New Age-Ambient Review and Interview: 2002-Time Traveler

Release Date: June 7, 2024

Label: ‎Galactic Playground Music

Website

As a devoted fan of 2002, I eagerly await each new release, and Time Traveler is no exception. This will be my fifth journey into their captivating world, and I'm already brimming with anticipation. It's a testament to their consistent quality that I can't help but have high expectations, and I'm confident this album will not disappoint.

Let's take a moment to appreciate the Copus family: Pamela, Randy, and Sarah. Their musical prowess is awe-inspiring, from composing to playing all the instruments and producing. Their unique approach to music, doing everything their way, is a testament to their creativity and dedication. They even invite guests to join their musical journey, as they do for this recording: James Song (violin), whose soaring melodies add a touch of classical elegance to “The Morning Breeze,” and Dan Totan (cello), whose rich and resonant tones enhance the emotional depth of “Love of My Life.”

The artwork accompanying Time Traveler is a visual element and a portal to a unique and immersive experience. It's the first thing that grabs your attention; its significance cannot be overstated. The artists have a profound understanding of how each element harmonizes, and by taking the time to connect, listeners can truly delve into the depth and significance of the album.

This music is a journey, as the image of the ship indicates. I always wonder what it would be like to travel back in time to tell myself a few things and then wonder what my life would be like today. This kind of project reminds me of those thoughts and feelings. It's okay to dream and let yourself wander into another level of perception that can be genuinely experiential. In this case, with Time Traveler, you can use this music, which is a new age, characterized by its soothing and atmospheric soundscapes, as a foundation, splintering off into ambient, relaxation, and a sleep aid as the ultimate tool to accomplish that space in time for yourself. The entire recording is expressed that way. All ten tracks offer you a respite from the day.

Along that train of thought, the delicate guitar on "The Essence of a Dream," with its intricate fingerpicking and melodic lines, the flute, which adds a whimsical and ethereal touch, the layers of keyboards, creating a rich and atmospheric backdrop, and the sounds of orchestrations, adding depth and grandeur, all come together to create an elegant and immersive musical experience. These are the tenets of what they do for a listener.

I believe this close-knit family possesses something magical. They are all blessed with talents and willing to share them with our world. We are the fortunate recipients of these blessings, and I am grateful to listen to every song. I remember hearing their music time and again, and always feeling so relieved. My mind is empty, my heart opens, and my spirit experiences a renewal, reminding me of who I am minus the hectic daily activities and a constant stream of thoughts. 

So much thought and tenderness go into these tracks. "Love of My Life" sounds heavenly and straight from the heart of those presenting it. The wordless vocals are that of an angel sent to give you comfort. It simultaneously moved me to a profound sense of sadness (for some reason), a burst of joy, and a deep feeling of gratefulness. That is some powerful medicine. The "love" could be a significant other, a child, a home, a friend, or a place; any of these things could qualify. That is what good music can offer a listener; the options are yours to choose, and the feelings are yours alone to experience and keep.

Time Traveler is a gorgeous group of tracks. Let the gentleness and cooling of "The Morning Breeze" touch your face and soul as you begin your journey of discovery. Like ether and clouds, music surrounds you, and you are the ship's captain, navigating through the ethereal soundscape. Now go ahead and take the helm and sail away… 

Keith “MuzikMan” Hannaleck-NAMR Founder

Wednesday, May 1, 2024

Tracks:

01. The Morning Breeze (4:56)

02. Falling Stars (4:20)

03. Seasons Fade (4:08)

04. Love of My Life (4:34)

05. Time Traveler (6:49)

06. The End of the Journey (5:58)

07. Beyond the Veil (5:32)

08. The Essence of a Dream (5:07)

09. Adrift in a Memory (4:32)

10. Where You Are (4:12)

Instrumental New Age-Meditation Review: 2002-Clouds Below

Release Date: January 7, 2023

Label: ‎ 2002 Music

Website

 

Introduction from the artist: Clouds Below was inspired by opposites - contrary forces that depend upon each other to exist and evolve. The sun above by day and the moon at night share a magic moment when they briefly mingle before one yields to the other. 

Clouds drift along regardless of day or night, and they appear below when we soar in an airplane, climb above them on a mountain, or a chance to see them reflected in a pond. The songs on this album explore the beauty found all around us, above and below. The music reveals unexpected paths, inviting us to follow.

 

Are you ready to follow? It is another blessing when I can cover a familiar artist. Music is a gift to all humanity, and animals and plants enjoy it. Listening and following can be a spiritual experience; with this family group of Pamela, Randy, and Sarah Copus, that has always been the case for my tastes and needs. I need music daily to inject energy into my body and uplift my spirits. It’s like wearing a watch your entire life, then one day, you forget to put it on, it becomes a part of you, and you feel incomplete. Music soothes our souls and completes the circle of life. 

A family relationship like this is a beautiful thing to develop in music as they (and us) go on an aural journey.

 

I know that sounds prolific, and it can be for everyone. Walk through that door and find your “Soulmate,” whether that is a person, a cat or a dog, or the music itself. It can all be interchangeable. If there is a “Glimmering Hope,” you can find your “Landing.” It is not intentional that I find a connection to tracks like that; it just happens and makes sense as they unfold and dovetails into one message. I hope this makes sense to many of you. It’s not complicated if you just let the music and you become one. 

 

The ethereal layers and colors presented on each track on Clouds Below are meditative examples of new-age ambient instrumental music with an objective. For instance, the interspersing of a saxophone on “City Blue” gives you a glimpse into the eclectic world of the Copus family. The quiet storm of jazz creates an alternate universe and takes a listener elsewhere. However, it does remain relaxing and meditative. Each member’s contributions are significant and in sync from beginning to end. 

 

At the “First Light of Dawn,” the cosmos grants you another day of life on this beautiful planet, and as you take “The Flight Home,” the “Clouds Below” reveal the beauty and awesomeness of our world and the “Everyday Miracles” that we can witness. We must open our eyes, hearts, and minds and let the music in. It’s simple and direct, resulting in healing and a feeling of blessedness we cannot find anywhere else. 

The Copus family are gifted purveyors of magical instrumentations and sounds you will appreciate. Their journey as artisans continues, and I am grateful to join them on their cloud for a short time and rejoin them any time I choose, and so can you!

 

Keith “MuzikMan” Hannaleck-TFOV Founder

March 5, 2023

Tracks:

01. Soulmate 4:53

02. Glimmering Hope 5:38

03. Landing 4:16

04. City Blue 5:56

05. First Light of Dawn 4:35

06. The Flight Home 4:12

07. Clouds Below 4:33

08. Air and Light 4:26

09. Riding the Current 4:32

10. Everyday Miracles 4:28

New Age Review: 2002-Hummingbird

Release Date: June 11, 2021

Label: myndstream

Website

https://myndstream.fanlink.to/Hummingbird-2002 

 

A little over a year ago I covered the 2002 album Celtic Fairy Dream. Now at the beginning of June Hummingbird will be released. There are no coincidences in life and I have always loved to watch birds. And hummingbirds are fascinating little creatures. Friends of mine have a feeder for them and I was thinking about getting one. This was a mere two weeks ago. So now I am sitting here listening to an album dedicated to those very birds. 

2002 is a wonderful family group and immensely talented. They are the mother, father, and daughter team of Randy Copus (guitars, bass, keyboards, vocals), Pamela Copus (flutes, Celtic harp, keyboards, vocals), and Sarah Copus (Celtic harp, vocals). They are totally in sync and their productions bear out that synchronicity time after time on Hummingbird.

”Gathering the Clouds” is a good example of the great music this family can create, engineer, and then produce. The orchestrations and wordless vocals on the track are gorgeous. It swept me away into their cloud of sounds and I just floated away with them. What more could a hardworking, anxiety-ridden, stressed individual ask for at the end of the day? Yes, I can fit that profile some days. I tend to be highly self-motivated, focused, and push too hard at times. This takes a tremendous amount of energy and I need a space to call my own to step outside that realm. Even knowing this, at times I have a hard time leaving my conscious mind behind for a reprieve.

I do need to climb the “Sacred Mountain” for relief. But don’t we all? This track featured some nice ambient keyboard layers and flute. The underlying orchestrations are always the key to this music. They give the tracks a meaningful foundation to build on and you cannot help but feel some elation and the profoundness of this music. This is new-age music at its very best. All the right combinations come into play to set your mind and spirit at ease amidst all of the elevating sounds and textures that create all the colors and visions in your mind’s eye.

Everything about Hummingbird speaks to the sacredness of life and nature and our interdependence and connection. Each track takes you to a different place and it’s all about the beauty and pureness of nature and all its bounty. The music expresses that fully in a very distinct way. On “Through the Rainbow” you can hear the gentle fluttering of the hummingbird’s wings through the sounds of the instruments and the lovely inviting acoustic guitar lines.

These are some examples of the many facets and talents of the Copus family and how many sounds three people can put together. At times it sounds like a choir accompanied by an orchestra. The clean and crisp recordings having some fine production values and this team utilizes all of their talents to great advantage to make Hummingbird one of the best new age releases of 2021. I would count on it receiving a lot of praise and some awards for its efforts and contributions to humanity. This is musical meditation for a new age and universal healing for the world. Welcome to Galactic Playground Music.

Keith “MuzikMan” Hannaleck-New Age Music Reviews Founder
June 11, 2021
 

Tracks:

01. Rainbow Cove (5:39)  
02. Walela (4:12)  
03. Gathering the Clouds (5:04)  
04. Sunlight in Rain (4:20)  
05. Sacred Mountain (4:46)  
06. Through the Rainbow (5:02)  
07. Courting the Moon (5:37)  
08. Jasmine Rain (4:09)  
09. Wind Dancer (5:19)  
10. First Day of Spring (4:57)
 

Celtic-Acoustic-New Age Review: 2002- Celtic Fairy Dream

Release Date: April 24, 2020

Label: Real Music

Website

When you go to the 2002 website the new release Celtic Fairy Dream is introduced as a relaxing, soothing, nurturing music for peaceful rest and sleep. Celtic Fairy Dream is a collection of timeless songs from ancient lands. Harps, flutes, piano, and subtle orchestration accompany delightful lyrics in Gaelic, Welsh and English. That puts it all into proper perspective for any potential listeners.

There is much more to this family’s music, however, Pamela, Randy, and Sarah Copus are the contributors to this lush soundscape. As the saying goes, beauty is in the eyes of the beholder. In this case, what you hold within your mind’s eye may be different for all us, but what you hear is musical perfection with vocals that sound like they are coming straight from heaven.

The one thing that remains consistent throughout is Sarah’s incredible vocal talent. She is growing into the music with each release and mother and father have let her walk the path as they provide all the gorgeous layers of sounds for her silky sweet vocals to gloss over the top. She shines like a bright star on the verge of bursting into a supernova. I am hoping I have the opportunity to witness that event as time goes on, as each passing year will lend the experience and maturity to her vocal expertise and approach.

Sarah’s angelic vocals are the focal point of this album but she has the best support possible with her veteran musician parents. It is a beautiful thing, this amazing family and all their talents coming together as one musical energy. I am sure that there will be the third generation of musicians and vocalists someday but I am sure mom and dad are in no rush for that!

All ten tracks offer the listener a real music experience coming from three spiritual beings wishing to pass it on to humanity. They have been doing this for so long, I could not imagine another result than absolute bliss perfected in the studio.

Besides all of the excellent vocal tracks, there is an instrumental titled “Genevieve's Waltz” that puts the spotlight on the excellence of their musicianship. I am so glad that they did this track so listeners can realize the immense talent that these folks have, then to have a daughter with a voice like an angel, it completes the partnership.

Celtic Fairy Dream takes their music to yet another level that so many people will most certainly appreciate. I would love to hear this album on vinyl someday, it would be amazing, not that it isn’t already. I am a firm believer that LPs give music a different dimension. This recording is well suited to be spinning on a turntable.

Keith “MuzikMan” Hannaleck
April 10, 2020

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Track List: 
01. Castle of Dromore 5:00
02. The Green Fields of Autumn (Coinleach Glas an Fhomhair) 5:43
03. Dream(Suantrai) 5:07
04. South Wind 5:06
05. David of the White Rock (Dafydd y Garreg Wen) 4:41
06. Close Your Eyes (Dun do Shuil) 6:12
07. She Moved Through the Fair 5:59
08. Genevieve's Waltz 5:16
09. Little Bird (Einini) 5:41
10. Across the Waves (Trasna na d'Tonnta) 5:15

New Age Progressive Review-2002-Trail of Dreams

Release Date: October 7, 2014

Label: Galactic Playground Music

Website

2002 continues down the path of progressive new age music with their latest offering Trail of Dreams. This amazing family group is comprised of Randy Copus (guitar, bass, keyboards, percussion, vocals), Pamela Copus (flutes, harp, keyboards, vocals) and their remarkable 10 year old daughter Sarah (harp, vocals). Suffice it to say, this is a multifaceted family.

Trail of Dreams entails some story telling. So not only does this recording provide a journey for the mind, body and soul, there are characters in the stories that go on their journeys as well. The music accompanies these explorers. Yogananda travels far away to America to deliver the spirituality of India. Then the character Honera O’ Flynn is kidnapped from her homeland of Ireland and brought to America. She eventually finds her destiny and that misfortune shapes her future in a positive fashion. I find this all very interesting as I usually listen to primarily instrumental new age music. This is where the progressive nature of the music takes hold and settles in to build a foundation for each storyline.

The music is a lush landscape where every word just floats along like a fluffy white cloud. Sarah sounds light years ahead of her age for vocal maturity and talent. I can only imagine how far she is going to go as time passes. The opener is a gorgeous track that literally brings you “Into The Light.” It is a showcase for all their talents to shine as a functioning musical unit, together as one.

On the title track “Trail of Dreams” Randy reminded me fondly of Jon Anderson (Yes, Solo). “Far From Home” is an instrumental treasure painting the picture of a person’s sadness and the place of their birth. If you have a place that you call home, there are many emotional attachments and then if it all disappears it can be a traumatic experience. All of this comes through crystal clear through atmospheres created in the music.

This band knows how to utilize all their talent in an exceptional manner. Throughout the course of Trail of Dreams you feel elation, peacefulness and an overall spirituality that the music delivers. It is a wonderful thing and I have not heard an album by this talented family that I have not appreciated and fully enjoyed. There were times I was overwhelmed with joy and blissfulness then also a sadness that made me reflect on family members that have passed through the years. Music, good music, has a way of bringing on the entire range of emotions and that is why it can heal your soul. Another job well done by 2002.

5/5 Stars

Key Tracks: Into The Light, Trail of Dreams, Far From Home

Tracks:
01. Into The Light
02. Sky
03. Wait For Me
04. Trail of Dreams
05. Tá mé 'mo shuí
06. Navigatio
07. Follow Your Star
08. Far From Home
09. Deep Horizon
10. Ever Onward

Keith “MuzikMan” Hannaleck-New Age Music Reviews Founder

September 20, 2014

Review Provided By New Age Music Reviews