as well as “Deep Currents” with its ecstatic wordless vocals weaving in-and-out of a colorful waterscape.

A breathtakingly beautiful sonic adventure, the experience of listening to Portals is one that evokes liberating sensations of flying and floating. An absolute must-have album for fans of melodic ambient and chill-out electronica, Portals is sure to evoke feelings of peace, positivity, creativity and freedom! ~Candice Michelle

Available at Amazon, Bandcamp & iTunes.

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

PGM 264: Sidereal Highway 2

A trance-ambient mix inspired by scenic drives under cosmic skies!  

Artist Name / Track Title / Album Title
Ben Blackett / Essence / Portals
Tigerforest / Trade Winds / Discovery
Zero Cult / Moonlight Run (Side Liner Remix) / Moonlight Run Remixes
Eguana / I Can Fly / No Magic
Le Voyage / Breathe (Overfly mix) / Senses of a Magic Fairytale
Russ Gabriel / Airbourne / Amberdelic Space
Glint / Nearness / Estival Arvo
Alien Mutation / Exotic Ocean / Chill Out Trance, Vol. 2
Dream Twice / Velenum / Raneous
Kamarius / Sequenced Delight / A Gate to Eternity
Liam Thomas / Interstellar / Time & Space
Stephanie Sante / Photonic Memories / Dark Matter Evolution

PGM 262: Destination Paradise 5

Another chilled mix of trance ambient & dreamy downtempo inspired by exotic getaways!

Artist Name / Track Title / Album Title
Dream Twice / Dosada / Enta
Tigerforest (ft. Aly Frank) / Away / Discovery
Schiller (ft. Kate Havnevik) / Velvet Aeroplane / Sun (Chill Out Edition)
Nicholas Gunn / Sailing / Pacific Blue
Le Voyage / Magic of the Senses (the secret garden mix) / Chill Sunset Maretimo Vol. 1
Kamarius / Rise to Paradise / Enigmatic Traveler
Side Liner & Eguana / Forgot to Say I Love You / Trilogy, Vol. 2 [single]
Le Voyage / Late Night (step by step cut) / Spring Time Vol. 8
Whitewildbear / Fine / Fine [single]
La Estación del Mar / Sol de los Andes / Landscapes
Gregory Paul Mineeff (ft. Kerensa Stephens) / A New Gesture (Eguana Remix) / A New Gesture [EP]
August Eve / Ashes / Ashes In A Vase [EP]

Album Review: Pacific Blue by Nicholas Gunn

Nicholas Gunn is an English recording artist who first rose to prominence in the early 1990s with his innovate soundscape music that explored themes of the American Southwest. Among his iconic works include the landmark albums The Sacred Fire and The Music of the Grand Canyon, which helped to shape what was then an emerging style of music commonly dubbed ‘ethnic fusion’, and having remained widely popular since. But these days Gunn has shifted his focus from world flute vistas to electronic dance culture with his trance music recording moniker Limelght. He’s also continued releasing works under his own name, but in a more ambient/chillout style that's on similar par with Schiller, Blank & Jones or (Above and Beyond presents) Oceanlab.

Following his stunning 2019 full-length release, Riding the Thermals, Gunn has returned with the equally enthralling Pacific Blue for another sensual voyage into Balearic ambient-trance. Drawing much of its inspiration from the ocean, the album paints vivid images of open waters, sunny seacoasts and endlessly blue horizons.



The gorgeous opener “Into the Vastness” sets sail with dance-trance sequencer patterns accentuated by sparse piano notes and cinematic swells, which effectively evoke oceanic waves crashing upon the shore. Joining Gunn once again on a handful of cuts is singer Alina Renae. Her sultry vocals deliver accessible melodies on highlights like “Fallen” and “Out from the Deep”, which perfectly compliment the overall beachy and breezy vibe of the compositions. My favorite piece on here is “Sailing”, an epic chill-trance instrumental that intensely bursts forth with electrifying passion while culminating into a whirlpool of sonic ecstasy. Additionally layering in both fluidly electric and warmly acoustic guitars along the way, Gunn's lushly organic-electronic soundscapes often convey a sense of euphoric escapism and wishful longing.

An indisputable musical legend in the realm of atmospheric and electronic music, Nicholas Gunn can demonstrably transition from one style of music to the next, both masterfully and authentically. Another supremely blissful offering from one of ambient/chillout’s finest, Pacific Blue is a must-have album that deserves to be on everyone’s summer playlist! ~Candice Michelle



Available at Amazon and other music retail and streaming platforms. 

Also check out our exclusive audio interview with Nicholas Gunn that we conducted earlier last year here.

PGM 258: Earth Trek 3

Another nature themed mix of lush atmospheres and smooth grooves inspired by Earth Day!

Artist Name / Track Title / Album Title
ELEON (feat. David Helpling) / Terra Sanctuary / Dreams Beyond Terra
Tigerforest & Der Waldläufer / Mountains / Discovery
J.P.illusion / Bare Trees / Bare Trees
Erik Wøllo & Byron Metcalf / Light and Ground / Earth Luminous
ll nøthing ll / Oxygen / Artificial Nature
Twilight Pilot / Gaia / Chill Out Trance Vol. 2
Kamarius / Native Landscapes / The Flow of Life
Hibernation / Beautiful Sky (Ambient Version) / Ambient Re:Works 01
Sverre Knut Johansen / Flying Birds / Earth From Above
Nicholas Gunn (feat. Alina Renae) / Out from the Deep / Pacific Blue
Solarsoul / Tears of the Earth (Original Chillout Mix) / Heart and Soul of the Earth

PGM 255: Imaginary Boundaries

A mesmerizing sound voyage beyond the limits of the mind!

Artist Name / Track Title / Album Title
Schiller / Die Farben der Nacht / Morgenstund
Michael Whalen / Sacred Spaces / Sacred Spaces
Rising Galaxy / Lovers in the Rain / Acceleration
La Estacion Del Mar / Melek in Alfeti / Landscapes
Frank Borell / Enter the Light (Buddha Gold Mix) / Autumn Breeze, Vol. 2
Stan Dart / Distant Life (Deep Space Mix) / Retrospective
Isophene / In This Wind / Reverbatory
Sinius & Atmospheric Research / Sailing Through (ft. Ulrich Schnauss) / Hypnotic Gestures
Cocogroove / Caribbean Secrets (Buena Vista Mix) / Caribbean Secrets
Imprum / Wind / Trilogy, Vol. 3

PGM 250: Future Dreams 5

Another euphoric mix of chilled electronica to take us into the new year!

Artist Name / Track Title / Album Title
Paul Seling / Starlight / Aurora EP
Moonman / Galaxia (Solarsoul Remix) / [single]
OceanLab / Secret / Sirens of the Sea
ELEON (ft. Jeff Pearce) / Floating Just Above You / [single]
Schiller (ft. Moya Brennan) / Falling / Day and Night
Cinematic / Atmos (Romance Mix) / Winter Chillout Lounge 2019
Yahel Sherman (ft. Melanie) / Bomb Creator / Superset
Sine / Colour Shades / Cosmic Chill Lounge Vol. 8
Sean Hayman / Jupiter (Milky Way Cut) / Full Moon Chill Vol. 3
Artenovum / It’s Hard (Vocal Mix) / Best Sound of Chill & Lounge 2017
Frank Borell / Distance Voices (Over the Islands Mix) / Spring Lounge 2019
Silky Wave / Under My Skin / Cosmic Chill Lounge, Vol. 7
Eguana / Feel Happiness / Synchronicity

Artist Spotlight: An Interview with Nicholas Gunn

We’re honored to present an audio interview with the legendary Nicholas Gunn, where we’ll be discussing his new album entitled Riding the Thermals. He initially rose to prominence in the early 1990’s with his unique brand of Southwest American-flavored world music and landmark albums like The Sacred Fire and Music of the Grand Canyon. He later founded Gemini Sun Records which released notable works by other trailblazing artists such as David Arkenstone and Johannes Linstead.

More recently, Nicholas Gunn signed with the dance music label giant Armada Music as his trance music act name Limelght. Released under his own name, his latest album, Riding the Thermals, is a sultry chill-out offering of ambient trance music. So please tune-in for some insightful conversation and a taste of musical paradise!

Album Review: Dreams Beyond Terra by ELEON

Dreams Beyond Terra is the debut album from electronica recording artist ELEON who co-produced this project with guitarist and ambient musician David Helpling. Comprised of twelve engrossing compositions, Dreams Beyond Terra is a sonically epic and soulfully elevating listening excursion into euphoric ‘chill’ and downtempo-trance. Likewise, some cuts feature Helpling on electric guitar, which he ethereally weaves into these lushly majestic soundscapes.

Sounding off this fantastical journey is “Species Communicating”, a piece that immediately conveys a rapturous sense of travel by flight with its pronounced bassline and steady trance-dance rhythm. Seemingly unbounded by any specific locality, it’s as if one is viewing oceans and landscapes while soaring high above the earth. Moving next into “Terra Sanctuary”, breathy vocal intonations add another element of intrigue to what could be described as a ‘chill-trance’ anthem. Tracks like “Carbon Beings” and “Bionic Travelers” employ the kinds of digital sequencing and heavy downtempo beats that often characterize ‘psybient’ music, except that the overall mood here tends to the more euphoric and extrospective as opposed to the psychedelic and introspective. My favorite composition herein is the mesmerizingly beautiful “Earth to Heavenly Places”, with its title perfectly summarizing the overall feel of the album. Sensually trippy and fantasy-like, softly-uttered female vocals lightly scattered among the piece lends it an extra dimension of mystifying intrigue. “Will Your Heart Dance with Mine” is the most subdued and light-bodied track on the album, with its subtle rhythm and ethereal synth-pads conveying a floating airiness that pleasantly recalls some material from Bryan Carrigan’s Inspired album.



Integrating trance, downtempo and ambient musical concepts for an end-result that will appeal to a wide-range of electronic music lovers, Dreams Beyond Terra easily makes the short-list for this year’s finest electronica albums! ~Candice Michelle



Available at Amazon, Bandcamp and other music retail & streaming platforms.

Album Review: Colors of the Ambient Sky by David Arkenstone

David Arkenstone is unquestionably one of the most important and versatile recording artists in “new age” and related genres of music – having released over 60 studio albums over three decades. Very few musicians have so profoundly mastered the plethora of styles that Arkenstone has – his musical endeavors encompassing everything from classic 80’s-style “new age” – to ambient, electronica, cinematic, neoclassical, world, pop and soundtrack music. If I were asked to name my favorite Arkenstone album, his 2010 magnum opus, Ambient World, would be in the top-running for that title. And that’s way I’m ecstatic to announce that his latest release, titled Colors of the Ambient Sky, is like Ambient World’s long-awaited sequel that I’d be yearning for, yet which I thought would never arrive. Comprised of 9 compositions spanning 47 minutes, Colors of the Ambient Sky is a stunning sonic venture into the best that ambient, downtempo and chill-trance music have to offer – all composed in Arkenstone’s unmistakably familiar style.

The spellbinding first track, “Parallel World”, opens with deep space drones before transitioning into signature Arkenstone ambient territory. A keyboard figure enters that feels equal parts Tangerine Dream and Patrick O’Hearn, followed by a bouncy chill-trance rhythm. Right away, this cut signals that Arkenstone has picked up – with ease – right where his landmark Ambient World album left off. “Red Sun” opens with sequenced bells over synth pads that soon lead into a serene meditation before a slow groove appears. There’s also a beautiful section in this piece where the rhythm disappears for a moment – hence, seemingly no one can create musical drama like Arkenstone. Although “Starlight, Starbright” may bring-to-mind a children’s nursery song, on this album, the third track that bears this title is a sensually gorgeous and moody composition, which encompasses different eras of electronic, ambient and space music. Throughout, lonely piano notes hover amid mesmerizing chords and a sexy downtempo rhythm, while a keyboard solo at the end of the piece is an exercise in beautiful restraint.

“Darkness Descending” majestically lives up to its title, as one can easily envision the stars appearing one-by-one in the encroaching night sky in tandem with the pulsating sequencer patterns that Arkenstone begins the song with. Blissfully reminiscent of the music of Carbon Based Lifeforms, this composition’s main pattern of notes never disappears, as additional layers are brought in, which are set to a hypnotic ambient-trance rhythm. Where this track has us looking upon descending darkness, the next one, “Rainbow Galaxy”, is a truly multi-colored piece of music. Here, synth figures move back-and-forth in the stereo field, as a slow groove supplies a beautiful backdrop for glittering, dance-like chords. “Blue Lightning” conveys a great mystery, as if one is contemplating the vastness of space and time. I can almost detect a touch of old-school Depeche Mode in this piece, as percolating bass brings us back to earth just in time for an instant chill-trance beat.

“Lonely Satellite” is perhaps the most visually evocative piece on the album and aptly conveys a solitary satellite floating high above earth while listening. Unlike the other tracks herein, there’s no rhythm on this free-floating composition – just beautifully drifting spaces and subtle melodic keyboards. The somewhat foreboding “Visitors” – of which its title might suggest extraterrestrial visitation – starts off with a most haunting synth pattern along with what sounds like gentle rain in the background. One of my favorites on the album, the strong element of mystery is certainly palpable in this song, as a hypnotic beat propels it into new territory. The final track, “Ascension”, begins with a classic new age choral feel – ala Constance Demby or Vangelis – before a sequenced series of notes introduces the main rhythm and melodic theme. As the title implies, it’s an uplifting song, yet nevertheless retains the mysterious mood that Arkenstone has created throughout the previous compositions. The song seemingly concludes with a musical question mark conveyed by its closing chords floating in the air, unresolved.

A brilliant sonic masterpiece from start to finish, Colors of the Ambient Sky easily places in the running for the top album of the year. Likewise, an essential traveling companion due to its addictive juxtaposition of simultaneously relaxing and rhythmic elements, I’ve found that not since the release of Enigma’s The Fall of a Rebel Angel have I listened to an album this often while driving. Not only is Colors of the Ambient Sky an absolute must-have for fans of David Arkenstone, but fans of Enigma and Carbon Based Lifeforms – as well as ambient-electronica and chill-trance in general – are especially likely to relish this album! ~Candice Michelle  

For more information please visit the artist's website. This album is also available on Amazon, iTunes and Google Play.