Alexander Sussman’s Sonic Calm 2 is the second of a two-part project of eighteen pieces that were created between October 2024 and August 2025. I haven’t heard Sonic Calm 1, so I can’t compare the two albums, but I’m sure that really isn’t necessary to write this review. The nine pieces on the album are mostly electronic and very ambient with slow, graceful melodic lines that encourage relaxation and a healthy sense of well-being. Sussman describes the album as “a deliberately quiet album with slowed-down melodies drifting through luminous layers of sonic texture, forming a space for deep inner reflection, touching the edges of the spiritual.”

Alexander Sussman studied classical piano and composition at the Queensland Conservatorium of Music and has had extensive experience re-scoring orchestrations for smaller ensembles. As a pianist and musical director, he has performed in every notable cabaret venue across Sydney and Melbourne (Australia) in a career spanning more than thirty years. Alexander immersed himself in monastic life through training in Myanmar, Thailand and Missouri, and has channelled his passion for meditative practices into the area of New Age music since 2022.

Sonic Calm 2 begins with “Hymn,” an acknowledgment of the light and strength within.” Wordless vocals weave in and out of the orchestration, moving the piece forward with grace and warmth. “Hygge” is a Danish word that means taking the time to relax and enjoy life’s quieter pleasures, and the piece with that title embodies a cozy, contented feeling that counteracts the pressures and difficulties in life. Sussman describes “Twilight” as an invitation to the listener to enter “a deep, ancient forest at dusk where faeries and elves might stir.” Long, luxurious tones are woven together to create a feeling of magic and wonder. By definition, a “Nocturne” is a “night song,” and Sussman refers to his as “a sonic representation of deep, restorative night meditation.” The piano plays a major part in this piece, as do ethereal voices and other ambient instrumentation - a favorite! “Reverie” is “a journey guided by the inner mind,” and “an arc from personal quietude to breathtaking, universal awareness.” Incredibly soothing and peaceful, I keep finding myself starting to doze off (a compliment in this case!). “Hypnagoogia” is defined as “the liminal space between waking and dreaming, a state of being that is neither full perception nor non-perception. It is a place difficult to define, impossible to experience with a fully awake mind.” Sometimes mysterious and often rather dark, it’s a fascinating exploration! Sussman describes “Introspection” as a “wandering and meandering solo piece built around the simplicity of the keyboard, underscored by only the barest hint of backing vocals. This composition defines intimacy—the feeling of being completely alone with your instrument, or completely alone with your own thoughts. It is a quiet conversation with the self, reflective and unfiltered.” Simple yet very expressive, the open spaces in the music are just as important as the notes. “Retreat,” another favorite, “embodies the spirit of a personal withdrawal from the world.” Solitude can be so peaceful and restorative and this piece provides the perfect accompaniment to some healing time alone. Sussman saved the title track for the conclusion of his two-part series and it is “simultaneously intimate in its focus and expansive in its sound.” Strings, wordless vocals, light bells, and other orchestral instrumentation gently guide the music to a serene and very expressive close.

Sonic Calm 2 was designed to be music with a purpose, but it is also exceptionally soothing and relaxing as a listening experience - and who couldn’t use some more of that?!?! The album is available to stream and/or download from Amazon and Apple Music/iTunes and is on many streaming platforms including Bandcamp, Spotify and Pandora.