Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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13 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A flowing, organic thing of haunting beauty, April 30, 1999
This is Rich's strongest, most profound collaborative effort since his outings with Steve Roach (Strata, Soma). Teaming up with Alio Die (aka Stefano Musso), this rich, organic soundscape seems to speak to the listener at the primordial and cellular level. These immersive sonic/musical explorations are as sad and haunting as they are beautiful and rejuvenating. Definitely an album to lose yourself in.
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7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Genius plus prodigious talent equals musical nirvana!, November 7, 2005
Robert Rich is without doubt one of the outstanding luminaries of the ambient/drone field. From the bouncy and airy lightness of his delighful 'Rainforest' album to his darker collaborations with the likes of Steve Roach and Alio Die, RR is a sublime master of the genre.
Whereas others might use sampled natural sounds as 'filler' to cover for lesser inspiration (Alio Die's collaboration with Matthias Grassow on 'Expanding Horizon' is an example in which this technique fails to stimulate the cerbral cortex; Vidna Obmana occasionally offers other examples of its 'misuse'), RR is a master of their effective use. Ironically it is AD who provides the samples here, but they are sublimely complimented by RR's acoustic accompaniments to AD's samples and drones.
There is a sense of organic growth and movement here that fully engages the mind. It is possible to travel with RR and AD through genesis - 'Turning to Stone'; evolution - 'A canopy of shivers'; integration, awakening and discovery - 'Sirena', 'Mycelia' and 'The divine radiance of inverterbrates' and maturity, openness and profusion - 'The road to wirikuta' and 'tree of the wind'. There is a journey here and the journey is one of musical inspiration and real and engaging musical development, so often missing in less memorable ambient/drone offerings from lesser lights. This album stirs deep and profound feelings of the wonder of existence for me. Thank you guys!
ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS ALBUM - DO YOURSELF A FAVOUR AND BUY IT. WHILE YOU ARE AT IT BUY SOME MORE COPIES FOR MUSICALLY DISCERNING FRIENDS - THEY'LL LOVE YOU FOR IT!
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7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Beauty contains both light and dark, October 4, 2000
More subterranean ramblings from the great Robert Rich who has done more than most to promote the idea of (inner) space music. This time joined by Stefano Musso aka Alio Die. Robert Rich is obviously comfortable creating these types of soundscapes, and let's admit it, he has been doing it long enough by now. Rich plays a variety of instruments including synthesizers, flutes, steel guitar and dulcimer. Alio Die contributes his usual dark drones and textures. It all feels incredibly organic, a word that seems to be cropping up a fair bit these days in relation to certain forms of ambient music. This is space music at it's best. Lots of sensations of floating and tumbling. As usual there seems to be a large proliferation of aqueous sounds and what Rich himself would call glurpy sounds. Hearts of Space know how to produce great sounding records. I think they know their limitations andconsistently bring out interesting and innovative music. Like the ECM label they seem to be loyal to their artists and through the studio process bring out the best in them. This is very much cerebral music and is as good as anything Robert Rich has done. Mysterious, hypnotic electronic trance music. The usual sustained sonic environment that Robert Rich is well known for. Lots of incredible atmospheres and contemplative droning. I thought of On Land by Brian Eno. What a great record and landmark for ambience this was. It must have influenced so many musicians for its time."In my music I aim for a certain beauty, but a beauty which is informed by a kind of questioning, aspects of doubt. Beauty has to contain shadows, contrast, and elements of death. If you're dealing with human experience you have to deal with death. Beauty contains both light and dark within it." to quote Robert Rich. Another winner from Robert Rich.
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by Robert Rich 
