THIRTEEN FROM THE TWENTY FIRST

This is Richard Wileman's second album under the auspices of Karda Estra, following on as they did from Lives & Times. Ileesha Bailey is still present on dreamy vocals, (she has the most wonderful clear vocals, reminiscent of Annie Haslam), while this time he has also brought in some extra musicians to provide assistance on woodwind and string instruments where previously he had used synthesisers.

I even prefer this album to the debut. It is again very visual and indeed five of the songs have been written for short films. One of these, "Evolution" originally saw light in a different format on the Lives & Times album 'Pull Of A Tide'. This is powerful modern music, which transcends many of the 'labels' which people will try and put on it. The labels, like old post-its, just can't stick and will fall away in the breeze created by the music as it twists and turns into new dimensions.

The songs/musical pieces, call them what you will, can for the most part only be described as 'beautiful'. It is music that gently pulls the listener in, like a mermaid lulling the sailors into danger, and refuses to let them go until the album ends, bringing the listener sadly back to a reality.