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Music reviews
Chill out/ambient reviews
Candyflip Records in Greece is out with the second album by Healer, Michael Andresen from Sweden. His first album Wonder Ground was released on Flying Rhino Records in 2000. Now that Flying Rhino is bankrupt, he has started releasing on Candyflip Records. Healer is his ambient project, but he has also a psytrance project called 12 Moons.
Healer "Higher Grounds" Candyflip Records 2004 (CFCD11)
1. The Answer
2. Polarity
3. Three
4. Infinity And Beyond
5. Hibernation
6. Art Of Trancelucency
7. Resonate Within
8. Apnea
Healer certainly likes to ad an atmospheric vibe to his music, both in his trance and ambient projects. The first track we get here starts really beautiful with a floating atmospheric sound. A little melody works its way slowly into the track together with some very relaxed, careful beats. A really nice start on this album, perfect when you are tired and want to relax. Track 2 goes floating too, but in a more mystic, deep way. Not much beats at all. Everything is just floating with massive beautiful relaxing sounds. Totally relaxing, deep ambient. After a while we also get some beautiful melodies and some piano. Track 3 moves a little bit away from that totally floating vibe. Still, we get tons of beautiful sounds and melodies. This one has some dubby beats and flute alike melodies. Nice. Track 4 is a slow drifting track with a deep mystic vibe and some beautiful piano. Totally relaxing and beautiful all the way through. I’m sure I will play this a lot this summer.
Track 5 has a more dramatic vibe. This track was originally released on the Ease Division 1 compilation on Spiral Trax Records in 2002. A nice chill out compilation which was compiled by Healer himself. This track is floating all the way through, with some nice relaxed melodies and chilled beats. While track 1-5 is called passage one, track 6-8 is called passage 2. And yes, track 6 takes a slightly different direction. This goes definitely darker, still with that totally floating vibe. This one might sound a bit intense and isn’t among the most interesting tracks on this album, but doesn’t sound bad. Track 7 goes even darker and more dramatic. Still very beautiful and relaxing, with mystic sounds that you might imagine is from outer space. This one is just drifting with no beats at all. Reminds me a bit of Pete Namlook. The last track we get here is one of the most beautiful tracks I have heard by this guy so far. This one is also just floating without beats, and the sounds are incredibly beautiful.
In my opinion, this album is definitely better than the first Healer album. If you like floating, atmospheric, deep ambient music, you should definitely check out this. A fresh breath away from the usual ethno chill. Pure, relaxing, deep ambient music for your home listening after work or whenever you are tired and want to just drift away in beautiful sounds.
PK (shivapks@hotmail.com)
