Magnificent new symphonic synth album
With Vangelis not very active in the album field these days, at least we have artists like Clifford White to keep Van fans happy with his brand of melody fuelled, grandiose, symphonic and rhythmic synth music.
We recently re-discovered Clifford White, one of our earliest new artist successes, with a long awaited follow up to an 80's/early 90's best seller at CDS Towers called 'Ascension', and that was closely followed by the wonderfully epic 'Gods Of Olympus', and album that is ethereal, heavenly and dream-like at one end of the spectrum, and breathtaking in its dynamic scope and visionary qualities at the other.
Now, just a few months down the line we have the brand new album: 'Atlantis' and it's another winner if you enjoyed the previous two, or are already into the music of: David Wright, Code Indigo, David Arkenstone, Vangelis or Robert Fox.
» Since antiquity the whereabouts of the legendary island Atlantis has been discussed. From Plato to Francis Bacon and into today's world, it has been a frequent topic for both scientific research and art. Atlantis is also the topic for Clifford White's new album. Here he gives the listener a fresh perspective on the old myth. Indeed, after 65 minutes of music you feel that Atlantis has risen from the ocean and become a place in your mind you can visit and revisit again and again. So hang on, and enjoy the voyage!
Atlantis is a popular theme in New Age Music. Most prominent is David Arkenstone's Atlantis: A Symphonic Journey (2004), but also Alex Herr's synth classic from the late 1980s Atlantis Arising comes to mind. And now we can add another strong album to the list!
I was excited when I heard that Clifford White's new album would be about Atlantis. The reason is because his previous albums concerning water are among my all time favorites. The collection An Island Called Paradise is a like a trip to a magical and relaxing island, and I make sure to recommend it as often as I can. Selected songs from it are also among the most popular on our channel New Age Stars. We must also not forget that Clifford White is used to myths and great histories; last year's The Gods Of Olympus was an album worthy of gods.
So with this in mind I put Atlantis on my iPhone and started my musical journey.
The album opens with the title song, which starts with the sound of waves, a quiet piano melody and then something I can describe (bear with me here) as a Vangelis / Chariots of fire-like synth pluck-beat. Which is always a welcome effect! The larger-than-life strings are also here, illustrating the grandness, the light and magic of the underwater world. The song has a very nice melody, and a calming atmosphere.
Creative talent and New Age music are identical terms in reference to the multitudes of creative and influential musicians producing music today. This can be said of all genres of course and just like all genres, New Age had a group of select artists in the primordial years whose earlier influences formed the inception and foundation of our genre.
Clifford White is a musician living in the United Kingdom defining our New Age genre then and this is true today. His biography as a musician began during an era when there was much less of a foundation to build upon and had to rely primarily on his own creative intuition as a vital resource. Clifford White's inception into the New Age genre first emerged in 1985 at age 17 when he released a phenomenal album entitled Ascension which quickly established Clifford as a leading composer and producer whose music greatly influenced our genre in the early years.
Atlantis is the 2010 MG Music label release Clifford White just produced in his present day Sanctuary Studio in St. Albans, Hertfordshire and it is nice to know his talent for producing outstanding music and creative intuition during modern times is just as ingenious today as in earlier years. Currently Clifford presides over his multi faceted 21st Century New Media Ltd business which specializes in media consultation of Internet, film, software, television and media related training courses. In addition to his musician website he also hosts the New Age Music News website and his presence in the New Age genre today remains on the forefront.
Clifford White has made Atlantis into an exciting Electronic composition based in theme on the lost underwater city adventures first recounted in the writings of Greek philosopher and mathematician Plato. Knowing Clifford has made explorations of his own by using a broad range of influences and innovations with every successive album, these novel synthesizer effects translate into a modern Progressive album that reaches Epic and Cinematic proportions while recounting the ancient city lost beneath the waters.
