AMG Review of Visionary: The Ultimate Narada Collection

Bradley Torreano
All Music Guide

David Arkenstone's career has been a long and unusual one. On one hand, he makes new age music that takes influence from composers like John Williams, Brian Eno, and Tangerine Dream. On the other hand, most of his songs are highly based in fantasy and science fiction, taking their inspiration from the works of Mercedes Lackey and J.R.R. Tolkien. It is this bizarre mishmash of influences that produces some of the most recognized and respected instrumentals of the '80s and '90s. The album is programmed quite nicely, taking the listener on a sonic journey through Arkenstone's career by attempting to capture certain moods and styles from song to song. The transitions are flawless, leaving the listener without any tracks to skip through or slow moments. Arkenstone's compositions are quite beautiful, moving slowly with lush keyboards, ringing guitar, sparse percussion, and the occasional lone female vocal haunting the background. While most composers of this kind tend to overindulge or make music so ambient that it loses the listener, Arkenstone makes music that is subtly engaging. The strong melodies and gorgeous flourishes are hidden right below the surface, so it is easy to both actively listen to his music and zone out to it. Either way, this collection is a beautiful representation of a career that has lasted for years based on strong, influential new age music.