STEVE ROACH

Criticisms of 'New Age' have been flung left right and centre at poor old Steve, but he just bounces back time and time again, sometimes three times a year. His beatless albums are superb, some of which are the darkest ambiance you'll hear. 'Dreamtime Return' is a pretty much deep ambiance with a few rainsticks thrown in during the first 20 mins. Thereafter it's mainly soft but engagingly drawn out keyboard chords for the duration. Forget about your regular western 'chorus verse structure' and you'll start to get it.

If you're looking for comparisons then 'Stars of the Lid', 'Robert Rich' and 'Brian Eno' spring to mind. Beatless, with no guitar, bass or drums - this makes for a very laid back experience,

All of Steve Roach's albums are very consistent, without a duffer in sight. Unlike any other artist I've reviewed, every album in his gargantuan discography gets a solid three stars - never above, never below... You can't go wrong with any of them, particularly the deep black hole in space drones from the mid '90's.