ATARAXIA (SKY BLUE)

After the pop-jazz that preceded, Doldinger reshuffled the line-up of his backing band again in an attempt to find a new vibe for his music. I'm afraid the vibe is still very much pop-jazz that is further brought down with new age music sounds, especially due to the keyboards.

The result is somewhere between Passport's own pop-jazz, Alan Parsons Project and Oldfield 80s new-age. That's a combination of elements that stands very far from the creative excitement I want to hear in music, though I can understand other people might still find some quality through what rate as impermeable layers of turn-offs for me.

The number of disappointments are countless on this album. How else can I describe the sticky saxophone pop of Mandrake, Locomotive and Alegria, or the faceless new-age relaxation tape muzak of Ataracia and The Secret. A really bad album for me.