LIGHTHOUSE (E)

Gerald Krampl, the former keyboardist and composer of Kyrie Eleison and Indigo from Vienna (Austria), has been educated in classical piano and music theory. Active as a band member in the seventies and eighties, Krampl continued his activities until 1993. Then he took a break from music to focus on Reiki; he earned himself a master degree. In 1999 he started Agnus Dei, a new musical project with his wife, but unfortunately she passed away and so several albums have been released after her death in 2002. This instrumental keyboard album Lighthouse is the successor to Innocent Wasteland (2009). It's a mixture of neo-classical, new age, ambient and minimalistic music. In twelve original compositions Krampl comes up with amazing melodies, subtle turns and beautiful arrangements. He combines his craftsmanship on the grand piano with his abilities to play synths as well as his capabilities to arrange and produce. The result is an extremely nice, easy listening album full of emotions. The albums start off with a classical tune on the grand piano with some string arrangements as well as a synth sounding like a violin playing the lead melody. Tomorrow, Come What May is a lovely tune featuring the grand piano as well. Subtle string arrangements again but the melodies are more in the vein of gentle pop music, like the most elegant ballad you could imagine, superb and yet plain and simple. Enriched by the sounds of the ocean, the piano is to accompany 'string' instruments in the next track Distant Shorelines, also a very nice, poppy tune with some classical touches. Better Days as well as Cloudburst are mainly piano pieces that could have been found on one of the illustrious piano albums on the Private Music label in 1985 or 1990. Piano accompanies several 'strings' in Timeless Heart, a track I would categorize in the same New Age section as Distant Shorelines although in Timeless Heart there is a nice classical interlude. In Walking The Last Mile you can feel the burden on the shoulder of the pedestrian having to walk this last mile: a mellow somewhat sad atmosphere in which piano and subtle strings can be heard. Lots of strings and synths in Voices Unheard, some influences of Jean Michel Jarre here within the melodic electronic music Dance Of The Innocent is a pretty waltz featuring piano and some strings again. Beautiful harmonies in Thoughts Of Before in which Krampl undoubtedly reflected on the many joyful as well as some sad events in his life and in the same vein is the next track Nightpearls: piano, 'cello' and some synths. The last track The Guiding Light is a beacon for the listeners: relaxation but leaving them behind with a positive feeling.

Undoubtedly not extremely difficult to play once you have the notes before you but surely not quite so simple to compose to say the least. Gerald Krampl has created a masterpiece in this genre and this album will appeal to most fans of both New Age and electronic music.