Future Flows

Ive been a musician for a long time,and I first heard Steve Roach on a first class show called Hearts of Space.Im talking a long time ago.(no reason to show my own grey here!)at any rate,I've been following this mans music,and I really like this music.First of all,music is such a subjective thing,what I like one week,I may not like 3 weeks later.Or the reverse.This CD is great for many reasons.It has a fair amount of major and brighter keys,as well as a good use of effects.Effects can really add or distract from the music.Having said that,if you are after another Roach in the desert music,this will not hit you.I like it when Roach branches out and trys music that is not desert related.On this CD,he did a great job.

This release by Steve Roach is simply beautiful and relaxing, wonderful listening after a rough day at work or while you sleep. 5-Stars...Keep up the great work Steve!!!

Long time on the waiting list in my reviewing schedule, now finally the right time has come. Released one year ago on Projekt, at the end of April, 2013, just few days before the legendary Ambicon 2013 gathering. The cover images feature breathtaking stone balance art by Michael Grab, known as Gravity Glue. Exciting visual beginning, so let's initiate the auralscaping part...The journey reveals very silently with "An Omnipresent Sense Prevails", an 11-minute composition, but it takes only about minute and the free-floating drift spirals toweringly into grandiosely expansive panoramas, gracefully gliding and undulating with magmatic immenseness. These amorphously embracing and essentially contemplative soundwalls are holding an undeniable signature of the master. "Spectrum Of Change" safely dwells in the terrains of sheer atmospheric beauty, slightly less denser and more minimal on the first exploration, although multi-dimensional billows continuously emanate and then fade out into vaporously permeating stillness. "Air Meditation" paints infectiously mesmerizing circles guarded above by voice-like drone blankets. Rather shorter piece, but hauntingly mindscaping and precisely interacting with its title. "The Texture Of Remembering", which gets over 11 minutes, enters straightly into more aerial realms, warmly meandering through profoundly stimulating elevations and meticulously coalesced with assortment of cybernetic sparkles. What a journey!!! Make sure you have your headphones with you, immersion extraordinaire awaits here!!! "Rapt In Night" immediately dives into abyssal drone heaven, quite short, but utterly monolithic and expansive. This track masterfully captures all the essence of the nocturnal serenity!!! "Heart Of Light", another brief piece, keeps on the path of warmly traversing and deeply evocative sceneries, which are this time merged with piercing swirls. Magnificently immense!!! 17-minute epic "The Future Flows From Here" briskly spreads with floating, ebbing and twisting massive and intense layers of washes, while gently shimmering sequences excel on distant back. The transition in the middle of the track is absolutely embracing and shifts the whole composition into pure atmospheric splendor. A truly jaw-dropping!!! Certainly a creme de la creme of the whole album and another magnum opus since Hall of Fame compositions such as "Where Rasa Lives" or "Today". Bravo, Maestro!!! "Regeneration Revelation" closes this wonderful, 71 minutes long ride with ultra colossal dronescape, enriched with various, well-concealed rewards and cruising with intensely absorbing amorphousness and eternal grace that can only be Steve Roach. Wow, absolutely thrilling!!!Sure, "Future Flows" album won't hit you sharply in your face, on the contrary, this is one of the recordings that will grow on the listener with each new listening session. It requires your deeply focused intention to every detail, but then amazing soundsculptings with constantly increasing potency unfold in front of you. No wonder Steve's visionary sonic meditations are impeccably displayed by Michael's stone balance artistry. Are you ready for this highly sophisticated and powerfully emotional journey? The future flows to you...Richard Gürtler (Apr 20, 2014, Bratislava, Slovakia)

If you enjoy his rich soundscapes with layers of harmony, then you will love the album. A few pieces draw on earlier themes. Pieces like "The Texture of Remembering" and "Spectrum of Change" remind me in many ways of one of my favorite Roach albums, Light Fantastic. Tone color is rich and creates an audio world of bright, crystalline structures that are treats for the imagination. The track "An Omnipresent Sense Prevails" is evocative of albums like Mystic Chords and Sacred Spaces, and Sigh of Ages. The chords seem more blurred, and some create haunting, chorus-like tones. The title track "The Future Flows From Here" is brilliant. My only complaint is that transitions between tracks sometimes have audible clicks. With high-end speakers this becomes more pronounced.

This is another example of his masterful ability to create calming, emotional themes that simply "flow" together in what seems like an eternity. It just soothes you to the core. I suggest eliminating the space between tracks and just making it one long "chill" session. This is an album that you put on and either close your eyes, read a book, pet your animals. That is primarily what he is known for with the exception of his "storm" albums. To some this album may sound a bit familiar. If you are looking for new sounds, I suggest checking out emusic.com and listening to some of the ambient sample section.

Mr. Roach seems to have fallen into a rut as of late. This new recording seems like "outtakes" from his last two cds which were nothing but dull drone music. He does seem to "spice it up" a little on this singular recording though. This time he only holds the synth key down for 12 minutes & THEN changes the pitch & it is a whole brand new "tune" for each of the next few 12 minute compositions! This is nothing more than Immersion 21/22/or 23....take your pick! Mr. Roach has so much more to offer than this Brian Eno impersonation! Where are the fantastic soundscapes like "Dynamic Stillness", "Slow Heat", "Sigh Of Ages", "Dreamtime Return", "Fever Dreams" or "Mystic Chords & Sacred Spaces" just to name a few! Good Gawd! I'd take "Early Man" over this! These past few recordings seems to me like an "over the hill" Pro Athlete who has hung on too long...ie. Willie Mays falling down in the Outfield or Babe Ruth taking a called 3rd strike right down the middle of the plate! Please Steve...get out of the desert....explore new horizons....perhaps it will spur on you ambient imaginations to create wonderful music again instead of something that sounds like the furnace running.

This recording seems to be a rehash of Roach's previous music. There is nothing new here. To be honest, it isn't very good at all. I hate to say that because I have most of Roach's music. When you release four to five recordings every year, what do you expect? Steve has been running out of creative ideas for some time now and this music shows it.