A Promise of Eternity is once again a gem of an album with the first track, Path of Destiny, a lovely melodious composition, slightly reminiscent of the sounds of the early 1960’s captured in ethereal format. Towards the end there is a distortion of sounds which on any given day, could be easily considered as a gathering of extra-terrestrials enjoying the moment in time.

A gentle song is delivered in the beautiful Shadow Dreams, a piece that wafts across time and space to transport the mind to another realm as in dreams; beautiful, dreamy and absolutely delightful.

Once again, the suggestion of a beat from yesteryear is present in the catchy Horizons Beyond, an uplifting song with many layers of lightness within the complex layers. This is a song full of hope and enjoyment with a very, very nice acoustic climax.

Moving further down the track listing you come to the downright funky Dancing in Shadow and Light, a step away from his usual deep, melodic compositions and a track which has, dare one say it, has an excellent dance groove.

The absolutely beautiful A Promise of Eternity is Ottaway in a gentle, reflective and introspective mood. Elegant, with hints of a more formal construction washed with subtle undertones, this is one seriously enchanting piece that allows the mind to drift gently into a place of peace and relaxation.

Light Dawns is on the album twice; listed at number 3, Light Dawns (re-imagined) is a dreamy and relaxing song encouraging a sense of voyaging through time and space to discover another world. As the final track on the album it once again offers a deeper, but still gentle vibe, with which to return to this mortal coil and continue on knowing there is a gentle promise of eternity to be found.

In many ways A Promise of Eternity sees Ottaway at play, having some fun in his studio, digging deep into his vault to create some catchy, upbeat melodies. Throughout the twelve tracks there are those which are pure ambient new age, whereas others have a distinct element of the years of Vangelis and Tangerine Dream. Overall a fantastic collection to relax into and enjoy.

Jim Ottaway composes and records all of his music in his home studio which is situated in the foothills of the beautiful Springbrook Mountain on the Gold Coast of Australia. The inspiration for Jim’s music comes from his love of nature and his spiritual connection to the beautiful environment of the Gold Coast. Since 2004, he has released more than thirty albums independently.

First Light - 20th Anniversary Edition begins with "Ascension - The Journey Begins," a piece that feels to me like the time just before dawn when all is dark and very still, but just starting to stir. On the title track, things are starting to come to life, but it still feels very peaceful, still and relaxed. Like its title, "Peace" is calm and untroubled, providing a gentle massage for the mind. At just over 17 minutes, "Ascension" is the centerpiece ("centerpeace"?) of the album. Some of the electronic instrumentation is different from the opening track, and this piece is obviously much longer, giving it plenty of time to soothe the mind and spirit as well as the body. "Tranquility" uses the sounds of strings and tiny bells (among other instrumentation) to create an atmosphere that is smooth, sparkling and crystal-clear - SO peaceful! At a bit over twelve minutes, it has plenty of time to work its magic. "Freedom" is both beautiful and deeply poignant. Freedom is often portrayed musically as carefree and joyful, but in this piece, it is more reflective on what it means to be free, expressing longing and sadness. It's an amazing and very emotional piece - my favorite on the album. The darkly mysterious "Journey To a New World" explores with sounds that are different and sometimes kind of strange - a journey into the unknown.

First Light - 20th Anniversary Edition is fascinating from the first note to the last. I'm so glad Jim Ottaway decided to make it available to all of us! It is available from Amazon, Apple Music/iTunes and many streaming sites including Spotify. Check it out!

Jim's new album consists of twelve electronic tracks, all of which deal with different aspects of this "fleeting" world and the world beyond eternity. As with Jim's other electronic albums, he covers many subgenres of electronic music on this album, including a touch of Berlin School, melodic electronics and ambient, as well as some pure EM. The album includes the bonus track "Light Dawns," which is the original 'ambient' arrangement of the composition. A 'reimagined' version of the track is also included on the album.

The album begins very melodically with the 4:46 minute "Path Of Destiny." While a repeating sequence of four notes prepares the introduction to the piece, a very catchy melody line is added after 26 seconds. This is melodic electronic music.

This is followed by the 5:37 minute “Shadow Dreams”, which is also quite melodic and creates a certain yearning mood. After a minute, the piece is given a gentle drum rhythm. This is easy-to-consume, melodic music that you can relax to wonderfully.

A dreamy number then follows with “Light Dawns (Reimagined)”. A gentle number that literally floats through the room. The bonus track at the end of the album “Light Dawns” is a version of this piece that differs only slightly. Since only the rhythm structures and some volume are missing here, this version seems more ambient.

The six-minute “Horizons Beyond” initially goes in the same dreamy direction, but after a few moments is given a nice rhythm that gives the track a touch of pop. There is also a catchy melody here. Towards the end, some guitar sounds come in, which now take over the melody.

A fast rhythm then starts the 6:15 minute long “The Edge Of Knowing”, which is soon supplemented by a bass motif. Melodic elements are added and make it an entertaining piece. And the other pieces are also full of wonderfully catchy melodies.

With “A Promise Of Eternity”, Australian Jim Ottaway has once again presented a very melodic album. The pieces have catchy melodies and sound quite smoothly produced. If you like melodic electronic music without any rough edges, this album is the best thing for you.

This nine-track album delves into the beauty, wonder, and complexities of the cosmos, posing the thought-provoking question: “Could our universe be but one of countless others in a vast multiverse?” This question anchors the album’s thematic journey, inviting listeners to contemplate the infinite possibilities beyond our own cosmic horizon through spellbinding compositions.

As with all of Ottaway’s projects, the tracks on Infinite Universes were meticulously selected from his extensive archive of recorded material. While most compositions were crafted in recent years, a few were made back in 2008, underscoring Ottaway’s enduring creative vision. Each piece, however, was refined and enhanced in the six months leading up to the album’s completion in May 2023. The album was recorded and produced in Ottaway’s home studio, nestled at the foothills of the picturesque Springbrook Mountain on Australia’s Gold Coast.

Ottaway’s reputation in the world of ambient and electronic music is well-established. His last ten albums—including Somewhere In-Between, Threshold of the Universe, When Eternity Touches Time, Beautiful Desolation, Beyond the Purple Sun, Yesterday Passing, Deep Space Blue, Timeless e-Motion, Southern Cross, and Invisible Vortex—have garnered nominations and awards worldwide. Notably, he won Best Electronic Album at the 17th Annual Zone Music Reporter (ZMR) Awards in 2021 for When Eternity Touches Time, and secured two awards at the 14th Annual ZMR Awards in 2018 for Deep Space Blue (Best Ambient Album) and Timeless e-Motion (Best Electronic Album). Additionally, in 2023, Ottaway became the first Australian to win a prestigious Schallwelle German Electronic Music Award.

A Promise of Eternity begins with "Path Of Destiny", a piece that features repeating musical motifs on an interesting assortment of electronic instruments that include sounds like organ, electric guitar, and light choral voices. Although tinged with melancholy, the piece seems to be moving forward throughout. "Shadow Dreams" takes a darker, more mysterious turn and would be much more ambient except for the driving rhythm that keeps it moving ahead. There are two versions of "Light Dawns" on the album - the closing track and "Light Dawns (Reimagined)". Both versions are very slow and ambient with a gently haunting grace. "Horizons Beyond" suggests feelings of vast open space and possibilities we can't even imagine. "The Edge of Knowing" picks up the tempo considerably with a driving beat and lots of electric guitar "twang" as well as playful wordless vocals. I really like the contrasting dreamy, ambient instruments with the catchy bass and driving beat on "Days Without Yesterdays". "Dancing In Shadow and Light" is also a study in contrasts with a lively bass rhythm and more ethereal sounds over the top - I really like this one, too! "Once Forever" feels a little darker and more ominous although some of the electronic sounds in the middle are rather whimsical. Light and playful, "Whispers of the Soul" goes in a different direction yet remains within the spirit of the album. "This Fleeting World" also has a lively rhythm, but also seems to express a sense of frustration at the fast pace of contemporary life and its constant change (my interpretation!). The title track is the "official" closing track (before the bonus track of "Light Dawns") and is very peaceful while expressing warmth and light - the most calming track on the album and a favorite!

A Promise of Eternity is available from Jim Ottaway's website as well as Amazon, Apple Music/iTunes and many streaming sites including Spotify. CDs are also available, so check Jim's site for where to buy those.

Remaining true to the era of sixties band music Ottaway has used modern day alchemy to add that slightly electronic ambience for which he is noted, giving what was then referred to as the Instrumental Surf sound a thoroughly modern overlay with a very wide appeal. At 3min 45secs it is longer, with bit more bass and drums added along with a few strings and things.

Discovering Ottaway has a fun side to his creative talents is wonderful as he is known for his deep, dreamy, spacey award winning music, which is rich in meditative elements. Hopefully there will be more cover versions of some of the wonderfully catchy, upbeat sixties music released as time allows.

Listening and bopping along to Wonderful Land is like taking a trip back to those halcyon days long past. Great fun and great listening.

Wonderful Land is available on all major streaming platforms.

"Wonderful Land" can be streamed or downloaded on Amazon and Apple Music/iTunes, and is available from many streaming platforms including Spotify. This one is a real mood lifter as well as a treat for the ears!

The forest of musical manifestation with Jim is always one of countless bounty; take the opening track for example entitled Path of Destiny. Here is a track that tempts the listener to join him on the trek with a gentle opening, but one that seems to slowly grow and expand whilst doing so, one that reminded me of an old friend of mine in Geigertek back in the early part of this century.

The artist has quite a palate of musical paints with which to choose from, his knowledge and wisdom over the years have allowed him such a wide array of tones and vibrations to work with, enjoy the higher levels of such on this quality composition that arrives next and called Shadow Dreams, the deft percussive element in this piece adds weight to an already pristine arrangement.

A charming musical narrative can be found on this next offering entitled Light Dawns (Reimagined), a mixture of Jean Michel Jarre and refrains from what used to be called the chill out genre can be found here on this most delectable composition. Whilst an emotive and inspiring reverie will be located upon this next manifestation called Horizons Beyond, this one is a bit special, its percussive tangents bring us a fine example of electronic music of the highest quality, and reminded me greatly of Norway’s Glenn Main.

The up-tempo and fast paced creation called The Edge of Knowing is up next and is nestled beautifully in the mid-way half of the album. The repetitive keyboards build on a progression that is always about to explode into action, the inclusion of a more solid drum beat continues the onward movement of the offering, with a crafted and clever intent that is utterly sublime.

The fulcrum is reached within the refrains of the track Days without Yesterdays. The synths here are symbiotically partnered with sumptuous keyboards and a deft and delicate percussive element, while on Dancing in Shadow and Light we have a light and incredible appealing composition that will lift the energies of the listener with ease At times this reminded me of David Wright and his track, The Sound of Waves.

The technical aspects of Jim’s albums are always a pleasure to note, his skill set on performance doubly so, and on Once Forever we see that combined perfectly in a piece that swirls with an intent, and then is added to in a perfect example of build and progression within a compositional structure.

The upbeat Whispers of the Soul is next on the check list of our musical voyage of plenty, this one is pretty unique, as there is a clear global and world music vibe contained within this tribally rhythmic composition, one that has a smooth bass line as well, whilst on This Fleeting World Ottaway produces one of the finest example of electronic music, with a Berlin styled opus that flourishes with great style and fluency.

So we are here at the title track of the album, this has to be one of my personal all-time favourites from the artist in A Promise Of Eternity. The crisp tones and the natural timbre of the performance are simply beautiful, and perhaps a touch of early Vangelis can be found within the heart of the construction as well, a stunning reverie indeed.

The concluding piece is called Light Dawns is also a spectacular offering, a grand opening akin and redolent of the subject matter, flowing synths abound like the mist hovering across the Elysian fields, and we have the perfect final parting musical gift from Ottaway.

A Promise Of Eternity by Jim Ottaway is an impressive collection of 12 very crafted and well-presented electronic music compositions, even so, each song, each piece, has something a little different contained within, each composition has a journey and a tale to tell all of its own.

Here is an album not afraid to cross musical boundaries, not fearful of changing tempo and style, in short I believe Jim Ottaway has gone for it here on A Promise Of Eternity, and it’s worked brilliantly, with that in mind, you should really avail yourself of a copy of this album as soon as you can, music of this quality does not come around that often.

Like all his other releases, its music is drawn from the composer's love of nature and his spiritual connection to the beautiful environment of the Gold Coast hinterland, Australia. The 72-minute soundscape outcome, mainly live improvised and recorded, is a gentle, serene and enchanting listening affair featuring various lush floating harmonious pads, hints of ambient space music, and new age. It's all well done and most uplifting, still expressing as much love and emotion as Jim intended initially. Nice one!

This new electronic album contains both up-tempo and slower tracks, and contains 12 songs about the various aspects of the “fleeting world” and the “world beyond… eternity”. As always, sub-genres of electronic music are included, such as a pinch of Berlin school, melodic electronic and ambient, and some pure EM. For example, the bonus track 'Light Dawns' is ambient, but it is also included in a reworked version.

Really nice space music!

Ideal for those who want to completely relax. You can therefore best classify this album as New Age.

Now, cosmic and space electronic music comes in many disguises. This one in particular is a mix of dreamy and minimally melodic with a couple of tracks delving into more rhythmic realms. But, by and large, this is highly pleasurable music that allows you to free your mind and wander into the same inner world universes as the musician. Most tracks are around the 7 minute mark, and the opener, “Between Heaven And Earth” has a very Vangelis feel to it, somewhere between vintage USA sacred space music and “Blade Runner” soundtrack, as the assorted synth layers waft and weave to create a highly relaxed yet constantly moving, sea of electronic tranquility. “Hidden Universes” mines a similar furrow, while “Ancient Starlight” wanders in with gently undulating rhythms, a high register drifting melody line, to which further textures are added, across a broad musical range, once again the feel being akin to decelerated Vangelis at his most beauteous.

“Until Eternity Passes Away” has this wondrous river of mellotron-like sound underpinning the ebbing and flowing of the main cosmic synth top layers, while a slowly cyclical melody line, cascades and echoes, on what is quite a minimal yet much engaging and most hypnotic piece of music.

“Divided Skies” goes for a “Berlin School-lite” approach to the sequencer undercurrents, as interlocking synth drifts and a stand-out, stretched-out lead melody line, all combine to provide the feel of travelling through space and time, with an added layer from what sounds like a space guitar but probably isn't, gives and even greater depth and presence to the track. “An Infinity Of Universes” adds piano to the synths, creating a slice of music that conjures comparisons of Tangerine Dream with Tim Story at the helm, also providing a slight Japanese feel to the rhythms that come and go, while “Many Different Suns”, drifts and flows through a myriad universes, always progressing, never standing still, yet extremely peaceful at the same time.

“Voices Of Universal Infinity” is my favourite track on a consistently great album, being largely rhythm-free, but with a sea of sublime and gorgeous electronic layers and textures that put you in mind of the absolute finest music played by the likes of Constance Demby, Richard Burmer and Crown Invisible, a truly special slice of cosmic serenity.

The album ends on “Light From Perfect Darkness”, as a finale of electronic space music layers drifts, swells, soars, bubbles up, flies and flows, to an absolute hypnotic degree, thus bringing to an end, what has been an total treasure of electronic space music.

Jim's new album consists of nine electronic ambient tracks, all centered around the beauty, wonder and complexity of the universe. The album also asks the question... "Could it be that our universe is just one part of a multitude of universes... an infinity of universes... a multiverse?" A fascinating question indeed.

Jim Ottaway is constantly recording pieces and initially storing them in his music archive until he has the right pieces together for an album. Numerous tracks have accumulated over the years. Jim selects the tracks from his “vault” so that they best fit the theme of each album. Most of the tracks on “Infinite Universes” were composed and recorded in recent years, but some tracks were composed and recorded back in 2008. However, all tracks on the album received additional recordings over the past six months and recording and production was completed in May 2023. Jim composes and records all of his music in his home studio, located at the foot of the beautiful Springbrook Mountain on the Gold Coast, Australia.

There are nine tracks on the album with running times, all of which are six and a half to almost eight minutes long. Jim starts his new work with the 7:19 minute “Beyond Heaven And Earth”. The track is characterised by very harmonious and spacious surface sounds that gently blow through the room and are then enveloped in a gentle melody. That sounds spacey and comforting at the same time.

The 7:52 minute “Ancient Starlight” is similar, but is also enriched with a rhythmic synth voice that sets the basic tone. Melody lines follow here too. The track conveys something like a sunrise in a foreign world. At least in my mind, this image builds up in my mind when it comes to music.

Jim then starts monumentally into the 7:28 minute track “Hidden Universes”. Here, too, a landscape of a distant planet builds up in my mind's eye. After about a minute, a melody creates a pleasant atmosphere. Jim also plays with the dynamics of the lead synth, which keeps the tension high.

Other very spacey pieces follow, of which the 6:44 minute “An Infinity Of Universes” particularly moves me with its gentle rhythmic structure and the melody, which is determined by piano sounds. The compilation of the sounds is perfect here. And you are literally magically drawn into the wide expanses of the 7:35 minute “Voices Of Universal Infinity”. The mystical track “Light From Perfect Darkness” then ends the album.

The Australian electronic musician Jim Ottaway has created the soundtrack for a space trip to distant galaxies with “Infinite Universes”. Floating, flat sound sculptures, mixed with very beautiful melodies, literally transport the listener into other spheres in front of the speakers.

This exquisite album commences with Beyond Heaven and Earth introduced with a slow mesmeric drone which gathers elements of intrigue as it deepens, going further into the dream state of endless space, laced with a light, ethereal singular series of notes before slowly drifting into the beautiful Ancient Starlight.

Allow the mind to simply see what is hidden within the intricate, measured sounds as if each note represents faded starlight once so shiny bright and new, now slowly going forever before the Hidden Universes are reached.

Sombre and reflective Hidden Universes brings to mind vast halls of massive arches and flagged pathways; hallowed halls where good souls float through the semi dark shadows, mysterious, fascinating leading further into the endless forever segueing into Until Eternity Passes Away. This absolutely exquisite piece is slightly faster, more up-tempo, encouraging a sense of playfulness, as if the darker aspects of the journey have lightened gracefully.

Divided Skies ushers in a very attractive element with a lighter, slightly more intricate composition that simply delights with the drifting movement of sound, underpinned with a rapid, subtle pulsating rhythm.

An Infinity Of Universes offers choices, pathways; piano notes lead to electronic bleeps, gentle, rich sonic sounds entice while maintaining a deliciously soft, relaxing and peaceful tone that guides the time of relaxation.

A sonic sound of digeridoo leads into a new vibration created with layers of contrasting elements, deeper tones and yet lighter shades wound within, as Many Different Suns unfolds into the rich, full bodied and yet ethereal Voices of Universal Infinity.

Slowly returning to reality from a captivating one hour of perfect bliss is accomplished with the Light From Perfect Darkness, a complete contrast of sonic sounds that reiterate there is more than one universe, which is able to be accessed via the incredible medium of relaxing, mediative and divine space music.

An award winning composer, Jim Ottaway manages to push the limits of ‘space’ music to new heights with every new album he releases. Each year his work is lauded as his best series. Infinite Universes certainly is an outstanding work with each of the pieces recorded between 2008 and 2023, then selected from his vault of music with care, before being woven into another magical, mysterious and most refreshing journey into the outer limits of our Universe.

"All there is... All that exists... All we can ever see...

"Could it be that our universe is just one part of a multitude of universes... an infinity of universes... a multiverse?"

Ambient space music, by definition, does not need to be melodic, but the music on this album often has a melodic line - or at least parts of a melody - that run(s) through it. Some of the pieces are also quite rhythmic. Others are very firmly planted in the "space music" genre while maintaining a very "musical feel". Jim Ottaway is one of the best artists in this creative field and his albums are consistently outstanding - colorful, evocative, and very beautiful. They are great for background and relaxation music, but are also complex enough to reveal something new with each listen, providing a very rewarding deep-listening experience.

Infinite Universes begins with "Beyond Heaven and Earth," a piece that imagines the vast openness of what is beyond what we know and understand. Very peaceful and ethereal, it's a lovely start to our journey and exploration. "Ancient Starlight" has a simple but very effective rhythm that runs through it, giving the more ambient music a feeling of moving forward through space and time. "Hidden Universes" goes darker and more mysterious, but never feels dangerous. It's a very visual piece that suggests what we might see as we go deep into space. "Until Eternity Passes Away" is one of the more melodic pieces and is so peaceful - kind of like floating on a cloud in a clear blue sky! Although it is very calming, "An Infinity of Universes" seems to be propelled by feelings of optimism and possibility. The gentle rhythms keep it moving ahead while expressing the joy of adventure. The primary instrumentation in "Voices of Universal Infinity" comes from synthesized voices - heavenly and oh so smooth! "Light From Perfect Darkness" brings our journey to a close. This track includes many ambient sounds that feel very "spacey," but that work flawlessly within the context of the music. It would be easy to interpret this closing track in a variety of ways, so I will leave that up to you!

Infinite Universes presents interesting concepts and ideas both musically and spiritually, and Jim Ottaway has done a masterful job in addressing them! The album is available from Amazon, Apple Music/iTunes, Bandcamp and many streaming sites including Spotify. CDs are available from Jim's website.

Gold Coast's favourite ambient electronic artist Jim Ottaway is stamping his blissful mark on 2023 with the immersive long player ‘Infinite Universes’. Released as the next natural progression in his series of space ambient/electronic albums that begun back in 2016, this latest offering focuses on the beauty, wonder and complexities of the universe. Highlight moments included the intergalactic pace of ‘Ancient Starlight’, the uplifting progression on ‘Voices Of Universal Infinity’ and the sporadic brilliance of ‘Light From Perfect Darkness’.

To listen to a Jim Ottaway album is to make an appointment with ourselves. His music has a tenderness that could make a rock sigh! And this INFINITE UNIVERSE is really no different from his other albums, in that the music always remains on the threshold of those lunar melodies that have this gift of warming the soul. Mine, at least! This new album by the Australian musician-synthesist is a collection of tracks he has composed over the last few years, some of them in 2008. Jim has re-recorded and arranged them in such a way that it flows like a cosmic tale for souls on the verge of tears. The music is beautiful, with gentle rhythms and its usual array of genre-related sound effects. The setting is perfectly balanced, with neither too many effects nor too few, allowing beautiful, luminous melodies to blossom on a bed of lunar orchestrations that titillate our emotional hairs. There are some very emotional moments on INFINITE UNIVERSES, which has joined the list of albums I now listen to in order to fall asleep with my ears screwed to the immensity of the Cosmos. And it gets off to a great start with Beyond Heaven and Earth! The keyboard makes wail a nice melody that can't help but make us melancholy, with its harmonious tinkling that awakens old memories. Aside from the cosmic effects, the background is topped with slightly droning layers and with docile pulses which raise its level of intensity. Sounds like a posthumous Vangelis title!

The sequencer weaves a delicate harmonic rhythm in Ancient Starlight. The sequences shimmer just as well as in Beyond Heaven and Earth, unravelling into a circular line that ripples lazily through a lyrical Cosmos that's filled with soft, dreamy orchestrations, with grooves that let hear the shooting stars sing and with other tones peculiar to lunar ambiences. A pulsing bass line supports this ritornello with a processional presence, giving even more weight to the melodic texture of a rhythm that sticks to the ambient Berlin School style, like Klaus Schulze or Robert Schroeder, from the time of Brain Voyager, in a more contemporary musical envelope.

The music of Hidden Universes sticks to the meaning of its title, offering a structure of ambient rhythm that hops faintly with a finely organic texture. These sequences float secretly in a setting darkened by strings that stigmatize themselves in a mood more tenebrous here than elsewhere in the album. The synth disguises itself in a violin and extends beautiful harmonies that cluster and moan in a slightly orchestral lunar waltz effect. Another beautiful and melodious track, Until Eternity Passes Away is a cross between Beyond Heaven and Earth, for the melody that tinkles here with more strength, and Ancient Starlight, for the processional ambient rhythm. It's also a track in the register of Vangelis and his gentle passages on the Opera Sauvage album. The synth is also very maudlin in Divided Skies. Jim Ottaway multiplies solos that weep like lonesome violins over another delicate stationary rhythm structure that is conceived on these bass sequences that pulsate in an ascending axis. They support and frame a shimmering line of arpeggios that comes and goes tirelessly, all the while nuancing its timbre and astral voluptuousness.

An Infinity of Universes offers a delicate structure of undulating rhythm, with the sequencer's cadence akin to the great strides of a slowly galloping giant. The keyboard scatters arpeggios that shimmer like stars. Later, a nice oriental-style melody, which also weaves a delicious earworm, ends up adorning a good meditative Berlin School. It's very beautiful and very David Wright also. I'd say the same of Many Different Suns, which belatedly develops an Oriental-style melody. A buzzing sound and its rays are at the origin of the title. The rays draw twistings that multiply, creating a sonic canvas for a bass pulse to carve out its ascending rhythm. Stardust, cosmic effects, synth weeps and musings and a melody thrown in by a distracted keyboard are grafted onto the ambient rhythm. The melody shines with ever-clear arpeggios, the stardust blends in quite well with its tunes, and at times embraces the ascent of the rhythm, which remains ambient.

Voices of Universal Infinity is the pearl among pearls on this album. A meditative track that gradually settles its slow rhythm. It floats on layers of voices and orchestral mist, gradually spreading a poignant emotional veil. Light from Perfect Darkness concludes another fine collection of music from the Australian musician with an atmospheric-cosmic structure that flows in the same inner-sense as the title. Hollow interstellar winds, the bubbling of the interstellar layers and the stirrings of cosmic eddies make-up its backdrop. While more luminous sound effects, clashing aurora-colored hoops, dust and sparkling stars accompany the scattered chants of the Milky Way. This is the perfect title to complete a work of this dimension!

Everything about INFINITE UNIVERSES is beautiful! Jim Ottaway's electronic music (EM) is pleasing to the ear, with textures of cosmic ambience carried along by ambient rhythm structures, some of which flirt with the meditative Berlin School genre. But it's the hyper-melodiousness of the album that makes it so comfortable to listen to. The melodies sparkle like jewels of tenderness, stigmatizing those tears that flow only within our emotions. It's as if they become our stars, and the body is our Cosmos. It's not just beautiful, it's enveloping and touching! ****½*

Australian born electronic synth master Jim Ottaway has been producing magical music for many years now, and is one of a very few composers who can take you away from your woes and tribulations with his outer worldly creations. The journey through these Infinite Universes starts right here, right now with the opening offering entitled Beyond Heaven and Earth, a mindful composition that treads so carefully onward and upward, away from the mundane and into the ethereal realms, and all within the confines of a truly marvellous opening foray.

What I truly enjoyed with regard to the construction of this album was the sublime touch and deftness of tonal structures within it. Tracks like Ancient Starlight are but one example, here we find an aged composition, but the soft palate of the creator in Ottaway here, adds so much colour and texture to the arrangement; the repeating keyboard motif and the swirling synths partnered each other with sheer perfection.

Hidden Universes is a superb piece, one that grows as it goes. We know scientifically that we have not even scratched the surface in space travel, so we have far to go and much to learn. Here the artist explores that narrative, bringing us music from worlds, galaxies and systems as of yet unknown to us, and does it with such style. The composition is slow and ponderous, at times with slight classical motifs, and it is as if we are spinning in slow circles as we move forward, just trying to take in everything as we go.

We move to another delicate creation and this one is called Until Eternity Passes Away. I ruminated over this title and wondered if it was in fact an oxymoron, but the more I listened I became enamoured with the interminable energies of the music. This is quite a beautiful piece and one that reminded me in part of the work of Jean Michel Jarre, but the softness of the melody here added a layer to the creation that made the whole manifestation truly warming to listen to.

My thoughts on the soothing overall narrative of this album continue to grow now with the track Divided Skies. For me this is another wonderfully new age styled track that took me back to the nineties and my old friend Phil Thornton. New age music is making a massive comeback at the moment, so it was most pleasing to hear a piece like this on the album, a soft keyboard structure and a melody line that is both charming and reflective, one that gifts the listener a feeling of assurance.

We are now drifting in areas of deep space and as we do so we come across a track called An Infinity Of Universes. This one reminded me in content and context of the aforementioned Hidden Universe track, but perhaps this piece maybe more of a possibility rather than an a postulation. Here the artist explores a potential new energy of tone and timbre, he does this with grace and class, utilising the keyboards structures in ways that Medwyn Goodall used to do back in the early part of the century, the mixture of both piano and synths here were utterly riveting.

I will give you advance warning here, please listen to this album with headphones, especially to get the most out of this amazing composition. The chimes, tones that sounded like a digeridoo, and synths swirl from left to right in an almost hypnotic manner, and Many Different Suns is a piece that shows an essence of artistic creativity like never before. Throughout the whole of this album I felt like Jim was trying to push his boundaries, he succeeds beautifully on this one.

Our penultimate offering is entitled Voices Of Universal Infinity. As you may have surmised from the titled, I would mention the somewhat beautiful vocalisations contained within this track, they most certainly are stunning, but so is the soft backdrop of electronic reverberation that accompanies them. This is without doubt the most moving and emotional offering off the album. The chord structures manifest something remarkable and almost anthem like in its overall manifestation.

Light From Perfect Darkness is our final offering and it truly is a parting gift of sublime quality, sometimes all we need is a chink of light to give us hope, and Ottaway births that right here on this piece. This is a wonderful last offering from the artist and one that resonates from musicians like Tomita, to Serrie, to Kendle and beyond. A blissful climax indeed to an incredibly stylish and creative album.

Infinite Universes by Jim Ottaway is a sanctuary of sound. It’s a place you want to go when life becomes a struggle. Here is an album that will literally transport you into the heavens and beyond, but more importantly, I believe overall that Jim may well have created his best work thus far on this release. The softness of touch, the sensitivity of compositional structure, tender textures and the creative intelligence of each arrangement speaks utter volumes for this new release, a new album that I have no hesitation at all to recommend to each and every one of you.

The beautiful, atmospheric music makes you float between stars and nebulae, and that is exactly what its intention is. If you want to explore the multiverse, this is the music for you! Excellent for science fiction fans! (4½ / 5)

The album starts with the 6:36 minute "Dawn Of Time". A gentle melody starts the track, which after a few moments acquires a sequencer rhythm on which the flat, string-like harmonies are laid. After a good two minutes, a programmed rhythm is added. This is floating and relaxed music.

The 5:57 minute, dreamy “A Dream Within Reach” is very melodic, almost with a little pop appeal and a romantic feeling. The 6:06 minute "One True Vision" starts out quite mystical and calm and then gets a rhythm after a good two and a half minutes, which now pushes the piece forward. Some voices also seem ethnic and are a little reminiscent of the Australian natives.

The track "Chosen Place" lasts five minutes and is underscored by a stoic rhythm on which melody and sounds are then laid. It has a slightly rocky touch and a very special mood. Above all, the sounds know how to convince and make it a captivating piece. Sparkling synth sounds and a gentle rhythm are the basis for the wonderful, 5:23 minute "Fire Of Truth". This is a very positive track that shines with a very nice synth solo towards the end.

The 5:58 minute “Sacred Ground”, on the other hand, seems more mysterious, which is mainly due to the unusual sound patterns. This is followed by the 6:09 minute "Carried In My Heart", a piece whose lovely pop melody comes from the 80s.

The 7:03 minute "Lost World" then offers more exciting electronic music again. Again, it's a very catchy melody line that's what makes it so appealing. Then there is a rhythm from the drum computer. The floating and largely calm "Winds Of Promise", the melodic, 4:36 minute title track and the 7:17 minute "Shores Of Eternity", with its wide pads and gentle harmonies, which are then given a sequencer rhythm and synth choirs, then finish the album.

"Somewhere In Between" is an album with very beautiful melody arcs and its own handwriting. As Jim Ottaway states, the tracks on the current album tie in with his early works "When Eternity Touches Time" and "Timeless E-Motion".

This is followed by the 7:46 minute "Starburst In Celestial Darkness", which begins with wide pads and sounds reminiscent of wind. After a few moments, a sequencer rhythm is added, which is then followed by a melody line that gives you goosebumps and is a mixture of the X-Files soundtrack and Tangerine Dream. This track alone is worth getting the album.

The 7:07 minute "Infinite Space" then begins almost orchestrally and, with its floating pads and inserted harmonies, represents the soundtrack for a space trip. The same applies to the 8:23 minute "Celestial Parallax", which also floats through space. Jim throws in some harmonies and sometimes rhythmic sequencer parts.

The 7:49 minute "Alien Star" is extremely exciting, which is due to the stoic but hypnotic rhythm pattern, into which sparkling, dripping sounds are repeatedly interwoven. After less than three minutes, another synth voice appears, which now inserts a long drawn-out melody line, which after a few more minutes is expanded to include rhythm and harmony sequences. This is very well done.

The title of the 7:45 minute "Parallel Suns" is quite well chosen, because the sounds appear radial and far-reaching. A gentle, meditative track. The 9:20 minute "Two Trillion Galaxies" sounds like the soundtrack to a space journey to unknown worlds, while the exciting and shimmering sounds of the 8:04 minute "Dark Matter In Distorted Starlight" seem like a trip to a distant planet and the flora and fauna describe musically. The album ends with the 6:47 minute title track. The music is very anthemic/symphonic and provides a smooth exit from the album.

With "Threshold Of The Universe", the Australian electronic musician Jim Ottaway has created a very beautiful, melodic and spacy album that lets you mentally drift off into distant worlds. And the track “Starburst In Celestial Darkness” alone is worth buying the album.

Jim Ottaway is treating us to another banquet of sound this month with his sixth consecutive record in as many years. ‘Somewhere In Between’is an eleven-track instrumental exploration of minimal electronica that is best described by Jim himself as “that special place in-between heaven and earth... a place of love and timelessness... a place of intrigue and uncertainty... a place of promise and the future”. Highlights include the video game soundtrack vibes of ‘Fire Of Truth’, the euphoric ‘A Dream Within Reach’ and the eerie ambience of the album’s closer ‘Shores Of Eternity’. Strap on some headphones, hit play and enjoy the ride.

In his latest work, Somewhere In-Between Jim Ottaway has combed through his vast collection of pieces created over many years, selecting and in on several pieces, enhancing the songs to create a work that sees him in a space of reflection, or of joy and happiness, interspersed with some of the weightier periods of pondering life’s journey.

Commencing with the delicate Dawn of Time a lovely orchestral introduction delivers a more spacey element which encourages entrance to a world of dreaming, of time floating, of peace and fascination.

By complete contrast A Dream Within Reach is positively up-tempo, filled with life and a marvelous sense of fun, which lifts the spirit with the catchy collection of pulsating sound capturing Ottaway in a teasing, light-hearted moment of creation.

Sacred Ground is a deeply resonating piece of music as it envelopes in the deep, almost digeridoo style base notes the heartbeat of mother earth, elemental but once the overlay is threaded through the base melody a sense of mystique pervades.

A lovely light filled piece Carried In My Heart charms its way into the favourite piece on the album which captures a more relaxed, up-tempo emotion reflecting on the many elements we all carry in our hearts in remembrance of those who have had great influence on life’s journey.

The penultimate piece Somewhere in Between is haunting, dreamy and once again appears to have the influence of indigenous music, which adds a timeless element to a song which encapsulates so much of the various layers of life within the sound.

Drawing to a close of what could be considered Ottaway’s best collection to date is the deeply resonating Shores of Eternity, a place we all will travel to and there find what is to be discovered, what is unique to the journeyman of immortality and beyond.

The album opener, “Dawn Of Time” has a very Vangelis feel to it with smoothly orchestral sounding synths topped by the twinkling synth rhythms, stripped down to an economical brilliance, before the track adds a more solid, percussive rhythmic base, and glides soundly through the airwaves. This Vangelis-like quality continues on “A Dream Within Reach”, only here we see Ottaway's more romantic side kicking in as there's a real warmth and heart to the piece, as the cascading, slowly flowing mix of melodic magic, takes us more into the realms of actual tuneage, but with each layer counting for more than just melody or rhythm.

As the album progresses, across a wide range of musical canvases, the feel and emotion that pour out of the openers, is enhanced, but without throwing in the electronic “kitchen sink”. The “less is more” approach really pays off as you feel the wide open spaces of the melodies, with the added dynamic and textural components, providing more structure and density to the light and airy tracks which unfold. “Fire Of Truth” has more of a late eighties Tangerine Dream quality to it while “Sacred Ground” that follows it, takes a more cosmic route but still in the same melodic vein.

The near 7 minute “Winds Of Promise” is a slowly unfolding slice of music which mixes a solid percussive undercurrent with a sliding, gliding sea of electronic space, and the result is magical, with all sorts of additional elements along the way, before turning into the aforementioned Vangelis-esque realms. The album ends with the 7+ minutes of “Shores Of Eternity” and here, the rhythms are kept minimal, the melodies even moreso and there's a huge galaxy of electronic calm at its heart, as a wondrously deep cosmic current, takes you off to parts unknown.

Overall, with its influences intact, this is one of Ottaway's most accessible yet musically satisfying albums to date, and should win him over to a great many people whose world of electronic music consists entirely of Jarre, Vangelis and later era Tangerine Dream. Quality stuff!!

Jim composes and records all of his music in his home studio, which is located in the foothills of Springbrook Mountain on the Gold Coast of Australia. With diverse musical influences that include Tangerine Dream, Vangelis, Pink Floyd, and Enigma, the inspiration for Jim's music is his love for nature and his spiritual connection to the beauty of the Gold Coast. A lot of electronic music can feel kind of cold and aloof, but Jim's recordings have a warmth and emotional expression that many artists don't convey with their music.

Somewhere In-Between begins with "Dawn of Time," a mysterious piece that juxtaposes a quickly-flowing rhythm with smoothly undulating string sounds. Relaxed with an underlying sense of urgency, it's an intriguing start! "A Dream Within Reach" is much lighter and more carefree, expressing the joy of seeing a dream realized. "One True Vision" takes on a more ethereal feeling as it floats through time and space, becoming more rhythmic and exciting as it unfolds. "Chosen Place" is driven by a strong beat that keeps the other, lighter, instrumentation moving forward. I really like this one! "Fire Of Truth" expresses feelings of triumph and celebration - not aggressive triumphs like sports or military wins, but those feelings of elation when truth is found and prevails. As its title suggests, "Lost World" is much darker and more intense but isn't without hope. Choral voices, a driving beat, and a variety of electronic sounds give this piece the feeling of the soundtrack for a very powerful movie. The title track beautifully illustrates the description of "Somewhere In-Between" mentioned in the first sentence of this review - a special place that encompasses so much of what makes life an unfolding adventure. The first half of "Shores Of Eternity" is more ambient and atmospheric than melodic or rhythmic and effectively expresses the vastness of space and/or time. In addition to the synths, a woman's voice softens the effects of that vastness and makes it feel more tangible and welcoming. It's a beautiful and uplifting close to a great album!

Our journey starts with the open and vast realms of the piece Dawn Of Time, this is a truly smart beginning and one that reminds me of the UK’s Geigertek at times with its slow onward build and progression, one that eventually morphs into an undeniably master work of EM.

The following musical narrative is a horse of a completely different colour; there is a lightness of touch within A Dream Within Reach which is so very appealing, in fact after listening to this specific track a few times I found myself constantly whistling the melody over and over, always a good sign for a musician when a song takes home in your head and refuses to leave!

This next one gave me so much pleasure, the hovering intensity and then the Vangelis inspired mood brought One True Vision to my door, and what a sublime track this opus is as well. This safe passage of electronic awareness literally takes the listener on a constant forward movement into somewhere in between perhaps?

The John Carpenter styled opening to this next track was utterly brilliant and Chosen Place would soon become one of my favourites off the album because of it. The smooth and tranquil synths here create a true juxtaposition of sound, something really rare to achieve, let alone to attempt, a very clever offering indeed.

Fire Of Truth has elements of various electronic musical styles within its construction, from Jarre, to Glenn Main to David Wright perhaps. Here Ottaway manifests another airy offering, one that takes a flight path all of its own in an ever elevating energy of brightness and light.

As we reach the second half of the album we come across a fascinating composition called Sacred Ground, in its early stages this tentative track seems to be hiding in the shadows, but then slowly grows in a way that a summer mist burns off on an early July morning, and once the edges of care are dropped, the true essence of this piece burns through to explore a wonderful fluency, and a lush melodic tapestry of tone.

There can be no doubt that Jim Ottaway is one of the finest electronic musicians of his time, and on this next track entitled Carried In My Heart he could well have had a huge hit single with a composition that is easily the most commercial on the album, if the artist had decided to have gone that route of course, however in my view, this piece is to Ottaway, what Oxygene was to Jean-Michel Jarre, a wonderful hook, a sublime melody, and a mood and performance that captures a pure sense of absolute love in the moment.

Sometimes I wonder, sometimes I fear that there is little care in our Lost World, this powerful offering seems to state something similar, and perhaps the key word that is the strongest on the planet today, is a total and unrelenting fear of just about everything! The dark realms of this magnificent piece by Ottaway perhaps explores that aforementioned narrative, and done in a way that reminded me of the old school values of musicians like Michael Shipway.

The vibrating energies that begin this next splendid composition gave me a slice of self-assurance, as I have just used this effect on a new track of mine for my new album, as of yet released, here on Winds Of Promise, the artist builds, and lays brick by brick, one of the most wonderful creations of his release, on a track that truly does what it says on the can.

So here is that illustrious moment, the unveiling of the title track, the main canvas that portrays the entire album, and the piece we reveal is of course Somewhere In-Between. Gentle and progressive keyboards lay a path that is straight and narrow, but true; a fine example can be found here on how to manifest a title track, which speaks volumes for each and every other composition within this collection of wondrous electronic stories.

We have arrived at our last port of call and the artist has one more musical gift to bestow upon us before we disembark from his inner dimensional starship of enlightenment, it is called Shores Of Eternity, apart from being a sublime title, this explorative cornucopia of ambient electronic delights is without doubt the perfect way to conclude the album, a spectacular offering indeed and one that at times reminded me of the late but great Vangelis with his masterpiece, Albedo 0.39.

Somewhere In-Between by Jim Ottaway in my view is the artist’s best work thus far, yes it’s an easy thing for a writer to say, and you may have read similar summaries many times before, but I am far from being disingenuous. On this album I truly believe that Ottaway has elevated his standing within the electronic music community. Somewhere In-Between by Jim Ottaway has to be a total must for fans of this genre, or seekers of music that search for sonic sanctuaries created with honesty, artistic craft, and sublime intelligence.

Melodious and less complex than When Eternity Touches Time but livelier than the very beautiful Threshold of the Universe, SOMEWHERE IN-BETWEEN is another musical rendezvous from Jim Ottaway that one cannot refuse. Composed between a gap of 14 years, from 2008 to 2022, this new album of the Australian electronic bard proposes a panoply of styles where the melodies of his synth dominate rhythms sometimes soft and sometimes more electronic. Ambivalent rhythms that are propelled by an efficient sequencer and propelled by percussions with random metallic slaps, while the synths provide sometimes dark and sometimes cosmic sceneries with good orchestrations and ambiences that flirt with a little paranormal side that often makes the charms of electronic music (EM). Like its title indicates, we are constantly somewhere in the middle of something...

Two lines of rhythmic melodies overlapping in a seductive minimalist movement momentarily chase away the iridescent haze that enveloped the opening of Dawn of Time. This mist takes on an orchestral texture with a swarm of violin strings, stretching a collective tearfulness that becomes more intense, more dramatic even, when sober percussions set a slower pace than the two melody lines. We let ourselves lulled by this lunar melody from which some usual sound effects begin to fuse, such as random percussive effects that are sculpted on the beats of the electronic drums and limpid arpeggios that add a little more weight to the melodic texture of the track. A short ambient moment drops a nostalgic flute. And the more the minutes go by, the more Dawn of Time inspires a downtempo that embraces the emotional amplitude of the orchestrations. SOMEWHERE IN-BETWEEN is a sanctuary for electronic melodies built on the model of narrative music worthy of the New Age charts. A Dream Within Reach lets off a very good one on a soft and light rhythm that accentuates its pace with good percussive effects. The kind of thing you can whistle without too much difficulty! If you like the genre, Fire of Truth is another one with a nice circular movement of an arpeggio line which turns into a very sharp melodic vision. Its carousel and the texture of the atmospheres take me back to Legend's Tangerine Dream era. Carried in my Heart is another beautiful New Age style of melody with a frankly haunting ritornello. One True Vision is one of the more electronic Berliner tracks of this new album of the Australian musician-synthesist. A series of moiré arpeggios dictates its melodic yet rhythmic approach over a spasmodic sequencer texture. This rhythm builds pressure after an atmospheric first bridge, while the second one returns it to its initial phase. The tracks follow each other in this album offering a diverse approach, as with Chosen Place which offers a darker opening with a pulsating rhythm created by a sequenced bass line that is overlapped by intriguingly toned arpeggios and supported by sober percussions. The jerky flow of the arpeggios contrasts with the creeping structure of the sequences, giving the music an air of mystery and horror. At the same time fluid and heavy, the structure hums softly with a nice resonance effect in its rhythm that gives off a tasty horror cinema aspect that is accentuated by the emanation of an ominous mist, sibylline chants and beautiful vampiric solos from a synth that also drops a delicate melodious flute. That does very Arcane!

Sacred Ground is another track to offer a structure flirting with the paranormal. The track evolves with slowness, forsaking little by little its atmospheric form to take the shape of a rhythm jostled by percussions which unstitch little by little its slow procession. The rhythm is more noisy, notably with the echo of the percussion, than animated and marries this ghostly melody which gives this very horror movie tint to Sacred Ground. Lost World proposes a good rhythmic ride before transforming into a synthpop with a tone of the 80's in the percussions. Winds of Promise offers a texture of electronic rhythm for neurons that trots and adopts the shape of an interstellar gallop with gauzy percussions in a sibylline mood. A beautiful melody flows through it, accentuating the curve of the rhythm slightly with each of its appearances in a musical narrative structure. The play of the percussions and the effects of synthesizer add to the charms of this title that we hook on it at the first listening. The title-track offers another one of those haunting melodies to run through the 70 minutes of this album offered both in manufactured CD and download format by Jim Ottaway. Its air and that delicate pan flute give it a New Age dimension. On the other hand, its DNA is more electronic with a complex rhythmic structure for the genre. With its ghostly melody on a more atmospheric structure, even with the jolts of the sequencer in the middle of the track, Shores of Eternity sings beautifully the swan song of SOMEWHERE IN-BETWEEN, another very nice album by Jim Ottaway whose range of genres connects through its haunting melodies. ****¼*

Beyond Space and Time opens the journey. It is a promise kept as the music cajoles you into taking your first step. You move through space like a mote caught up in the updraft of a solar wind. Ottaway’s mesmerizing cosmic anthem suggests that you have no course but go where universe wants you. Enjoy the ride.

Looking through the glass darkly we perceive a vision that distorts and confuses. With a great deal of time we see the disambiguous truth. Ottaway captures that truth in the tune Celestial Parallax. Low, moaning bass lines sweep into mid-tone elementals and the great expanse is before you. Distance is imperceptible and time, well, time means absolutely nothing. Your mind has a direction, but the destination is unsure. Great tracks for those lost in space.

You come out of null space and there it is. The first blue star man has ever witnessed firsthand. And it is an Alien Star. The music paces, pulsates, and pops. Suddenly, a single tone cavorts like a disembodied dancer. The blue music is a siren song for some alien race. And you cannot help but be drawn to it. It is going to change your idea about what alien really means.

Two Trillion Galaxies is one of my favorite on Threshold of the Universe. The very title staggers the human imagination. Ottaway’s concept goes far beyond the number of stars in our sky or the number of grains of sand on every beach and in every desert on our humble little planet. Wave after wave of sound mixed with beeps and burbles and with a remarkable keyboard melody make the track an endless voyage beyond our mind’s imaginings.

Anyone that delves into comic books in the least several decades knows of dark matter. Imperceptible in the known light spectrum it is there nonetheless. Ottaway’s song Dark Matter in Distorted Light is a brooding, shadowy remark on something we cannot really see, but there it is. It is errors, it is doubts, and it is despair hidden in our souls. This is another fine work that makes the listeners think about their environment, inside and out.

The final cut is Threshold of the Universe. Jim Ottaway opens an unseen door for us with a gentle persuasion of rich harmonies and fluid sounds in this title tune. It sounds like some cosmic hand waving us in to the unknown. Beckoning us, inviting us to take the journey. You don’t have to ask me twice. Other tracks include Starburst in Celestial Darkness, Infinite Space, and Parallel Suns.

Threshold of the Universe adds to space ambient Australian composer Jim Ottaway’s copious repertoire of more than thirty titles. His albums extend past just ambient fare, sometimes mixing in New Age, electronic of course, relaxation, and other genres, as well as music for film and television. Ottaway’s music is in demand not only for his incredible solo works, but also as a collaborator for many other artists. I liked every track on Threshold of the Universe. Highly listenable.

It is often pondered just what is out there in deep space, but perhaps Ottaway has somehow managed, thorough channeling, to tap into the reality as his work contains something indefinable, hard to describe and yet is redolent of the timelessness humans imagine is or could be the sounds of deep space.

There is a primal understanding within each piece, underpinned by the occasional sounds that one imagines may be captured by various pieces of technology now cluttering up space, which gives credibility to the ever-changing space scape captured on Threshold of the Universe.

Choose any piece and sink into the moment, allow the mind to float fee, to travel the universe with no expectations, and enjoy what is found. Deep peace, refreshing waves of sound wash over the soul, gently offering to release stress and conflict, allowing these negatives to simply float free into deep space, to leave behind a beautiful tranquility.

Threshold of the Universe was created over the period of August 2007 to June 2021. During this time the journey of traveling through space has been subjected to many influences, which in turn have helped create the inspiration for the music. If there is a need to have the journey set out before the commencement, the nine track listing will offer you the flight itinerary, but if you simply choose to let the music flow, taking the mind and soul on an intimate journey, simply settle into your seat and relax.

Finally arriving at the Threshold of the Universe, which is the last track, it is time to take the next step to return to the everyday world imbued with a rich all-encompassing warmth not often created with this style of music. How Ottaway always seem to know when less is more to create the perfect ending to a magical journey is his secret and although the final tack is no more or less than the previous pieces, it has achieved the perfect balance of sound to allow a gentle return to earth.

For all earthbound beings that have always wondered just what is there in deep space, perhaps a journey with Jim Ottaway and his transporting music could be the answer, as once again, Ottaway has set the bar very high with his emotional, intimate and perfect ‘space-music' allowing all who care to spend the time to be transported to an alternate universe just for a short moment in time, to the Threshold of the Universe.

“Infinite Space” could almost be a “lost” track from “'75-era” Tangerine Dream, following a seriously similar path to anything you might have heard on the “Albert Hall” album, full of exactly the same sounds and feel, while “Celestial Parallax” has more in keeping with some of Steve Roach's style of cosmic drift, but not afraid to add a touch of rhythm that comes and goes, just to give the track an extra dimension, although it is largely an exercise in cosmic bliss. “Alien Star” is a more lightweight track that mixes rhythm and melody but still fulfilling the space music brief, and “Parallel Suns” follows a similar course, only here gets the density, intensity and more solid sound structures, spot on, as the assorted layers of synths fill the void while the sequencers have purpose, but are not intrusive.

“Two Trillion Galaxies” continues to mix space and rhythm, while “Dark Matter In Distorted Starlight” is a rhythm-free slice of spacious and cosmic wonderment, the attention to detail on the various synth music layers, achieving an eye-watering result. Finally, it's left up to the title track to provide a fitting and quite anthemic, mighty space music conclusion to what's been an absolute joy of a cosmic music album.

In the liner notes of the CD, Jim Ottaway describes the album: "Experience a journey through infinite space to the threshold of the universe. Along the way you will see the spectacular parallel suns, visit an alien star, and get a glimpse of the two trillion galaxies in our universe. During this journey through space and time you will also see intriguing dark matter through distorted starlight, the celestial beauty of the thousands of stars in each of the galaxies, as well as many other wonders of the universe. Put on your headphones...sit back...relax... Enjoy the journey." (That's the easy part!!!)

Threshold of the Universe begins with "Beyond Space and Time," an atmospheric odyssey to a different dimension that is dark and mysterious without being at all dangerous or frightening. Ethereal voices and electric guitar are ambient additions to the gracefully floating keyboard sounds. The hypnotic "Starburst In Celestial Darkness" takes us on a weightless voyage through deep darkness with occasional flashes of brilliant light - very smooth and relaxing! "Infinite Space" is still very ambient but has stronger rhythmic patterns. The combination of sounds on this one gives the feeling that there is a LOT going on out in space as we cruise through on our journey. "Alien Star" also has some very interesting rhythmic elements that give the feeling of movement, sometimes with a sense of urgency. I really like this one! "Two Trillion Galaxies" expresses both the vastness of space and the variety of activity that goes on out there - intriguing! "Dark Matter in Distorted Starlight" is quite possibly the darkest yet most visual of the nine pieces. Sounds come and go like things that pass by us - some smoothly and some more percussively - as we experience the profound and endless darkness. The title track closes the album with a peaceful warmth and a heavenly calm. Both relaxing and uplifting, it's a great finish to a great album!

Threshold of the Universe is ambient space music at its best! It is available from Amazon, Apple Music/iTunes, Spotify and other streaming sites as well as from JimOttaway.com. No mask required for this trip!

The next track, Starburst in Celestial Darkness, is one of the tracks that uncaps a sequenced rhythm structure fairly early on. The ambient movement is woven into that restraint that has always made Tangerine Dream's Silver Scale a seductive electronic crescendo. The synth weaves short, strident harmonic whistles that surf over the discrete bouncing movement of the sequencer. A creative sequencer that holds back its horde while dribbling its marbles here and there, until percussion, modeled on horse hooves, pushes the rhythm toward a reef of an ambient zone. A zone of atmospheric transition and its chloroform layers entwining in uncertainty. The rhythm returns more timidly than at the beginning with a jerky structure whose jolts initiate a second half marked by a renewed dynamism. In a music quite revealing of its title, Infinite Space attracts rhythm and celestial atmospheres in a circular and static swirl. The roundnesses are elastic with impulses weakened by an atmospheric density, thus emphasizing the seraphic suggestive murmurs blown by voices of cosmic goddesses. Celestial Parallax follows with a humming sound that crumbles its shadows into a tonal nebulosity. Woosshh sweep the soundscapes and keyboard riffs deposit those chords that now tinkle in the whistling cosmic winds. The track sinks into a sonic zone filled with layers and strident lines, initiating this ambient rhythm that rises and falls to disappear 90 seconds later, not even 30 seconds into the 5th minute, leaving Celestial Parallax to return to its genesis.

The echo of tinkles lost in a metallic mist; Alien Star unveils its catchy rhythm at its 30th second. A sequenced rhythm jumping with one leg shorter than the other, it seduces by this imperfection which continues its mechanism in this industrial haze and these tinklings coming from I don't know where. A beautiful synth solo, as melodious as prismatic, embellishes the ambiences of this raw electronic cha-cha while percussive effects accelerate a cadence which will be useful for the orchestrations to come. One listens to the music of Parallel Suns and one cannot miss the parallelism in this concept where two entities answer each other in an ambient track made to listen to sounds and their forms. It remains very melodic with a vibrating carpet that structures a fascinating cosmic bolero. The more we progress in THRESHOLD OF THE UNIVERSE and the more we discover little gems, confirming that the connection between our ears, our emotions to the music of Jim Ottaway is seamless. The most beautiful title of this album, Two Trillion Galaxies is a splendid lunar rhyme made of emotions and delicacy. A melody à la Reflections in Suspension, Steve Roach and his album Structures from Silence, makes its nest and its earworm, untying its somniferous chords with a circular piano ritornello. Moving and meditative, it's in my iPod, music for sleepless nights section. A very beautiful track Jim who exploits its almost 10 minutes wonderfully. Enigmatic and tenebrous, Dark Matter in Distorted Starlight proposes a dark opening nimbed with organic elements. The muffled synth bursts become fascinating chthonian whispers that contrast with this organic sharpness. The whispers become black orations in an ambience that admirably describes the Dark Ambient side of the track. Threshold of the Universe is on a par with Two Trillion Galaxies, except that here the ambient movement spreads great wings slowly flying on the harmonies of a melancholic synth. A synth that cries on these wings seeking the heights of paradise with an emotionality as great as these orchestrations that will make us cry one day. I am sure of it! What a way to close this superb album by Jim Ottaway who still knocks me over with his tonal pen and his musical odes that make dreams sprout. THRESHOLD OF THE UNIVERSE! A great album of ambient music deliciously lulled by Berlin School. ****½*

This galactically spirited journey starts with the opening piece Beyond Space And Time, the intent is set here and the deep excitement of an uncharted territory can be felt deep within the progression of the music, beautifully performed by Ottaway and setting the scene wonderfully.

The somewhat apprehensive tones of this next piece once again gift us a musical insight to our location, it is called Starburst In Celestial Darkness. Here we have a classical EM styled offering of well over seven minutes that is truly crafted, the high tones represent for me the starbursts within the dark void of space.

As we move further along on our journey we come to a track that has it all called Infinite Space. Ottaway has impressively built a tempered sense of drama into the weave of the album as a whole, but more so in this powerful and vast opus. I’d guess it would be like opening your crafts view screen and the very magnificence suddenly hits you.

This one seems to be a popular offering with some that I know, and I can see why, Celestial Parallax is a blissfully fluent and an incredibly smooth arrangement of truly very good electronic space music, the gentle build and anticipation on this offering is really breath taking, one can feel the swirl, movement and change of the position that is built within the track splendidly.

One of my personal favourites would be this one; there was a mood about this piece that hooked me in and never let me go. Alien Star floats in the distance, the incredible slow build here gives a feeling of approaching this giant giver of life, the sounds and electronics within the piece emphasise that even more. This is one of the most intricate offerings on the album, and I love it.

The softness of this next track was another total winner for me; it’s entitled Parallel Suns and is one of the most ambient arrangements off the album with ease. The keyboards and synths here create something so very reassuring and warm to listen to. There is a crafted deeper bass segment that is layered perfectly toward the mid and latter segments of the composition, which adds another layer of class to the piece.

I have recently selected this very track to be a part of my stations playlist on my space show, for me it gave the listener a perfect representation of space music and Ottaway’s total overall project, and at well over 9 minutes the longest track off the album. Two Trillion Galaxies has everything, a vast opus of sound, a sense of drama and anticipation, and all the while painting a musical backdrop with such a skill and musical dexterity; at times whilst listening to this offering I was reminded of the works of one of the masters of electronic music in Vangelis, yes, it is that good.

The penultimate offering off the album is called Dark Matter In Distorted Starlight, it contains a magnificent harmonic resonance and it is as if space itself has manifested a choir of its own. The electronic sounds and effects give us the distortion of starlight, but the powerful nature of the artists synths truly reign supreme in what is a stunning arrangement of really excellent vast space music.

I respect the artist’s decision to leave the title track to last, this is the main inspiration to the whole idea and it really does sum the whole project up beautifully. Threshold Of The Universe is a grand melodic composition that has that touch of magic about it, and that will make it timeless as years go by, it could be a piece that may well become a seminal body of work for Ottaway too. It is without doubt the best way possible to leave the album, and in some ways, its warmth reminds me of Eno’s Always Returning.

Threshold of the Universe by Jim Ottaway is the artist playing from his heart to yours, this vast body of work will be adored by all who love electronic and space styled music, but I believe also by those who appreciate a hard working musician that bears his soul to you. Threshold of the Universe by Jim Ottaway is one of those albums I would recommend any day of the week, it will transport you to a place where you don’t need to think, just be.

Let's jump right away to this choir of distorted murmurs which gives a sibylline ambience to the opening of Second Sight. A spiral of muffled footsteps, rising and falling through the mists of these inaudible murmurs, structures an ambient rhythm to which is grafted tinkles and keyboard pads from which short lines arpeggios thirsty of melody are escaping. This structure is like a mortuary carousel that percussions end up guiding towards a catchy rhythm where hides this satyr and his bewitching flute. Clouds Hide the Sun follows with a ballad à la Tangerine Dream style. The rhythm is slightly catchy, with a good mesh of the sequencer and percussions where weird noises lurk which arouse curiosity and which will give new impulses, more stroboscopic, to a structure which constantly reflects on its future. Our curiosity well aroused, we will not notice until later the synth which is beautiful with an intuitive harmonic line from which beautiful solos emerge. Playing with Fire gives itself a cosmic impetus and is inspired by the harmonious vision of Clouds Hide the Sun to make its rhythm beat and make its synth sing. Arched on a line of bass sequences which oscillate briskly with the metallic clapping of percussions and of hands, the rhythm is an extension of the Berlin School in sober dance music mode. The synth throws cosmic sound effects and bits of melodies linked to a master line that coos with the innocence of an alien song. And like each track on this album, the last third of the rhythm takes advantage of the percussions to be as dominant as the synthesized melodies. Except that here, it's more of a guitar and its sober solos which gives a more rock touch to Playing with Fire. It's besides a guitar-synth which weaves the melancholic landmarks of Diamonds in the Rain, a good slow ballad with a music which sticks to the spirit of its title.

These are delicate arpeggios that ring at the opening of No In-Betweens. The approach is meditative with these harmonious solos that roll with braids while placing pads here and there. Suspended in our ears and between two ideas, No In-Betweens finally borrows a down-tempo, deserved for the very good bass line, in an ambient Electronica model. The only ambient title of WHEN ETERNITY TOUCHES TIME, Perpetual Epiphany is an ode to serenity. The synth guides a melodious vision which seems to be blown away by emotions and especially animated by rhythmic accessories well hidden in the decor. Accessories which quietly follow a curve drawn in a form of crescendo which won't reach the emotivity of a bolero but which will overflow the ambiences of the title towards another form of ambient Electronica. Engulfed by very good arrangements, The Skies the Limit is supported by a buzzing bass line and percussions with catchy clicks in order to blow its nice melody which has an essence of the Middle East. Between Truth and Dreams piques our curiosity with the sounds of electric shocks dancing the cha-cha in front of a Tangerine Dream kind of rock, Exit era, embarks us on the train of the sweet melodies of WHEN ETERNITY TOUCHES TIME. An earworm is to be expected in this very electronic title! The title-track takes us to very New Age / Easy Listening territories with a beautiful melodious vision, almost angelic, sets on a constantly moving structure. Echo effects and percussive clicks add to the charms already well stigmatized in this melody as endearing as catchy. Isolated Realms establishes a rhythm which trots in a path set with percussive elements which will redirect its rhythmic axis. Like in Clouds Hide the Sun we are obsessed with this fauna of percussive elements that we forget these hard-hitting solos that Jim Ottaway weaves throughout his last album which ends with Eternal Changelessness, a cross between the New Age style of the title-track and the beautiful ballads of Tangerine Dream, Melrose era.

Let's say from the outset that WHEN ETERNITY TOUCHES TIME is a splendid album that literally took me by surprise. There is not a second too long in these 76 minutes sewn in creativity and ingenuity. Each title is of purpose for very nice melodies easy to assimilate on which is attached in parallel an interesting sound fauna rich of inventiveness. And as each title is progressing in this setting, the synth releases wonderful melodious lines and brilliant, poignant solos which remind us how good is EM. Melodious and complex! It is possible in this album of which each title becomes a box of surprises for the ears. Hat Jim! ****½

When Eternity Touches Time begins with “Parallel Worlds,” a piece that starts out with a space music feeling before its driving, energetic rhythms kick in. Layers of a wide variety of sounds make this an upbeat opener. “Second Sight” is a bit more mysterious, with a quick rhythm and electronic sounds that range from smooth voices to metallic percussion, and much more. “Clouds Hide The Sun” had a very limited release as “Secrets Of The Zodiac” in 2017. This version has additional layers of instrumentation and has also been remixed. One of my favorite tracks, it expresses a sense of adventure and of moving forward (to me, anyway!). The title of “Diamonds In The Rain” presents a very vivid image to enhance the melancholy sound of the music and its hauntingly beautiful melodic phrases. “Perpetual Epiphany” is another favorite. It begins with an organ sound that could be coming from a church. A quiet rhythm stays in the background, building energy until it becomes a driving force and gradually moves closer to the forefront. The interplay of these very different styles makes it a fascinating piece from the first note to the last. The title track has a buoyant melody that overflows with joyous energy. This one will keep your toes tapping! “Isolated Realms” - also a favorite - is another study in contrasts, with an infectious, driving rhythm propelling a melody that would be quite subdued on its own - I love it! “Eternal Changelessness,” the 10+ minute closing track, has the drama and power of the music for the ending credits of an emotional film. Deeply affecting, poignant, and very beautiful, it is an intense and stirring close to a truly exceptional album.

When Eternity Touches Time is available from Amazon and iTunes/Apple Music as well as many streaming sites such as Spotify and Bandcamp. Don’t miss it!

The power play of the opener is terrific and called Parallel Worlds and reminds me in style of AD music’s Ashok Prema (Electric Eyes of Man).

This exciting new offering contains variances of electronic genius and textured intelligence; an example for me would be the temperate offering of Second Sight, a piece that seems to hover with a sultry intent, and a backdrop that is literally holding back and building anticipation along the way.

There is something about this album that contains a real freshness of approach and a freedom of expression, the rhythmic tones of Clouds Hide The Sun is a perfect example of that statement, the keyboards and synths here are creative in mood building, and offer a lush layer of musical creativity.

After only listening to a quarter of this album I realised that I was probably listening to the best work yet from Ottaway, this is EM at its very best and tracks like Playing With Fire prove that point. The artists muse is in full creation mode here, with essences of some incredibly smooth synths and mixed with a crafted sequential progression.

Diamonds in the Rain is another fine mood filled opus that has a grand sense of the cinematic about its presentation; one could sense the Jean-Michel Jarre force within the weave of this beautiful song. This would make one very good single, the melody is deeply memorable, the tempo and construction doubly so and yes one of my personal favourites off the release.

At the half way marker we come across a tentative little number entitled No In-Between. A clever offering this and one placed in the perfect position on the album, it is as if we are crossing from one energy to another, a delicate and mysterious piece that seems to float around you in a whole new realm of ambience.

As we tip-toe into the latter half of the release we come across an almost angelic offering entitled Perpetual Epiphany. There was a wonderful resonance about this piece that I adored; the performance was bathed in a more mystical tone, rather than one of a mysterious nature; the synth and keyboard work here in this composition contains one of the finest examples of build and progression you will find in this genre.

The Skies the Limit is up next and this positive and vibrant offering is a truly exciting and powerful arrangement, one that I simply got utterly lost in whilst listening to Ottaway on his synths. This is classic EM and another superb offering that I was completely blown away with, and at times one that reminded of electronic musician Geigertek.

I regarded this next piece with total respect, the work here manifested by Ottaway was thoughtful and purposeful in its approach, and the synths used to create a wonderful sense of art on the composition Between Truth and Dreams were delectable. The tempo within this piece is utterly addictive and the little nuances contained within truly crafted.

Now for that moment when we walk hand in hand with the title track of the album, that blank canvas that is an opportunity to give us eager listeners an true overview of the entire concept, and of course called, When Eternity Touches Time. There is a wonderful pictorial lightness to this arrangement that I loved. I also sensed a well of emotion here that was so strong in the performance that it moved me to tears, what a title track indeed, a masterful opus of truth and love, a heart on the sleeve moment.

Our penultimate piece is entitled Isolated Realms, Ottaway picks up the pace here and raises the energy in another wonderfully rhythmic arrangement, this is one of those offerings that is hard to resist, and its percussive bass is a delectable and tantalizing offering, an almost funky at times.

So we are at that final dimensional rift, but before we cross over and back into our realm of reality, we have one more gift from the author of this fabulous new album, it is called Eternal Changelessness. Once more thanks to Ottaway’s stylish genius of performance I drifted away to this almost ethereal opus of brilliance, for me it was a wonderful 12 minutes plus of heaven.

When Eternity Touches Time by Jim Ottaway in my view, and I hope Jim doesn’t mind me saying this, is his best work so far, I am going to rave about this offering to everyone I can for a long while to come, it is packed with well written arranged and composed compositions, it weaves a narrative beautifully throughout the album, and even more so Jim Ottaway has in my view made the genre of electronic music vastly more accessible in 2020, thanks to the release of this amazing new collection of brilliant songs.

Ensuring that melody is key for most of the tracks, our Australian synth maestro has produced a dozen of the things, all with a variety of synth, sequencer and electro-percussive rhythms at the heart of every piece, and, most importantly for the overall enjoyment of this album, every one different.

For the first 6 minute track, “Parallel Worlds”, he walks a simple line, with solid sequencers, a core melody and assorted melodic backdrops, as you focus on the rhythm, but feel that there's a magic to what's on top, all the same, sort of “Berlin School” minus the intensity. Conversely, the 5 and a half minute “Second Sight” is an altogether slower, more atmospheric affair, starting with drifting synths, hints of tune, and slow undulating rhythms. Then things become louder, as backdrop sequencers are kept restrained, more solid synth rhythms are added, the melody bounces along at the heart of the animal and there's even a kind of choral line that gives it an almost TD feel. The rhythms are then cast in the background as a new, lead synth melody chimes in and the whole piece hardens up with beefy rhythms underneath, new spiralling lead synths on top and the marching might rises up and changes shape.

“Clouds Hide The Sun” shuffles along on primarily electro-percussive rhythms and the atmosphere on this is electrifying for such a relatively restrained track, while the 7 minute “Playing With Fire” rolls along with a solidly light purpose in terms of the rhythms, and with its high register repeated melody line, hearkens back to the slower parts of Edgar Froese's “Ages” album, even to the point of the way it builds dynamics and layers, rising up to a quite glorious end point, exactly the way Froese would have done it, even with a guitar-sounding synth wailing away at the end.

“Diamonds In The Rain” has a bit of a Dyson-esque quality to it, while the rhythmic content of “No In-Between” has a Roedelius quality to it, only more obviously “trad synth”, with its melodies and drifts, sort of “Cluster go Berlin”, to all intents and purposes.

I just love the near 7 minute “Perpetual Epiphany” as it starts all cosmic, then a stuttering sequencer rhythm comes in way down below and there's a repeated synth line on top that drifts away before a new stuttering mid-range rhythm gallops in and the line keep repeating to quite angelic degree over the encroaching rhythmic might. More sequencers appear, the lead synth changes shape slightly, and the tension rises as do the sequencers, layer upon layer working in perfect harmony as it builds slowly but never explodes, and just a gem of a track.

A couple of fine tracks follow, one more in the lines of the more modern exponents of the whole Germanic thing, but then you come to the 6 minute title track which is just gorgeous – absolutely beautiful and definitely my favourite track on the album. The cosmic synths, the melodies, the rhythms, all come together in spellbinding harmony and there's a real heartfelt wonder to the track, one that I could listen to all day. It reminds me of something else that I love but I can't figure for the life of me, what that is – maybe you'll know.......

The 7 minute “Isolated Realms” is the “quirkiest” track on the album as the rhythms stumble over each other at first and the melodies kinda bounce along in the background then all of a sudden, this high register lead synth line comes out of nowhere, and, for me, sounds out of place for what's going on below, but then you realise, that's the whole point and somehow it works, especially as he then adds more electro-percussive beats and a solid percussive undercurrent as it all starts to join in the middle ground and, although a tale of two halves, manages to keep you hooked, nevertheless. I didn't think he'd be able to leave his cosmic magic behind altogether, and the 10 minute “Eternal Changelessness” that closes the album, is a prime example as his spacey and spacious synth layers, cosmic melodies and drifting currents all flow serenely along as layers ebb and flow. The sparest of rhythms from lone synths down below, propels it along slowly and you do get the feeling of mid-late '70's T Dream out of it, only a bit sparser.

Overall, then, it's another great album from Australia's leading electronic synth musician – g'day, to you.

Although Ottaway has been releasing music for several years now, his earlier works were initially only available in his native Australia, until he later re-released them on the global market. Eventually, his landmark space-ambient album Southern Cross hit the scene in 2016, which quickly earned him notable praise and airplay in the Western Hemisphere. Later that same year, he released the more digitally dynamic and retrofuturistic Timeless e-Motion, my personal favorite Ottaway album to date.

Comprised of seven compositions, his 13th international release features music that was recorded from 2010 to early 2019, thereby echoing many hallmarks of his other space-ambient works released over that time-period.

As another imaginative sonic voyage to the limits of the known universe, Beyond the Purple Sun further expounds on the artist’s impressions and explorations of magnificent cosmic panoramas. Possessing intriguing song titles such as “Celestial Rainbows”, “Lavender Moons” and “Birth Of A Violet Quasar” – all of which deliver as much beauty and intrigue as they seemingly promise – the music herein often paints images of ultraviolet-illuminated celestial objects and plasma energies lighting up a black expanse. Imparting feelings of floating and weightlessness, ethereal intonations tantalizingly call from afar like intercosmic transmissions of incorporeal voices; while prismatic icy shimmers and crystallized modulations intermittently rain upon undulating drones and gurgling signal sounds throughout. Finally arriving at the hypnotizing title piece, “Beyond the Purple Sun”, a steadily forward movement is illustrated by the sustained vintage rhythm of pulsating sequencer patterns.

Continuing to impress and expound with each recording, Jim Ottaway has become one of today’s preeminent composers of ambient sci-fi and space music. Thoroughly immersive and transportive, Beyond the Purple Sun is definitive deep space listening for lovers of astronomical mysteries!

On the death of much beloved friend and mentor Father Reg Mills in 2019, his world redefined, as it does with the endings and beginning of life. To this end, Beautiful Desolation portrays the intense sadness, the eventual acceptance and healing which only time has the ability to begin to mend.

Two tracks make up the soundscape, raw, beautiful and full of deep expression. Although Jim Ottaway refers to this as dark and deep, it is far from that, although without a doubt it contains the very basis of all these emotions.

The first section, Apocalyptic Signs, is spacey, intangible, clean, clear and simply asks to be accepted as it is, whereas the second part, Beautiful Desolation, begins with an almost ghostly summoning of the bells, reminding one of the ancient mariners and their superstitions; the deep sea mists, the eerie nature of the sea at dead calm, the ghostly stillness of the shroud like sheets as they hang lifeless, the timber creaking and groaning in the stillness of the mists.

Created to define the journey of the soul to the other world, the otherworld of many things, of the leaving, the journey and eventual destination unknown to us all, this soundscape, as does life’s journey, contains many things and interestingly, could be considered as a work that redefines the ‘boundaries of electronica’; a style of music which could almost be classed as non-emotional in what can often considered as a clean, precise construction of sound.

Beautiful Desolation is dark and infinitely intriguing without a doubt, and in so many ways is perhaps Ottaway at his finest. Pure, stripped back and without and predefined targets, the music or sound should you prefer, simply flows, allowing the emotions to be brought forth, examined and eventually replaced with a glimmer of acceptance, healing and light.

The journey is one only you can take, as you choose the places and visions created on each section of the voyage, passing through subtle and almost eerie Celestial Rainbows, then marvelling at the perfection of Lavender Moons.

Dark Spaces do appear from time to time, spaces full of spectral sound creating an otherworldly foreboding full of intriguing, ghostly voices reaching outward, leading to the Birth of a Violet Quasar: a massive and celestial objects which has a star like image and beauty, which is thought to contain massive black holes that may or could be considered as a stage in the evolution of some galaxies. Stupendous!

Space Lightening would accompany the birth of such a magnificent and powerful celestial object; spooky, in an extramundane experience that is almost sinister in its feel. As with all things, the darker moments draw to a close once the Secrets of the Hidden Stars are revealed in all their glorious perfection; soft, gentle, hidden gems full of splendour and excellence.

This is a voyage that does not draw to a close, as eventually you go Beyond the Purple Sun in a gentle and timeless manner, floating free, relaxed and in perfect harmony with the soft, downy comfort surrounding you, as you free fall through space, to return whenever you choose.

Spacemusic as this style of electronica is known, is a genre that has no boundaries, no limitation and no set scripting; it is simply the place where the dreams, emotions and desires of the composer are allowed to flow-free, no encumbrances, no final destination. Beyond the Purple Sun as an album is simply that, free-flowing and perfect in tone and excellence.

Jim Ottaway is an absolute master of his craft, producing an ambient album of consistently beautiful pieces in Beyond The Purple Sun making this mediative, peaceful work a fitting addition to his Spacemusic suite of works as well as presenting his 13th International release.

A muffled shadow and quavering tones open the territories of "Celestial Rainbows". From then on, a wide layer of pastel color assails our senses with a slight hint of ocher. These layers drift like a lost ship in space-time. We see a conductor gather these sound waves to sculpt them into lunar orchestrations. We hear jingles and other stars mourn the silence of the gestures while a thin lost voice joins the cosmic violins. An intensity clings to this ambient-cosmic and ambiospherical movement which undeniably transports us to the door of an enchanting universe, if tones and cosmic arrangements are part of the elements that charm us. The strength of the Australian musician is to draw cosmic panoramas with such precision that we drift with his music. "Lavender Moons" is a good example with these multiple interstellar tinkles and these sound dilations that forge pulsations lost in their notions of beating. Cosmic effects and astral waves shrouded in visions of Tomita accompany this title without rhythmic life but lives from its synth layers whose colors and graceful movement are fluid as these screenshots in an ocean where so many multicolored creatures are dancing. But we are in cosmos and the synth is proving creativity by scattering lines, whose floating harmonies remind us of these Tangerine Dream's trumpet tones, and drifting pads scattering some wandering chants sung by astral mermaids. "Dark Spaces" has atmospheres that portray the dimension of its title. Effects explode here and there, while synth lines of synth collide and scratch the colors of their tones. The soundscape breathes of these sound masses full of mini explosions and of suspicious voices which try to push us back to the borders of the impossible. A bit like these sirens in Ulysses' journeys!

"Space Lightning" is a bit like that, but with more aggressivity in its cosmic effects, in its sound effects. Strange songs emerge between the rest of the din, as well as long filaments of reverberation. We do not sleep there! "Birth of a Violet Quasar" is a beautiful cosmic road where interstellar winds are like whispers that communicate with the clink of stars. A slight movement of the sequencer inspires an ambient rhythm that turns in a loop, even developing an evanescent harmonic vision. Here again, a cosmic choir murmurs serenity if one wants to dive into a meditative phase. A good ambient-cosmic title rich of its lines and poetic hums. "Secrets of the Hidden Stars" ties dynamic impulses to its moods. The winds, the moiré effects of the reverbs and the Alan Parsons arrangements add layer by layer to turbulences that are tamer than in "Dark Spaces" and "Space Lightning". The long title-track closes an album ambivalent in its structures and its visions with a pretty good sound wave that makes radiate the few seconds of its introduction. Video game effects adorn an introduction which pushes with a nice dangling of the sequencer and its Berlin School upward ambient rhythm. Threads of twinkling arpeggios follow a spherical fluttering path in an intense structure that, I hope, could be the omen of Jim Ottaway's next album. It's too strong for BEYOND THE PURPLE SUN which is a good album whose divergent elements throughout its 57 minutes get to be its strength. At the end, I had a nice hour of discovery on Jim Ottaway's BEYOND THE PURPLE SUN!

The seven tracks on Beyond the Purple Sun were recorded, mixed and mastered by Ottaway and all are live improvised studio recordings with minimal overdubbing. The sound quality of the album is incredible and the ambient music evokes visual images in mostly shades of deep blues, blacks and purples with occasional flashes of light. The music also gives the feeling of traveling through vast open space with a steady propulsion on some tracks and slow, free-floating movement on others. The album is a fascinating listening experience that will undoubtedly earn Ottaway a new set of awards for 2019!

Beyond the Purple Sun begins with “Celestial Rainbows,” a new arrangement of a piece that has appeared on previous albums under the names “MFF2-Scene 28” and “Rainbow Bridge.” Slow and majestic, it suggests hurtling through space, likely in a vehicle of some sort, taking in the magical sights and sounds of deep space. “Lavender Moons” takes us even deeper into space where we see the shimmering beauty of the lavender moons. This piece moves very slowly, giving us time to observe and study these mysterious orbs. The eerie “Dark Spaces” doesn’t feel like a good place to be with its odd sounds and scary atmosphere. “Birth of a Violet Quasar” and “Space Lightning” are aural expressions of what it could be like to experience these outer-space phenomena first-hand. “Secrets of the Hidden Stars” takes us to a magical place few humans have ever visited, allowing us to fully observe and begin to learn things most have only wondered about while looking up at the sky from Earth. The closing track is the 10-minute title track which is more rhythmic and melodic than any of the other tracks. It is still very definitely ambient and “spacey,” but it is also much lighter and more playful. It is also my favorite track on the album.

Beyond the Purple Sun is quite an amazing listening experience that will sound different each time you listen to it. Jim Ottaway is a master of this style of music (and several other genres!). It is available from Amazon, iTunes, CD Baby and Google Play, among others.

The opening offering sees us breaking free of our space port and manoeuvring into a high orbit of our home world, as we prepare to break free and enter deep space at a slow, but determined speed. Ottaway on Celestial Rainbows perfectly illustrates for us the beauty of space and its vast realms with some sublime synth work that draws into view for us the miracle of the universe.

The mastery of Ottaway’s modus operandi, is that each track is live and improvised, that talent is a rare gift and on the track Lavender Moons we can hear that methodology in full flow, the stylish construction using synths and keyboards gifts us a stunning sight of twin lavender moons to marvel at.

A completely different colour and texture of dimension now greets our eyes as we drop from warp, the ominous deep and mysterious region of the galaxy that is known to but a few wary travellers as the Dark Spaces. Ottaway’s musical database tell us that this region has barely been mapped and the tones of the performance are ones that warn, there is more here than the eye could ever see. Here lies a powerful and atmospheric offering, one that crackles and rumbles with the intent of a black hole manifesting itself, these swirling synths are absolutely perfect for drawing a musical narrative of a final frontier, perhaps the borderlands of space and time itself!

Now one must bear in mind that the artist has had these compositions in his grip for nearly 10 years now, as they were recorded from 2009 to 2019, but space music is timeless and the production quality on each and every track is faultless.

As we approach the half way buoy, our space beacon tells us we have the opportunity to witness the Birth of a Violet Quasar. This long form offering allows us the room and time to explore this expansive opus. There can be no doubt that this piece is genius, I have listened several times now and I am still in awe of its arrangement. The pulsating motif in the first few minutes could well be the actual birth of the quasar, as the feminine divide finally expels the quasar from her galactic belly; the peace that follows is simply sublime. Ottaway on this track has truly excelled, and I am right there on the bridge of our ship watching this occurrence happen.

We explore the deeper regions of what we are told are the Badlands of space, bright flashes in this region of the sector are picked up on our scanners and even via our view screen, as we watch Space Lightning. Jim Ottaway beautifully narrates this galactic area brilliantly with some simply incredible synth work; his textures are matched with some startling effects, ones that add a layer of tension to the whole composition.

Our mission to explore, record, witness and enjoy the mechanics of space is nearly complete, we must prepare to make the jump to hyperspace, but before we do so, we manoeuvre slowly to port to watch the Secrets of the Hidden Stars reveal themselves to us. One by one, with a twinkling of the eye, stars are born and then disappear; as if in a micro second, life and death have been in a simultaneous and symbiotic partnership. This is portrayed to me with such skill and aplomb; the talents of Ottaway and his composure gift us a piece that is the ultimate arrangement of excellent synth work, and a harmonious rhythmic performance that is sheer class to listen to.

We end our voyage now with the title track Beyond the Purple Sun, this is the blank canvas that the artist will paint for us the over view of the concept of his entire work, this lush and colourful pastiche is a marvel to behold and at times one feels a little energy of a David Wright composition here, the pulsating onward musical movement mixed with sublime eddying synths, manifest the perfect composition to dock our musical space ship with.

Beyond The Purple Sun in my view is one of the best albums I have heard from Ottaway, it’s a tapestry of splendid arrangements are all weaved together in an absolutely beautifully produced collection of quite brilliant compositions. If you’re a fan of electronic space music, you would be remiss in not snagging a copy of this for your collection; it is a true masterpiece of just how good this style of music can be, from an artist who clearly knows his own musical soul.

Yet that is exactly what Mr Ottaway has done here.

Every track is a delight – just long enough to develop, just short enough to avoid being twee or repetitive. There are three slower tracks in the middle of the album that tend to take the sweetness slightly too far, but overall, as long as things are flowing along merrily, this is a less atmospheric Jean-Philippe Rykiel-esque at one end, and a much less bombastic Vangelis at the other.

Simple as that, really......

Across 6 tracks between 6 and 16 minutes long, the sheer depth of the layers, the range of the tones, the unending space of the laters of cosmic synths, the warmth of the drones, the hints of deep bass rhythms, the gloriously satisfying cosmic textures, the classic use of mellotron-like choirs – all this and so much more – spreads into infinity like few others, engaging your attention and proving to be a cosmic music fan's delight, from start to finish.

There's an ocean of layers and textures, right across the sonic range, with a majesty that rises up before you, yet with all the reaching out into the vast unknowns of deep space at its core. Occasional melodic passages creep out of the darkness, but even these are spiritually spine-tingling, while at the root of it all deep, booming bass textures carry the music on a flow that is as powerful as it is calming. Only on the final 16 minute closer, does the music go well past the known universe, into a musical cosmos that's eerie, dark, spacey and utterly transfixing, as the starkness and yet still compelling musical creations, slowly unfold as you drift through the heavens and out into the unknown.

All in all, this is stunning stuff and every electronic music lover's home should have one.

Jim Ottaway is well known for his excellence in the electronic music field and here the artist takes a journey through his own memories and allows us to travel with him along the way. We start with a very emotional beginning indeed, one called Distant Friend. This is so very deep and poignant that its performance is both meaningful and a little melancholy at times. The symphonic electronic nature of this composition though, is both grand and very moving to listen to.

In my past my father had a fondness for electronic music as well, and loved the styles of both Vangelis and Jean Michael Jarre, on Lightning Strikes Twice, we have a little of that past energy as well. The energy of this piece is lighter and flows with the essence of an early spring river, the piece seems to simply lift the spirits and remind one of a day when things didn’t seem so complicated.

A Moment In Time (A Song For Joseph) is up next, here you will find a composition that has a somewhat delicate layer of sensitivity manifested into its construction. Again Ottaway brings such a sense of emotion into the offering, it is quite beautiful to behold. The charming nature of this piece is one that for me has a lush sense of warmth; one can almost hear the keyboards singing the melody throughout the ages.

As we moved forever onward through these passages of time and tone, we come across my favourite from the album and one that took me back to the great days of Vangelis himself, it’s called Back In Time, and I went with it, right back to a glorious album of its day called Albedo 0.39, one that holds special memories for me. I was so impressed with the synth and keyboard work on this piece that I featured it on one of my shows on OWMR, and more than likely will do so again.

Time holds no prisoners and keeps marching onward, allowing us to be the constant participant of our musings, and within this next piece called The Jewel, we find reflection personified within a sublime performance. The light drums pads serve as a constant narrator for a composition of great quality and colour. The keyboards here are filled with such a beautiful artistic flair, that when added to the light symphonic nature of the piece, it creates a dimension of memory filled music all of its own.

That oh so glorious moment is here, it is the title track, Yesterday Passing, the headline composition that shines like a beacon of light across the whole of the project. Ottaway in manifesting this particular piece, has in fact created an anthem of sorts, one with a melody that will be constant in the mind during the day. This is one of those pieces that you will find yourself either humming or whistling, without even realising why. There is a very gentle but certain build within the offering too, one that makes it extremely appealing to the musical senses.

At the half way marker we come across a really powerful composition called New Suns Are Rising. Ottaway finds himself on more familiar territory here with that defined EM feel and lush production. This is one very classy offering, and at times reminds me of UK EM legend David Wright with its energies, construction and performance.

The Day Our World Changed is an incredible powerful title and one that we will have all sampled at some stage in our lives. This gentle and very smooth performance on keyboards manifests a piece that recognises a moment in time, and that fixed point now has its soundtrack with this offering. The light percussive connection here adds a clever layer of sound to an already brilliant opus of memory.

As we move deeper into the release we come across a track that says it all in its title, it is called Captured Memories (Doug’s Song). For some reason this reminds me of time spent with a friend of mine who is no longer here on this world, but the fun we had while he was, still floats past from time to time in my mind. The energy of this piece and its happiness, contains certain similar memories as well, I feel that here we have a piece that was really lovingly created by the artist, from a memory so powerfully poignant.

The more sombre composition entitled What Darkness Hides is now upon us, that same Jarre/Vangelis sound is still there, but the feeling here is deeper and more pronounced, and the keyboards of Ottaway almost seem to open up an attic of reflections that have not seen the light of day for ages. The performance from Ottaway here is delightful; there is a wonderful fluency about his performance that drifts along on the very horizon of time itself.

Simplicity is the header of our next composition and one can see why it has been called so. The keyboards and the performance here create something so simple and easy on the ears and once more the artist has cleverly manifested another melody that will hook you in and have you whistling all day long. One could also perhaps say that there may be a slight Celtic motif here too.

We have come a long way through this realm with Jim Ottaway and now something quite charming opens up before us called Angel’s Song. There is a lightness here that when added to the overall crafted performance on synths and keyboards, manifests something that exudes hope and an easy layer of happiness for us all to enjoy.

So we have arrived at the penultimate offering of the album, well technically so, as following this there is a bonus track. So, let’s have some Fun Times. With a real 80’s feel we have a track here packed with a real party feel to it. At times this reminds me a little of a mixture and a rather unusual one, of Jarre and Level 42, perhaps the synth pop with a little light jazzy funk feel brings me to that conclusion, whatever the case, one cannot help but love this very different, but very addictive composition of Ottaway’s.

Jim Ottaway has also provided us with a bonus track called Another Christmas Eve. I mean how do you have an album of many memories, without a musical reflective thought on Christmas, well you don’t, and here it is, one of those moments when perhaps all was as it should be and that warmth of love could be shared and offered to all in attendance, a quite beautiful way to end the album too.

Yesterday Passing will no doubt surprise many Ottaway fans, his departure from electronic ambience and EM power and intention, has given his fans and the listeners something personal to now place in their collections. Ottaway has worn his heart on his musical sleeve with this cathartic journey and has gracefully shone a truly radiant light over a compilation of reflective compositions whilst doing so.

Yesterday Passing will take you hand in hand down memory lane and allow you, with such a reverential love and attention, to be able enjoy each moment of musical contemplative bliss and leave you smiling in a meditative expression of reflective thought, once the journey has ended.

Created between the years of 2004 and 2018 the music spans a lifetime of memories, experiences and family gatherings: happy times and the sad, joyful occasions and the challenging, all of which when looking back comes to the mind as times less complex, more relaxed, almost simplistic, far more structured and enjoyable.

Each of the tracks on the 14 track album, with Another Christmas Eve being the bonus track to complete the 14 pieces, showcases a very different aspect of Ottaway’s talent, as well as the ability of electronic music to present a wide range of not just ambient and relaxing music, but music that has a far wider appeal.

A Moment in Time (Song for Joseph) is reflective of fond memories as it has a delicate beat, a dainty rhythm and could be considered as filled with happiness and sunshine. A contemporary piece is New Suns Are Rising which comes in with a spacy, measured rhythm that is catchy, intriguing and definitely different.

A captivating little song is What Darkness Hides; it teases the ear, almost bouncing along to its own rhythm, with shades and shapes hidden within the depths, just as the many shades of the night are there to be discovered, unfolded and accepted.

The final track, Fun Times is a catchy little number reminiscent of the disco beat with a rather intriguing vibe as once again, it appears to have been created of its own violation and is out to do its very own ‘thing’; something very easily able to be related too as one looks back in reflection.

Rounding out a very perceptive album is the final, final track Another Christmas Eve, which once again is an enchanting piece with a fine thread of tantalising ‘Christmas’ familiarity woven throughout.

Ottaway considers with this album that he is ‘out of his comfort zone’ but whatever has created the drive to give birth to this more reflective style, the change is as delightful as it is refreshing. Yesterday Passing is an album which each time it is enjoyed a fresh aspect of this intriguing style becomes apparent, creating another layer to the music which keeps it endlessly enjoyable.

At the recently held 14th annual Zone Music Reporter Awards in New Orleans, Ottaway was awarded “Best Ambient Album of 2017” for Deep Space Blue (which was also nominated for “2017 Album of the Year”) and “Best Electronic Album of 2017” for Timeless e-Motion by ZMR; Deep Space Blue also received the silver medal in the Ambient category from Global Music Awards.

Yesterday Passing is Ottaway’s twelfth international release and his twenty-fifth album since 2004. The music on this album doesn’t often fit in the ambient category and shows a different side of Ottaway’s music. Electronic instrumentation with strong melodies and catchy rhythms drive the album, which is not only beautiful, but is thoroughly enjoyable from the first note to the last. More than once, I’ve been reminded of some of Ray Lynch’s most memorable music, although I’m not making a comparison. Ottaway excels in a variety of genres of music and often composes for film and television.

Yesterday Passing begins with “Distant Friend,” a very dark and almost mournful piece that moves slowly with symphonic strings, voices (no lyrics), electronic instrumentation and effects, and powerful accents in the deep bass range. “Big” and cinematic, it’s a very strong start! “Lightning Strikes Twice” is much lighter and is one of the tracks that reminds me a bit of Lynch. The bittersweet melody is transported by a strong rhythm that keeps it moving forward. I love this one! “A Moment In Time (Song for Joseph)” has a gently swirling motion propelled by a strong beat that dances on air. “Back In Time” has what could be called a “classic” new age sound with electronic instrumentation, lots of reverb, and a slow toe-tapping beat. The title track has a simple, direct melody that feels nostalgic, but not overly sentimental. It’s a beautiful piece with a melody strong enough to support lyrics that tell a story of your own choosing. The title for “The Day Our World Changed” could signal a dark day, but this piece is definitely not about a devastating event. The melody has a warm poignance that isn’t quite carefree, but is close. “What Darkness Hides” is another favorite. It has some “spacey” atmospheric sounds as well as a relaxed, peaceful melody that soothes as it enchants. “Simplicity” is a real charmer! The melody has a guitar/keyboard sound that is light and innocent over gentle instrumentation and a hypnotic rhythm. “Fun Times” is intoxicating! Jazz and funk elements over a driving beat create a party atmosphere that makes it impossible to sit still (I’m dancing in my chair here!) - also a favorite! The last piece is a bonus track called “Another Christmas Eve,” which was originally composed in 2004. This one is sentimental and feels kind of lonely - a beautiful piece that includes a passage from Pachelbel’s “Canon in D”.

Yesterday Passing is very likely to be on my Favorites list for 2018! It’s a great album from start to finish and I very highly recommend it! It’s available from Amazon, iTunes and CD Baby.

Soft, "Astral Voices" settles between our ears with multi layers of synth, some with a slight effect of buzzing, where thin lines of a seraphic goddess voices get mix to the murmurs of an astral choir. The sounds from a fauna of a cosmic oasis sparkle discreetly behind this veil of voice that is tied to orchestrations as slow as the wings of an eagle drifting against the winds. There is also a nice effect of acuity and intensity in these astral murmurs. "In Search of the Lost Star" derives as much as our thoughts in a slow structure, driven by different levels of lunar orchestrations' intensities. The envelope of the scenery is very cosmic with sound effects that are quite Jarre, Oxygene and Equinoxe, in this title that also adds layers of voices to the orchestrations that twist like a giant snake carrying a morphic virus. The synth cries at 2 or 3 places with rather sensitive laments coming from a wind or a brass instrument that glides easily under the epidermis. A Steve Roach rhythm structure, including organic sequences, feed the cosmic vision of "39.5 Light-Years (TRAPPIST-1)". A monastic choir, one even hears bells ringing in an astral desert, lives through spectral winds or songs which sweep its sonic horizons and conferring a tiny sensation of despair. It's a very monastic like approach. "Stars of Ice" embraces a New Age approach, like Ray Lynch, with a series of ringing chimes that dance and tinkle among nice flute songs. There are good currents of intensity in this music of ambiences, more esoteric than cosmic, though the two go well together in this burst of synth lines and of their adjacent effects that over-size a sound canvas as much layered as in "Astral Voices". The title track is simply sublime! A rhythmic structure oscillates peacefully in a storm of astral winds where the dust of stars whistles us between the ears. The flow is cosmic and the effects come from another planet. Here as everywhere in “Deep Space Blue”, the pile of fog and misty orchestrations adds an emotional degree that meets its zenith with splendid and musical synth pads in the colors of Edgar Froese in 2nd part. I hear the moods and the vapors of synth with the perfumes of celestial trumpets from the Age album through the 11 minutes of this delicious "Deep Space Blue". "Interplanetary Panspermia" drags us beyond the cosmic horizons with an approach that requires a greater openness since the sonic core is composed of buzzing and resonant material. In fact, it's a very contemplative, meditative title with these lines that stretch their charisma as if they radiated the illusions of giant gongs sanitized by a very ethereal vision. Let's say that I better enjoy this peaceful journey without transcendental light after 3 to 4 plays. But in the end, I ended up appreciating this illusion of aridity where yet hides a very subtle sonic moisture.

A new face in our soundscape, even though he has been active in Australia for almost 25 years, Jim Ottaway definitely deserves a stop and we take the time to discover his music. At least with his 2 albums in 2017; "Timeless e-Motion" and this “Deep Space Blue” which is a nice trip into another kind of ambient music. A more cosmic music with good cosmic orchestrations and a way to build roads to paths that we already know and that take a different dimension here.

Describing spacemusic (and ambient as well) in concrete terms is more problematic than, say, new age or jazz, but that's why us reviewers get paid the big bucks (haha). The opening "Astral Voices" does evoke, somewhat, the sound of voices on the solar wind, as the main keyboard flows serenely with all manner of interesting sonic textures in the background. The track reminds me of the outstanding album Lagoon by Nik Tyndal, released on Hearts of Space Records "back in the day." In fact, Tyndal would be a good comparison throughout the album (or at least at times) due to both musicians taking a somewhat similar approach to crafting their music. "In Search of the Lost Star" opens with a forlorn synth horn echoing into the distance, a plaintive call out to the darkness, but soon transitions to something darker and more haunting with layers of synth pads and a burbling echo-ish effect. Like all of Deep Space Blue, the music is incredibly imagistic and evocative. Ottaway is dialed in when it comes to painting sonic portraits that ooze a strong sense of cinematic starscapes conjured in one's mind. The title track doesn't have a "blues" feel to it, even if one would cast it in a spacemusic shadow, if you will. Synth bass pulses at the outset merge into Berlin-esque touches, with swirling pads and chattering effects. On this track, I flashed on the late Michael Garrison's work at times, owing to the steady pulse of those bass beats in the background, although Garrison always tilted toward music more bouncy and warm. The mood here is a blend of the energy from the beats and a mysterious feeling of, if not unease, at least of the unknown. There is also a palpable sense of urgency underneath it all. "Stars of Ice" features, as one might expect, the twinkling of chimes but it's a cold, darkish tune nonetheless—no new age nicety here. Things "warm" up a bit as the piece unwinds, but bass drones and textures return to counteract what sounds like a wafting flute line.

Admittedly, I don't review spacemusic and ambient music as much as I used to, but not because there isn’t a lot of high quality music in those genres being recorded. It's more time-consuming to review and that is what has cut into my productivity in that regard. However, when I hear music as special as Jim Ottaway's Deep Space Blue, I am reminded why spacemusic was the first "new age" genre that I truly fell in love with. Yes, I discovered Windham Hill and Narada before hearing my first Hearts of Space radio broadcast, but after that eventful night when I first heard Stephen Hill’s voice, I couldn’t get enough of the genre. Ottaway has taken me back to my roots, so to speak, even while he has transported me out beyond the Orion nebula. Bless him for that.

Space before the endless timelessness arrives, deep blue, the colour of the ocean at depths unseen; the soft but gentle song of the bird, sitting, reflecting, gently swaying with the endless motion that is the world turning ever so gently on its axis; each emotion, each feeling can be discovered, felt, experienced in the introductory track Austral Voices, a suburb introduction to what can be considered as a truly subliminal album.

In Search of the Lost Star is almost incredibly difficult to put into words as it is a piece which needs to felt, to be heard, to appreciate the many carefully constructed levels. Think or consider simply floating, no time, space, place yet again, a gentle reverberation, the softly discordant melodies of the horn introduced to change the vibration; simply beautiful.

39.5 Light Years (TRAPPIST – 1) shifts the focus in a mellow and delicate manner with the introduction of the human voice, but still with the overlay of the gentle, floating ambience created in the previous pieces. As it is 10:42 long it is a piece which could easily be singled out for a slightly different style of meditation as it tends to almost have a slightly discordant feel.

The gentle tinkling of small bells or wind chimes reminiscent of Vangelis introduces Stars of Ice adding a haunting simplicity to entice, woo and to enjoy.

The title track listed at number 5 is Deep Space Blue, entwining what the human ear considers is a journey trough the uncharted regions of space, mysterious, intriguing and infinitely powerful. Secrets hiding and hidden within the endless nature of the void, the intergalactic space.

The final piece Interplanetary Panspermia is based upon the theory that 'meteoroids, asteroids, comets, planetoids, and also by spacecraft in the form of unintended contamination by microorganisms' which is a very profound manner in which to end this endlessly beautiful album.

Perhaps Ottaway is, through the medium of music, attempting to get a message out there that all things may not be as they seem; that in our mindless rush to conquer space, we are destroying what we do not understand.

Each of the five pieces on the album simply segues effortlessly, creating the impression that it is one long and very beautiful piece designed specifically for deep meditation; it would be the perfect vehicle to be used to encourage deep, healing meditation but should time not allow, simply having it floating in the background brings with it soothing and relaxing benefits.

6-minute opening piece, "Astral Voices", magnifies the listener transportation with euphoniously expansive and sonorously embracing female choir-like drones coupled with warmly nuanced blankets, scrupulously permeated by outlying gossamery cyber-biotic clatters. Gracefully immense intro!!! Artificial fanfares announce "In Search Of The Lost Star", before delving into unfathomably enigmatic echoed glimmers crossed with soothingly infinite, yet titillatingly high-pitched meridians and gently cascading drone murmurs. Rousing brass calls resurrect once more, while translucently intangible chinks are guarding above. Another masterfully engulfing composition! The next track, nearly 11 minutes long "39.5 Light-Years (Trappist-1)", spotlights on the ultra-cool red dwarf star, which is located, as entitled, 39.5 light-years from the Sun. Thrillingly oracular immenseness unlocks its gates with monochromatic choir stratums amalgamated with remote cybernetic signals and auxiliary chiming traceries. Distant sequences inconspicuously arise along with further glimpses of male chant traverses and tenebrously obfuscated bells. As much intoxicatingly audacious as its title, bravo, Jim!!! On "Stars of Ice" an array of diaphanously ear-tickling tinkles persistently sinuate, amplify and commingle with billows of vigorous vertexes, clandestinely observed and juxtaposed by mesmerizingly oscillating mirages infused by frog-like undercurrents. For pure aural bliss reinforced by several ear-bending eruptions it's highly recommended to wear your headphones! The title piece, "Deep Space Blue" clocking over 11-minute mark, shifts into more rhythmic terrains, coalescing vaguely galloping bass patterns with relentlessly invading high-tech helixes and additionally ascending epic vistas. Gauzy clinks percolate here and there. "Interplanetary Panspermia", at 16:21 the longest track on the album, deals with the hypothesis that life on Earth may have originated through the "seeds" of life, which exist all over the Universe. A quite weird domains are entered, where static, hallucinogenic drone layer is constantly contrasted with pervading vibrations, nebulous rumbles, oddly twisted fragments and piercingly buzzing pinnacles. Although piece like this might drive me nuts at times, surprisingly it fits quite well the extraterrestrial theme even if more dissonantly experimental.

I think "Deep Space Blue" CD is an exquisitely triumphant album and a high quality accomplished product by Jim Ottaway, where the aural and visual parts coexist in absolute equilibrium and everything is augmented by top-notch presentation. The album meticulously reveals some of the most intriguing enigmas of spellbindingly adventurous cosmic realms and since this is my first encounter with Jim Ottaway's space odysseys, I really look forward to explore more by this crafted Aussie. Nearly 60 minutes long "Deep Space Blue" is a real treat offering a fully rewarding listening experience to each avid deep space connoisseur!!!

Opening the album is the nebulous “Astral Voices” – a drifty and subtly melodic composition characterized by shimmering soundwaves and ethereal vocal intonations. “In Search of the Lost Star” follows next – a contemplative and immersive piece comprised of undulating textures and a free-floating semblance that seemingly carries the listener throughout space in slow-motion. Spanning at over eleven minutes, “39.5 Light Years (Trappist -1)” effectively conveys a notion of traversing unfathomable distances across the cosmos – its underlying rhythmic current highlighting synthesized vocal tones and creaking sound effects evoking the cold vastness of space. Imbued with a touch of Kevin Braheny’s classic Galaxies album, “Stars of Ice” is the perfect piece for winter stargazing – its glistening icicles and foreboding drones seemingly conjuring images of an ice palace located somewhere in the abode of an alien world. The title track, “Deep Space Blue”, is a comparatively more digitally dynamic piece that conveys a feeling of interstellar space-travel and zipping through wormholes. Concluding the album is the nearly 16 ½ minute long “Interplanetary Panspermia” – a darkly retro-futuristic piece of resonating deep space signals and spooky sci-fi effects that effectively convey an extraterrestrial presence.

A mesmerizing cosmic voyage from beginning to end, Deep Space Blue is definitive ambient-space music that plays out like the perfect soundtrack to a sci-fi movie or astronomy documentary. Certain to appeal to listeners who enjoy the many classic space music works by artists such as Jonn Serrie and Kevin Braheny, this fantastic album marks another “stellar” win for Jim Ottaway!

That rather elaborate opening statement signifies just how much this album means to me, Jim Ottaway is an Australian electronic musician, who over the years has taken massive strides in this industry and genre, and now must be recognised as one of its modern day leaders. He has been imperious in the world 100 charts with hits like Invisible Vortex, Timeless e Motion and Southern Cross, and here he is again with a more floaty electronic ambient collection of compositions entitled Deep Space Blue.

The opening offering is called Astral Voices; this heavenly arrangement pulls us into a mysterious dimension of sight and sound. There is a deep sense of something wondrous just out of view here, the keyboards and synths of Ottaway manifest a truly vast oasis of musical genius, and I for one would find it easy to get lost in Astral Voices.

In Search of the Lost Star is a totally different composition, the start is almost like a trumpet call to arms, perhaps a reveille of a long distant place once thought to be lost in space and time? One thing is for sure, the music of Jim Ottaway allows the imagination to flow beautifully with his subtle use of keyboards. This is indeed a piece that conveys a slow scan of the immediate systems for a sign of a point of light that seems to have passed away in the midst’s of an interplanetary event. There is a real element of mournfulness about this piece, perhaps even a drone of sadness too, the construction of this arrangement is stunning.

At the midway segment of our flight through music, we come across a composition called 39.5 Light- Years (Trappist 1). There is a certain element of Jonn Serrie here, the slow build up and creation, the master brush strokes of a genius at work, this is one arrangement that you will have to listen carefully, and dedicate a moment not to be disturbed. This long form track has a floaty essence about its overall construction, but also contains lighter elements of classic EM as well, and the swirling nature of this track at almost the half way point, reminds me of Kevin Kendle’s Light from Orion album, and quite simply is one of those pieces that you will find impossible to pull away from it is so addictive.

As we now traverse into the latter half of the release we arrive at the next doorway, once opened it will reveal an opus of well over seven minutes called Stars of Ice. The style and use of synths here has produced a wonderful coldness about the piece that literally forms crystalline shards of music within our minds as it plays. Ottaway’s performance here is quite frankly, amazing, he seems to have created space, perhaps room for us all, to explore this region of space, but holding back on the keyboards, as if allowing our minds to take the track in the direction we wish it to go, and all the while his hands are firmly on the musical tiller.

As we reach the penultimate track, we find to our pleasure the title header Deep Space Blue. As such you have well over eleven minutes to strap yourself in and enjoy the ride, this is truly something special. Ottaway has quite breathtakingly manifested a moment of take off into the blue horizon of the night sky, and the tension and build is simply fantastic. His performance as composer and keyboardist here will live forever, this is simply outstanding and the hallmark of a musician who has really found his musical soul, the repeating base motif, the swirling keyboards, all create a truly magical track of great musical significance.

Our last space dock is a deep and resonating Interplanetary Panspermia and at well over 16 minutes, it’s easily the longest arrangement of the album. The movement and energy of the last track seems to have left the void and we are now in a part of space that is uncharted. The sounds employed here by the artist is akin to a ship scanning for life on the many worlds surveyed, but as of yet finding nothing but lifeless hulks of molten rock. Now it’s useful living where I do, because most earth languages are based on Greek, and Panspermia comes from the Greek (Pan, meaning all and Sperma meaning Seed), I for one completely believe in life on other worlds and in other regions of space, it’s only logical, after all we are here. Jim Ottaway has thus produced a superb long form opus of grandeur that should be the back drop for any movie that features the search for alien life within it.

Deep Space Blue has taken Ottaway back to a deeper side of his musical personality and as such he has created something profound and arcane for us all to dive deep into. Jim Ottaway is a musician of great class and distinction and this album will only emphasise just how far he has come in the industry, and Deep Space Blue is like that beacon of light we can go to, when we need to escape from the mundane realities of life.

The album begins with “Astral Voices,” a hauntingly beautiful piece that includes ethereal female voices (no lyrics). Even though the voices are soothing, there is a feeling of isolation and perhaps of being lost in the darkness. “In Search Of The Lost Star” starts out with a brief horn solo before becoming more ambient. The horn repeats its melody later in the piece, maintaining a humanistic element. Very relaxed and peaceful, this track suggests journeying through space at a leisurely speed and enjoying the ride. “39.5 Light Years (Trappist-1)” refers to “a dwarf star that is slightly larger but much more massive than the planet Jupiter, located 39.5 light-years from the Sun in The Constellation Aquarius” (quoted from the liner notes of the CD). Voices and chimes contribute to the mysterious quality of the music as well as the feelings of a very dark, chilly vastness. “Stars of Ice” makes effective use of glass wind chimes to simulate the magical sparkle of ice as beams of light dance off of it. Deep rumbling bass sounds are a fascinating contrast to the light, almost brittle chimes. The title track is a bit more rhythmic with a somewhat faster tempo, making it feel brighter and more purposeful. Instead of drifting freely in space, it feels like there is more of a goal or destination. The deep bass vibrations continue and the horn returns, perhaps heralding a triumph of sorts. The last track is the longest and titled “Interplanetary Panspermia,” which is “the hypothesis that life exists throughout the Universe, distributed by meteoroids, asteroids, comets, planetoids and also by spacecraft in the form of unintended contamination by microorganisms” (quoted from the liner notes). Moving slowly through space, many of the sounds we hear express that all is not well in the universe. There is an uneasy peace, but some things are out of place, out of balance. This is, of course, my interpretation.

If you like space and ambient music that is wonderfully-engineered with amazing depth and sound quality, be sure to check out Deep Space Blue! It is available from Amazon, iTunes, and CD Baby.

Opener "Astral Voices" takes off with smooth ethereal textures, the following tracks propelling the listener into weightless expanse and toward the outer reaches of deep space with rather non-melodic synth pads. The flowing outcome would definitely benefit from more content and direction as it now remains rather superficial to my taste. The title track is a bit more spiced with a groovy pulse in the background while the final track "Interplanetary Planspermia" dives into and journeys through dense clouds of mystery but still fails to fascinate.

The recording’s atmosphere and used sounds simply don’t grab nor convince me that much as a long time space music aficionado. I’d say you check it out the music first before a definite purchase.

A rise of cosmic effects awakens "Sequence of Life". Between crispy tones and more usual ones, the sequences flutter in an undulating mass and the percussions stage a rhythm in opposition with a more rock approach. The ambiences are adorned of electronic chirpings and of clapping percussions effects that will be used extensively on this album. The harmonious approach is built on loops of harmonies with bipolar hues. The structure makes me think a lot of David Wright. The title-track shows that Jim Ottaway is very comfortable in a good Berlin School vibe, kind of Software, with undulating and hypnotic loops which are rolling in a minimalist vision. The structure is more in the cosmic genre with echo effects in these loops that end up weaving a fairly esoteric undulating rhythm where these clapping percussions get grafted. The synth throws semi-strident vocal fragments as well as these cosmic mists that fill a lunar decor loaded by multiple effects, both vocals and cosmic. I like "Skies Rain Down"! Its rhythm is unraveling with a sovereign slowness propelled by slamming percussions and whose resonances cling to a breakthrough of percussions that don't succeed to take off an exhilarating rhythmic pattern. The synth pads put down effects of fogs and voices while a guitar, and its morphic solos, adds a hopping rock zest inspired by Code Indigo. A little more muscular, with a throbbing and undulating pace rhythm and rattlings of percussions, "Reality's Edge" exploits the guitar a little bit more with good harmonic jets, which flirt in loops, and pieces of poignant solos on a rhythm dominated by the multiple slamming of percussions. The final will tackle you down! "Blurred Vision" offers a dynamic rhythm driven by two lines of sequences, including a more harmonic, and a line of bass pulsations. The synth throws effects that sing like reflections on the water, while the rhythm gains in force with the addition of percussion. "Game Over" brings us to a more Dance Music approach with good Berlin School elements. We are not far from the good music of Stefan Erbe!

Like several other titles on “Timeless e-Motion”, it's with amazement that we follow the evolution of "Behind Closed Eyes". Its introduction is agitated by a pond of sequences fluttering with vigor. A layer of voice covers this stationary excitement. A line of sequences throbs while staying in an immobile embryo before it takes off in a more exciting structure where is added an astonishing rhyme that flirts between Mike Oldfield, Enigma and Edgar Froese. We enter the New Age phase of this album with titles like "Desperate Measures" which proposes a structure evolving in the same vision but in a harmonious cocoon much more New Age. Some good New Age with a clear influence of Edgar Froese. "Towards the Unknown" is another good electronic rock adorned of floating cosmic effects, an Elven voice and an increasingly New Age envelope. A title with an aboriginal dance approach simply attractive in its more experimental envelope, "Nothing Ventured, Nothing Gained" offers a good down-tempo full of sequences and percussions in dance mode. The sequences are genius with their different colors, including a succulent organic and another with Didgeridoo tones, which structure a rhythmic broth from which evaporate beautiful things from a synth as creative as the sequencer. Harmonious synth lines, strobe effects, mists of cosmic fog and good synth effects in search of a harmony line. In short, the creative pool of "Nothing Ventured, Nothing Gained" is of an incredible sound depth. "Evolutionary Phase" evolves towards a good electronic rock with a hue of organic dialogue in some sequences. Speaking of sequences, they are as seductive as they are very versatile. A bit like in some good Chris Franke's ideas. "Cosmic Shift" comes to the conclusion of this surprising, it's the case to say it, album of Jim Ottaway with a more floating, a more cosmic approach, whereas "Timeless e-Motion (Radio Edit)" ends the 65 minutes of this album with a version edited for radios of the title-track.

Although disconcerted by the New Age segment of “Timeless e-Motion”, this first ID card from Jim Ottaway offers a good diversity that should seduce you without difficulty. You can find everything here. And everything is done with a professionalism that matches David Wright's albums. There is a little something indefinable that stems from the Australian musician's vision, making his music even more seductive. Is it the Down-Under effect? Possible! But no matter, we are dealing with a musician and a composer whose talent is heard throughout “Timeless e-Motion”. Even in its more New Age segment.

“Sequence of Life” opens with a dynamic and rhythmic arrangement of sequencers and pulsing effects. A fantastic introduction, it conveys a feeling of moving through space and time. Following next is the hauntingly beautiful “Timeless e-Motion”, which gently paces along on a dreamily floating, liquid-like current. Easily my favorite piece on the album, hazy tones, scattering chimes and vocal-like washes are carried along by a hypnotic bassline and rhythmic pulse, which gradually evolves into a subtle chill beat. Digital bleeps and signals echo throughout, as if emanating from somewhere deep in the galaxy. At just over eight minutes in length, this piece could easily drift on forever, perhaps while one endlessly tries to solve the infinite mysteries of our vast and largely unknowable universe. Varying between the more dynamic, travelling pace of the first track and the floating ambience of the title track, the compositions always seem to move in a linear, forward motion. Each employs a varied degree of digital sequencing, synthesized vocals, spacey signals and pulsating electronic rhythms. The seventh track, “Behind Close Eyes”, is another especially notable and mesmerizing piece, which effectively brings to mind that of being in virtual reality or dreamlike simulation. Despite these distinctive sci-fi motifs, the compositions herein convey human warmth and a conscious presence throughout, as if musically illustrating a narrative of the cosmos and how it relates to life here on earth. Another favorite is the twelfth track, “Cosmic Shift”, a classic ambient-space number characterized by ethereal chords, sparkling chimes and a wondrous sense of mystery, as one can easily imagine numerous constellations of twinkling stars against a stark midnight sky. Aptly concluding the album is “Timeless e-Motion (radio edit)”, which clocks in at just over five minutes, lending itself as a sort of reprise of the title track to wrap-up this fantastical cosmic journey.

Jim Ottaway’s previous album, Southern Cross, was one of my favorite recordings of 2016 and this one is surely destined to become another. In fact, Timeless e-Motion may very well be the best output from this amazingly talented artist thus far, unquestionably solidifying Jim’s place as a distinctive and innovative electronic music composer. Fusing ambient, modern electronica and classic space music, I can detect several decades of musical influences here, as Jim masterfully carves out his own sound and style that he has both developed and gradually improved on over the years. Lending itself to an emotive sci-fi quality, the music of Timeless e-Motion conveys a mesmerizing notion of having entered some futuristic parallel dream-world that’s dominated by themes of hyperspace, wormholes and time-travel. Likewise permeated by an ever-present and intangible mystery throughout, this album is both an interstellar and inner voyage that’s absolutely not to be missed!

Starting with the electronically sublime Sequence of Life, Ottaway brings a David Wright style to your eager musical ears dear reader. This throbbing rhythmic opus is the perfect opener for the album.

Flowing with grace and speed we move calmly to the title track, Timeless e- Motion, the moment to be proud is upon the artist, and he should be, this is one of the finest slices of EM have heard for many a year. A speculative start builds and progresses with all the experience of a master musician, which of course Ottaway is. To get that rank, you not only have to feel your music, you have to BE your music, something Ottaway does with ease. This is eight plus minutes of electronic bliss, is smooth, paced and classy.

The sultry and swirling Skies Rain Down is superb, from the very beginning the mood is set, and one can feel those strong sullen storm clouds hovering with intent above our heads, waiting to open up. The anticipation built into this composition by Ottaway’s synths is off the scale, one can literally taste the tension.

I have stood on Reality’s Edge and survived, while that’s a story for another day, this music would have been the perfect soundtrack for my Twilight Zone moment! Ottaway has really created something mysterious, yet incredibly powerful here; this razors edge of a piece is ready to explode, but cleverly contains itself, whilst picking up energy and momentum along the way.

I adored landing in sequence heaven, on this our fifth track entitled Blurred Vision. Perhaps Jim has invented his own brand of EM here, can we say Aussie School? The tempo is balanced to perfection, and the lightness on the keys creates a multi-layered effect for us the listener, there are some delightful patterns to enjoy here.

Game Over, I love saying that in triumph, and here is the musical backdrop for my power play. This is a real trance filled moment of electronica that is deep, heavy and perhaps could even be used in a future Fast and Furious movie; this is a composition that has great movement and intent and delivered perfectly by the artist.

As we skip into the second half of the album Timeless e-Motion by Jim Ottaway, we come across a piece called Behind Closed Eyes. A fascinating title and an even more fascinating construction, we have an ambient back drop with some very tight sequences within, and a paced keyboard that manifests a third dimension of musical reality, this is truly artistic and very well performed. The speed I am writing at is even amazing me, the addictive pace and tempo of the music is so compelling, I even have to stop myself, and remember to breathe. So I am somewhat relieved to have a moment to gather myself again on the piece Desperate Measures, even so you can still feel the energy in the background, building like the engine of a train, the fine paced percussion delivers an almost chill out moment of bliss.

The title sometimes says it all; on Towards the Unknown you have that very scenario. A soft and careful synth leads us by the hand into a world of vast areas of space as of yet uncharted musically. If you’re a musician and want to use drum pads in your music, but need to make sure you get the balance right, then you need to go no further than listening to this track, the added female vocalisations were a touch of class to include too.

Always time for something a little different and on Nothing Ventured, Nothing Gained, we have just that. For some reason whilst listening to this I found myself wandering mentally around the Tate Modern in London, it is music that allows you to add your own interpretation to the tones given, and perhaps for me, this is a little slice of surrealism that fitted the bill nicely and as Jim says, Nothing Ventured, Nothing Gained!

We move deeper into the labyrinths of the album now with Evolutionary Phase. The pulsating beat leads us into a piece that seems to create itself as it goes. I found this track compelling to listen to, as I was eager with every note played to see where the artist would take me next, a completely intriguing composition indeed.

Our last official arrangement is called Cosmic Shift and here Ottaway gives us a glimpse through the curtains at his musical galaxy, through a composition that has a real essence of Kevin Kendle and Jonn Serrie about it. The beautiful floaty style here is the perfect way to leave the listener. Although that’s not strictly true, as he also gifts us a radio edit of the title track Timeless e-Motion to take with us as well, a musical present that we will be more than eager to have.

Timeless e-Motion I think is Ottaway’s best so far, there is a power and intent here that is completely undeniable, the performance is confident and the production sublime, all in all I think when 2016 is done and dusted, Ottaway will look back on a fantastic year musically for him, and at its apex will sit this album, which is one of the best synth based EM albums I have heard for a long, long while. If you’re a fan of electronic styled music, this is a must have release, don’t even hesitate, just get it now!

The 12 accessible pieces, of which "Sequence of Life" and "Evolutionary Phase" have quite a Robert Schroeder vibe to it, will please those fond of mellow-melodic and groovy EM, incorporating elements from the general-melodic electronics from the British Isles and Germany. An exception though is "Nothing ventured, nothing gained" turning out bare, too synthetic and (compared to the other tracks) sounding too much out of the box. The final track "Cosmic Shift" is also different but nice as it features pure, rather ethereal ambient textures in the style of Jim’s previous album "Southern Cross".

Southern Cross was my introduction to Jim Ottaway’s music. His catalog goes back to 2004. With this album, however, my interest is definitely piqued to hear more of his work. His spacey vistas are descriptive without being overdone or obvious. The album plays well at low volume, and offers a lot of interest in a deep listen. Take your own voyage out to the Southern Cross soon.

I have been listening to a lot of space based music lately, my dear friend Kevin Kendle has so many wonderful albums out and is at last taking his deep skies series on the road, but he wasn’t that artist that I likened this album to when I first listened to it. Southern Cross, starts with such a mellow floating state of ambience it really reminded me of Jonn Serrie. Alpha Crucis is superb, it’s one of those tracks you could listen to for hours, the sheer ambience and sensitivity used here by the artist is beyond sublime.

There are many electronic music artists around these days, but you will have to go a long way to match Jim Ottaway, his touch and delicacy on the keyboards is so creative, but so masterful. Take a listen to Beta Crucis, the atmospheric layers and utter quality of this composition is simply gorgeous, the sequences are subtle and very sweet.

One really feels a part of the whole universe through this album; you can feel a sense of merging with the oneness, especially on this track called Gamma Crucis, which is near on 15 minutes of space themed bliss. This music isn’t the long form drone you may have come to expect from the more dark realms of the ambient music genre, it’s neither positive nor negative, it just, is. Space exists in a realm of zero emotions, and somehow Jim Ottaway, through his immense skill as a musician and as a man who clearly feels his music, has manifested something here so exact and real, but so very encapsulating. There is a superb segment at just over 9 minutes, when the whole arrangement almost goes ethereal and rather haunting, listen out for that.

The shortest piece of the album at just over 5 minutes is called Delta Crucis, this entire album is dedicated to each of the stars in the Southern Cross and the constellation itself, and Ottaway has created something so ancient here in doing so. This piece has a real radiating energy of vastness about it, its essence musically, has slightly more power than the other tracks, perhaps this is the youngest of the stars, and Ottaway’s performance on synths and keyboards here almost creates a level of latent vibrancy within this creation.

Dear reader and listener, when you arrive at Epsilon Crucis, you will have arrived at my favourite track from the album. This does remind me of the work of space maestro Kendle and contains that certain warmth and organic feel too. Ottaway in my opinion has produced just over 14 minutes of music; you will simply never want to return home from. Whilst listening to this piece I was almost drawn into a galactic meditational energy and like the previously aforementioned artist, Jim Ottaway has hit right into the heart of this region of space and in my view delivered perfect composition, one that at times I felt deeply moved by.

We now leave the album with a round up and if you like, a musical over view of the constellation the Southern Cross we can add (Timeless Motion) and we can enjoy a bass that gives us a real universal heartbeat, this track almost seems primeval and through this outer worldly offering we can also feel the life force of the indigenous peoples of our planet. This is truly an exceptional way to leave what is a superb album.

Jim Ottaway mused in his liner notes and I quote “I have tried to capture the beauty and mystique of the Southern Cross in this album” Well Jim, I can tell you that you did more than try, you have manifested in my opinion your best album so far and honoured the elders, ancestors and ancients in the process. Jim Ottaway HAS brought into being THE official galactic soundtrack for this region of space and has illustrated that perfectly. Jim Ottaway is a true genius of the electronic space genre, his music is timeless and a total testament to the honesty, dedication and love that he puts into his work, you really have to get this one.

The individual songs on this album are named after the stars that comprise the Southern Cross and the album closes out with a track simply called Southern Cross. (Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta, Epsilon, and Southern Cross) Gazing into the night sky and observing the familiar patterns in the sky gives you a feeling of wonder or simply one of reverence for what you are looking at. The vastness of space and the beauty that such a pattern as the Southern Cross represents obviously struck Jim with an urge to try and musically capture that image that has left its mark on so many hearts who have stood staring up at the night sky. What comes to mind was the line from the movie Contact where Ellie's father told her small moves as she was searching the ham radio dial for other operators to talk to. Jim's album Southern Cross makes good use of this philosophy with the music he has recorded for this release.

The slow waves of sound that Jim uses to sonically paint these stars along with the darker feel that the music evokes is perfect for capturing the velvet blackness of space with these small pinpricks of starlight shining so brightly against the darkness. Jim has blended some interesting sound effects into the music itself that made me think of the old sci-fi movies that used sounds similar to those to give you an impression of otherworldliness and that is exactly what they do here in Jim's music. They make you think of someplace that isn't here on earth. It triggers these memories in the listener and it enhances the experience of the music by shifting your mind to a point not of this planet and of course that is exactly what you want to have happen when you are listening to music about a constellation in the sky.

Jim has expertly woven these elements together in these 6 spacey tracks of music and maintains this feeling of being elsewhere throughout the entire recording. The music is very even from track to track so that nothing disturbs the listener's journey out into the darkness of space with each song melding very nicely into the next. To me that is an important decision that an artist makes when recording an album like this which is how do I blend the songs on this album so that my individual songs each have their own identity but on the album as a whole the journey will be seamless from beginning to end. Jim has done a great job on Southern Cross because he has created a journey that carries you along on the slow cosmic wave that drifts among the stars for the duration of the album.

With six songs that have a running time of 1 hour and 9 minutes this excursion allows a listener to deeply immerse themselves in the darkness of space with some outstanding music as their companion. Jim Ottaway shows that he is a talented composer and musician as he creates the perfect soundscape to go star gazing with. It would be a great to take this out with you on your portable player and simply use it as the backdrop for your natural sky planetarium as you lie under the stars and think about our insignificance compared with the endlessness of the space that lies above us. Although by the time that you reach the track Epsilon the music has taken on a lighter touch and seems to have modulated to a slightly warmer tone perhaps denoting that even space can seem inviting and nurturing as you grow accustomed to your surroundings. It leaves you feeling good about the journey and happy that you took the time to explore the space which you can see from where you are realizing that the insignificance that we feel when we first started looking into space turns into acceptance that we are an integral part of the cosmos no matter how small we might feel in the grand scheme of things.

Perhaps Epsilon being the last star in the Southern Cross that we have journeyed to in this song that it is more a song of completion and being pleased that we made the journey of discovery to begin with. Perhaps it illustrates that trips like this no matter how daunting at the beginning are worth the effort when our destination is finally achieved. And maybe at that point you realize that many more such trips will occur in your lifetime and that all of them hold the potential of self-discovery and of finding your place in this vast universe filled with wonders like the Southern Cross multiplied to infinity.

Southern Cross is Jim's 24th album and it is easy to see that his many years of experience with synths and working with his music during the creating, recording, mixing and mastering has given Jim a great understanding of how to achieve such a wonderful range of moods with his music and it is easy to see on Southern Cross that he has taken all of this experience, understanding and emotion and poured it into this latest release. I look at the last song on this album as a time to journey back home and celebrate the trip that has just been made. You will hear the closest thing to a beat on this song as there is a pulse that lightly punctuates the synths that have been your constant companion during the previous parts of this excursion. The sounds of a piano offer you a further reason to come back down to earth as the soundscape begins to take on a more terrestrial feel as the album winds down from the journey you have just been on.

While I was unfamiliar with Jim's music before I received this album I must admit that it was a pleasant discovery to find such an accomplished musician that I had not heard of before. Only goes to show that the talent that surrounds us in this world is vast and requires us as listeners to be vigilant and keep exploring and searching to make sure that we don't miss a talent like Jim's who was new to me even though he had released 24 previous albums. You'll want to look for Southern Cross and get your own copy so that you can take many journeys into the night sky with Jim's music as your companion. And remember just because the album is called Southern Cross doesn't mean you can't use it to look at other constellations no matter where you may find yourself when your eyes turn skyward. Enjoy!

The concept album "Southern Cross", his ninth international release, is a work containing six lengthy compositions of cosmic ambient music made between May 2013 and February 2016. From the start one enters a harmonic and soft breathing space of flowing textural farscapes inspired by the constellation of Crux which features the Southern Cross. From the third track on, some mysticism starts to penetrate the drifting soundscapes that remain tranquil, freeform and imaginative while softening and turning even dreamier on the last two compositions.

"Southern Cross" is interesting space music from Down Under which I feel could be even deeper and more spaced-out (but maybe I’m a bit spoiled by the quality works of Hollan Holmes, Havdis, Altus or Serrie).

"Alpha Crucis" opens the album with a rumbling vibration, followed by expansive chords and a rainstick-type sound, which frequently returns throughout the compositions. Imparting an immediate sense of deep space exploration, it’s fourteen minutes and twenty seconds of pure atmospheric bliss. Alluringly arcane, this mood is carried into "Beta Crucis", where swirling chimes mimic a galaxy filled with twinkling stars. Moving into the darkest piece, "Gamma Crucis", linear time seems to dissolve and physical distance is no longer a barrier to the furthest reaches of space. This especially noteworthy piece is permeated by a wonderfully eerie creepiness that’s filled with the sounds of deep drones, ghostly voices, alien signals and glowing pulsars. More traces of light shine through the vast darkness on "Delta Crucis", as if drifting among a meteor shower – before giving way to "Epsilon Crucis", the album’s warmest, most ethereal composition. Closing out the album is the phenomenal "Southern Cross (Timeless Motion)", with its rhythmic pulse beaming like a quasar amidst swirling chimes and a melodious drone, before dissipating into a sea of stardust.

The highly energetic "Come Dance with Me" opens the album with a trance-techno dance-floor beat, digital bleeps and scratchy sounds, as the listener embarks on an interstellar voyage through space and time. "Alien Cries" follows next, which is characterized by a pronounced bassline and an electronic rock rhythm. Finally giving way to what is perhaps the album’s pinnacle, is a track called "Takin' the Time". Featuring Rick Fenn of the 70s-era British rock group 10cc on guitar, this incredible piece evokes the wonders of the universe, with its intergalactic, otherworldly tone, which is conveyed by swirling chimes, voice-like effects, and a potent driving rhythm. Right from the opening sequencers on "Just Another Dream", which is a lighter trance-techno track, I could detect the nod to Tangerine Dream; perhaps not surprising, since the piece is a glowing tribute to the band’s soundtracks for "Risky Business", "Thief" and "Sorcerer". "Call for Peace" is another favorite, a slower piece led by a pronounced staccato down-beat and alternating hazy, distorted effects. A bonus 'Chill Out Mix' of the same tune closes out the album, clocking in at a full eleven minutes and twenty seconds. This slower-paced alternate version is equably carried along by a muffled breakbeat, until it eventually drifts away into oblivion.

The album offers totally different stuff compared to Mr Ottaway’s ambient-space endeavours, speaking to the listener in an upfront, strong technology-flavoured voice. One of the pieces is a new version of the piece "Takin' the Time" featuring the guitar work of 10CC’s Rick Fenn, while "Just Another Dream" is meant as a tribute to the Tangerine Dream’s OST’s "Risky Business", "Thief" and "Sorcerer".

I don’t feel much connection to this type of music, but "Invisible Vortex" will tick some boxes for those preferring modern and vibrant instrumental electronics.

For such an easy listening album, it's actually remarkably cohesive, the way it slides and glides into your consciousness, a mark of a composer who's feeling it rather than faking it, in other words, producing commercial, flowing synth music from the heart rather than attempting to provide something that's commercial but sounds like it's been done by numbers. The eleven minute 'Seashore Sunrise' is one of the best tracks as it also has that vast depth of cosmic bliss so prevalent on previous Ottaway space synth excursions.

Thematically, if you could call it that, the next six and half minute track, continues in this vein, as it feels like one fourteen minute piece that's opened up before you. The near ten minute 'Stellar Wind' adds an almost early Tangerine Dream styled bubbling synth undercurrent, something that in the early seventies would have developed into a sequencer rhythm but here in Ottaway's hands, remains the foundation for some gorgeous cosmic explorations, all performed slowly but always evolving and never standing still. It's truly got what many call an "analogue warmth" to it, but one that seems to stand above many others in its field. Just a tad short of fourteen minutes, 'Frozen Star' continues in this vein, seriously atmospheric, seriously cosmic, but now with more what you'd call "leading" soundscapes upfront, which imply melody but don't actually provide it, again something that stops it being a boring piece of wandering aimlessness on the one hand, or overtly twee and frightful, on the other.

'New Voyage' starts with sampled Gregorian Chant to provide that timeless quality as a lone synth emerges and hangs in cosmic suspense before swoop echo, a sequencer beat starts to roll, synths shimmer and the piece starts its journey, initially quite airy and light, despite the bass depth of the distant sequencer, as the leads pass by and unfurl. Slowly it builds, eventually leading to a more solid electro-percussive undercurrent while the lead and textural synths largely stay within their already chosen sea of dynamics and melody. 'The Search' is more sprightly, altogether stronger, more strident and more in keeping with a teutonic tradition from the late '80's/early '90's, as melodies, lurching rhythms and ever increasing layers provide the human emotion to keep the whole thing sizzling, even though its pace is quite sedate, even though the rhythms themselves are quite solid.

The near fourteen minute title track is a thing of beauty with initial melody lines and sprawling synth surrounds mixing with cosmic bliss and upfront lead synths to provide a slowly expanding sea of synth melodies and harmonies. Eventually, a rhythm begins and the track takes on the strength of the crisp and echoed slow percussive cracks and crashes. Albeit with very slowly added textures and melodies, this pattern continues in spellbinding fashion right to the end of the track. The near 9 minute 'Curiosity' is a real anthem of a track, slowly blossoming out into this canyon-sized slice of synth-laden beauty, with strong hints of early eighties Tangerine Dream flowing through its veins as it slowly sprawls its heady way across everything it touches. The album ends on 11 minutes of 'Sequential Meditation' as layers of string synths rise up in a fogbank of electronics, the sparkling rhythms dancing all around as the strong and strident synth-percussive rhythm enters and starts to take the whole instrumental into altogether other areas.

The five minute 'Light of Day' is a slowly symphonic example of cosmic bliss with strings, delicate tinkling synth ripples and a core of deeply flowing space synths that drift in layers, taking you off to another plane. 'Desert Shadows' is a nine minute composition that could quite easily have fitted in with anything on the legendary 'Western Spaces' album that Steve Roach and friends recorded way back, with its deep cosmic undercurrents, and, again, slowly melodic soundscapes that drift and flow but never stay in one place, always changing shape as the consistency of the deeper flow is maintained.