Music to Disappear In

Publisher No.:
(1988) Hearts of Space - number not known

Comments:
Raphael's first Hearts of Space album, the ingeniously titled Music to Disappear In, has become a word of mouth phenomenon in the new age alternative market, with sales doubling each year since its mid '88 release and no end in sight. As the title of the new album suggests, MTDI/II is a sequel, an evolution, and an expansion of the original concept. Executive producer Stephen Hill tapped veteran new age engineer/producer Warren Dennis Khan (credits include Constance Demby, Radhika Miller, Aeoliah, Georgia Kelly, and dozens of others) to produce the new recording. The hardest part was convincing the artist to temporarily give up his comfortable lifestyle, split between a Big Sur music retreat on the California coast and his permanent residence on the island of Maui. Once in the studio, Dennis reports, everything went very smoothly. About half the new music falls into the "transcendental romantic" genre. Sweeping grand piano, ethereal strings and floating chorales develop the emotional content and imagery first popularized by late 19th century composers and more recently by Vangelis and Yanni. Nestled within this music at the center of the album is Raphael's intuitive intermixture of European gypsy, Middle Eastern, and Indian modal trance dances. Guest soloists inlclude Stephen Coughlin on flutes and bansuri, vocalist Sophia, and violinist Terri Sternberg, along with a rhythm section of Northern California hand drummers. Raphael describes the final three pieces Laxshmi, Tantra, and Heaven as "Mother, Mistress, and Madonna -- three aspects of the feminine creative spirit."
Reviewer: Hearts of Space

1. River Seeks the Deep [8:59] Cascading grand piano, harmonic strings, and mixed chorus chant a gentle, enigmatic phrase of introduction. 2. Surrender [8:58] A luxurious harmonic sound bath, with exquisitely melodic piano and bamboo flute solos, tamboura, celeste, and concert harp glissandos weaving a stately movement over a heartbeat pulse. 3. Healing Dance [9:14] An exotic trance dance piece with a middle eastern modal violin solos and co-composition by Terri Sternberg. Richly ornamented electronic keyboards by Raphael and subtle flute lines trade off over a solid conga and shaker rhythm groove. 4. Laxshmi [10:03] Composed by Sophia, who sings the introductory alap in microtonal South Indian vocal style. String arrangement and keyboards by Raphael, violin solos by Terri Sternberg, bansuri flute solo by Stephen Coughlin. Cruises along on a steady rhythm track of congas and bells. 5. Tantra [12:36] Composed by Sophia. Gong and mixed chorus, bells, synthesizers, congas and didjeridu drones surround eerie bamboo flute solos by Stephen Coughlin. Builds through choral statements and passionate violin solos to an ecstatic climax. 6. Heaven [7:16] Piano returns over floating chorales, harps, strings and massive thunderbolt percussion, in a glorious ascending movement to realms transcendent.
Reviewer: Hearts of Space