FLAMING STAR

After the often ingenious "Secret Songs", I was expecting a bit more from SALLY OLDFIELD's final (to date) release of (mostly) original recordings, but the intervening 5 years seem to have been utilised in much the same manner as brother Mike, with an embrace of the Ibizenco. "Flaming Star" is essentially an album of extended dance mixes alternating with attenuated dance mixes, sans the "normal" precursors for the most part. Hypnotic and imaginative, yes, but with the spiritual warmth of early triumphs swapped for a half hearted tachycardia.

With no real showstoppers, the most frustrating aspect is how even a 9+ minute version of her first and biggest hit "Mirrors" can't oblige long time listeners with a single iteration of a verse or chorus with which to connect the dots. The best piece here is the self referential "Bird of Paradise", followed by the title cut that was done just as well in fewer minutes on "Secret Songs". It's telling and perhaps comforting that her only works to punctuate the last 25 years are in the form of compilations and remixes, so her luminescence hasn't been obscured by too many late career moves that have plagued lesser artists of a certain age.

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