SACRED GEOMETRY

A fascinating blend of electronics, blissful ethnic world music elements and drifting psych, the first Microcosmic/Daevid Allen (here credited as Daevid Alien!) collaboration is an evocative and intoxicating instrumental work for those looking to drift away from the world! Just over 50 minutes of tasteful and spacy electronic atmosphere full of beauty and wonder. It still has enough slight similarities to associate it with Allen's Gong work to keep fans of that band interested, but this aims for something more tranquil and thoughtful.

There's an air of mystery throughout opener `Laxman Jewel' - a drifting sea of sitar, Tibetan chimes, flute, Mikey Cosmic's phasing synths and Allen's trademark glissando guitar. The moody `Isralieglis' has delicate plucked lute, humming background synths and Graham Clark's sad violin that alternates between slightly darker passages and almost joyful Ashra moments. The Eastern influenced title track has throaty wordless chanting, brief low-key electric guitar and eerie shimmering keys. The urgent `Star Tetrahedron' has ethereal glissando mixed with gentle trance-like electronics and subtle pulsing percussive beats that remind me briefly of some of The Orb albums. `Murwillumbah' has hypnotic electronic washes and brief chanting that calls from a faraway place, it can easily send the listener into a serene and meditative state. Celestial glistening synths and flute weave together throughout the ambient and calming `Isle Of Avalon' which finishes the album in a cosmic and deeply spiritual way.

An album to absolutely treasure and love, this is a perfect musical experience to unwind to, whilst never drifting into background music, becoming too light or bland faceless New Age dreck. The first of a series of highly worthwhile Microcosmic releases, `Sacred Geometry' is an emotional combination of deep space and old world earth, music to become truly lost in.

Four stars.