Release Date: January 24, 2025
Label: Spotted Peccary
I love the artwork, which is intrinsically connected to the music you hear. As mentioned in the press release, it harkens back to when humans drew pictures on cave walls so they could sit and look at them and transcend from their current space to another. After all, music is art, and art is music, which inspires the mind and imagination. It has no boundaries, just endless possibilities with those open to listening to the music and letting it transport you.
Now it's time for "Liftoff," a moving opener with
shifting sounds and light. It gently pushes you to discover dimensions of
yourself that you have yet to discover through the guidance of sound, vibrations,
colors, and tones. The music is synthesizer-based, and it feels like you are
moving from one place to another. Thus, this is the beginning of your musical
journey, your liftoff. I would love to hear this in surround sound!
"Dissipation" picks up where the previous track left
off (lifts?). This music is a progressive ambient instrumental. I have been
accustomed to hearing more meditative sounds; this is mind-expanding and
exploring music. My wife walked in while I was listening and asked if I was
watching one of the Star Trek series I have been enjoying. A journey through
space and time, going to the far reaches of the mind where no man has gone
before? Yes, something like that!
"Principles of Creation" follows the same path with
the ambient layers and sometimes more significant audible sounds. The mix is
both, giving each track its personality yet retaining a core sound from the
previous track.
The first two tracks give you the mindset and atmosphere you
should expect to hear, with different variations of sounds, tones, and
vibrations. Some listeners may find it mind-altering or relaxing, whereas
others may feel different. It does depend on your current frame of mind or
reference point before listening. The music will get your attention as you ponder
the artwork and realize the space you are in and how much music affects that
space. Do not overthink it, but experience it in your way.
"Manifesting Presence" starts with a lighter layer of
synth, changing the feeling of the music thus far. As the track progresses,
some interesting sounds are abundant. It's like a skipping static sound like
old-time radio trying to find the right frequency to tune in and lock in. It
can relate to a listener attempting to do the same thing: dial in. As the title
suggests, create your presence inside your space within the music. Some lovely
piano and bell sounds arrive with the whooshing of ocean waves to soothe the
soul. Here is where I noticed a significant change in the temperament of the
music and choices of sounds. It also lets the listener know how eclectic these
two artists can be with that change and sound entirely different while painting
another picture on the blank canvas of your mind.
"Revealing the Concealed" begins with a floating
ambient atmosphere, which allows your consciousness to latch onto and ride
along with the music. Its layers of sound are mysterious, like a soundtrack to
a particularly thought-provoking scene in a movie or documentary about the far
reaches of the universe, asking the age-old question, "Is there life out
there?" The synths weave, turn, and swirl around you while filling your
space and spirit.
"Abandoning Desire" is the ultimate track, clocking in
at a hearty 14:23. If you think about it for a moment, that is nearly one side
of an LP; it was back in the day anyway. It starts with the synths ranging from
high to low tones as the background features a focal point of a steady,
pleasing layer of synths, not drone-like, but more of a soft underlayer for
everything else to slide over. The track gathers momentum in sound, and the
volume increases for more impact.
Memories of other bands may come to mind if you started
listening to music like this in the 70s or 80s. It does work that way for
longtime listeners. With a newer audience generally not exposed to this kind of
music, it will be like a revelation of discovering an entirely new world, a
path to somewhere they have never been. That is the kind of energy this track
holds. Many shifts in sounds and textures will keep your attention for nearly
fifteen minutes!
"Imaginary Realities" closes out this recording with
the title track. The music creates your imaginary realities. That was a clever
title for the album, along with a very descriptive use of the vocabulary.
Thinking about that makes you realize how true that is with any music. It is
more impactful with instrumentals because words do not get in the way of the
process. The track completes the journey with a gentle nudge back into the
realms you have created with several layers of synths. Of all the compositions
offered, I would choose this one for meditation. It has the right atmosphere
and tones to assist with that process and runs for nearly nine minutes.
Imaginary Realities is recommended for listeners who have enjoyed ambient instrumental music created with synths and computer effects and are fans of bands like Tangerine Dream, Jean Michel Jarre, Kraftwerk, etc.
Keith “MuzikMan” Hannaleck-NAMR
Reviews Founder
February 11, 2025
Tracks:
1. Liftoff 7:23
2. Dissipation 9:03
3. Principles of Creation 6:52
4. Manifesting Presence 7:53
5. Revealing the Concealed 7:08
6. Abandoning Desire 14:23
7. Imaginary Realities 8:50