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Album Review: Beyond the Sunrise
Carl Borden
Cover image of the album Beyond the Sunrise by Carl Borden
Beyond the Sunrise
Carl Borden
2020 / Real Music/Myndstream
55 minutes
Review by Kathy Parsons
Beyond the Sunrise is the fourth album from ambient artist, Carl Borden, who made his 2016 debut on the Real Music label with Echoes of Bliss. The music on Beyond the Sunrise is very peaceful and ambient with shimmering layers of sound and electronic instrumentation. One of the ten tracks is more traditionally structured and melodic, but this is mostly ambient music designed to calm, relax and soothe - and who couldn’t use more of that right now? Also a multiple award-winning and Billboard-charting record producer, composer and audio engineer, Borden holds a degree in Sound and Music Technology from Valencia College in Florida. He says that the music on Beyond the Sunrise is symbolic of a new beginning for him as an artist - both creatively and emotionally.

The Global Music Awards presented silver medals in two different categories for Borden’s first album, Echoes of Bliss (2016) - Best New Age Album and Album Production. His second album, Breathe (2017), was nominated by One World Music as Best New Age Album for that year and also spent eight weeks on the iTunes World Music bestseller list. In 2019, One World Music nominated Morning Embrace, Borden’s third album, for Album of the Year and Best Ambient Album awards.

Beyond the Sunrise begins with “At First Light,” a piece that beautifully expresses the profound calm and promise of a new day. You can almost feel the warmth of the rising sun! The title track offers something of a mind massage, gently lifting your thoughts and imagination above the stress and craziness of today’s world. “City of Dreams” has a somewhat darker tone, but is still blissfully peaceful. The dreamy “Drifting Stars” is the perfect music for falling asleep, making you feel like you are effortlessly floating through the night sky surrounded by twinkling stars. “Jamila’s Song” is completely different from the rest of the album, and is a (digital) piano solo written for Borden’s daughter. Simple, sweet and heartfelt, it’s my favorite track on the album. “Memories of You” feels very pensive and somber - remembering. “Walk with Me (A Beautiful Journey)” overflows with warmth and love, bringing the album to a relaxed and contented close.

If you are looking for some music to de-stress your life for an hour or so, Beyond the Sunrise is available from Amazon, iTunes/Apple Music, and streaming sites such as Spotify. Take a listen!
August 28, 2020
More reviews of Carl Borden albums
Cover image of the album Good Morning Light (single) by Carl Borden
with myndstream Summer Song Flight
2021
Single Release
Cover image of the album Ambient Sleep by Carl Borden
2022
(contributing artist)