Patrick Kosmos Lucid Dreams

I haven't heard enough Patrick Kosmos to really pin down his style, but I've got to say I wasn't expecting this, after having heard Trance Neutral Zone, which was layers of electronics, firmly rooted in modern music, combining the 1970s with the 1990s. This time around, he's going for the stripped down approach, with two 30+ minute tracks of tribal ambience with world influences, along the lines of David Parsons. The title track starts very subtly and slowly, with gongs and bells for the first five minutes. Drifting atmospheres then come into play, followed by a simple repeating rhythm of two short drum beats followed by a long beat, slightly lower in tone. The music is contemplative, and isn't either too light or too dark, but rather tends to take on the mood of the person listening at that moment in time.

It is clear from Kosmos description that he intends this as visual music to stimulate the imagination. I think he largely succeeds, but some are going to find this requires a little too much patience. Female chanting occurs midway through the title track, for less than five minutes. I personally found it a bit distracting, but not overly so. This gives way to some of the best moments on the CD, soothing drones with bell tones sprinkled here and there. The music is quite organic through this passage, reminding me somewhat of early Michael Stearns. The bah-bah-boom pattern returns toward the end of the first track, which flows right into "Lapa Nui," another 40 minutes of ambience. It begins with female French narration, in somewhat breathless whispers, over drones. Light, Eastern-influenced percussion again appears, as the music gently floats. Wooden flutes assert themselves briefly, as does a kyoto, or something of that nature. Like 'Lucid Dreams', 'Lapa Nui' has a fairly simple repeating drum phrase that runs through most of the piece. The sound is unique, like delicate beats on a muted steel drum. This track has even less going on than the first, but it does have several distinct musical passages lasting anywhere from a minute or two, to several minutes. Again, the feel is quite organic, the mood reflective and calm. Definitely a different Patrick Kosmos, but it works. Perfect relaxing music for meditation. (PD)

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