Customer Reviews

Treasure

5 star:		(22)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
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I can't put my finger on it exactly, but I definitely think that these guys are on to something really cool here with this release. It sounds familiar, yet nothing like I've ever heard before. It's like "uplifting ambient" or something, with purposeful drones cast adrift in the lush ambience that supports an inspired musical form and design; majestic yet serene songs with intimate personal meaning yet to be made personal; glistening stringed instruments highlighting shadows cast by deep and dark harmonic chords. You won't find any Berlin-school arpeggios or '80s drum machines on this one!

My favorite tracks are "This Day Forward", "The Frozen Channel", and "The Knowing", each for different reasons, but all because they impart a sense of depth and breadth in more than just what I'm hearing. You know you're listening to something special when you find yourself "visualizing" against the soundtrack that's playing. That's what these tracks do for me, and I can't fully explain it.

Several other artists came to mind while listening to this fascinating disc, and if you like any of the following, I'd recommend you order this disc right away: Edward Shearmur, Patrick O'Hearn, Jeff Pearce, Cliff Martinez, Amethystium (Oystein Ramfjord), The Album Leaf, Steve Roach, Thom Brennan (certain sound elements), Ulrich Schnauss (certain stylistic elements). I'm sure you'll find many other references as well as you listen and imagine your own journeys.

What David and Jon have unleashed upon the world has elements of both of their excellent solo works, but formed together in an extremely fresh and intriguing new way. If what I've heard so far is any indication, this music could easily inspire me to get back into music making myself. I sincerely hope that this collaboration is the first of many yet to come, and that David and Jon are properly recognized for this magnificent and cinematic contribution to the ambient electronic music scene.

I recently received my copy of Treasure and have been listening to it ever since. My favorite track at the moment is: Not a Soul, Not a Sound. The seemless and sweeping pads are absolutely mind blowing! If you know anything at all about creating this kind of music, you know how much talent and work is involved in creating such luscious ambience. I didn't honestly believe that they could beat "Flow", or "Sleeping on the Edge of the World", but they managed to do it. This cd has gone way beyond and above my expectations.

My thoughts are constantly lost in the spacious depth that Treasure paints in the minds eye. My hat is off to you gentlemen. This cd is as of now one of my all time favorite pieces of music. Congratualtions on a job very well done!

Sincerely,

Sonny James

David Helpling is becoming increasingly well known. His latest album, Treasure, a joint effort with Jon Jenkins, shows his skills at their highest ever. His extensive experience of film and media are evident in his masterful attention to detail and precision. Combined with his unique ability to convey depths of emotion and understanding, the result is a masterpiece that lives up to its title.

David's mastery of technique is second to none - comparison with others does nothing to convey the texture or balance of his creations, and the success of his DHM Design music company is testimony to his abilities. Look for his name in film credits (Trade-offs, Night Feeders and look out for Cold Storage when it appears - this is the best film work he has done).

David's compositions are crafted with great care and subtlety. They never flag, and through their subtle gradations of colour, texture and depth create a complex and strangely haunting landscape that slowly evolves to take the spirit to new plains. He achieves balance between so many elements - mood, texture, speed - that one feels in the presence of a great talent. The moods vary greatly, always intriguing and suggesting far more than meets the ear. Careful listening identifies many minor elements, like the tiny particles of colour in an impressionist painting. No one element predominates, but the overall effect conveys a very distinct identity.

His recent successes with film have confirmed the versatility of his talent: David is equally at ease composing for an Indian ear as he is for psychological thrillers and mysteries.

Treasure lives up to everything I have come to expect from David Helpling. His experience with film music is evident, as is his versatility and insistence on perfection. There is an immense range of emotion in the many varied tracks on this album, which resembles a journey through light and dark, at first into the cave of the album art, then continuing into a world of ice and finally home. Deep compassion in the title track is matched by deep reflection in the more meditative Frozen Channel and the introspective Now More Than Ever. David creates a detailed musical canvas suggesting great depth, compassion and wealth, while still managing to surprise and delight. Treasure is the perfect title.

Grand Collusion offers a soundscape canvas where explosive detail is picked out on piano and then dissolved into slide guitar. There is intrigue here, the opening of a story, perhaps, with a long history and drama. The title track is one of reconciliation and caress: a small child's delicate perfection and the hope it carries into the world, with a suggestion of the energy within.

The Knowing, which follows, begins with lengthy confusion - drifting through doubts in an effort to understanding some enigma, recollecting and accepting in cycles of thought before a distant light dawns and grows slowly into something more distinct, moving towards clear understanding, growing relentlessly and unstoppably to explode into an ecstacy of beauty conveyed by overdrive guitar - this is what lead guitar was created for! The climax is repeated again and again until the full weight of understanding here is finally accepted, and we move on, all doubts gone. This track never fails to send a huge rush of endorphins down my spine.

This first section is the light at the entrance: as we move further into the cave other details emerge of a more sombre hue, and the album changes to nocturnal mode with Beyond Words and Into the Deep. Music is beyond words, and far more eloquent at a basic level. "Writing about music is like dancing about architecture", said Frank Zappa, and as I try to describe this album I agree.

The cave echoes in Into the Deep, with strange creatures in the shadows and an eerie light suffusing the dark. Not a Soul, Not a Sound has a cinematographic quality - a landscape, in a world of ice perhaps, a unique frozen beauty fixed seemingly for an eternity. The ice persists in the following Frozen Channel, but here the displays are celestial, the aurora borealis streaming as passing seconds on piano echo over the silent waters.

Imperceptibly we enter Now More Than Ever, which recalls previous compositions. We are drifting, but memories flash into and out of our vision in what seems like a single moment explored in infinite detail. This Day Forward continues the exploration, but here there is an undertone of danger and confrontation, some final decision. Which is taken in The First Goodbye. Here as on previous albums the closing coda piece recapitulates the moods and conveys what David communicates best: understanding, final understanding.

David's compositions are crafted with great care and subtlety. They never flag, and through their subtle gradations of colour, texture and depth create a complex and strangely haunting landscape that slowly evolves to take the spirit to new plains. He achieves balance between so many elements - mood, texture, speed - that one feels in the presence of a great talent. The moods vary greatly, always intriguing and suggesting far more than meets the ear. Careful listening identifies many minor elements, like the tiny particles of colour in an impressionist painting. No one element predominates, but the overall effect conveys a very distinct identity.

His recent successes with film have confirmed the versatility of his talent: David is equally at ease composing for an Indian ear as he is for psychological thrillers and mysteries.

Treasure lives up to everything I have come to expect from David Helpling. His experience with film music is evident, as is his versatility and insistence on perfection. There is an immense range of emotion in the many varied tracks on this album, which resembles a journey through light and dark, at first into the cave of the album art, then continuing into a world of ice and finally home. Deep compassion in the title track is matched by deep reflection in the more meditative Frozen Channel and the introspective Now More Than Ever. David creates a detailed musical canvas suggesting great depth, compassion and wealth, while still managing to surprise and delight. Treasure is the perfect title.

Grand Collusion offers a soundscape canvas where explosive detail is picked out on piano and then dissolved into slide guitar. There is intrigue here, the opening of a story, perhaps, with a long history and drama. The title track is one of reconciliation and caress: a small child's delicate perfection and the hope it carries into the world, with a suggestion of the energy within.

The Knowing, which follows, begins with lengthy confusion - drifting through doubts in an effort to understanding some enigma, recollecting and accepting in cycles of thought before a distant light dawns and grows slowly into something more distinct, moving towards clear understanding, growing relentlessly and unstoppably to explode into an ecstacy of beauty conveyed by overdrive guitar - this is what lead guitar was created for! The climax is repeated again and again until the full weight of understanding here is finally accepted, and we move on, all doubts gone. This track never fails to send a huge rush of endorphins down my spine.

This first section is the light at the entrance: as we move further into the cave other details emerge of a more sombre hue, and the album changes to costurnal mode with Beyond Words and Into the Deep. Music is beyond words, and far more eloquent at a basic level. "Writing aboiut music is like dancing about architecture", said Frank Zappa, and as I try to describe this album I agree. Art should ennoble existence, make the human siginificant where the evidence suggests it is irrelevant.

The cave echoes in Into the Deep, with strange creatures in the shadows and an eerie light suffusing the dark. Not a Soul, Not a Sound has a cinematographic quality - a landscape, in a world of ice perhaps, a unique frozen beauty fixed seemingly for an eternity. The ice persists in the following Frozen Channel, but here the displays are celestial, the aurora borealis streaming as passing seconds on piano echo over the silent waters.

Imperceptibly we enter Now More Than Ever, which recalls previous compositions. We are drifting, but memories flash into and out of our vision in what seems like a single moment explored in infinite detail. This Day Forward continues the exploration, but here there is an undertone of danger and confrontation, some final decision. Which is taken in The First Goodbye. Here as on previous albums the closing coda piece recapitulates the moods and conveys what David communicates best: understanding, final understanding.

And all shall be well
And all manner of things shall be well.
When the tongues of flame are in-folded
Into the crowned knot of fire,
And the fire and the rose are one.

It's nearly impossible to say the sheer beauty and spirit that is evident during every single second of David Helpling's third and LONG overdue third release "Treasure". After the Patrick O'Hearn-esque debut "Between Green and Blue" which borrowed heavily from Patrick's 1980s sounds, and then the misty beauty of "Sleeping on the Edge of The World" which I view as the spiritual sequel to O'Hearn's "Indigo" album, Helplings third album "Treasure" is a major departure from even that album and has a far eerier David has developed a style all of his own. The opening track "Grand Collision" could be a carry on from his sophomore album but as the track plays on, it is evident that this album has a very different undertone throughout with almost none of the O'Hearn-esque sounds being carried over from that one. In fact, I think "Treasure" has some more common ground with some of the works of Steve Roach such as the epic length spiritual "Not a Soul, Not a Sound" and the tracks "Frozen Channel/Now More Than Ever" which are hauntingly gorgeous from start to finish actually are reminiscent of the sounds of Michael Danna's "Sirens" CD from eons back. "This Day Forward" begins with an austerely eerie intro before unfolding into a beautiful song.

Treasure has come along at just the right time to start my summer off right! When I ride my recumbent bike on the rural forested rail trails of central Ohio, I like to have peaceful relaxing music emanating from my cargo trailer. This is made possible and skip free by the use of my iPod boom box style player. (I never wear headphones while riding the bike. Not only is it unsafe, it covers up the lovely sounds of the birds, waterfalls and rustling leaves.) When quietly pedaling along side the streams snaking through the beautiful hills and valleys filled with lush tall trees, hearing this music is a perfect compliment to the visual experience of my isolated bicycle touring. It makes me feel as if I'm in my own movie with my own personal soundtrack accompanying my journey.

It's impossible to say what track is my favorite as they ALL are so good. If you like Helpling's "Sleeping on the Edge of the World," and Jenkins's "Beyond City Light" (another favorite bike-ride-soundtrack for me), then it's a no brainer that you'll absolutely LOVE "Treasure." You can't go wrong with this one. Even listeners new to this kind of genre should be able to appreciate this wonderful CD.

Those words represent the sum total of the gorgeous music from David Helpling and Jon Jenkins' collaboration in this new tableau of musical excellence. Every emotional expression is stimulated by soaring moments that take you far, far away into spirit; or deep within those hidden valleys, exquisitely plumbing your soul.

Perfection represents consumate refinement of skills and mastery by it's creators. You can hear it's expression in heavenly, chll inducing moments as they merge into aural bliss. The depth and loveliness on these songs particularly "The Knowing" and "The Frozen Channel", each transcendent; "The First Goodbye" haunting. "Treasure" essays treasure gloriously.

...of all New Age and Ambient afficienados of all stripes...even you World Beat and Technos. I have been listening to this stuff ever since Eno appeared with "Enosification" on The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway and his pal with "Frippertronics." Over time, I found jacuzzi jazz which showed me the way to Kitaro, Lanz, Souther, Checkfield, Vollenveider and so forth. However, now I have Pandora. What more can I say? Whomever possesses this "new music" source...then we are all agreed that we have well-spent $36...eh?

After 2/3 of a year of daily listening to Pandora, $300 in downloads and cd purchases, rotating 100 stations (on Pandora), I have come across Jenkins and Helpling. These two can start a whole new genre as far as I'm concerned. I am also listening to Amugama, 2002, Alpha Wave Movement, Liquid Mind, Steve Roach (and really only to name a few)and I have yet to be able to compare "Treasure" with anything else. I guess one can be critical about anything and one can wish that things were done differently...but...this reviewer seeks out masterpiece not perfection for I do know the difference. Next stop--"Sleeping At The Edge Of The World." BTW...I am also lusting after Planet x's "Quantum."

There are many possible words to describe this music, but I think the silence it produces, which welcomes anyone living within this hurried, stimulus overload world to embrace, is perhaps in best service in this case. Highly recommended to all, as I believe it produces it's own unique reading from each individual - very internal, somewhat personal sound-scape.

This recording by David and Jon really captures what ambient instrumental should be. Listening to several sections of the CD is like being gently suspended in a soft mist of amber light. That's the only way i can describe it. They really did a great job, the only complaint i have is the melody on the last track sounding too much like Carol of the Bells. It just seems out of place. Other than that it is incredible.

Treasure is a new collaboration between David Helpling and Jon Jenkins on the Spotted Peccary label. Spotted Peccary a progressive electronic music label that has consistently been releasing solid ambient/new age/space music projects.

On Treasure, Helpling and Jenkins create music that moves gracefully between the worlds of space music and more rhythmic "chillout" style grooves. The CD kicks off with Grand Collision, which alternates quiet sections that focus on synth string pads and evolving textures with more propulsive sections. The track also features interesting textural guitar work, which reminded me a bit of Steve Tibbetts' work.

This contrasting of an ambient/space feel with more rhythmic sections continues throughout the CD. On The Knowing, Helpling & Jenkins create a track that begins very quietly, and for the first half of the track they explore subtle textural variations over a repeating harmonic progressions. About halfway through, they move into a more overtly rhythmic section, adding layers of guitars and building the track to a peak.

Some of the tracks avoid strong percussive elements and stay in the space music/drone space. Beyond Words, for example, has long ambient drones underpinning much of the track. Synth strings and deep bass notes create a tranquil feel, but not without a hint of mystery.

Not A Soul, Not A Sound explores similar textures, with textural guitar emerging occasionally from a background of synth string washes and echoing guitar notes. A bass voice is introduced about seven minutes into the track, and it brings with it a deeper sense of progression or motion for the remainder of the track.

Overall, Treasure is another fine Spotted Peccary release. The CD is at its best when Helpling & Jenkins take the time to explore interesting ambient textures and to submerse you in lusciously orchestrated sound. Tracks like Now More Than Ever bathe you in a gorgeous soundscape where time seems almost irrelevent.