Smooth Groovin’s with Anton
Anton Graham introduces and reviews some of the best new age, ambient and lounge music out there to accompany you and uplift you, in the spa or anywhere else.
Llewellyn & Juliana
Earth Angel
Llewellyn & Juliana are two of the leading operators in the world of New Age music, and their latest album, Earth Angel, is a celtic-tinged collage of songs which will no doubt work well for people looking for musical accompaniment into the world of meditation. Llewellyn (real name James Harry) says: “Earth Angel is an album for people who sense they are different and have a passion for wanting to help others and animals.”
Fragile State
Voices from the Dust Bowl
This is a new album from a British outfit who do slow groove chill-out material. The music ranges in feel from hypnotic through to almost dance, but it is good soundtrack music for a morning after the night before. There is a World feel to some of the tracks, but it is the drone mode that Fragile State members Neil Cowley and Ben Mynott are really after, and it works well. This album stands many plays.
Kaya Project
Walking Through
The first release from Kaya Project, a front for prolific Ambient operator Seb Taylor, Walking Through is “a downtempo fusion of cutting-edge beats”, it says here. The feel is World, with Indian elements probably predominating, but the mix of sounds and vocals is accessible and attractive. Taylor’s material has been featured on Buddha Bar compilations, which is a good thing to have on your CV if you are in his line of work.
Jazzamor
Lazy Sunday Afternoons
This album combines jazzy bossa nova and electronica into a pleasant pastiche. The songs follow a standard bossa pattern and the addition of various chill-out related percussive and ambient ideas provides an interesting counterpoint. Jazzamor appears to be German in origin, but the songs are sung by a breathy young lady in a number of European languages. This one grows on you, especially the tune Story of Elaine.
All albums are available on http://www.amazon.com
November 2004