Alpha Wave Movement is one of the recording guises of synthesist Gregory Kyryluk. Kyryluk invokes the synth gods on Drifted Into Deeper Lands, and has put together a great CD that is a must-have for fans of ambient, synth, and space music.
Alpha Wave Movement’s CDs explore classic synth music genres, but make them sound fresh and new, and Drifted Into Deeper Lands is no exception.
The CD starts out with Drifted into Deeper Lands. The track is a hypnotic space music voyage that begins with a wash of ambient synth strings, evolves into a sequence-driven middle section, and then returns to the synth strings of the beginning. It’s a simple form, but Kyryluk makes it memorable with his great ear for synth sounds, balanced orchestration and pacing. It’s a killer track – some of the finest ambient space music we’ve heard.
Silent Promise is a delicate ambient piece that explores airy timbres. It’s a little reminiscent of some of Michael Stearns early work. Evolving synth string textures create a bed for drifting wind-blown bottle sounds. With Silent Promise, Kyryluk reminds us that it’s OK for synth music to sound beautiful.
With Awakening the Sand Spirits & Another Time…Another Place, Kyryluk is joined by Jeff Pearce, who contributes “ambient guitar atmospherics”. These pieces have a feel similar to Steve Roach’s Western Space era work. On tracks like this, you can hear Kyryluk’s influences. Nevertheless, his tracks have their own character and are expertly executed.
Kyryluk wraps things up with the lovely Suspended in Hanging Gardens. The track contrasts chime-like synth timbres over synth string sounds with very slow attacks.
Overall, this is a lovely CD. The first track, Drifted into Deeper Lands, is the most compelling. If the CD has a fault, it’s that it peaks at the beginning. It’s a strong enough track, though, that it would have been hard to top.
Drifted into Deeper Lands is a great CD of ambient space music. You’ll have to search this CD out, but it’s well worth looking for via the Alpha Wave Movement site.
