Reviews & Press

Chuck van Zyl/STAR'S END -  26 October 2011 - Dreams Ghosts and Parallel Universes (58'57") is an album on which every piece sounds as inspired as the next. These 12 ruminations by Dave Luxton lighten and darken according to the dramatic force guiding each. The use of simplified forms imbues his work with dramatic monumentality. With his phase shifter prominently displayed Luxton creates vintage sweeping effects intermingled with digital ringing tones and hollow crystalline accents. Overall the sound is quite warm, with fluctuating open spaces countering those more tempestuous and densely detailed. In a few places we hear the energy of arpeggiated rows of notes, or the pulsing of a modulated drone. But other than these few instances this CD is quite smooth, with its contour built on layers of harmony and slowly played melodies. Made using machines, this music can make us feel more human. From songs that crackle with energy to regions of atmospheric grit the tracks on Dreams Ghosts and Parallel Universes alternately explore musical material dark as night and themes clear as day. Luxton's confidently crafted realizations have serious pull and lasting reverberations - leaving the listener enchanted.

Bert Strolenberg/ Sonic Immersion - 21 August 2011 - With "Dreams Ghosts and Parallel Universes", US synthesist Dave Luxton brings us an album offering twelve atmospheric space music tracks, making up almost an hour of listening pleasure. 

During the spacious ride with minimal use of rhythm or sequences, Dave keeps things drifting in a pleasant and accessible comfort zone, using smooth evolving and ethereal textures and light dronescapes that have both a meditative as soothing impact. I can only second that Mr Luxton has succeeded in creating some naturally flowing three dimensional musical spheres, warm, lush and imaginary. 

I think "Dreams Ghosts and Parallel Universes"is his best effort so far. I’m sure fans of freeform cosmic music will love this release.

Chuck van Zyl/STAR'S END - 28 April 2011 - Sonic Frontiers I: Ambient Dreamscapes (60'05") is the inaugural anthology CD released by the Wayfarer Records label. Containing music by eight notable artists this compilation demonstrates the breadth of the Ambient/Spacemusic community. Each track possesses its own distinctive color and tone, due mainly to the many different approaches and mindsets represented here - so no two sound remotely alike. Yet as different as these artists are from each other they all work quite well next to one another. Sonic Frontiers I: Ambient Dreamscapes begins with "The Highest Cloud" by Ombient. Getting back to basics Michael Hunter plays endlessly looping guitar textures in what feels like an ambient ceremony. From this churning stasis rises "Passage" by The Tangent Project. Synthesist Jeff Coulter and guitarist Harrison McKay create a mysterious and minimal spacescape based in both classic Spacemusic ideals and New Age pleasure. Their track quietly and elegantly changes shape as it slowly drifts through the listening space. Boreal Taiga's "Bjørnøya" gives this CD some momentum with its slowly skipping synth patterns running amidst mellow metallic rhythms and warm electronic drone. Most lovely and ethereal is "Isois" by EchoHALO which layers delicate tones to build a briefly achieved beautiful sonic environment. With "To the Titanic" Dave Luxton provides enough grand chords and watery effects to cause the listener to feel many fathoms beneath the sea. Filling the need for some contrast "Marine Layer" by Ambient Research Collective wanders along a strange arc. With rough timbres rubbing against a languid bassline and lilting chords this track offers much to ponder. Next, a solo realization by Jeff Coulter reveals a dramatic narrative - as chirping and ticking e-percussion wind out within big organ harmonies and sweeping synth pads. The album concludes with "Sanity Generator" by Spider God, a somewhat precarious composition full of recurring synthesized shrieks and deep humming drones. With the ending of Sonic Frontiers I: Ambient Dreamscapes such an open-ended matter listeners will happily seek out the next installment in this well-done anthology series.

Chuck van Zyl/STAR'S END Update - 20 February 2011 - With the release of Dark Moon (48'09") synthesist Dave Luxton has really hit his stride. This vivid Spacemusic study creates a fascinating sonic realm suspended between the Earth, her moon and the cosmos. Each of the subtly brilliant, spacey to the core tracks touch the listener in a heartfelt way. An electronic slow dance of whooshing synthesizers and ethereal choirs, Luxton's sonic collage of nine pieces finds continuity in its lunar theme. Most often we find the music advancing outward in cascading chords and rumbling drones - with Luxton's talent for pacing and sound design on full display. Yet Dark Moon can also morph suddenly into moments of emotional power. As mysterious voices are mixed amidst churning soundscapes, tones collide like charged particles in a slow reveal of this artist's reverence of all things celestial. In the same league as albums by Spacemusic legends Michael Stearns and Jonn Serrie, Dark Moon is bound to feel familiar - which will allow us to savor its individual details all the more.

Bert Strolenberg/ Sonic Immersion - Ambient musician JimDe, who currently resides in Norway, is the ambient musician who initiated the down-tempo project Boreal Taiga around 1999. The electronic music found on "Isopectic Isotac" is graced with a nice sense of wonder, as it draws its inspiration from the expansive and remote Arctic region and its grand natural scenery. One can almost feel the cold coming in, as the carefully moulded and lush textures meander and curl in an elusive, but also original manner. Those who love quiet, spacious and cinematic tapestries with occasional moving patterns and environmental sound effects will find lots of their liking here, such as the flowing sonic landscaping of "Polaris" and "Kotzebue Sound". With this type of music, the beauty and immersive impact easily reveals itself when having a close listen in a comfortable position. Well done!

Chuck van Zyl/STAR'S END  - 12 August 2010 - Dave Luxton shows great promise on Portal (49'16"). This release features eight studies in tone production. Instantly accessible, the music seems familiar yet cannot be traced back to any one source. While it does align with the Spacemusic of Jonn Serrie, Palancar and other Contemporary Instrumental artists, this album follows its own interesting path. Perhaps it is the upward direction of each piece, or its connection with the ambiguous idea of interstellar longing, or the sense of summation these works bring that so engages the listener. As each composition unfolds a distinctive mood arises amidst the sculpted sonic textures and warm ambiance. But for one track, Portal proceeds without rhythm, relying on synth string chord progressions, slow ethereal melodies, swelling drones and sparkling spacey modulations to create a wondrous cosmic atmosphere. But Luxton knows that wonder has a short half-life and so does not allow his compositions to linger for too long. It is amazing where he can take the listener in just a few moments. From digital elysium to a somber sense of the elegiac, Portal is an encounter with secrets from the treasurehouse of stars.

Stillstream.com Featured Release September 2010 - We had no idea what to expect the first time we heard this luscious new album by Dave Luxton, but we were blown away. A collection of beautiful ambient space music, this is an album that we think is a must-have for anyone who is a fan of the lighter forms of ambience. His other music is well worth your attention as well. We encourage all our listeners to check out this release and the work of Dave Luxton in general. Highly recommended.

Bert Strolenberg/ Sonic Immersion - The concept-album "Hidden Music" -intended to facilitate a meditative process- is centred around the idea that natural places and phenomenon withhold an underlying energy, order and beauty that can be perceived and experienced emotionally by the human observer when he has an open attitude to them.

Recorded during the second half of 2007, the twelve free form textural compositions (all ranging between 3-5 minutes) on the album have a minimal, harmonic approach, put together of flowing ambient drones with a melodic twist.
"Reflecting Pool" and "A Cirrus Sunset" echo "Ambient #2" by Brian Eno and Harold Budd, while tracks like "An Empty Space" or "Snakes in the Grass" open the door to a grander, symphonic atmosphere.

It's the relaxing, meandering mood which makes this music an enjoyable listen. "Hidden Music" is primarily be available for download, but a limited run of cds is available from CDBaby.com.