Deborah Martin & Cheryl Gallagher: Tibet (20th Anniversary Remaster)
Nov 24 2024
What comes to mind when you think of Tibet? The seat of Buddhism? The true home of the Dalai Lama? The occupation and annexation of the People's Republic of China? Mount Everest? The highest region in the world (with an average elevation of 14,000 feet)? All of these are true but Tibet has always has a mystical aura that is not easily defined. While many know of its remote location, few will ever get to visit Tibet so travel videos may have to suffice, but even they cannot convey the real atmosphere of being there. This work by Deborah Martin and Cheryl Gallagher does much to bring into fruition the mystique that has entranced explorers and hardy international travelers about Tibet over many years.
Twenty years ago Martin and Gallagher released 'Tibet' to rave reviews (except for one idiot on Amazon) but technology has changed much over the years so a remaster was necessary for this groundbreaking album. The album was completely remastered and remixed for Dolby Atmos and spatial audio, finally presenting the work as it was originally envisioned- a total immersive experience of being in a land above the clouds. To truly recapture the essence of this project, Atmos mix engineer Todd Boston had to painstakingly reconstruct each track, hand percussion, shakers, drums bowls, harp, synth elements, live recordings, atmospherics, and remix the work for Atmos immersive space. Although I have never heard the 2004 original, the resulting experience is an amazing sonic portrayal of the feeling of being present in this tumultuous land at an auspicious moment in time.
Throughout the 8 simply titled tracks ("Palace," "Glacier," "Morning in Tibet," "Essence," "Seeker and Sought," "Leaving Shigatse," "Eklabati," "Procession") There is drama, majesty, pathos, mystery, plenty of atmosphere, and of course, a deeply visceral spiritual experience. Most of all though, this is an AMBIENT work, in the sense that it differs from a soundtrack by not having well-defined melodic themes, and/or a particular story program. If you can appreciate the impressionistic scheme that Martin and Gallagher convey, you will absolutely love this. As for sonic quality, - absolutely superb, never better, and the final track is absolutely mind-blowing.
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