Exploring the deep mysteries and infinite wonders of existence, through music, art and words…. celebrating this unfathomable, miraculous life.
REVIEWS
Review of “Stillness Moving”
Bert Strolenberg, Sonic Immersion, Holland
“Andrew Forrest’s “Stillness Moving”, a title pointing to how everything we humans experience through our senses arises out of stillness or ‘no-thing’ or emptiness, is a musical interpretation of the ultimate non-dual reality, where all movement is seen as an expression of stillness and all manifestation is seen as an expression of emptiness.
With track titles offered as direct pointers to this existential paradox (“Emerge”, “Enrapture”,”Evanesce”) and the intent to maximize the positive emotional impact and healing resonance through each long-form piece of music, Andrew has composed another emotive set of in-depth space and textural sound art to cleanse yet elevate body and soul.
The gentle swirls, subtle sequences and fluid dynamics encountered throughout the evolving celestial-symphonic tapestry ensure to trigger the listeners attention, most certainly when heavenly, majestic pads and smooth pulsations set in.
The fairytale-like closing piece of the dreamlike journey is the most relaxing and soothing of all, with its ethereal velvet waves floating onward and dissolving eventually into infinite distance.
Well accomplished, Andrew!”
Christopher Harvey, USA
“Another brilliant installment in the discography of Andrew Forrest. His 11th CD to date is perhaps his strongest yet. Nobody else’s music balances the seemingly-paradoxical so well – it is calm yet invigorating, atmospheric yet captivating, simple yet complex, sedating yet inspiring… he manages to create a sort of sonic omnipotence.
Stillness Moving is a magnificent album. I really believe it may be Andrew’s most colorful work yet. To me, it sounds like the best of all his works combined. The variety of sounds on here is impossible to overlook.
The album is divided into three distinct parts. The tracks run approximately 25, 20, and 15 minutes, respectively, which I find to be a very pleasurable pacing – perfect for listening to the whole thing through or just jumping in and out as you please.
It really is amazing to have music that you can play in the background while doing other tasks, and have it be very befitting, but choose to give a more focused listen to at any time and hear something that’s brilliantly layered, astonishingly colorful, and enticingly textured. His music is truly rapturous. I have searched through many artists who share the overarching genre with Andrew, and none of their music has quite the mesmerizing brilliance of composition that Andrew’s does. It really is that ability he has to be utterly soothing and utterly captivating at the same time that is so rare to find in music.
It is music that has such a divinity, such an omnipotence about it, that trying to describe it puts you in that state where you’re trying to describe a mystical experience and you realize just how short words fall. Be it love, psychedelics, music, sorrow, inspiration, what have you… not everything can be said with words. And so we say them with notes. And so we speak from a much deeper place. A place that does not feel very different from the music on this CD from Andrew Forrest.
Marvelous work Andrew, just marvelous. Thank you so much.”
Amma Jane Stevens, UK
“Another beautiful composition by Andrew…. Andrew’s spacey “Stillness Moving” takes me to another plane of existence when meditation and listening to it’s transcendental vibrations. Excellent.”
Mandy Matthews, Australia
“It’s uncanny how Andrew’s music perfectly fits to the flow of Universal energy, evolving and emerging at just the right time. So too does this latest offering. Another magical masterpiece to help activate and shift the harmonics of the body into alignment with the harmonics of change. ‘Stillness Moving’ is exactly that. A catalyst for moving the stillness within. Thank you again Andrew.”
Review of “ONE”
Marie-Eleana
“ONE is a Masterpiece; the Divine has spoken through this music…Straight away I could feel the music go straight to my solar plexus and navel chakras….Listening, I felt like I was in space and underwater at the same time. That I was sitting on a spinning planet, sinking into the ground. Flying and ungrounded, yet grounded and below ground….then there was beautiful gentle music where I could hear fairies playing, and see nature in her glory…wow…just very beautiful. Thank you for the music.”
Mandy Matthews
“Stunning!
This latest offering from Andrew Forrest is beautifully composed. Stunning in parts and emotionally moving as you sense the shift from start to finish. I am loving it as I do all his work. It is so uplifting and expansive, so easy to be carried into the higher realms through the sound waves. They seem to transpose time. Very beautiful. Again, thank you Andrew.”
Bert Strolenberg/SonicImmersion.org
“Introspective, immersive & spacious ambiences…
With his tenth album “One” (the first chapter in the Source Quartet-series), New Zealand-based composer and visual artist Andrew Forrest returns with a new sonic revelation. In essence it’s an energetic experience of shifting from tight contracted separateness to the expanded freedom from illusory self through sound. Similar to previous albums, Mr. Forrest is the experienced conductor of a well-equipped electronic orchestra, applying a large assortment of instruments and sounds. The outcome is an emotive 65-minute ride unfolding naturally and harmonically in four phases as it percolates the listener smoothly into grand expanses. The release kicks off with “Unveiling Eternity”, an energetic opening or ‘satori’ to timelessness or eternity submerging the listener in comfortable celestial tapestries and waveforms. The celestial journey continues beautifully on the 19-minute “The Rapture” (focusing on the delight of remembering the freedom and wonder we all knew as a small child) incorporating some great piano in the first half while evoking a strong time machine feel as it unwinds. Hints of classic space music with a nice sense of awe and wonder shimmer through. The velvet, lush and grand textures of third space music marvel “Union of Opposites” center upon the mysterious experience of where the opposites of duality merge and thus cancel each other out.
This brings us to majestic, smooth swirling textural vistas of the closing title piece “One”, representing the completion of the shift; so the separate sense of self has completely vanished, and life is now experienced without illusion…as boundless, timeless Oneness, or home. It’s a pity though this album is only available as a download, as this evocative, high-quality sonic art truly deserves a physical release.”
Gerry Milner-Walker
“Andrew Forrest is in a league of his own…
With One: Source Quartet, Vol 1, Andrew Forrest has proved that he is not only a cut above the rest, but he is certainly in a league of his own. This is a superb album and I am now eagerly awaiting the forthcoming volumes. For me, it is his best work yet. Thank you Andrew.”
Review of “Octaves of Infinity”
Lynn Gray (March,2015,UK)
A REMARKABLE DEBUT!
Octaves of Infinity is Andrew Forrest’s first album, and is not the same as the later Infinite Octaves. It was produced in 1992, just one year after he obtained his first synthesiser! One track, “Shallows of the Golden Shoreline”, appears on both albums but is shorter on this one. During the album you can hear glimpses of Andrew’s current style emerging. The album has a varied style across its nine tracks.
Ocean sounds, which appear throughout the album, introduce the first track, “Mirror of Being”. Bells toll and synth chords gradually fade in. Doleful minor chords appear and drift semi-melodically. It’s reminiscent of softer more “cosmic” tracks by Tangerine Dream with its sustained synth patches.
The second track, “Shining Ones of the Pleiades, Part 1”, is a little more “Berlin School” in nature, with soft sequences, electronic effects and sustained string chords. It reminded me of “Voyager” by Wavestar from their album “Moonwind” or the work of German artists such as Nik Tyndall and Robert Schroeder.
“Shining Ones of the Pleiades, Part 2” brings a total change of atmosphere. A gentle haunting melody in the minor key floats over moody synth strings. It is very beautiful and I would have liked it to last a bit longer!
“Ocean Octaves” consists of an ostinato figure repeated over moody chords which build to a powerful climax .It has a hypnotic quality.
“Angel’s Breath” has spooky electronic effects drifting in and out accompanying the synth backdrop. It’s not directly melodic but has a suggestion of it.
“Witness to Infinity” has a similar title to “Witnessing Infinity” on Infinite Octaves but is a completely different track. A swirling descending sequence in the minor key plays over a gradually more powerful synth background. It is another hypnotic sounding track.
“Shallows of the Golden Shoreline” has a repeating echo-like sequence, accompanied by deep bass tones. A chordal backdrop provides a contrast and the feeling is once again, hypnotic in nature. “Beloved Dreamweaving” is my favourite track on the album. The majority of the pieces here are in the minor key and are somewhat melancholy in feeling. This, however has a more positive uplifting nature. An descending arpeggiated figure plays throughout the track backed by constantly changing harmonies.
The conflicting and resolving harmonies in “Beloved Dreamweaving” are what makes the track so effective, where the diatonic main theme is underlain by the dominant, subdominant and seventh chords it flows but then the tension created by the relative minor key harmonies allow the resolution to take place.
“Merged Essence” is the final track and returns somewhat to the melancholy feelings of the other pieces on the album. It makes its way in stately fashion with lush string synth chords which at times, and especially near the conclusion, reminded me of Mahler’s Adagio from the 5th Symphony. It resolves satisfyingly at the end. It is another beautiful track in which it is possible to discern the nascent seeds of his present output.
This is an excellent album and a remarkable work considering it was his first foray into synthesised music. It is highly recommended if you are a lover of Andrew’s output, or indeed of quality electronic music.”
Review of “Boundless”
Bert Strolenberg (October,2012,Holland)
The lush, the powerful and the spacious once more re-unite on the ambient/space extravaganza “Boundless”, the second installment in Andrew Forrest´s “Harmonics Trilogy.”
Again, there are three lengthy movements, each clocking over 20 minutes, featuring some very nicely rendered twinkling sequencing beyond immersive, velvet soundscapes. Andrew perceives the gradually unfolding and highly atmospheric outcome as his most complex, compositionally-surprising and expansive music to date.
With the third and final part already on the way, the subtle, the anthemic and the serene form the core of the expansive textural compositions of “Boundless”, with hints of neoclassical, symphonic and new age music. Moreover, the vast spaces all reach out to endless and far-off worlds beyond but also those within reach.
Submerging and dwelling comfortably in these breathtaking, overall gracious and profound emotive sound paintings strikes a pleasant sense of balance, happiness and makes one feel at ease while so easily lifting up the human mind and soul.
Chapeau, Andrew!
Review of “Boundless”
Karen Lupe (January,2013,New Zealand)
Boundless is the Truth. Within this exquisite piece of music is the truth of our own unlimited natures. Listening to Boundless draws one inward, into the interiority of being, into a vastness that must be felt/ perceived through the Inner Senses. How does one do this? The answer is in the music of itself, that somehow, magically opens those inner doors to allow the listener to experience other realms of reality that are also part of us yet often unknown. The music of Boundless is healing and enlivening as it subtly and gently brings one into resonance with the Deep Centre. Thank you Andrew for a creating this beautiful door way!
Review of “Boundless”
Richard Gürtler (Mar 16, 2013, Bratislava, Slovakia)
I have discovered this enormously accomplished ambient sculptor only about one year ago through his outstanding “Resonance” CD, which was released as first volume of “Harmonics Trilogy” (released during November 2011). September 2012 marks the second chapter of this trilogy entitled “Boundless”. Andrew Forrest comes from the UK, but lives longer time in New Zealand and “Boundless” is his 7th full length album. Yes, he is definitely one of those artists who glide around us, unfortunately, quite unnoticed and I must say it’s a really big shame, because Andrew Forrest is a true virtuoso of gorgeously immersing and majestic space explorations, masterfully shaped and polished and delivered as all-inclusive package, not only as a pure aural bliss, both musically and audibly, but also as a very intense visual experience. And to say it straightly, these are my feelings also about “Boundless”. Just like the first volume, also “Boundless” features three longer sonic metamorphosis, each clocking between 20 and 25 minutes. “1st Movement” unfolds swiftly with flickering swirls and other assorted embellishments, all magnificently surrounded by immense aerial washes, fragilely meandering above velvety cloud sheets and soothingly tickled by the sun rays. All graciously expanding and floating through countless, beautifully sublime and expressive sonic cascades. Softer and melodious passages evoking vintage space drifters circumstance with more colossal and expansively sweeping and progressing epic sound-fields, here and there lightened by the infinite celestial magic of angelic choirs and cinematic piano-infused subtleties. Always intensely enthralling, breathtaking and absorbing scenario, a truly grandiose and immaculate space symphony!!! This is Andrew Forrest at the top of his game!!! “2nd Movement” keeps its grace and majesty, with slightly more earthy touch at the beginning provided by some hauntingly captivating flute-like sounds. Soon monstrously transporting cyber-scapes enter the stage along with lushly sparkling sequenced notes. But then again sheer angelic beauty with piano fragments and heartwarming expansions relieve this multi scented and brightly detailed odyssey filled with never-ending space-scapes. Another tour de force by Andrew Forrest!!! “3rd Movement” strikes with powerfully expanding and ebbing tension of thunderous and cinematic drones, steadily immersing and intervening with softly pulsing passages and calmly gliding and circling washes with ethereally tranquil transitions. Andrew Forrest conjures an awe-inspiring conclusion to this spectacular audio experience, “Boundless” is a real treat for all stargazers!!! So in case you haven’t heard anything from Andrew Forrest’s discography, I highly recommend to explore this gifted musician (and painter), show him your support, it surely will help to make this world more fair!!!
Review of “Resonance”
Richard Gürtler (May 24, 2012, Bratislava, Slovakia)
Highly gifted ambient composer and painter Andrew Forrest, born in the UK, but since 1998 residing in New Zealand, has returned during the end of 2011 with his 6th full length album and the first part of “Harmonics Trilogy”, entitled “Resonance” and packaged in elegant 4-panel digipak. Andrew Forrest is definitely one of those well-hidden and strongly underrated artists journeying through gorgeous deep space realms.
“Harmonic Resonance” is the sole track title, presented in three longer movements, all clocking between 20 and 24 minutes. “Harmonic Resonance – 1st Movement” reveals with slow-motion drones, venturing across various, richly textured and evolving phases, from more deeply drifting and powerfully colossal drama through slightly more lighter and melodic paths to heavenly peaceful washes, but always preserving Andrew Forrest’s identifying ethereally tranquil sound sculpting, which easily holds the attention of each journeying listener throughout the entire lengthy composition. A brilliantly entertaining and harmonic soundscape!!!
“2nd Movement” floats through beautifully grandiose open spaces, masterfully enriched by celestial choir-like sounds and tenderly tinkling bells, before swelling into more intense and progressing sonic cascades. Again brightly colored in depth and spaciousness, always amazingly evocative and filled with unmeasurable majesty and grace. Hauntingly magnificent washes lead “3rd Movement”, ornamented with assorted bell sounds, fragilely swirling around listener’s ears. Stunningly immersing composition that again advances into other, spectacularly dramatic and cinematic deep space domains, precisely highlighted also by additional angelic choirs. Purely eternal sonic bliss is here!!! And a splendid conclusion of this magically fascinating “Resonance”!!!
In case you are not familiar with Andrew Forrest’s discography, act now, it’s highly recommended to all aficionados searching for thrilling deep space explorations!!
Review of Resonance, Harmonics Trilogy Vol 1
Review by Music Critic Bert Strolenberg, E-dition EM Magazine, Holland, December 2011
Despite hard times to survive by putting out hard copy releases nowadays, independent electronic sound painter Andrew Forrest once more has found the faith and guts to let his creativity prevail above all.
The idea of a harmonics trilogy surfaced a few years back from now. Andrew always had been fascinated by the word harmonic, especially in the obviously musical sense. It is his vision that all of life is harmonic in a sense, with everything vibrating at different frequencies and holding a unique resonance. When something resonates, it feels like there is an unspoken harmony, a kind of ‘in-tune-ness’ or equilibrium. This resonance seems to be a communication that is beyond words, beyond the mind, beyond time/space limitations. Andrew sums it up: “music is such a wonderful and natural medium for resonance to be expressed creatively”.
While sculpting the body of work that would become the three movements of “Resonance”, Mr Forrest soon had the feeling the outcome was going to be very powerful and magical. At the same time, it proved it would break some new sonic ground too.
The music also soon revealed a traditionally classical approach to form. First of all, it contained themes at the start of each movement echoing later on towards the end of the same movement. Secondly, Andrew very much enjoyed developing the crescendo idea in each movement, exploring musical tension and release through a very slow build up that eventually resolves in a massive peak, usually followed by a more subtle, gentle passage. The sonic discovery eventually found Andrew exploring the many (if not endless) ins and outs of musical dramas of apparent opposites…alternating light and shade, peaks and troughs, melody and abstraction.
“Resonance” marks the kick-off for the new “Harmonics”-trilogy of celestial space music, in which Andrew invested over 12 months of exhausting and challenging work, creating over 100 mixes of the music. The 66-minute work consists of three expansive, textural movements with occasional sequenced passages.
There’s a great ebb and flow of both massive and subtle sound pads that make up an in-depth and passionate journey. On this behalf, Andrew likes to state “the listener will be immersed in a resonant harmonic sound field that will potentially cleanse, open and heal, hopefully leaving you feeling a sense of renewed inner- peace and well-being”.
I personally feel immersing in the soft and highly imaginary core of “Resonance” and riding its neo-classical/ethereal waves is a celebration of pure beauty and wonder. Its spacious, grand design simply washes over you in a hugely comfortable sense, feeling honest and so much alive in all its calmness. The sparkling and at times awe inspiring outcome is most rewarding and satisfactory, creating a different and quiet mind set.
Hat’s off once more to you, Andrew!
Rating: 4/5 stars
Review of Resonance
Review by Katie Gallanti, www.cosmicessence.com
Once again, it has been a great pleasure to listen to Andrew Forrest’s new CD Resonance, Volume 1 of the Harmonics Trilogy. While I was listening I was thinking about how amazing all of Andrew’s compositions are and how surprising it is that his music is not better known, as every piece Andrew pens is a sophisticated classic, musically impeccable, full of depth, meaning and Soul.
I have been enamored with Andrew’s music from the first time I heard his CD ‘STARSEED’ and, fifteen years later, I find myself in love once again as I listen to this latest gem. There is a lightness of touch in the opening of ‘RESONANCE’ that brings to mind a magical clearing populated by fairies. It gradually deepens into more potent tones but without losing the enchantment, eventually expanding into the broad soundscapes that are the signature trait of Andrew’s work. It is here that the heart expands and we are propelled into the higher dimensions of Being, third eyes and crown chakras ablaze. If you are energy sensitive, it is literally hard to catch breath, as the energy transmission holds such high frequency. From this point onwards the music is a guide that opens doors to the higher worlds and magnificently paints with colored brushstrokes images of the infinite. Consciousness soars and our spirit merges with the One. And we become lost into the vibration of the transcendent, a journey in which all is found.
In many ways this CD could have been called ‘Reverence’, as this is the feeling it inspires…. the reverence experienced when in the presence of the pure essence of all. Imbued with love in every note, this is an album that will be enjoyed by all old souls nostalgic of the vibration of home, as we are lead, one note at a time, into the arms of ‘The All’.
Once again, outstanding.
Review of Essence
Review by Music Critic Bert Strolenberg, E-dition EM Magazine, Holland, November 2010
With “Essence”, New Zealand composer and visual artist Andrew Forrest brings us another chapter for “inner journeying to multi-dimensional realities” as he likes to call it . From the start, the subtle evolving and mesmerizing space music of “Essence” is evoking this grand out-there feel, masterfully presented in four seamlessly merged and overall graceful textural movements with arpeggiated sequences. Moreover, this highly immersive and celestial music takes you across the border where “Beyond the Beyond” (the closing piece of his previous album) left us, as attentive listeners may observe. The magical music is a voyage through space and time, smoothly taking every corner with its subtle weaving of delicate, abstract textures. Especially the impeccable sound design and the gentle flow through the different movements of “Essence” is impressive, culminating in the highlight “Part 4”.
All in all, “Essence” superbly complements Andrews previous journeys of cinematic ambient soundscapes of deep space. A must-have.
Rating: 4.5/5 stars
Review of Essence
Review by Katie Gallanti, www.cosmicessence.com
What a wonderful composition! Andrew’s music is such a delight and this last production is as usual flawless, beautiful, enchanting and breathtaking in its expansiveness. We enter the CD with a serene track with hints of space amongst ethereal harmonies, which immediately lifts us in one of the otherworldly spiritual soundscapes that we have become accustomed to hearing from this very talented artist. And as the sounds deepen, a feeling of awe takes hold that is with us throughout the whole album. At mid-CD I literally felt my heart burst forth with love and inspiration. The deep love that encompasses and views all. And the inspiration that comes from reconnecting to one’s Soul. I felt as if I were viewing the universe through the eyes of Source. The feeling of tangible connection to the spirit of the cosmos and its divine essence is palpable and deepens from track to track. Very uplifting, very inspiring, very heart centered and moving, this CD is a true gem.
“Sonic Soundscapes That Leave You Breathless!!” August 17, 2010
Review of Infinite Octaves
by Kristian Persson (Helsingborg, Sweden)
There are times in our life when we want to escape reality for a while, times when we simply have had enough of everyday stress in life. I had the latter not long ago, and was looking for something very spectacular, not to mention epic, in terms of space-music (I’m a die-hard space-music/new age fan myself)) so I stumbled across this masterpiece called ‘Infinite Octaves’ by Andrew Forrest while browsing CDBABY for new ambient/space music, and boy am I glad I did?!. This is exactly what I’ve been wanting, and have been looking for for “ages”.
The album is truly spectacular, both in terms of how immersive it is, and how it’s structured. Surely, most of us “space enthusiasts” knows about Jonn Serrie and hail him as the “King” of space-music, but Andrew Forrest must be getting very close, and certainly with this masterpiece!. I even think he surpasses some of Jonn’s better albums with this release. What you will get here is stunning beauty from start to finish. All tracks are floating in and out, creating a masterfully done sonic soundscape that breathes along in a magnificent way.
There are moments with some very deep-space sounding atmospheric sounds, just to change with long floating beautifully done sequencing. And speaking of beautiful sequencing. Listen to tracks such as ‘Through the Seventh Stargate’ and ‘Beyond the Beyond’ and you will be in for a treat.
It’s such a dreamlike album, and it will grab your attention from the very first track to the very last track (and second!) with it’s beautifully layered sequencing and a stunning cinematic soundscapes that leaves you breathless!.
I will, without a doubt, give this album a 5 star rating!. This is definitely Andrew Forrest at his best. Epic!!
Review of Infinite Octaves
Review by Katie Gallanti, www.cosmicessence.com
Infinite Octaves is a profound voyage through the depths of feeling and emotion. The last of Andrew’s Star System Trilogy and dedicated to the Pleiades, this is a very introspective album that stimulates reflection and a moving melancholy, that is however ultimately healing and uplifting in its essence. As I listened to the composition, I felt as if I were sitting on the edge of the river of life, observing past, present and future unfolding in time, with the benign compassion of a very high perspective.
I was once taught that higher dimensional love, the love of the higher realms, is a love that is detached, not as in uncaring, but as in able to observe and be and hold space, without adding the color of turbulent emotion. In this composition I felt the presence of such love, as I often do in Andrew’s work, as he always brings to the table not just notes and music, but a very high energy, with a tangible presence, a consciousness beyond space and time, which patiently loves, embraces and upholds.
Indeed this is the true gift of Andrew’s music. Aside from the precision of his musical talent, which is flawless and professional, placing his work in a completely different category from most new age music, he is truly a channel for something “other”. An other that one cannot but think of as belonging to the highest of dimensional realms. A pure consciousness that lives beyond the worlds and which touches and transforms. This higher dimensional presence is in all of Andrew’s work, but is particularly visible here and it’s an honor to be held in this space for the duration of this musical journey. Thank you Andrew for being the conduit to such perfection and healing. This album is an opening and an initiation. A true beauty to behold.
E-dition EM Magazine
Reviews by Music Critic Bert Strolenberg, Holland
Andrew Forrest – Infinite Octaves CD
Private Release, 2009
After a long hiatus of seven years, Andrew Forrest finally brings us the “final” chapter of his “Star- System Trilogy”, which is actually not the third but the first volume. “Infinite Octaves” is a stunning work of space music in the true sense, offering a free form, gentle and gracious ride through higher spheres and other realities. The four extended tracks evoke a truly spatial and dimensional-shift, as it glides peacefully and almost fluidly through the grand canyon of spaces with highly cinematic and uplifting effect. It’s warm and embracing, meant for deep listening and inner awareness as it caresses the mind and soul. These magical soundscapes with occasional sequencer patterns fit into the grand design of all things, evoking multi-coloured emotions and insights, keenly avoiding the new-age trap as the grand journey smoothly unfolds.
All in all, “Infinite Octaves” makes a sensational and truly magical album.
Bravo, Mr Forrest!
Bert Strolenberg
www.sonicimmersion.org
MY CHOICE: ANDREW FORREST ~ STARSEED
Rating: 4 stars
The music on Starseed is split in two long tracks, each of 30 minutes. “Interstellar Harmonics” is a delightful but grand space symphony offering lush floating and most of all heavenly sounding textures, which are both timeless and beautiful. Halfway starts a sequence accompanied by grand soundscapes. Sometimes the music is a bit reminiscent of Constance Demby, due to the use of heavenly choirs. The first ten minutes of the second track are excellent as well, but then this engaging atmosphere is replaced by some rather searching stuff, before all returns to the music of the beginning at the 18 minute mark. Starseed is a magnificent and excellently produced work of art. I strongly recommend it to all fans of space music.
MY CHOICE: ANDREW FORREST ~ ALPHA-OMEGA
Rating: 4 stars
Alpha-Omega is the final chapter of the Star-System trilogy, released in the year Andrew Forrest permanently moved to New Zealand. The album contains seven tracks making up 74 minutes of ethereal heavenly music. At times a bit reminiscent of the floating works of Michael Stearns, the music breaths a great sense of space and relaxation. “Lightyears” features a distinct use of sequences embedded in celestial atmospheres, sometimes balancing on the edge of New Age, while the second track merely contains choirs and isn’t that spacey to my ears. Great space textures and choirs lead the way on the third track before another highlight can be heard in the strong “Parallel Worlds”, which has a great celestial impact and synthesizer effects. “Dark Portal” sounds overall majestic with its nice flute additions, before we get to the title track of the album. This is without doubt the strongest track, with its deep space realms and uplifting soundscapes. The nice drifting “Heavenly Host” brings the album to a beautiful close. This album can definitely compete with its predecessor. Now we have to wait for the release on CD of the first part of the trilogy, “Infinite Octaves”.
VISION MAGAZINE USA, May 2003
Article written by Katie Gallanti, Editor
This month I would like to draw your attention to Andrew Forrest, an exceptional British artist and musician that is gaining greater and greater recognition in the international arena for both his art and his incredible music.
Andrew Forrest is, in the opinion of a growing number of enthusiastic fans, an artist that is bringing a unique contribution to the raising of the frequencies on planet Earth by introducing truly stunning metaphysical visual art and breathtakingly inspiring music.
Andrew is the author of numerous paintings as well as the composer of various CD’s that stand out amongst the current New Consciousness musical productions for their depth, scope, awe inducing quality and content. Andrew’s art is fantastic but his music is even more remarkable and outstanding. He is a true composer, a Mozart of the 21st century that takes metaphysical music to a whole new level. If you think I might be exaggerating, I recommend you listen to Andrew’s CD ‘Starseed’ or ‘Alpha ~ Omega’ and you will soon realize that my words have not succeeded in even scratching the surface in describing the beauty and expansiveness of Andrew’s music. The sweeping soundscapes, the humming of whales, the angelic-like choirs and the skillfully crafted buildup of atmospheres create a succession of moods and emotions that lead us into a journey beyond time and space, connecting us to the forgotten multi dimensional parts of our selves and to the subtle energies of the cosmic realms. Andrew’s CDs are not just music but journeys to the infinite and beyond.
Listening to Andrew’s music, we are transported to an energetic space of such refinement and splendor, so far from our ordinary consciousness, that yet succeeds in bringing us a feeling of returning home. Andrew’s music induces a homesickness, a longing of the Heart for a dimension of purity, of peace, of beauty that goes beyond words. Higher dimensions of existence that at some level of our being, we powerfully know and recognize. A vibration that is not of here, but yet, is familiar and true to our Soul.
Andrew’s music and art open portals through the dimensions and we are blessed with the gift of such a skillful and talented guide. Sometimes I feel that Andrew has captured the true essence of the Divine in musical form like no other musician of our time.
Vision Magazine – ALCHEMY CD Review – 2003
Katie Gallanti, Editor
Andrew Forrest’s long awaited new CD, his first release
since 1998, is finally available to the public. Picking up from where his last composition ‘Alpha~Omega’ left off, in the first track we find again the deep epic instrumental sound-scapes that lead the way on an inner journey into remote space and timelessness. But as we journey further into ‘Alchemy’ we find that the soul sweeping harmonics and trance-ambient movements so characteristic of Andrew’s work are intermittently blended with a new intimate and heart centred tone. We find the melodies of a traditional piano and the sounds of shamanic voices, earthly signatures amidst cosmic harmonies, creating the feeling of a true bridge between heaven and earth.
This is an alchemy of soul and heart, of cosmic and earthly, a sacred marriage that, bringing light into matter, transmutes ordinary consciousness into gold. As we are transported along waves of light, emotion and masterfully crafted music, we too are sucked into the current of this alchemical river of sound. A river from which we emerge transformed.
Andrew Forrest has yet again created a musical jewel that transcends words, an inspiring and truly beautiful work of the heart.
Vision Magazine – Alpha~Omega CD Review
Katie Gallanti, Editor
Alpha~Omega, created by Andrew Forrest, a reclusive English musician and painter of unique genius, is a composition that takes you on a journey to the infinite and beyond. Moody and emotional in tracks such as “In Search of Seraphim”, it soon explodes into melodies where the human voice becomes instrumental and communes with choirs of angels. Andrew Forrest has a gift that very few possess: the gift of an untainted mystical vision with an outstanding talent to match. Awe inspiring.
SOUND ON SOUND, International recording magazine
Review of ‘STARSEED’ by John Harris, 1998
Andrew’s CD album, Starseed, features two long compositions lasting nearly 30 minutes each! Where Andrew’s CD is head and shoulders above the rest is in its recording quality, which is generally excellent. The development of the compositions is also important, and Andrew avoids the pitfall of taking a single idea and running with it (or, in this case, floating with it) for 30 minutes. At the same time, the movement from one part of the arrangement to another in this type of contemplative music, must not jar – a smooth segue is what is required, and this he achieves with ease.
Sonically, the clarity in the high-frequency range is great, as revealed by the frequent bell and gong sounds – some real, some synthesised. I always had difficulty with my Casio DAT machine in the upper-mids, so I take my hat off to a man who can avoid these frequencies sounding just a touch harsh! Andrew’s skill at layering sounds is also well developed, with a soundscape rich in presence – the aforementioned bells, a mid-range occupied by expansive mellow string and voice chords, and the expected use of slow-attack sounds and burbling, echoed arpeggios and loops.
Drones play a large part in this kind of transcendental meditative music, but fortunately Andrew has avoided over-using them. Low-frequency synths tend to work well with a string arrangement, and their low, growling tones are treated with reverb, which shifts the sound effortlessly within the stereo image.
The mixing is faultless. I think my favourite piece is the second, which offers more light and shade by cutting to piano for part of the composition.
BACKROADS MUSIC
Lloyd Barde, USA music distributor
Years ago I was given a copy of this artist’s debut CD “Starseed”, and it remains a personal favourite. In the realm of the best works of Serrie, Parsons, Stearns and other visionary artists, this is timeless music of the highest quality. “Starseed” is a classic, best selling album.
Alpha Omega instils a sense of travel and ‘journey’ is the operative word, as this music is easily adaptable to shamanic journeys, inner exploration and cosmic escapism into traversing other dimensions. Seven tracks in all allow an awe-inspiring and occasionally ominous yet benign view of the other worlds portrayed in this celestial music.