Mychael Danna and Tim Cl: The Best of Dana and Clément

Confessional: Until Oasis/ Mirage sent this release, I had never even sampled any of these artists before. I do remember seeing their releases hither and yon in environmental/ nature music bins. I refrained. I find most such material bland, shallow electronic noodlings laced with thunderstorms, birds, surf, or various canine vocalizations. Oops, and of course whales too. Sampled, looped, or phase shifted—it all can be pretty weak. I figure I may get enough of that in some rest home or mental hospital some day. End Confessional.

This release, best of, err—remastered, reissue does utilize environmental sampling but my dear friends—this ambience is anything but bland. The collection includes seven enviro-ambient electronic pieces dating from 1981-1986. One piece, "Luma II," was specially commissioned for this 1999 CD. Most compositions use nature/ambient sounds but these usually add an intro, limitedly embellishing, and signal an outro. They fade in and fade out. It is all a marvelously conceived and balanced approach—never overused. Track times range 2:20 to 25:08 but mostly run 7 to 10 minutes.

Danna and Clément lived on a remote Canadian farm, with many of these pieces coming into being out of that experience in seclusion. Their "woodshedding" allowed them the prefect setting to compose a music intertwined with the outdoors. All around them and within them Nature sang and they replied.

Being an outdoors kind of guy myself and one-time professional forester—I hold this release to nearly an exact mirror of things Nature speaks to the soul. That same "oneness" and "silent grandeur" comes though in this release. At times when, the outdoor sounds cease, space music or strictly ambient electronics is heard. The magnum opus of "To The Land Beneath The Waves" is alone worth grabbing this CD. I highly, highly recommend you obtain your own copy now. Way to go Danna and Clément!

Cyberhome: http://www.oasisproductions.com