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Album Review: Mystic Voyager
Peter Sterling
Cover image of the album Mystic Voyager by Peter Sterling
Mystic Voyager
Peter Sterling
2023 / Harp Magic Music
43 minutes
Review by Kathy Parsons
Mystic Voyager is award-winning harpist/composer Peter Sterling's sixteenth studio album and his most ambitious recording project to date. With his unique blend of new age, contemporary instrumental and global fusion styles, Peter takes his listeners on a journey of healing and transformation - and a very pleasant one at that! Recorded at his home studio, Casa Tranquilo in Sedona, Arizona, Peter expresses the music on this album via electric harp, keyboards, vocals, and percussion. He is joined by an impressive list of new age musical artists that include Seay (vocals), Richard Hardy on flutes and sax, David Young on flute, and Darlene Koldenhoven on piano - to name a few. Each of the nine original tracks takes listeners to a different realm of consciousness as it weaves together ethereal melodies and rhythms to create music that soothes and uplifts. It's also really nice music to listen to simply for relaxation, musical enjoyment and/or to recharge the spirit.

Mystic Voyager begins with "Invocation," a piece with vocals arranged, performed and produced by Seay. Mostly a duet for harp and voice, it sets the peaceful, mystical tone of the album. "Night Wind" has a music video that combines actual analog footage and cutting-edge artificial intelligence-generated imagery, "transporting you to a world where imagination and reality intertwine seamlessly." You can watch it on Peter's website or on YouTube - it's well-worth five minutes of your time! "Cosmic Lover" combines Nina Starson's vocals with Richard Hardy's sax along with floating harp and keyboard sounds that create a dreamy, sparkling, atmospheric sound. "Across the Great Divide" is a favorite with David Young's haunting renaissance flute, Peter's harp, Chianne's vocals and Mark Danisovszky's accordion - magical! I also really like "Bahia Del Sol," a warm and relaxed piece with an exotic spirit I find very refreshing. I can almost see palm trees swaying in a gentle breeze as colorful birds dive in and out of the surf looking for food. Ahhhh! As its title suggests, "The Long Cold Winter" goes to a much darker, chillier place with its own unique beauty. "Light Of Your Love" comes from the heart and features Hardy on flute, Dov on violin, light vocals and, of course, Peter's graceful harp. "Angels Ascending" includes Grammy Award-winning pianist Darlene Koldenhoven and Dov on violin, providing a soothing, ethereal accompaniment for Peter's harp. Mystic Voyager comes to a heavenly close with "Wings of Light." Harp (Sterling), flute (Hardy) and piano (Koldenhoven) as well as wordless vocals paint a picture of a perfect peace where gentleness and love lead the way, rather than confusion, hate and disharmony. May this beautiful music take us closer to that more perfect world!

Mystic Voyager is available from Amazon (downloads and streaming; CDs will be available on June 16, 2023), Apple Music/iTunes and streaming sites including Spotify. It's a 43-minute escape you can take whenever you want or need to!
June 8, 2023
This review has been tagged as:
Other Solo Instruments
Contributing artists:
Darlene KoldenhovenSeay
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