Alpha Wave Movement Transcendence

I know very little about this album, and the sleevenotes (or rather the lack of them) don't help either. The artist behind AWM isn't specified, the only clue being that the disc is made in Canada. What little information is provided specifies that the album is 50:11 long, however it's actually a tad shorter than that which is not overly generous. So, all in all I've been rather negative up to now - does the music do anything to alter this? The answer is emphatically YES! This is an album of ambient brilliance, and is one of those rare breeds which walks the tightrope between Ambient and EM and manages to please both camps at the same time. 'The Passage of Moments' opens proceedings, sounding initially like the title music to John Carpenter's 'The Thing'. It's a slow purposeful piece of subtle beauty, utilising simplistic motifs which ride on a wave of extended pads and an underlying sequence/rhythm pattern. 'Transcendences' is a similar piece, though supplemented with a bass beat. The sequencing and melodics are minimal, hypnotic and deceptively effective. 'Melting Boundaries' is a short, drifting piece which leads into 'Terra Nocturna (Eros)'. Synth pads introduce piano detail before a killer beat and sequence open up. A melancholic motif weaves around the rhythm which is interrupted for a drifting interlude before returning in all its glory. A triumph of a track which will appeal especially to Asana fans, having all the hallmarks including the swept filters. On 'Artifacts & Prophecies' the balance shifts slightly from the Ambient to the Spacey. Long synth drones alá Van Zyl are soon accompanied by a deep sequence. A barely perceptible counterpoint sequence joins it, together with rudimentary rhythmics. More synth washes ensure orbit is not lost. 'Gateway' continues the exploration of deep space with a background resonance the basis for more Zyl-like electronics. 'Veil of the Twilight Moon' is the longest track at almost 11 mins, and consists mainly of lush synth chords. Though this doesn't sound much, the beauty of this track has to be heard to be believed. Another brilliant piece. This is an extraordinary album. Asana meets Van Zyl in perfect harmony. Give me more! (GG)

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