INSIDE...MUSICAL STARSTREAMS

Welcome to our monthly column where we share impressions and uniquely evocative (meaning they will hopefully "touch you" in a special way) recordings, worth seeking out and sampling.

Could the festive holiday season be upon us already? We have much to be thankful for in the way of music this year, including these three albums. All are highly recommended and receiving heavy radio airplay on our nationally syndicated radio program, Musical Starstreams.

Northern California-based Barbara Borden is back with another superb exploration of percussive boundaries. If drums and percussion are your thing, then this is your album. Forty acoustic drums and percussion instruments interweave passionate rhythms with a delicate touch. The flavor is worldly, the mood is energetic but the album is never overpowering. The opening track, "And the Trees," is especially good while "Bye-Bye" takes the listener to the shores of Bali or some similar South Sea island. Beauty in the Beat is a strong, more mature follow-up to Barbara's equally exotic collaboration with partner Sheila Glover, Lady of the Serpent Skirt. Both titles are part of the adventuresome, growing Cloud 9 Music catalog.

From the rural pocket of Somerset, England come Mark Pritchard and Tom Middleton, aka Global Communication. Remotion can only be described as another masterpiece of electronic outposts that follow closely in the vapor trails of their critically acclaimed 1994 release: 76:14. The seven tracks here are remixes of some interesting pieces of music and pretty much unrecognizable in their regular forms after having been given the Global Communication touch. The album contains pieces of original work from Jon Anderson, Chapterhouse, Warp 69, Reload, The Grid and Nav Katze. Global Communication's style again follows the influences of Philip Glass, Brian Eno and other minimal, electronic music-as-art composers and performers. This is brilliant, especially the remix of "Rollercoaster" from The Grid. Highly recommended and a strong candidate for one of 1996's top twenty albums!

Although not a new album, this previous German release is now available domestically for the first time through the label's new Tucson offices. Kamal has created an extremely soothing soundtrack recording designed to accompany the purple and golden hued sunsets of dusk. The flavor here is very reminiscent of Morgan Fisher's brilliant Echoes of Lennon, where he slowed down the notes of John Lennon's music to their most relaxing frequencies. Here Kamal creates a similar presentation with his own original music. For those in search of dreamy, peaceful, relaxing soundscapes, The Quiet Earth - Dusk is what you seek. Enjoy the evening.

Please always remember that ultimately what constitutes "good" music involves the personal taste of each of us. If we direct you to an album that you didn't know existed and you end up enjoying it, then we both feel a sense of accomplishment. As always, your input is welcome; feel free to write in care of this publication.

FOREST is the producer and host of the nationally syndicated weekly radio program, MUSICAL STARSTREAMS and can be reached at PO Box 1409, Mill Valley, CA 94942. E-mail: forest@well.com. Musicians or labels wishing to send material for review or airplay are advised that because of the huge volume already received, only compact disc releases will be considered.