There is something about Randy Stahla's "Blue Ballerina" (http://www.desertsnow.org) CD that touches a part of ourselves deep inside.
New Age to many outsiders is cold and soulless, namely because of the lack of words and reliance on synthetic instrumentation. However, that cannot be said of Stahla's work, which is sincerely moving and poignant. And why is that? There are messages in "Blue Ballerina" that our minds cannot comprehend but our hearts grasp with enthusiasm. This is a peaceful, meditative work with invisible lyrics in the grooves.
Stahla is more like a snake charmer than a musician. His compositions soothe and hypnotize. The title track, which is actually the opening cut, weaves a spell immediately. We are dazzled and at peace as mesmerizing, cinematic keyboards fill the speakers with profound inner calm. It's actually a song about death yet Stahla seems to be providing a soundtrack for the afterlife. There's an angelic quality to the song that soars through the headphones.
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On "Ocean Ballet," Stahla's synthesizers charm the ears with their radiance; one can imagine the sun's glowing reflection upon the waves. "Pretty Pretty Princess" has upbeat keyboard hooks and widescreen landscapes that are made for film while the aquatic "New Canvas" continues the seduction of our ears.
"Blue Ballerina" flows like water, and it cleanses us in the same way. But it's our souls - our losses, our disappointments, our pain - that is being washed away here. This is a one of a kind album, one that goes beyond entertainment, becoming an essential part of our everyday living.
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