Zen Garden: Soothing Seas Review

07/13/2005 7:16 AM, AMG


Compendia 's Zen Garden series blends musical exploration with the ambience of nature to create a landscape of relaxation. In this volume, entitled Soothing Seas, acoustic guitars blend with the occasional synthesizer or piano as waves crash in the background. Some selections are stronger than others; "Florida's Cold Wave," for example, lets the guitarist's chording breathe a bit before soaking the sound in ocean waves and keyboard overdubs. And the flute effect that runs through "Saravati" seems too much of a genre cliché on an album that already drifts on a cloud of established new age ideas. At the same time, however, it's those very things that make this kind of music so successful as a stress reliever, and in that respect Soothing Seas doesn't disappoint. It's well-suited to any relaxing activity, from napping to massage, and keeps a nice, steady pace throughout. ~ Johnny Loftus, All Music Guide