Lillian
New member
Now out is the new recording (DAYDREAM ALLEY) by Holland Phillips, an excellent electronic keyboardist who creates a pop-new-age instrumental sound with touches of classical and jazz here and there. Phillips is such a synthesizer wizard that, according to his biography, he collects synthesizers from the past 40 years because of their different sounds. He may want a particular sound at a certain spot on a tune so he goes and gets that exact keyboard.
On this, his fourth album, he uses the synthesizers to not only make synth sounds, but also those of piano, violin, a string section, chimes, bass, drums, oboe, bassoon, sax, percussion, electric piano, French horns, trombones, B3 organ, harpsichord, chimes, flute, percussion and more.
The recording has drums on nine of the 12 tracks, but the drum kit sound is generally mixed down in the background so that this music still fits into the new age genre. Phillips’ most creative gestures are when he uses instruments seldom spotlighted these days -- bassoon doing the melody on “Friends,” a bunch of trombones on “Touched By Fire” or flute bolstered by French horns on “Reflexions.”
Highly recommended for new age music lovers who want something that sounds just a little bit different than all the rest.
On this, his fourth album, he uses the synthesizers to not only make synth sounds, but also those of piano, violin, a string section, chimes, bass, drums, oboe, bassoon, sax, percussion, electric piano, French horns, trombones, B3 organ, harpsichord, chimes, flute, percussion and more.
The recording has drums on nine of the 12 tracks, but the drum kit sound is generally mixed down in the background so that this music still fits into the new age genre. Phillips’ most creative gestures are when he uses instruments seldom spotlighted these days -- bassoon doing the melody on “Friends,” a bunch of trombones on “Touched By Fire” or flute bolstered by French horns on “Reflexions.”
Highly recommended for new age music lovers who want something that sounds just a little bit different than all the rest.