Constellations

Balmorhea | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (February 23, 2010)
• Original Release Date: 2010
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Western Vinyl
• ASIN: B0030ZOYF4
• Also Available in: Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #139,900 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

"Swells of Stravinsky, the mercurial keyboard majesty of Debussy, the triadbased romanticism of Arvo Pärt, the clangorous sensuality of Keith Jarrett, the electronics-meet-acoustics approach of Max Richter, and the beaming melodic flashes of the Takoma Records cartel." -- Pitchfork

"Minimalist, cinematic music that combines modern, experimental acoustic sounds with classical qualities." -- NPR, Second Stage

Balmorhea's previous album was intensely physical, exploring the freedom and isolation of settlers of an untamed frontier. By contrast, Constellations shifts focus to the cosmos and beyond, meditating solemnly on the mystical and metaphysical. The disarming simplicity of the tracks proves that Balmorhea doesn't need dense arrangements full of 180-degree turns to craft deeply affecting compositions.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Intriguing, April 23, 2010

By 

D. Lambert (United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Constellations (Audio CD)

A very talented group of musicians. Much is done with volume and silence in this work, and the compositions are quite beautiful. There is a haunting, elegiac quality to most of this album; and bright, hopeful musical moments exist in between the darker ones. Expect an instrumental work, a cross of ambient/classical/folk music, no words. Put this album on and meditate equally on the rain and the sunshine that follows.

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Beautiful, Unexpected Departure, April 3, 2010

By 

J. Cordes - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Constellations (MP3 Download)

This isn't Balmorhea's previous album (All Is Wild, All Is Silent) with the same formula kicked up a notch; Constellations is an entirely different creature and takes some patience. But it's so rewarding if you can sit down and spend some time with it.

2 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars depressing, March 23, 2010

By 

L. Petix "not a real critic" (rochester, ny USA) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Constellations (Audio CD)

I guess I didn't know what I was getting into,the samples seemed interesting enough. But this is down right depressing music. I don't find it uplifting or enlightening or atmospheric or any other new-age pronoun. It's just really slow and heavy.