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Jon Durant Parting Is Review by Gary Hill I see this listed as "new age music." I'm not sure that's even still a thing. Beyond that, this reaches too far into the rock vein at a couple times to qualify as far as I'm concerned. That said, it's probably not actually progressive rock, either, but it does have more in common with electronic instrumental prog than just about any other genre. This is slow moving and sedate. It's more about textures and moods than about any kind of rocking or song structure. That said, there are some particularly inspired melodic elements that show up here and there. This review is available in book format (hardcover and paperback) in Music Street Journal: 2018 Volume 2 at garyhillauthor.com/Music-Street-Journal-2018.

Track by Track Review

Clouds in Advance Rising up gradually, this is mellow and quite trippy. It reminds me a lot of something you might hear from Synergy or Tangerine Dream. There is an echoey sort of element to it.

Open Window This comes in tentatively. It slowly builds with more of that echoey kind of electronic texture. In some ways this reminds me of early Pink Floyd, too.

Travels Within Mellow, trippy electronic textures are at the heart of this piece. After the minute and a half mark some electric guitar rises up to move it forward. Still, this is slowly moving, mellow music. There are some intriguing guitar melodies that ensue as this evolves.

The Room Where She Waits There is more of a mellow fusion texture to this slow moving piece. The guitar really drives the melodic impetus of this number. There are some cool tones and textures built into it.

Before the Rain Falls Trippy atmospherics start this in some rather creepy ways. This is an extensive piece that works through a good deal of territory over the course of more than nine minutes.

Evolve in Place I love the expressive guitar work on this mellow piece of music.

Ecliptic Shadows This paints some intriguing pictures with its melodies and slow moving textures.

Returning to the Departure This feels a bit more electronic and almost symphonic. There is a movie soundtrack element to the mood and the tone. It gets tome rather rocking guitar later. While it's not quite what you would call full on rock, the distorted texture and cool riffs makes me think of David Gilmour quite a bit.

Willamette Fog Electronic atmospherics open this and build outward. There are some intriguing textures and sounds here. Some of this resembles something alive, but feels artificial at the same time. This does really feel a lot like fog.

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