Dream [Original recording reissued]

Kitaro, ??? | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 26, 1999)
• Original Release Date: 1992
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Original recording reissued
• Label: Domo Records
• ASIN: B00001ZWFT
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (24 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #78,212 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Featuring the vocals of Yes’ Jon Anderson, Dream is full of awe-inspiring moments that revolve around the themes of the spiritual, romanticism and love. It is beautifully scored with Kitaro’s signature sound along with orchestral instrumentation.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

24 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the Best Albums Ever, December 10, 1999

By 

"winterhastener" (OREGON, WORLD) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Dream (Audio CD)

I checked this CD out from the local library. It was only one of 2 Kitaro CDs there. I didn't look at the cover before listening so I thought, "who is that voice?" It was beautiful and exciting and new. Then I learned that it was John Anderson from Yes, which may not mean much to you, but has special significance for me. Regardless, this album gets better each time you listen to it - the great ones always do. This CD shouldn't only be listed under New Age, it should be listed under Great Albums. It's hard to describe, but if you're trying to fight depression, listening to this album very loudly will lift your spirits and stir up those places in your Soul that you long ago forgot.

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars My all time favorite CD, November 1, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Dream (Audio CD)

This is an extraordinary collection of songs that takes you on a real spiritural journey. Jon Anderson celestial-voice-enhanced tracks give a more modern sound to it keeping the best "Ethnic Fusion" and Oriental traditions of Kitaro's music right at the forefront. I believe this is the best CD I have ever heard in my entire life.

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Kitaro meets Yes?? Japan meets Europe?? A fine new age album, October 16, 2003

By 

Jeffery K. Matheus (Indianapolis, IN United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Dream (Audio CD)

I have always been a big fan of this album, ever since I first heard it at a friends house on it's day of release back in 1992. The sometimes majestic, sometimes mystical sounds of Japanese new age keyboard-master Kitaro make the perfect backdrop for the high-pitched, ethereal vocals of Jon Anderson (lead vocalist of legendary prog-rockers Yes, as well as a new age/prog solo artist in his own right.) The album is divided fairly evenly between the rich instrumental compositions that Kitaro is most well-known for, and the slighly more pop/rock flavored vocal collaborations with Anderson. Of the instrumental works, "Symphony of the Forest", "A Passage of Life" & "Sympony of Dreams" stand out as the most memorable and melodic; although perhaps revealing a more downbeat/melancholy side of Kitaro's work. All three of these tracks are richly orchestrated and make good use of arrangement & dynamics. Another of the instrumental pieces, "A Drop of Life", is a far more minamalistic composition that leaves the listeners with a tranquil, peaceful feeling (while still maintaining a haunting melodicism.) Although Kitaro is probably most acclaimed as a composer, he certainly should not be underestimated as a synthesist/keyboard player - to my ears he has one of the most original and instantly-recoginzable sounds of anyone in the electronic music feild, bar none. Speaking of instantly-recongnizable; Jon Anderson, who also provided all of the lyrics for this album, lends his distinct voice to four tracks here, although Jon's fans will be happy to know that they are the longest tracks on the album! Anderson once said on his website that "Dream" was one of the most enjoyable and fullfilling projects that he has ever participated in (rating it even higher than his frequent collaborations with Vangelis), and his enthusiasm for the material really shows through. I hate to use this cliche, but Anderson's voice literally 'soars' on the robust & lyrical "Lady of Dreams" (a fairly "progressive" tune than fluctuates between lightness & power.) The darker-toned & dramatic "Agreement" sqeezes an even more impressive vocal performance from Anderson's unique pipes, and Kitaro's band backs him up brilliantly (this track is nicely colored with a rich pallet of percussion, synths, and sitar sounds; and the way that the arrangement builds in intensity towards the end is quite stunning!) Clocking in at over 9 minutes, the emotional album closer, "Island of Dreams", has a flavor not unlike some of Yes' more dreamy/ethereal pieces (think of the "Going For the One"/"Tormato"-era), and it is a track that beatifully plays-up both Kitaro's and Anderson's distinct musicial sensibilities. (I also really love the guitar soloing at the end of the this final track. However, because 3 different guitar players are credited in the liner notes, I'm not sure who to give credit to!) Anderson can also briefly be heard chanting (along with his wife/frequent musical collaborator, Jane Anderson) on the track "Dream of Chant", although, to my ears, it is perhaps the weakest track on the album. In fact, the only reason that I must rate this release at less than a perfect 5 stars is that two subsequent tracks on the last half of the album, namely "Dream of Chant", & "Magical Wave", seem somehat weak & unmelodic compared with the numirable strengths of the other tracks. Still, this is an extremely minor critisism of an otherwise excellent work. All in all, this is a must for any fan of Kitaro or Jon Anderson. I hope that once day we will see these two master musicians working together again.