TALES: Marco Polo, a life for a dream TALES: Marco Polo, a life for a dream (Arizona University Recordings - 1999) TALES musically recounts the life and times of history's famed explorer, Marco Polo. Moodily exotic arrangements of modern electronics and ethnic instrumentation give Marco Polo, a life for a dream a dreamy life of its own. The liner notes provide a brief written synopsis of Mr. Polo's story for those of us who've forgotten. Reflecting ancient Asia, recorded in Paris and released in Arizona, the almost-60-minute disc is truly a mulicultural affair... Entering through The gates of Gobi, the listener is surrounded by sweeping synthclouds and other transcendent atmospherics, punctuated by sporadic percussion. Crossing the Infinite steppes, quavering layers of Oriental-ish tones slowly dance, while a deep drone undulates. String-like pluckings are stratified and suffused in the wispy tendrils of Cambaluc; bass notes replace beats, and flutey tones interject amongst synth twinkles as the whole piece grows in strength and wonder. Thoughtfully-placed ethno-drumbeats lend an air of discovery and majesty to The karwanserai, which is softly stirred by flute, bell and string sounds. Beginning with spacy, echoing bells and rippling analog synthones, The road of Sining (9:54) recieves additional local color from sitar-style leads before thundering swathes of deep electronic drones wash over all, then soar above, accented with bells and xylo-like notes.The Kingdom of Qara-Khataï rises from a magical realm of resonant thrumming basstones, floating synthstrands and delicate sparkles. After the cyclic string and bell patterns of closing track Dreams of Venezia, a minute of silence elapses before a short hidden track (3:19) reveals concentric circles of a more-electric nature, reaching toward infinity. That piece shifts into a beatier, warblier mode before fading away... TALES' Marco Polo, a life for a dream could be classified as ethnic-influenced New Age, but that would be too easy and not entirely accurate; enough abstract etherealism and cinematic presence runs through these threads of history to recommend this disc to anyone seeking an entrancing, atmosphere-laden (and quite safe) aural vacation. An 8.1 journey by way of analog stylings and Asian colorations. This review posted March 29, 2000 AmbiEntrance © 2000-1997 by David J Opdyke (except CD cover art, rights retained by original owners).