INCANTATIONS

'Incantations' was easily the most relaxed album of Mike's career so far. I can't find any other album from the late seventies era remotely like this. Punk was still raging and I don't think Oldfield paid even the slightest bit of attention to what was going on around him. It is quite a timeless work, and as a double album consisting of four nineteen minute long sections, it might be kind of difficult to get into, but it is worth it. Its sheer size and scale was always part of the attraction for me. The opening stretch of 'Part One' has some very interesting stabbing, short, classical string sections amid spacey 'new age' and 'futuristic' meditative sounds and plenty of his guitar of course. Later there some delicious African flavours too among others. In all, it is quite amazing musically. Mike's arrangements are just harrowingly, mystical, wonderful and one of a kind. The album has a fantastic sound quality even on vinyl. Quite worth it if you've enjoyed Oldfield's other better works. Keep listening to Incantations!