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review by Bill Binkelman Drawing inspiration from classical music, keyboard player William Paul pays musical homage to that noblest of creatures, the horse and succeeds in capturing many of the animal's fine qualities, whether via portrayals of mythical creatures ("Pegasus Flight," "Centaurs") or musical images borne from reality ("Arabians in the Desert" "Andalusian Renewal"). Paul emphasizes the animal's strength, beauty and charm, usually through the use of his orchestral instrumentation or his overt new age textures (e.g. twinkling bell tones). For most of the album, his sampled classical instruments are excellent, only sometimes being less than ideal (a normal pitfall for musicians, especially on solo strings and solo winds). There are also a few brief moments on selected tracks where the emotion imparted by the music strays a little too close to over-the-top melodrama for my taste (such as the crescendos of "Andalusian Renewal"), but Paul does a creditable job at keeping things on the subtler side of things for the most part. Many of the thirteen selections are unabashedly romantic in nature, painted with broad sweeping melodies, although some tracks begin low key, e.g. the mystical start to the album-opening "Dance of the Unicorn" (displaying Paul's other strong suit, that being a knack for incorporating classic electronic new age music elements in with neo-classical ones). For an independent release, the mix on the recording is very solid, especially given that there are so many sounds to balance out. The echoed triangle, e.g., in the aforementioned "Dance of..." sits just to the left of the strings while bells are to the right and back -- well done! "Pegasus Flight" opens with muted new age chimes set against piano and soft plucked strings, before "taking flight" in dramatic fashion with a literal crescendo of violins, cymbals, and swaying melody. Solo flute, thumping tom toms, and harp arpeggios all come into play later on as the song seems to celebrate the wonder of the mythological creature's flight. Some songs are pronouncedly classical, e.g. "Magic Ponies" which has the elegant feel of a Viennese waltz. "Asian Moon Mare," sees Paul using sampled shakuhachi flute and koto to lend the track an appropriately Far Eastern sound, mixed with warm washes of keyboards and a sense of gentle whimsy. "Arabians in the Desert" has an air of desolation at the start and, as you might expect, Paul brings ethnic percussion elements into play, as well as a rocking sense of musical rhythm in a manner to evoke trekking across the desert. Paul can also quiet things down, as he does on the somber and reflective "Lonely Horse Caravan," which also has a desert-like sound to it, this time carrying faint echoes of the Middle East, Egypt or northern Africa through the use of wind instruments characteristic of that region. You'd expect a song with the title "Fallen Horse Tribute" to be mournful, and of course it is, with the melancholy lead melody carried by a sampled wooden flute while synth strings reinforce the sad mood. Solo oboe and/or soprano sax takes the lead later and the mood descends even deeper into a feeling of loss and pain. Liner notes detail the source for each track's inspiration. While I resonated with the album's intent, it was the charming music and sure-handedness that Paul displays with his considerable and daunting task that won me over. While not without some flaws, Horse Dreams is a well-executed homage that holds appeal for lovers of romantic and (for the most part) dramatic neo-classical music played on electronic sampled keyboards with a dash of traditional new age music elements sprinkled throughout the CD. You don't need to be a horse lover to appreciate the care and quality that Paul brings to the recording, although it obviously will help you connect to the themes and intent. In either case, I recommend the album. |
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