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Steve Roach — Mercurius
(Projekt 354, 2018, CD)

by Peter Thelen, Published 2019-01-31

Mercurius Cover art

The opening chords of “Liminal,” subtitled “At the Threshold of the In-Between,” is indeed like the process of moving from consciousness into slumber and onward to dreams, sometimes those three elements intertwine and take turns until the mind is fully removed from reality, stepping over the threshold into a new place where your imagination has been replaced by a guiding host. The dreamy chords move forward and back for a little over seven minutes, blurring together until silence falls and we cross through the next portal. “Immanent” removes the tension of the first cut and moves the listener on to an open celestial space, the soul untethered from all restraints of body and mind. I’m not sure if this was Roach’s intent but he has certainly duplicated the feeling of letting go so precisely. The master takes your spirit up the mountain where you are free to become one with the sky and the stars, for 28 minutes at least, which I’m sure is probably long enough. Over 125-or so releases since the early 80s, Roach has mastered numerous different ambient forms, each new release seeming to build on much of what he has done previously, taking the listener deeper, higher, further into spiritual paths where sounds reflect the light of your inner being. Next is “Aeon,” a reflective exploration of inner stillness and beauty, all following the dreamy path set forth on the previous track, yet more inward bound and minimal. The last of the four cuts is the title track, subtitled “Alchemical Creation from the Realm of Opposites,” growing like a crystal out of darkness, it brings the listener full circle to a place near where the journey began. For those who know and appreciate Roach’s music, especially his most reflective and introspective works, Mercurius is essential listening. For everyone else, this is an exemplary work and a fine place to start your journey.

Filed under: New releases, 2018 releases

Related artist(s): Steve Roach

More info
http://steveroach.bandcamp.com/album/mercurius

 

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