MICHAEL STEARNS

The American ambient-oriented artist Michael Stearns really hasn't got many reviews here, despite his vast discography. Last month I reviewed Encounter (1988) and now the only other album I have from Stearns. No, I am not a connoisseur of his output.

Instead of having an ordinary studio album at hand, much of the music on The Storm has originally appeared on various films. This fact doesn't decrease the coherence of the whole, which is mixed with great dedication to function perfectly as an individual, genuine ambient album. According to All Music Guide review here are "some of darker and more exotic soundscapes and atmospheres" of Stearns. Compared to Encounter, this does feel a bit more exciting and varied, but the difference is not notable. If the space- themed Encounter was fit for a planetarium, this music by and large has the similar meditative and profound nature, only with some more Earth-rooted nuances, at times associated to Africa or India.

The opening title track featuring sound effects of a thunder is from a film called The Doe in the Headlights. It's a very fine, dynamic piece of dark ambient. Many of the other tracks are typical Stearns in their slow-paced spatial serenity.

'Light in the Tree' features some female voice (Marsha Lee) as a part of the soundscape. 'From the Cradle' is one of the highlights. It has crystal-like brightness and some distant, distorted human voice to increase the mystic feel. Female singing is more central on 'Bajan' co-composed by an Indian mystic Mirabai.

Those listeners not in general excited by slow-paced ambient music probably won't get interested with this album either, but especially if you like some World Music flavour too, The Storm is a recommendable item of the genre.

Michael Stearns is a Californian ambient / New Age musician and he was among the genre's most essential artists in the eighties. This album, his first one with a pure space theme despite the spatial nature of his earlier albums as well, is considered "a defining benchmark in ambient space music" (All Music Guide). I have no reason to question that, but I'll try to make a descriptive review on the ground of my subjective reception.

This synth-based music is deeply delicate, tranquil and slow paced, guaranteed to bore a casual listener who is not used to rely on mere ambience without notable musical action or rhythmic structure. In space no one can hear you yawn, to mock the advertising line of a scifi thriller. No, this music offers no shocks or thrills in the least, instead it's very profound and meditative. Makes you feel the vast emtiness and silence of the space. There is some sonic variety between the ten tracks, most of which are of typical song length or slightly over (the longest one is 8:55), but it's all pretty delicate.

Many pieces, such as the title track, would function as background music for a planetarium show, leaving plenty of room for the calm narration voice. Compared to artists like Klaus Schulze, Edgar Froese, Software, etc., -- not to mention the likes of J-M. Jarre -- Stearns is much much more serene and minimalistic in his slow meditativeness. But mere relaxation music this isn't either, maybe a bit closer to Dark Ambient. 'On the Way' is perhaps the fullest of sonic "action" with its bright, crystal-like sounds slightly reminiscent of the Fairlight pattern in Peter Gabriel's 'San Jacinto', or the music of German New Age/ ambient artist Nik Tyndall.

This album is a tough one for me to rate. In its own particular field it is undoubtedly a seminal work, but on the other hand for my taste it is frankly a bit too narcotic and makes me miss the more progressive or otherwise more tangible electonic music. So, make it three subjective stars.

I remembered watching an episode of the 1980s version of Ripley's Believe It or Not, the one hosted by Jack Palance, and his daughter Holly Palance and they were bringing up Michael Stearns and this LYRA used on this album, which came out at the same time that particular episode aired. LYRA was a custom made string instrument invented by Michael Stearns and partner George Landy (who did sculptures). Basically a bunch of strings attached to hexagons from bottom to ceiling, and plucked and bowed. Apparently a Beam was used too, some metal beam with strings attached that Francisco Lupica used on his Cosmic Beam Experience album in 1976 (he was going by just Francisco on that album), he's the same guy who did some of the sound effects off Star Trek: The Motion Picture off the Beam, and since I've can identify that sound, I wouldn't doubt Stearns got a hold of one since I frequently hear similar sounds off LYRA Sound Constellation. To me this is to the 1980s what Tangerine Dream's Zeit was to the '70s. This is truly a dark ambient album, conjuring a sinister atmosphere that would be very unsettling to mainstream listeners. Much of it using the LYRA and probably the aforementioned Beam. Hardly any synths are used, except for the final piece which is used in that grand, symphonic style. Given how I tend to avoid the 1980s like the plague because of not only what happened to prog rock, but of electronic music (Tangerine Dream slipping into mediocrity, many others going the New Age route, and Jean Michel Jarre not sure what he should try next), but I'm glad this is not like that. This is truly recommended if you iike Zeir, or dark ambient in general.

Michael Stearns' Planetary Unfolding consists of spacey, ambient electronic meanderings. In its slow pace and gradual buildups, I am reminded of a smoother, more purely electronic, substantially more ambient and somewhat more new age-leaning take on the sort of musical territory visited in Zeit by Tangerine Dream. Taken in the balance, though, I think Zeit is able to command a broader emotional range and suggests far more turmoil than these peaceful, tranquil compositions. Fans of progressive electronic music may find this one overly simplistic, but if you're really into ambient or need something to relax to it certainly does the job more than adequately.