Reviewed by Mike Rimmer

Soothing ambient instrumental versions of the same old popular choruses are not really my thing because the production is generally so formulaic. The arrangements so obvious and pedestrian that I generally fall asleep before I get to the end! Imagine my surprise to discover that Craig Ross's album was originally conceived as a set of song to help Jodie (the album is dedicated to her) to fall asleep. It's ironic that I have stayed awake and can report that the highly talented Mr Ross produced and played all the instruments himself except for a little help on piano. Plenty of imagination on the arrangement front with drifting synths and FX giving a blissed out quality that makes this very easy listening. I particularly like "Sometimes", loosely based on the old Chuck Girard number "Sometimes Alleluia". Even an old chestnut like "How Great Thou Art" is transformed here into something dreamy and fresh with piano drifting over a sensitive arrangement. The songs are perhaps a little predictable with the usual suspects "I Love You Lord". "I Surrender All", "When I Survey" and "As The Deer" making appearances. In lesser hands this would normally mean me chomping through my right leg whilst listening in order lo make it through the CD. However. Craig Ross is to be highly commended for doing something fresh within a very old formula. If you're going to buy an ambient, soothing, easy listening instrumental album in the near future, this doesn't bland out like the rest and there are no syrupy strings to clog your arteries, just a gentle breeze.

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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