Emerging from perfect silence, Heaven Sent opens with Quietude, a deeply contemplative and reflective piece. Gentle piano chords give way to a subtle and sensuous rhythm, upon which dreamy melodies float like petals on a summer breeze. A crystalline piano weaves it's languid melody amongst gently undulant waves, in tandem with soft shimmers that lightly sparkle across the surface of this charming and elegant piece.
Firmament could almost be considered to be a celestial suite, which opens with angelic voices and chimes, soon joined with the rich swell of strings and harps, before unveiling an oceanic landscape where the main story begins to unfold. Almost as if this were a voyage of discovery across some astral ocean, a gentle seafaring theme emerges, rising in majesty with powerful strings, voices, horns and other angelic effects, which eventually surge into an astounding and powerful cosmic orchestration that lifts the spirit to a new dimension.
Returning to a contemplative mood, Lament opens with glassy tones and sparkling chimes, against which a lone oboe weaves a sombre melody, which soon evolves into a profoundly moving and heartfelt ensemble. There is something almost biblical present in this track, a profound and deeply felt sorrow, as if it were depicting the calling of the heart to something spiritual and eternal.
Unbegotten continues the contemplative mood, with it's cavernous electric guitar and classical baroque atmosphere, as it it were relating the story of a long-lost romance, forgotten in the mists of time. A string quartet weaves a lyrical melody, almost balletic in it's timbre and tempo, and this is joined by gentle piano to create an aura of introspection and abstraction. As with the previous track, this is deeply longing and soulful music, poetic, reflective and thoughtful.
The gentle ring of a bell-like timbre heralds the beginning of Ring True, a rich oceanic journey. Christmas-like choirs and fluttering flutes join the ring of church bells in an almost 'In dulci Jubilo' motif, before the gentle pulse of a tabla beat carries cello, voice and string melodies along in it's current. This is eventually joined by full orchestra, which weaves a touching and sentimental theme that speaks of eternal voyages across sunlit waters.
We are brought back to the silent and mysterious with Unborn, an almost sub-aquatic tone poem suffused with mystic warmth. Eerie child-like textures, wistful flutes and strangely haunting choirs seem to walk the line between wakefulness and sleep. This is deeply enigmatic yet evocative music.
Forever Young is a profoundly nostalgic and sentimental track, which evokes memories of those wondrous summer days in our childhood, when we knew nothing of the ways of the world but the simplicity of play, and the joy of laughter and happiness. Gently joyous melodies skip and pay amongst acoustic guitars and sweeping strings.
Dedicated to all of the beloved pets we have loved and lost over the years, Rainbow Bridge is a deeply emotional piece full of love, hope, loss and letting go. Sad and yet joyous, sorrowful, bittersweet, yet grateful and thankful, we remember all of the love and the laughter they brought us, and wish them well on their journey to that rainbow bridge beyond the stars.
In the final conclusion of our emotional journey, we arrive at Heaven Sent, a mighty cosmic anthem of spiritual energy and power. Grand sweeping strings and angelic voices take us to the heart of the source of everything, and we are carried on wings of light to our ultimate destination.
