Steve Brand "Subtle Movements Inside" CDrProductive US sound sculptor Steve Brand, based in Roeland Park, Kansas, is releasing his music lately through Relaxed Machinery as well as through his own label Pioneer Light Music. "Subtle Movements Inside" album was released in November 2011 on Relaxed Machinery and it comes with beautiful "primordial" image featuring various seedpods, bones, wings and bone flute. Okay, extra points are given and I am sure the sonics will be as much impressive as its visual part. "Holding The Light" is the opening, 19-minute long composition. It sets immediately the atmosphere of being on deep caving system exploration to experience all its unfathomable enigma. Organic tribals smoothly transfer into tranquilly droning expansive ambience with majestic and gracious moan. More dramatic and colossal terrains interplay with mysteriously peaceful passages. Primordial flute magics steal this breathtaking journey in the second half along with distant celestial choirs before serenely droning away through abysmal organic rumbles. This is a pure sonic bliss unfolding all mystical wonders!!! One of the most magnificent compositions Steve has ever made!!! Filigree bass flute work on "Lit From The Original Flame" keeps this expedition in deeply primal, mysterious and contemplative domains. I am utterly fascinated by Steve's flute masteries, primeval sonic trance continues!!! Highly visualizing journey proceeds through "A Certain Restlessness Of Soul", the longest piece reaching 22 and half minutes. Fragile ghostly whispers glide in peaceful synergy with cascading and progressing cavernous drones. Immense drifts keep on delving through stunning variety of otherworldly cave sculptures and formations before whispering voices vanish down into the darkness of a truly virgin realms. Another magnificently rich listening experience!!! The title track "Subtle Movements Inside", clocking over 8-minute mark, is slightly more relieving, but strongly meditative with rather minimal drifts, which are embellished by various tinkles and other, nearly dissonant sounds widening the sonic spectrum. Moving through varied stages, from serene, nearly cinematic or hymnic passages through minimal meditative terrains interplaying with moments of silence to harsher cavernous outbursts. Warmly inviting washes invade the closing piece, over 19 minutes long "Our Wilderness Of Heart (Something So Rare)", which feature beautifully moaning guitar textures by Bobby Jones aka I've Lost. This graciously gliding and deeply reflective composition is soothingly colored by cicadas throughout the first two thirds. What a sad beauty, a truly heartwarming symphonious outro!!! Musically, "Subtle Movements Inside" album is stunningly gorgeous, a genuine virtuoso performance by Steve Brand, you will be listening to it over and over!!! Last but not least, I must say that there is no justice in this music industry when a masterpiece like this is released as a CDr version and packaged in simple slim jewel case. This is the only low point of this album, so please show your support to Steve Brand and Relaxed Machinery, these guys really deserve it!!! I really hope one day they will be able to release their music in more attractive packaging.Richard Gürtler (Aug 19, 2012, Bratislava, Slovakia)