Release Date: June 21, 2019
Label: Masako Music
What I see is a young lady
communicating with her surroundings (arms raised to get attention?), the ocean,
the polar bear, an iceberg, and sea creatures. Masako communicates with her
music but what she is trying to say as well is very important. The thought
process here evolves around nature and perhaps a cry for some reasoning around
what is happening to the polar ice cap. It is melting away with rising sea temperatures. Anyone with any sense of reality can see what
is going on with our environment. And what is accomplished here is a lot more
than a whisper.
You will enjoy 11 tracks of
instrumental elegance from the fingers of Masako. The production values are excellent
when an artist goes to Will Ackerman’s Imaginary Road Studios and Tom Eaton
provides all the meticulous production work. They are two of the busiest men in
the music business.
I think the entire album delivers
on the promise of tranquility and a meditative or contemplative state of
consciousness. Two tracks in particular were my favorites. “Sea Pearls” is 7
minutes and 20 seconds of pure piano bliss.
And “The Deep” is the one I chose to add to my Spotify New Age Music
Reviews playlist. It is a step away from the norm, a very different,
atmospheric ambient haunting track, as she puts aside the acoustic keys and
opts for the electric sound and the perfected vocals of Noah Wilding. I loved
it because it is outside of the comfort zone if you will of the rest of the
album. Masako takes a chance and comes out the other end triumphantly, offering
another side of her musical repertoire that will get long time listeners some
ideas of possibly hearing more of that type of approach and sound on the next
release.
The piano alone can say a lot but
when you add the cello, flute, Chapman Stick, wind synthesizer (an interesting
instrument), and percussion it is like a small orchestra adding layers to the
one layer of piano. Together as one it can mesmerize and send you to dreamland
within one track. It is a thing of beauty that can only be accomplished by a
seasoned group of professionals covering every nook and cranny in a song in
regards to musicianship and production.
It did not take long for Masako
to become one of my favorite artists in the new age genre and with Underwater
Whisperer my interest and respect for her music continues to grow wings and
fly with her every step of the way.
Keith “MuzikMan” Hannaleck
July 22, 2019
Founder of:
Review
Provided By New Age Music Reviews