"Toto, I've A Feeling We're Not In Kansas Anymore."
6:20
3
"Wherever Two Or More Are Gathered..."
9:19
4
Life In The Gravity Well
6:55
5
As The Earth Kissed The Moon
9:55
6
"Something's Moving"
5:20
This is probably the ultimate spacemusic recording- the sound of Oneness- the sound of Transcendence- pure and magnificent- gigantic flows of thick serge modular synthesizer chords- a must-own for any ambient music lover. Featuring the sound of the epic Serge Modular Synthesizer the slowly evolving atmospheric spacemusic swirls of this early classic is a journey within inner and outer space. His essential masterpiece tells the story of the cosmos not with words but with mighty, emotional sonics. The pieces have aged gracefully, as powerful today as 41 years ago. From our subatomic origins to our intergalactic destiny, the universe is made of sound held together through reson- ance where atoms, cells, oceans, plants, animals and humans are all part of a complex orchestration. Planetary Unfolding exhibits both a compositional immediacy and a studied grasp of synthesizer mechanics. Stearns is one of the first Americans to tune his synthesizers to the “key of space,” adding a Californian earth-sensitivity to the mix. “In the Beginning” births the album within primordial ambience that brightens with a blossoming mix of electronic space rock and cinematic swells. The serene and graceful “As the Earth kissed the Moon” opens with the song of a mockingbird, the first song of spring, and in musical waves leads us to a point in the celestial firmament. It builds rhythmically as if representing the orbits of planets with choreographed movements in a star-flung ballet. “Michael Stearns’ Planetary Unfolding defines the word breathtaking. He doesn’t just take you somewhere, he makes you hear music differently, taking you deep into the vibration of sound. Planetary Unfolding transforms the space of your listening and your mind. It’s a monumental work of ambient music.” — John Diliberto (((Echoes)))
