There’s no useless meandering here, and again, it is all about creating spaces that can recreate a vast, cinematic whole that puts meaning both into country and ambient at the same time.

It is quite interesting that something so easy on the ears turns out to be something of an exception among piano-driven albums.

Bognár was able to retain the authenticity of those original sketches by adding high-quality personal musical elements that still have retained its original impact.

Yet, all that music that inspired Rob & Ellen to pick up their instruments and microphones is heard through their own ears, giving it a personal, and at the same time, new and fresh outlook.

Yes, it is an experimental album all the way, but experimental with a sense of purpose, making it music with substance.

They have done a great job, not missing an original musical thread and giving it the exact shine and lustre that fits into what the new century had to offer.

In the case of Magic Castles, with their new album, they actually do introduce that magic element that they saw fit to include in the band’s name.

And while Sun Raven’s genre-hopping could sound a bit complex on paper, Stephen Murray, its creator, makes it sound as if these sounds were always bound to be together.

Vargkvint might have put a tough goal in front of herself for this album, but she comes through this task with flying colours.

It is more of an acoustic take of the original, full of the electronic side of trip hop, and if it was out of  Kiiōtō’s comfort zone, maybe they should stay out of it for a while.

This ‘Arizona’ might not be full of sand, but it is these seemingly small grains of music that make it sound quite big, actually.

It seems that Conic Rose has further perfected their craft of bringing some fresh air to current modern jazz trends.

It turns out that on ‘Time Out of Mind, ’ Pritchard composed a detailed summary of what trip hop was (and still is) all about.

Sabel and Vildgren wrap it all up in some gentle and subtly complex songwriting that makes it all sound like it is worth the effort of turning it all into music, as well as keeping that search for the right path going.

By using the combination of acoustic (‘regular’) instrumentation and electronics Jarboe is attempting to make a connection between all that is visible, obvious and invisible, mystic in the natural world.

Seretan & Thayer were able to make a seemingly complicated concept sound as easy and natural as their “machine in the garden” should sound. Their sunbeam sounds quite natural indeed.

Viggen notes that booking agents often have a problem deciding which venues to give her- classical, jazz or post rock – but her listeners shouldn’t or wouldn’t care because it makes all the sense musically.

Jetzer’s music turns out to be a well-crafted, ambient combination of jazz, krautrock, and world music that sometimes can veer into the dreaded new age territory, but never touches it here.

Affini’s artistic background definitely played an important part in creating an important part in making ‘Rust’ work, coupled with the fact that Affini made a wise decision to keep these pieces relatively short and as realistic as possible.

It is that old (and always exciting) psych sound that India Tigers in Texas have brought to these current times.

The result is well-thought-out and simultaneously loose and tight acid jazz with late-night soul embellishments that work at any point in time you play this album.