Lovely ambient/experimental album. Playing an organ out in the middle of a meadow, with a chamber orchestra and gusts of wind and running water. I want to label it modern classical because it definitely has more structure and formal elements than your typical experimental album, but I don’t think it’s meant to be thought of in that way. Very personal and emotional. Only annoying part of this album for the radio is that many of the pieces have long, extremely quiet intros, but you can solve that with some layering. Highly recommended.

Try 4, 7, 2, 6.

1) “The Molendinar” (25:57): Drone. Deep slow organ notes in the background. Gradually increases in volume so watch to make sure it doesn’t get too loud. Organ climbing a scale. Reminds me a bit of Philip Glass but less harsh, more atmospheric.
2) “A Different Place” (6:35): Extremely quiet first thirty seconds--probably safe to layer on top of another track. Sustained strings. Percussive bursts start up. Lovely.
3) “Ceo” (5:39): Warbling in the beginning. Eerie. Like sitting in a dark meadow late at night with a wind blowing and maybe a haunted mansion visible in the distance.
4) “Solas” (10:50): Again, very quiet beginning. Strings, beautiful organ. Serene. Like watching a sunrise from the side of a mountain, maybe?
5) “Diobaig” (4:47): First thirty secs almost inaudible. More serene textures.
6) “Eilean” (11:36): Unsettling high whistles. Then an almost Gaelic violin. Memories of a ballad, not really an actual ballad. By six minutes has built into a warm ocean with energetic waves.
7) “Wrangham” (6:47): Long drone as usual. Then something like a melody bubbles up on the organ with more momentum. Breathtaking dramatic build, like seeing a whale crest out of the ocean. Damn. Decaying dissonant finish.

--Mr Tumnus