OASIS (OST)

While "Oasis" is described as a soundtrack in the sleeve notes, do not look on IMDB for a film of that name from 1997, you will not find one. The music here was commissioned for a documentary made by noted cinematographer of nature Gray Warriner. In this case, the documentary was about the natural wonders of the South West United States. Thus we have tracks dedicated to such areas of jaw dropping beauty as the cactus parks of Arizona, Mesa Verde NP, Zion NP and the sublime Cedar Breaks National Monument in Utah.

The band at this point consists only of Edgar and Jerome Froese, who the filmmakers knew they could rely up on to provide music which would complement the beauty of the landscapes perfectly. In an audio only environment, those of us who have had the privilege of seeing these wonders for ourselves can sit back and relive the experience through our imagination. The handful of photographs adorning the CD cover help along the way, the relaxed nature of these synthesiser pieces being undemanding and peaceful. That is not to say these are slow moving new age ambiences, many of the tracks have reasonably strong rhythms, with pieces such as "Flashflood" being suitably vibrant. The music though is essentially extended improvisations on straightforward basic themes, the synth tones rarely straying from the soft polyphonic sounds which are a feature of many Tangerine Dream albums from around this time.

"Cedar breaks" is actually the best track in my opinion. Here, the electronic rhythms are dispensed with in favour of symphonic synthesiser sounds, the mood of the piece being gentler and more orchestral. This makes visualising the wonderful colours of the majestic columns which adorn this hidden gem in Utah, the simplest of pleasures.

There is nothing ground breaking or novel here, those familiar with the Froese's albums of this type will find this is very much more of the same. For me, the appeal of the album is simply that it is inspired by and dedicated to some of the most stunning places in the entire world. Happy memories indeed.

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