Serenity in the Vast Darkness, by Lucid Sound Driver

Beautiful melodic and textural ambient by Lucid Sound Driver (an incredibly appropriate moniker), presented in a variety of formats by Æscape Sounds.

Lush new age with a thick atmosphere, dense with emotion and nostalgia. My favorite type of ambient, really – the kind that can set the mood comfortably in the background, or deeply appreciated when more attention is payed. The 6 tracks, though not brief by any means, left me wanting more as the phased synthesizers guided me towards the light beyond the darkness.

The 3-part opening trilogy of tracks are quite strong – even going so far as to destroy one of my biggest bothers in music – the inclusion of police/ambulance sirens, turning it into something quite atmospherically beautiful. There’s even a Sangam feature on this record, but interestingly enough I found that to be the weakest track of the project – feeling almost uninspired and lacking the polish of the rest of the record. It’s still a good track, perhaps I got my hopes up a little too high!

I do adore the generous use of field recordings around this record – gentle breeze, dripping rain and passing vehicles. At times it can be triumphant, while taking mysterious brooding turns towards angst and grief. A story is surely being told, but you can put the pieces together yourself.

You can get the record now Digitally at name-your-own price – or if you choose to support, you can get a Cassette Tape, a CD or Vinyl (all of which are still in stock at the time of this posting) – or even get a beautiful looking poster for only a couple dollars!