Waves 12 opens with a beautiful breath of life from the gods, a welcoming. Titled "The First Light Of Dawn," this track has, and also creates, a feeling of joy, of being happy to even exist, to get a chance to marvel at the world's beauty and pleasures. The music here has the ability to both energize and soothe us. What a wonderful way to begin things! That is followed by "Chimes In The Fog," and this track too seems to welcome us, to open up before us, lighting a way through whatever haze may be attempting to impede our forward motion. It is like a dance through a dream, one of those dreams you can recollect almost in its entirety upon waking. It begins to build in the second half, as that dream and our waking state combine. Where one ends and the other begins no longer matters. It's the wonder of the journey that is expressed, that is felt.
The music goes in a different direction with "Denny's Magic Numbers," its rhythm, the beat, being at the fore at the beginning, creating a kind of tension, promising some sort of answer or revelation. The guitar works both within and above that rhythm, and I especially love those moments when it rises, for it lifts us up with it. In the second half, the guitar gets looser, as if it now wishes to take hold of the reins and drive us into another realm, though interestingly, the beat holds strong, never relinquishing its own sort of control over the course of things. Then as "Frozen Oceans" fades in, this track's own steady rhythm quickly makes itself felt. And there are exciting bursts of energy. I love how we don't know exactly where this track will take us, but that there is a great, spirited confidence at its heart. We feel it can drive us across any landscape safely and show us sights we've not yet encountered. There is an interesting moment in the second half, where the music seems to reach a calmer state, and then quickly takes on more power again before fading out.
"Reflections" comes to us like a voice from under the oceans, or from the outer reaches of space. The two still hold mysteries, and while we look outward, we find that simultaneously we learn something about our own inner lives. There is still much to fathom within. Somehow it all seems to add up to a great interconnectedness, and that leaves us feeling relaxed, peaceful. That's followed by "Fudgie Goes To The Circus," which has a delightful vibe, moving with some weight, some mass, through this crazy carnival. Here the games have unexpected prizes, as portals open in the sky above us, shedding eerily conscious light upon us. And it is like we shed some of that weight, some of that mass, and step up into the air, and engage in a sort of dance with that light. Then toward the end, things become stranger, reminding us we really don't have control. Once we accept that, there is a gentle ending.
"Land Ho/Sea Hag" has a kind of eerie opening moment, before its groove is established. Then it feels like something strange is moving below us, beneath the surface, below the sand, while sea gulls watch from above. There is a slow, kind of funky feel to this piece. Yet we are a bit on edge, for this is unfamiliar. The music begins to slow more, while still forging ahead. It's a very cool track. Then "Pillows" has a prettier sound from the start, with some really nice, pleasant work on guitar that gives us a joyful feeling of being at ease. The music still goes in some interesting directions, keeping us attentive, bright yellows and greens bursting across the landscape. It feels like the entire universe is one of beauty and joy. This track features gorgeous guitar work. Fernando Perdomo then takes us into more of a rock territory with "EZ," with its delicious bass line. We are on more solid ground with this track, on more familiar ground. Then nearly halfway through, it takes something of a turn, with darker streaks flying above us, before returning us to that rock vibe, the bass line now encouraging dancing. We've come through something and are now back in familiar territory, and there is a sense of fun about it. Listen to that guitar sing.
The album, and thus the series, comes to a close with a track titled, appropriately, "The Final Wave." This is a glorious, epic piece, nearly thirteen minutes long. It eases in, there is no rush, seeming to speak to us both from below and above. Soon we are at home here, the music surrounding us, giving us the feeling that the universe is a place of beautiful light and sound, warm and accepting, rather than a vast, cold emptiness. And, again, what is out there is also within us, as the music washes over us and through us. Halfway through, things begin to get a little odder, as the universe twists in on itself, reversing even as it moves forward. It is like time ceases to have meaning, and we find ourselves floating, seeing the past and the future as just the Now. Heavier elements take hold, and space narrows, like all of existence is funneled through a portal, condensed, and then, once through, suddenly freed, ribbons of light unfurling. Scores of beings march through the darkness and over and into volcanoes, and ultimately to a place of peace. What a ride!
CD Track List
- The First Light Of Dawn
- Chimes In The Fog
- Denny's Magic Numbers
- Frozen Oceans
- Reflections
- Fudgie Goes To The Circus
- Land Ho/Sea Hag
- Pillows
- EZ
- The Final Wave
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