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Album Review: Ambient Alchemy
Steven Halpern and Michael Diamond
Cover image of the album Ambient Alchemy by Steven Halpern and Michael Diamond
Ambient Alchemy
Steven Halpern and Michael Diamond
2014 / Inner Peace Music
66 minutes
Review by Kathy Parsons
Ambient Alchemy is a fourteen-piece collaboration by new age “superstar” Steven Halpern and “rising star” Michael Diamond with special guest Michael Manring who appears on six tracks. The Grammy-nominated Halpern has had a very long career in the field of sound healing and composed the music for four of the tracks; he plays Rhodes piano, keyboards, and crystal bowls on this album. Michael Diamond has also had a very impressive career thus far as a musician, producer, and music journalist; he composed the other ten tracks and plays guitar, guitar synth, and keyboards. Manring is widely considered to be the best fretless bass player on the planet.

Most of the music on Ambient Alchemy can be classified as “space music,” with ethereal, floating sounds and the feeling of vast openness. It is music that can provide an unobtrusive background for working or quiet activities, and yet is rich enough for active listening - especially for the healing arts and deep relaxation. The production quality is outstanding, with clear sound that is never too bright or jarring and that has tremendous depth. It is very easy to let go while listening to this album, allowing your mind take you on a journey limited only by your own imagination. Very peaceful and transporting, Ambient Alchemy is music with a purpose that can also be savored for pure enjoyment. It is available from www.StevenHalpern.com, Amazon and iTunes.
October 23, 2014
This review has been tagged as:
Guitar music
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