MUSIC OF THE SPHERES

OK a new Oldfield album. essentially this is a classical/new age affair although I would have to say it is more new age in feel than a regular classical piece of music. Put it this way Tony Banks and the ' Seven Suite is far more classical sounding as an album than Music of the Spheres. Yet overall it is not bad. It does not return MO to the studio release greats of previous years but it is still worth getting if you are an Oldfield enthusiast. Another important point being this is also music for a soundtrack The Space Movie.

It does return to a conceptual theme because of this but at times the music seems disjointed as opposed to delivering a full on concept as say Songs Of Distant Earth would. ' Harbinger ' is a luke warm opener with some typical MO keyboards and Silouette' and Shabda are great pieces in a similar vein to 'Blackbird' and ' Rocky' from 'Light and Shade'. Hayley Westenra contributes vocals on the beautiful ' On my Heart' and for me the second half of the album really becomes more solid and highlights definitely would be ' Harmonia Mundi' and 'Musica Universalis'. Always welcome from Mike Oldfield a new studio release and this album makes pleasant listening. I get the impression though that the classical challenge for Oldfield he could have done blindfolded. IMHO his greatest challenge ahead from studio output will be recreating a true progressive conceptual work again along the lines of ' Ommadawn' or even ' Songs of Distant Earth' Two and a half stars!