Published on Jun 10, 2002
I tend to have an inborn aversion to New Age music; there’s a
definite reason as to why ‘New Age’ and ‘sewage’ are spelled
similarly. Nevertheless, in my twin writing gigs, I get a lot of
it, and I do listen to it. Surprisingly, sometimes, I get something
good. Phil Thornton’s
Dreamscapes surprised me; it is pretty damn good.
First off, it’s well produced and engineered, which is a major
issue with small label New Age music. (I have heard stuff that
sounded like it was recorded in a phone booth.) The instrumentation
is excellent; Thornton is a pretty fair flautist and keyboard
player, and the backing musicians are all good. (I particularly
like Hossam Ramzy’s work on alternative percussion, Egyptian drums
and the like.)
More importantly, it strikes the perfect New Age balance. When I
listen to this style of music, I want it to ride the razor’s edge
between ‘obtrusive and annoying’ and ‘so background and boring I
forget it’s playing’.
Dreamscapes is great in that regard; it’s listenable without
being either forgettable or omnipresent. I will also say that this
CD is a great tool for meditation; it calms the mind and relaxes
one, which is, after all, what this musical form is supposed to be
about.
Tracks of note include the gentle piano of “A Lover’s Dream”;
the wistfulness of “Arcadia”; and the soaring “Eagle Dream”. There
isn’t a bad track on the CD, though I had a little trouble enjoying
“Desert Dream”.
Overall, Phil Thornton’s work on
Dreamscapes does exactly what a New Age CD should do. It’s
pleasant, it’s relaxing, and it’s not quaint, tinkling, or tacky.
One can’t really ask more, can one?