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 | James Johnson:Unity (Zero Music - 1998) Ahhhh... it doesn't get much more peaceful than this! James Johnson presents us with 4 tracks of digital tranquility... gently flowing, beautiful, clear streams of electronic ambience. Pristine! |
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It's hard to pin descriptions on these pleasingly amorphous pieces. Suffice it to say, they're expertly rendered and extremely user-friendly. Serenely drifting waves of synth strings and lightly introspective piano notes coalesce into Forward, the 5.5' opening track. Slightly darker sound clouds roll in for the 15-minute-plus Flow. Sonic mists gather to rise and fall in a lush, warmly caressing steambath.
Similarly, Return pulses with warmth as multi-timbral strings slowly waft and swirl in a dense, though entrancing and light-suffused, fog. For a final quarter-hour, In Then Out also continues in the same freeform manner as its predecesors. Deeper threads run through this track and higher tones dance across it. (The only blemish is a somewhat truncated ending...) But don't just take my word for it... Unity is posted in its entirety at the Zero Music website. |
| The forces of Light prevail in James Johnson's world; for 44 minutes Unity bathes the listener in a cascading aural shower which can wash away the woes of an uncaring world. One Enthusiastic (though very relaxed) Thumb Up! |  |
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