MUSIC NEWS: How awesome was it to see Paula Abdul making fun of herself on Saturday Night Live? It's always a thrill for me to see famous people turning the tables on the media and really enjoying it. Personally, I hope Corey Clark was NOT gettin' his groove on with Paula. With any luck, he is one of Dorothy's cousins.
What comes to mind when you hear the term 'New Age' music? Do you smell incense? Do you picture men in flowing robes handing out flowers ( or pamphlets ) at the airport? How about a room full of people twisting their limbs into funny shapes, claiming it's some sort of healthy activity called yoga?
At the risk of getting in trouble for recommending the only radio program I love MORE than Windy City Radio, when I think of New Age music, I think of Musical Starstreams, a Sunday night staple on Chicago radio.
Their self titled style of 'exotic electronica' has been a constant companion for at least the eleven years I've been listening, if not more. A unique blend of digital 'New Age' music, Starstreams has led to more than a few CD purchases.
Who can forget when Enigma's album 'MCMXC A.D.' came out? All those sexy digital tracks throbbed their way into more bedrooms than the Trojan man. It was sometime in '95 that I first heard the album on Starstreams, and the very next day I ran to the store to buy it. 'The Principals of Lust' still raises the hair on the back of my neck.
Another album stands out pretty clear in my collection. It's a compilation that has the same mood altering power of Enigma. 'One A.D.' on the Waveform label, released in 1994, has such an incredible collection of Electronica, if you're even remotely interested in such things, get online and listen to some of the samples.
A recent listen reminded me just how forward thinking this collection, and this group of artists were. There isn't a single song that sounds aged. 'One A.D.' sounds like it was just produced last week. Even more amazing is the wide range of styles it covers in a single album.
It's a series of up and down-tempo digital songs that take you on a journey into the minds of some of the most talented artists of the time. Tracks like 'Soma Holiday' by G.O.L. echo the pulsing beats of Enigma. There's global funkiness spread out on 'Desert Wind' by Banco de Gaia. And 'The Calling' by A Positive Life is nearly dance floor ready.
You can definitely find 'One A.D.' online. And for a great tip-off on the new stuff that's out there in the New Age scene, visit musicalstarstreams.com and give Musical Starstreams a listen Sunday nights on 95.5 FM.
With you in 4/4,
Peter Mavrik
peter@windycitymediagroup.com