|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
review by Dene Bebbington After having written several very well-selling relaxation albums of nature sounds with music put to them (the "Relaxation & Meditation With Music & Nature" series), David Huber has moved on to ambient projects utilising surround sound. Tranquility Base is the first of his forays into this genre. It's billed in the liner notes as "An Ambient Trek into Calm" and does live up to that intent. Those who have an amplifier with Dolby Pro Logic capabilities will be able to get the full listening experience out of the album. I should point out that I only have a normal stereo amp, so this review is not based on hearing it in surround sound or knowing how much that adds to the listening experience. Split across five tracks ranging between eleven and twenty minutes, there's a nice range of styles on the album. Getting it underway is "InnerBase" which has a definite Oriental tinge; throughout the piece, laid-back beeping and Chinese style plucked strings are heard. There are also flute-like effects and obvious, but not too heavy, bass; the result is relaxing and led me to imagine being sat on a boat slowly drifting along a Chinese river. Into the second track "Rennaisance" and the atmosphere becomes quite different as plonky xylophone type sounds play, often in little more than note scales. Added to that are some wordless vocals which must be heavily processed as they sound almost electronic (maybe they are?!), and again there's the use of bass. I won't describe all the tracks in detail. Suffice to say that the flavour of each track is different which adds variety to the album - a good thing since there isn't a lot of variation within tracks. There's no doubt that Tranquility Base does help to instil a sense of calm, and in today's busy world albums like this are valuable. The common element across the whole of the album is the use of bass, which is nicely done as it's not too heavy or intrusive, and some sound samples from nature crop up in several places. I don't have a problem recommending it to help one unwind or just as pleasant background music, though I did find it a little on the bland side in places. |
|
