Ron Berry Nightscape Play: Lo-Fi   Mid-Fi   Hi-Fi   Download: Lo-Fi   Mid-Fi   Hi-Fi (Excerpt from track 'City Lights')

With this album we come more up to date with his work, being recorded in 2001. It is a little like a sandwich. The first three and last three tracks being the most upbeat with a slower, drifty, mellow filling. A bouncy rather jolly rhythm mixes with tuneful piano and flute then a sort of virtual sax on 'After Five'. It is certainly very different to anything I have heard Ron do before. It's almost easy listening, ideal for accompanying a TV holiday program.

'Rock On' is just as easy to get on with. It chugs along nicely. A pleasant, even playful, lead using a sound which sometimes comes over like a flute then at others a clarinet, takes centre stage with piano support. 'City Lights' is a gently percussive number. Panpipe and trumpet sounds combine together to keep the mood as 'light' as on the rest of the album. The tracks that I thought worked best however were those in the middle such as the acoustic guitar sounding 'Close Encounters' and the flute lead 'Touchy Feely'. Both are delicate and quite beautiful. They are still rather easy listening but with an excellent moodiness. The latter was even a little like Jonn Serrie or even Peter Seiler. 'Satin Sheets' is a harp dominated piece with synth colouring so as such it was inevitable that Lisa Franco came to mind. The pace picks up again for the final three tracks.