|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
reviewed by Dene Bebbington Raphael's music is designed for well being and healing and The Intimate Sphere is specifically described as "Zen healing" music. You don't have to buy into new age notions of healing to enjoy this album, or any of his others for that matter. The music on this CD is relaxing and has an organic and earthy quality which I've rarely encountered. Some musicians have a distinctive style or sonic hallmark to their music. This is the case with Raphael Preston. In addition to the organic feel, he sometimes re-uses elements from other albums. The Intimate Sphere has much in common with his other works such as The Healing Circle and The Ambient Field which are mainly ambient in nature, though it's not all non-rhythmic flowing synths by any means. The album is divided into four tracks. The first one, "Tourniquet," [is] the longest at over twenty two minutes; the others range from over five minutes to nearly nine minutes. The piece "Tourniquet" is in the territory of classic long-form ambient; a moderately driving refrain keeps the flow going as tinkling effects and synth washes add atmosphere along with a short melodic refrain which comes in a few times. In a sense this piece does feel like the music equivalent of a tourniquet because it engenders a sense of something exerting pressure. Changing the mood is "Layers," with its rhythms and melodic aspect the listener is taken to a lighter and freer realm of being. In places, there are wordless voice-like sounds, not quite angelic but pleasant, that add to the lightness. Next up is "Spheres," a reverbing synth forms a backdrop against which gentle almost melodic sounds come and go. A clever use of a subtle electronic sound leads one to imagine water somewhere in the distance even though the sound isn't actually of water, more a kind of radio static. In this piece, the listener is transported to another place; it comes close to being spacemusic. The album is finished off with "Traveller," an absorbing track with the caressing sax sound that is heard on some of Raphael's other albums. For me, this is the most relaxing piece; it has a delicate quality, though there is a lot going on musically. If there's an instrumental way to "sing" someone to sleep then "Traveller" would be it, due to the soothing effect - not that it's boring and makes one want to sleep! Overall I think that The Intimate Sphere would make a great addition to one's collection of ambient music. |
|
