David Arkenstone - Valley in the Clouds
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Music CD Cover
Artist: David ArkenstoneEdition: Music CD
CD Release Date: 1990-10-25
Music Label: Narada
Soundtracks:
- Ancient Legend
- Stepping Stars
- Valley in the Clouds
- Princess
- Eastern Dream
- Night Wind
- Rain
- The Sun Girl
- Lost Temple
Free Music Notes for Valley in the Clouds
Free Music Review: Hmm...? I wouldn't myself say this is his best...
Hit: 3 Stars
I dunno, I myself wouldn't say this is a fantastic album. I say this mainly because of how it compares with his most famous: "The Spirit Wind". This album is good but a bit unfocused. It DOES have some good tracks on it--even some really catchy ones, but it takes more than a few gimmicky tunes alone to make a good new-age album. New age is supposed to simulate classical in many ways and must be focused and tell a story. This album misses the mark somehow.
I, at least, don't get a sense of what the artist is doing. Is he taking me on a journey into clouds? If so, I don't feel it. (Perhaps David Arkenstone thought of that title sporadically and at the last minute? Who knows?)
I have not myself heard too many David Arkenstone albums (four actually), but of all the ones I have heard, I would say "The Spirit Wind" is the only one I would give five stars to, so far. The reason being that "The Spirit Wind" actually has some type of real focus and does not sound like a bunch of randomly thrown-together tracks as this album does. I mean like, how DOES one REALLY judge new-age music anyway, since the majority of it IS instrumental? By music quality or intrinsicness?--Not Really!!! Because most new age music DOES make use of heavy quality instrumentation. If we judge "Valley in the Clouds" that way we're not giving it a true assessment.
So how do I judge new-age music? Mostly by feeling that the artist put something into it, that's how!!! Now "the Spirit Wind" is a focused album, in that it actually tells some type of instrumental story. It starts out with this character going through the motions, not sure what's going on, on the verge of facing some challenge, experiencing fear but ultimately facing the challenge, telling us of his noble-nature, going through his right-of-passage, then eventually moving into manhood, with the last few tracks finally putting a nice moving closure to the whole story. HERE, I get a sense of the artist's purpose!!!
When a new-age album can do that for me, THAT'S WHAT i CALL A GREAT ALBUM! This one, however did not give me an impression that the artist really put work into it--that his soul and spirit went into it, which is truly the essence of new-age. All we really get here is a bunch of thrown-together tracks, which I think are not bad--and three-star does not mean bad, by any means (just not great). If you are new to Arkenstone however, I would really suggest starting out with the above-mentioned "Spirit Wind". On top of being Arkenstone's best album (of the ones I've heard), it also has the most unique album art of all his albums, which should also suggest something.
"Vally in the Clouds" is not in any way a bad album. It even contains a bit of an 80's sound to it. But my purpose for this review is to make others aware that it is no masterwork either.
Although, I have yet to hear more of Arkenstone's work, I DO hope he tries to make another album with a similar heart & Soul to "The Spirit Wind", if he has not already. I guess he isn't that over the hill yet. I don't think one has to be especially young to compose quality new-age music any more than one needed to be to compose great symphonies in the older times. New age is definitely not the same in that regard as hard rock or metal...
Valley in the Clouds Poster
Released in 1987, Valley in the Clouds by multi- instrumentalist David Arkenstone still stands as one of the most exquisite electronic new age recordings ever produced. Lofty praise, but nearly every track of this meticulously designed musical voyage validates the claim. Imbued with a star-traveler's adventurous spirit, Arkenstone's work conveys a sense of interstellar majesty that invites a listener's imagination to operate on an IMAX scale. Luminous at times, gently percussive at others, the nine pieces succeed at fulfilling Arkenstone's stated composing ambition: "I kept asking myself: What would Indiana Jones enjoy listening to?" he said whimsically at the time. If Indy was transformed into Rocket Man, Arkenstone would immerse him in such expansive sonic delights as "Ancient Legend" and "Stepping Stars," a classic pair of album-openers that grandly establish the mystical-travel theme. "Princess" is worthy of royalty in any galaxy, and "Night Wind" can introduce you to auroras that only your mind's eye knew existed. An audio excursion not to be missed. --Terry WoodInternational Music CDs
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