Sounds reminiscent of the halcyon days of Windham Hill and “New Age” music are created by famed harpist Andreas Vollenweider, who also contributes piano, woodwinds, keyboards, percussion and even his voice on this album that also includes drummer/percussionist Walter Keiser and featuring cellist Isabel Gehweiler.
The ten songs are described as “thematic improvisations” which imply that most of the music is spontaneous, but there is still a base reference point. The songs themselves are in agreement with this idea, as there is a pop belodice feel with keyboards on “Bella Smiling” and the lyrical “The Pyramidians”. The ebullient “Polyhymnia” is upbeat as is the bluesy R&B ish “Sculpture that features Gehweiler’s bow in a clever atmosphere. The cellist is also out front as she yearns on the dramatic “Venus in the Mirror” and is cheerful on “Pygmalion”. The 80s sound fresh 40 years later.