Steve Roach - The Sky Opens (CD)

Release Date: 02/21/20

Magnificent, majestic and voluminous truly describes this expansive ambient/electronic live experience.

Magnificent, majestic and voluminous truly describes the expansive sonic experience spanning this 140-minute 2-CD set.The Sky Opensrepresents a sublime moment in the evolution of Steve’s 40-year history within the ambient/electronic genre. His sound manifests through an artistic process of real-time engaged interaction where his vision is channeled through a blend of technology, composition and improvisation all captured in the moment of creation. This transpires for Steve in the studio as well as in live settings where mostly hardware instruments bring his studio environment to the stage.

This album takes a unique approach to documenting live electronic music; the listener is fully immersed in an acoustic expanse that completely embraces the soundscape.The Sky Openspresents his 2019 Ambient Church concert in its entirety experienced within the warm, reverberant sanctuary of the 95-year-old First United Methodist Church of Pasadena, California. Microphones placed throughout the church captured the emotional, breathing dynamic of the music combined with the acoustic influence of the 1200-capacity audience in attendance. Blending this with Steve’s live console mix, the album balances the magnificent natural ambience with subtle fine-tuned detail.

Along with a disc’s worth of all-new material,The Sky Opens includes the first-time live expression of the seminal minimalist-ambient “Structures from Silence” performed on the classic Oberheim OB-8. As the set evolves, five live tracks from Steve’s epic ethno-atmospheric landmark Dreamtime Returnare elevated to a new level by the influence of the sacred sonic space and mesmerized audience.

The Sky Opens is a pinnacle moment reaching towards places beyond. Ultimately the pure emotion, passion and vision of Steve’s work is elegantly brought forth in this dynamic performance; The Sky Opensindeed.

2CD in 6-panel digipak. Limited edition of 1000.