New Age/Classical Review: David Lanz & Kristin Amarie-Silhouettes Of Love

Release Date: October 6, 2015

Label: Dkl Records

Website

Grammy nominated David Lanz has been thrilling fans for decades. His newest album with Kristin Amarie, Silhouettes of Love is a jazzy blend of classical and New Age sound.

“The Soaring Heart” is the first piece on the album. Filled with chimes, bells, string, piano movements and the playful sound of Kristen’s voice as she highlights the already perfect multi-instrumental experience. This track is a landscape of audible artistry and one I never get tired of listening to. Beautiful. Simply beautiful.

“Circles Round the Moon” begins with tender piano movements and the kiss of chimes. Kristen’s voice descends watching over her loved one like an angel. She hears her love singing, melodies drifting by as she ponders whether it is stardust or merely a dream. This song is a tender fairy tale of moments buried deep in the night as her true love’s arms wrap her in his embrace.

“Beatrice and Dante” is a song based on the Divine Comedy written by Dante Alighieri and the woman that haunted him during her life and her untimely death. Dante met Beatrice as a child and never forgot her, leading the two to fall in love despite being married off to different people. When she died at the young age of twenty four, he was devastated. His only recourse was poetry and he invokes her in two portions of his trip through the levels of Hell. 

This piece has a haunting quality, with the twisting piano and string combinations. Down and down into the bowels of the earth Dante wanders as he hears his true love’s breath on his ear. Waiting. Longing. Eternity in a state of passion that can never fully be fulfilled. Only words remain but neither can let go of their love for the other, despite one being dead and the other trapped in the land of the living. Dante is deep in contemplation of the nature of Hell and those who deserve to reside there. The sweet song of Kristin Amarie gives voice to the lovely Beatrice as the music swirls around her and she vanishes into the darkness. “Want me. Need me. Speak to me words of love…”

“Silver Threads” is a song of grief. The threads that hold us together are not severed when death lays its cold hand on our lives. Love endures and sweetness envelopes the heart as moments are remembered. Piano blended with multi-instrumentation bring the stark feeling to life. Kristin’s voice is the sound of a breaking heart desperately clinging to the happy moments and facing the future without the person you held so dear. 

Silhouettes of Love is a journey of emotion that covers many musical genres. At times Classical, jazzy and New Age it touches us all with memories and tender, wistful sentiments. David Lanz, Kristin Amarie and the host of musicians working with them on this project have outdone themselves. The melodies constructed are masterful and exude emotion and Kristin’s voice…as I have said before, an angel must be missing from heaven.

5/5 Stars

Key Tracks: The Soaring Heart, Circles Round the Moon, Beatrice and Dante, Silver Threads

Tracks: 
01. The Soaring Heart
02. The Promise
03. Circles Round the Moon
04. Falling
05. Found By Love's Return
06. Lady On the Shore
07. Silhouette of Love
08. Our Illusion
09. Amore Eterno (Redux)
10. Beatrice and Dante
11. Waiting for the Sun
12. So in Love
13. Silver Threads (Without You)
 

DanaWright, Sr. Staff Writer

December 17, 2015

Review Provided By New Age Music Reviews