Sol De Medianoche - Amarok

Advantages: A return to the Classic Mike Oldfield Instrumental
Disadvantages: Only 60 Minutes

...Mike Oldfield's Amarok is concidered by his fans to be his greatest work, certainly on par with the holy trilogy of Tubular Bells, Hergest Ridge and Ommadawn. For this album, Oldfield forgot synthesizers, computers and the fairlight technology which dominated his work of the early 80's and adopted a 'back to basics' approach. To cloth eared nincompoops this album may sound a disjointed missmatch of snippits of ideas, but this is Oldfield at his greatest. The project fetured a return to the Oldfield camp of many familiar face's from those classic 70's years; Tom Newman produced the album, and it features Paddy Malony on the chieftens who also appered on Ommadawn. To describe the music would be an impossible task, this album is a 1 track complete piece of music. For someone new to the work of Oldfield this album may seem to intence... Read review

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Advantages: upbeat, funky music
Disadvantages: a bit samey after a while

...This is an album for anyone who likes funky, chilled out music with a bit of a twist. This is german group de phazz's second album, and Godsdog (1999), in my opinion is their best. Out-classing later albums such as "death by chocolate", this album ranks alongside such lounge greats as nightwares on wax's "car boot soul". Mixing all flavours of music possible has become something of a trade-mark for De Phazz, and in doing so they have created a truly innovative sound. Godsdog, sporting 16 chilled-out tunes, will get into your head immediately, with its jazzy/techno fusion. The opening tune, "mambo craze" can only be described as a triumph..... it has a great feel of latin sounds mixed with some kind of fifties nostalgia, all to the backdrop of a song about getting high! My description obviously does not do it full justice, you... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average somewhat helpful

Advantages: Mike Oldfield at his best!!!
Disadvantages: No track access on CD

...After a few years of Mike Oldfield losing his way a little,writing commercial pop songs,this album is an explosion of acoustic musical genius played by a very talented Mike Oldfield. Amarok is like Mike Oldfield had remembered what he used to do,and do it very well indeed.It sounds spontanious,fresh,sometimes beautiful,sometimes aggressive,mad,melancholic.........and much more.It plays at 60 minuites,by which time when it has ended you feel you have been on some kind of musical journey around the world.There are celtic,folk,African and Rock influences that change,often abrubtly into the next piece.There is nothing predictable about this album.It is impossible to know what is comming next. There are too many musical sections to mention in a review but the main skill is Oldfield's guitar playing.There are also mandolins... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful