CELLOSPHERE

We are all well aware of those many amazingly hypnotic musical introductions, bridges or grand finales, where or from where, most musicians start or transform or finish their well learned prog songs.

Stuff like the opening 40 seconds or closing of Yes' "Close to the Edge", to set a super famous example or Robert Fripp's radical 30 second permanent transformation from Punk to Drone, in his exceptional "Under Heavy Manners", 2nd solo release, for example. What will have happened if they just stood there and developed all their music structures fom those abstract moments of windy seagulls or distant electronic waves? As Fripp did, in fact , but both references will fit in to describe what to expect, music wise, from this Marvin Ayres, 1999, "Cellosphere", like a combination of those both musical overture/bridge sections, just as an example, I repeat.

"Cellosphere" as it obviously implies, is played entirely, so we are told with violin and cello, of course all electrified and layered, to perfection, I may add.

Drone like hypnotic, 3+ 1 bonus, fast/mid/slow tempo, compositions filled with swirling or linear, sometimes menacing, most truly attractive, others bordering between sweet dreams/nightmares, multiple melody lines, playing around their own harmonies or counterpointing the same into new, ever evolving, structures.

It is not the common string work coming from acoustic string musicians who plug their instruments. So, Jean Luc Ponty'S, nor ELO'S, nor Eddie Jobson'S, nor great Lakshminarayana Shankar's solo releases, this ain't.

This is contemporary progressive electronic music upbrought by a keen understanding of both Cosmic music and the infinite possibilities electrified STRING instruments can offer. In the right hands of course, and Marvin Ayres surely knows how to take full advantage of all this.

This is worth EVERY penny it costs!

***** 5 (flawless masterpiece) PA stars.