Twitters and half heard 'on the edge of a dream' vocal effects mix to give 'Ballad of Love and Mystery' a rather ominous atmospheric beginning. A brace of slow deep melancholy sequences combine together to emphasise these feelings further. Sedate melodic lead detail compliments it all wonderfully. One of the sequences develops a sort of Dr Who theme tune quality as the pace slowly starts to quicken. 'Breathy' melodies are added, taking things to even greater heights. This phase dies away in the eighth minute. We get a brief atmospheric pause before first one sequence sparks into life like electricity arcing over a gap and a second more melodic one joins it. As we progress things become increasingly moody and dripping with sadness, these feelings crafted through the creation of some wonderful lead lines. So, another fine album from Syndromeda. Just as powerful as most of his previous CDs but with a bit of a darker twist.