Wonderful voyage!!!
author: Richard Gurtler
Wow, what a nice surprise here by the project that was completely unknown to me. John-Mark Austin is the sole member behind Immersion Theory and "The [Icarus] Foray" album might be his debut work released back in 2007. This is another proof of the fact there is still a lot of unrecognized and underrated artists who don't get the attention they deserve. After having explored "The [Icarus] Foray" I am including Immersion Theory without any hesitation among the biggest sonic architects in the space music genre. The album opens grandiosely with "Icarus One", a composition that left me immediately breathless. This is absolute beauty comprised of softly floating space washes transforming at the end into more orchestral mood, but all the time delicately enriched by heavenly choirs on the background and astronauts' radio transmissions placed to the fore, some Morse Code sounds are presented to. This is amazing blend of ethereal beauty and outer space NASA communications. Real 15-minute winner I must say, just like the next piece, "Echoes Of Apollo", slightly darker, more drifting piece, even if without angelic choirs, but still heavenly unfolding. In the first half of "Resonance" some more rhythmed and more evolving monumental turnovers are added to the overall slowly fading away floating content. Closing 22-minute opus, "Solar Garden" is by far the most colorful composition on album with again presented choirs, but also field-recordings of a thunder storm, bubbling water, bird calls, some additional space rumblings... all wrapped into gradually changing, culminating and gracefully crafted orchestrations, the track title was chosen more than perfectly. Wonderful voyage, plus nicely executed artwork and no one else but maestro Robert Rich behind the mastering desk, now you can easily imagine what you are missing in your collection...
Richard Gürtler (Bratislava, Slovakia)
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Best space-ambient music!
author: Piotr Podermanski
I first heard it on "Drone" internet radio, and downloaded 5 minutes of "Icarus One" it to my mp3 player. And loved it. It worked as a great inspiration while working, as I do visual effects and while driving at night. Best space-ambient music I have ever encountered. So... I was happy to find the whole album here, ready for download. :)
Piotr-Akurra
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A Spark In The Dark!
author: Kristian Persson
When listening to this record in the dark, I almost feel like I'm sitting inside a spaceship, ready for a 'mission' to space and its unknown territory's. The CD starts with a narrator talking, the kind of narration you often hear when astronauts are communicating to eatch other while in space (and offcourse while in the space shuttles aswell).
And this "intro" of the music starts the whole journey, and you better believe me when I say this record is a must have if you are familiar to Michael Stearns album "Planetary Unfolding". It's definetely at least as good, if not better, especially the track "Echoes Of Apollo", which really showcases how space probably would sound if sound did exist there.
To me, outer space, inner space, the oceans and forests and all the life they contain, and even the space inside our minds are all somehow associated and related and they all make sense in the context of space music.
I would say that the music here could best be described as slow moving, dark, & slightly haunting at places. And to sum it up, this really is a spark in the dark. It has all the elements that conjures up a good space journey experience, and pick this one up if you're a serious listener to the genre, and offcourse, you should consider buying it aswell if you are a collector! You won't be dissapointed!
Highly recommended, especially for the fans of Michael Stearns!
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New York Chic
author: Karen Springer
This album is absolutely everything is says it is and more. Listening is truly an amazing experience. It left me holding my breath and so relaxed at the same time. Artistry, authenticity, and beauty - it's all there. I would say this is a 'must have' for all ambient music collections. Unbelievable - my new favorite, and I'll be waiting for more from this artist!
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