Continuing my reviews of much of the discography from this artist we come to this album originally released in 2004. This disc sees the artist at a highlight of his career exploring more haunting moods through new age music. Again we have a dozen tracks that explore the caressing sounds and moods including a special bonus with Priscilla Hernandez as guest vocalist and lyricist on the finale to the album.
The somewhat unique or hallmark sound on this disc is the more upbeat style that is present, not to be mistaken for any kind of instrumental synthpop, but rather an upbeat ambient sound with percussion throughout most tracks ...
... These subtle beats mesh well with the sweet synths and mystical sounding breeze and other haunting elements. From the beginning title track on through several pieces this moving ambient mood permeates the album. About the time we reach "Song of the Living Night", the pace slows down and the listener is enveloped in the warm glow of the sweet synthesized orchestra.
At about this point the mood shifts a bit and after this excellent soft segue we're launched into something of a bombastic soundtrack style piece with somber, yet crashing synths and percussion on "The Sorcery". This then gives way to the more somber, darker ambient pieces though the subtle percussion continues to slowly drive each piece along. With track names previously mentioned and others like "The Garden of Strange Beings", "Sleeping with the Demon", "Floating in the River of Souls", the reader and listener can start to gain a sense of the moods and theme running throughout the album. These vary from the upbeat new age ambient moods to the dark and somewhat mysterious mystical sounds. As the disc starts to wind down we're presented as a finale to the album a very rare vocal piece, something not present on other albums that I'm aware of. This sweet little bonus is an incredible number featuring the vocal and lyrical talent of Priscilla Hernandez with the music of Psicodreamics. So while the ambient moods remain intact on this track, the addition of the hauntingly beautiful vocals creates something absolutely stellar and mesmerizing and something that fans have really voiced their approval of by helping it to be included in the Gothic Paradise Ethereal radio show's top 10 songs.
With that we finalize this review by simply stating that in the realm of ambient and new age music, Psicodreamics is one that has managed to cross genre lines and present something that many ethereal and dark ambient fans can enjoy.
Rating: 4/5
