PLANETARY UNFOLDING

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.