"Colour
Glow by Ashera inhabits a wondrous realm of beautiful sonic imagery
and gentle synthetic atmospheres. Obviously, a great deal of attention
has been devoted to designing each piece to rouse in us different
shades of feelings. The tender timbres coaxed from Ashera's synthesizers
glow with emotion, the sparse female guest vocals are reassuring and
the only deep contrast felt is that between the saturation of benevolent
harmonies and the untimely silence at album's end. While this album
offers elements of the classic ambient style, Ashera incorporates
a cadence in his music and so focus and direction. Colour Glow is
electronic music realized through a system of intuition - the technology
of the soul. The result is a relaxing, gentle experience with an intonation
that will influence the listener in a positive way.
- Chuck
van Zyl / STAR'S END
"Add
Colour Glow to Ashera's growing list of absolute ambient gems. Even
lighter than their predecessors, these new sounds from Australia convey
achingly peaceful moods. I'm quite taken as you'll read... Plus, meet
Anthony Wright in this month's interview to learn more about these
ephemeral sounds. Wafting hazily as its namesake might, savannah mirage
seems to be seen/heard from far away; its tones never quite coalesce
into anything solid, yet are most lovely to witness, whether they're
real or only imagined. Droplets of muffled e-piano notes dribble along
the softly swaying curtain of mist veil, a beautiful and nearly-minimalistic
wall hanging. Twinkling onto an enshrouded expanse, two moons are
constructed of similarly gauzey tonality. Hovering over a shifting
bed of light synthdrones, colour glow (13:39) radiates with layered
wisps of wordless female croons, an extended lullaby to the heavens.
Emitting sparkling, though soft-focus, belltones, music box unfolds
a delicate, hazy dreamscape of sparse, muted tinklings. Like some
synth-orchestral fluid released into weightlessness, Peace One rolls
slowly through space, tumbling in shapeless grandeur. In a similarly
ephemeral wash, Colour 11 spreads in all directions, cast with its
own hues and tints. Sparse movements and chiming spaciousness give
plenty of room for physical and mental relaxation while luxuriant
As Always unfolds like a blanket of serenity. A gently ringing vortex
surrounds Two fFlarian (2:57) with a plush-yet-metallic sheen. Fingerpainting
a rainbow in the warm, sunny skies of Sydney, Colour Glow captivates
me with its 9.3-rated ethereality ... but don't take my word for it;
listen at the Ashera website. If you've not already treated yourself
to Anthony's previous works, please do yourself the favor of checking
out Cobalt 144 and Ambient Selections... 3 absolutely gorgeous discs...
" by
David J Opdyke AMBIENTRANCE
"Colour
Glow represents one the first releases I have heard in a long time
that completely captures the spirit of Eno. This is music, keys, feelings,
lilting treatments, and hazy moods that carry the Eno stamp of great
melodic ambience. If EER were to offer the "ENO AWARD" for 2001, Colour
Glow would walk away with it, contenders watching it pass by. Well
done, Anthony! Two thumbs up. Highest of recommendations."
~ John W.
Patterson, Editor Eclectic
Earwig Reviews and Ambient Space Ed. AllAboutJazz.com
"Ashera-
Colour Glow contact ashera http://www.ashera.com It's a sad fact of
life, that without some sort of marketing budget behind you, chances
are no matter how good you are as a musician, your music will never
be heard by the masses who can and often do make a difference. Which
is a damn shame. Think about it; a world without the sounds of Brian
Eno, Harold Budd or even Jon Hassell. Yes, I know they worked long
and hard before recognition came their way and with recognition one
assumes some sort of financial success. But the truth remains that
it helps having a major label behind you pushing you along. Like most
people who have their feet planted in the real world, Ashera knows
he can't wait for his music to fully support his lifestyle and works
a job between albums. Now that I got that off my chest let me say
Ashera's third release is by far his best to date. It's a celebration
of the sensuousness nature of ambient sounds. Slowly unfolding, hypnotic,
cloud like at times in structure, the listener is lulled into a deep
state of peace and relaxation. The more I hear it, the more I hear
an intimate respect for silence. These are fragile soundworlds filled
with a sense of beauty and grace. I know Anthony will forgive me for
again mentioning Harold Budd's name, but we are all charmed and influenced
by the man's musical vision and taken to places far away in those
sounds which we immerse ourselves into. I find it humbling (if one
can use such a word) to listen to this release. Every time I finish
listening, something has changed for me. I don't as a rule like or
even enjoy using the word 'healing' in reviews but it's an apt word
in this case. And it's not new age by any means, Ashera steering away
from the saccharine schmaltz I associate with that particular sub
genre. At a time when ambient music for me has at times run out of
ideas, it's a nice change to go back to an almost 'classic' ambient
sound. If you like Colour Glow, check out Cobalt 144 and Ambient Selections,
all equally excellent and in a similar vein to this release. Interviews
with Ashera are also posted on the web site if you want to know more.
By far to my ears, one of the most interesting ambient musicians on
the scene today, and one who deserves greater success. January 4,
2001
Hans
Stove. - POWERSPOT radio program.
"Ashera,
with their third release on the label of the same name, continues
their ability to build sonic worlds within this listener's mind. "Colour
Glow" contains eleven tracks of pure sonic bliss which lend themselves
to repeated playback of similar yet different soundscapes of engagingly
sculpted musical métier. Where the "Cobalt 144" release utilized the
soundscape to draw the listener into itself and painted sonic intimation,
or eminent guideposts, to the journey that unfolded before you. Colour
Glow envelops you in wave after wave of supportive layers that wash
and undulate around you and finally embrace and begin to move your
senses outward. By the end of "Savannah Mirage", the opening track,
the sonic imagery is so large and enveloping that a vision of paradise
materializes around your entire being&ldots; and then vanishes as
the mists of a mirage so aptly do. Those blessed with adroit sensory
skills may never even feel the sense of loss of the unattainable as
the transportation through the space time continuum immediately soothes
the sonic soul as the "Mist Well" appears. I achieved the sensations
of standing before a well, enshrouded by mist, surrounded by the very
mirage of an oasis or paradise that I thought was washed away. The
opening tracks deftly carved a vision state and then transported me
within my minds own eye into a land of wondrous vision. A startling
and uncanny sonic manipulation&ldots; truly possessing the resourcefulness
to take you there. The third track, "Two Moons", contains real world
nature sound sources as a layered bed for the tone palette of a full
bodied Fender Rhodes keyboard laced minimalist structure which evokes
the presence of watchful heavenly bodies appearing overhead. The title
track weighs in as the fourth offering, in a long form piece, that
is swimmingly saturated in luxuriously cascading reverb tales appearing
as a blissfully erotic vignette of what I saw and heard as the Daughters
of the Twin Moons. Silvery, lilting, tendril like vocalizations by
the ethereal twin children of the moon weaving autochthonous, alluring,
chordal harmonies throughout ones very fiber. Introspective reflection,
and a wondrous journey, through the complete sensory ramifications
of "Colour" abound in the following tracks of "Colour Glow". I hesitate
to even share an expeditious synopsis of the rest of my journey through
the world of "Colour Glow" and would rather submit to you that this
is the pinnacle of Ambient Visions for this writer since receiving
this latest offering from the land down under. Consider this juncture
an open invitation to immerse yourself in a visionary sonic journey
of the highest caliber. There are enough of the underlying qualities
of the four elements contained in the works of Antonio Wright, Caroline
Wilson, and Adriana Korkosova for me to state that I rank "Colour
Glow" as one of the two quintessential Ambient releases, known to
me, at the present time. The other is their previous release "Cobalt
144", also on Ashera. These two releases are the definition of perfectly
exemplifying the quality of the fifth and highest essence present
in all things as suggested by ancient and medieval philosophy. At
the very least, in my sonic world, it works for me. My highest recommendation
for inclusion in every collection, without any reservation whatsoever,
as I consider "Colour Glow" the Ambient Release of the Year for 2000.
Reviewed
by BEAR 01.07.01 The New Age Sampler / Ambient
Visions ,
Audiophiles
Note: Although this recording will not dynamically tax your system
as this and the previous Ashera release continues Antonio's conviction
to playback at lower levels. "Colour Glow" has a lower output level,
than the currently accepted standard, which enables his wish, although
you may persist and push the envelope on your own, you will still
hear exactly what the artists vision is. It is possible that the significant
difference between "Colour Glow" and "Cobalt 144" is in the production
and mixing itself. You may recall that I suggested earlier that one
draws you in while the other envelops and transports. On both the
Holo-System and the Stax electrostatic headphones the "Colour Glow"
effect is achieved by the use of panoramic panning techniques. By
this I refer to the interaction between left and right channels in
all aspects of the mix as a significant portion of the layers reside
in the panoramic staging and seldom enter the foreground or reside
center stage as a focal point. No single sound or element takes precedence
over the others as one finds them sharing the same space and then
morphing gracefully across the soundstage. This is a must listen recording
for headphone aficionado's offering truly astounding sonics for those
with a headphone system capable of resolving inner detail and the
depth of layered effects. Final note: Least anyone read this expecting
a special effects spectacular rest assured that there is significant
melodic content in this work although the "sonic voice" carrying that
melody has a consistent habit of morphing into another sonic signature
or "sonic voice". There is also, and not at all detrimental, a lack
of visceral low end, which oddly enough is only missing if you listen
for it. The individual layers and their composite morphing are amazingly
present in both room speakers and headphones. "Colour Glow's" ability
to envelop and become part of or one with the room is in itself a
testament to the quality of the artists craft. The listening session
were performed in the following systems: (1) Electrocompaniet EMC-1
CD player, Electrocompaniet ECI-3 Integrated, Magneplanar MG1.6QR,
& Sunfire True Subwoofer speakers. (2) Linn Classik into Stax Electrostatic
SRX MkIII & Sennheiser HD600 headphones. (3) The Holo-System: Rega
Planet 2000, Belles XLM preamplifier, Belles 200 power amplifier and
Altec Lansing 510 A speakers. ( A relatively large system in an extremely
small room with only one small holographic listening sweet spot)"
BEAR.
"Ashera
- Colour Glow (Private release; 2000) *The 3rd album from Australian-based
ambient musician Antonio Asher Wright. Again the same 2 female vocalists
on his former album contribute in a marvelous way to a few of the
11 tracks available. Was I a bit remembered of the music of Eno in
the past, now Ashera's music sounds more original than ever. We encounter
over 62 minutes of very warm and embracing non-rhythmic ambientsoundtextures
that give the listener both a very intimate & relaxing feel. The vocals
in the outstanding titletrack (which lasts over 13 minutes) are somewhat
in line of Enya, but are not-melodic. In the track Play Ground a very
pleasant flute/mellotronsound is used which makes this track drift
away. This excellent album almost feels as one of the proper guides
for introspective voyaging ! "
Review by
Bert Strolenberg, KLEM-issue The Netherlands*
"Ashera
- "Colour Glow" (self-released 2000, CD)
This
is subtly-textured ambient music by Anthony Wright of Sydney, where
the liner notes politely instruct the listener to "please play at
lower levels". Of course, Ashera are hardly the first ambient aritst
from that continent down under, but still ... inspirations here certainly
include Harold Budd and Brian Eno's 70's ambient work (although not
Eno's tape experimentation that was especially evident in his Fripp
collaborations); the female voicings on some tracks are very reminiscent
of the less song-oriented side of the UK's 4AD label during the 80's.
As expected with this sort of music, changes develop slowly, if at
all, with subtle, airy melodies infused in the extended drones. The
majority of the sounds appear to be electronic, rather than acoustic
(not the "tribal" sound at all). Even the (very) occasional piercing
(in this context!) bell/piano-type sounds have a smooth, electronic,
sheen that fits the atmosphere here better than the "real thing" would.
This is very restrained music, that makes mid-70's Cluster or Tangerine
Dream sound like the work of amphetamine-crazed rockers. Having recently
been in contact with mr. Wright (in a completely AI-unrelated forum),
I look forward to hearing future releases from him, now that he has
recently obtained an Alesis Andromeda A6, the first real honest-to-goodness
*analog* keyboard synthesizer to be released since the mid-80's. Although
I tend not to listen to much music quite this reserved, it's currently
providing the perfect soundtrack to a grey and rainy spring afternoon
in Northern California; perhaps that's why the New Age musical movement
had much of its beginnings in this area. Reviewed
by Doug Pearson - Aural-Innovations"
