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Credits:
Compiled by
Brad Pressman
Mastered by
Chas Ferry
Mastering Assistant:
Roy Scoutz
Design by
Doerte Lau and Andreas Adamec
Reviews:
Elevation 2 touts itself as "the second in the definitive collection of world-rhythmic and trance-ambient artists that
are available today." The 15-track CD more than lives up to this assertion, providing a relaxing mix of beautifully
orchestrated songs, each with its own clever hook. While most tracks follow the same formula of combining
steady rhythms with layers of synthesized melodies and chords, a few in particular stand out: Aria's hypnotic
"Secret Tear," Vanesa Dadu's jazz-inflected "Near the Black Forest," Ascension's pop-like "Beauty in All Things,"
and Mythos' funky "June." Other tracks -- including Patrick O'Hearn's "Trust" and John Serrie's "Lovers in
Motion" -- nicely break up the mix by leaning more toward the ambient. Only one track seems out of place --
Cusco's dark "Djebel at Tarik" in which the rhythm plays merely as a backdrop tothe haunting, ancient-sounding
vocals.
While the album provides a wonderful mix of music, the CD insert gives little information about the artists and fails
to cite the languages in which the non-English vocal tracks are sung. This is an unfortunate oversight for such a
beautiful collection of music that can easily serve as a sampler for listeners new to the genre.
Regis D'Angiolini
CDNow
August 1999
The Best New Age Compilation Since Pure Moods. There are only four CDs that have ever made me feel like I had
truly taken a journey to another place. The Enigma Trilogy compromises the first three, this is the fourth.
Not even Pure Moods made me feel as if I had left the real world and found someplace new, strange, exciting,
and radically different. This is unquestionably one of the best New Age compilations ever, even topping its
predecessor, Elevation.
Elevation 2 cannot be dismissed by any serious fan of wonderful music.
Amazon.com
August 1999
Elevation 2 is a collection of the most varied compositions, released by several different studios. They are united
by one thing: this is the music, close to New Age, which is very popular at present. Having collected the
compositions this way, the compilers almost have achieved the opposite effect: hits, but smoothed and
absolutely not original works are good as a calm background. They are not good for inner elevation, which
is stated in the album title. Those are the compositions from which do not say much about New Age music and
which have very distant relationship to the music of the Human Spirit and spiritual search (this is how I would
define New Age music).
Still, I have used the word almost , and I will explain why. The collection contains a pair of compositions, which
while listening to one can not notice a weak pseudo-trance of Enigma or erotic-added, sugary-sikly sweet garnish
from B-Tribe. Firstly, this is “Secret Tear” performed by Aria. Magical, charming music by Aria; a divine woman's
vocal in which you can just enjoy it and feel yourself filling with unexpressable beauty coming from this voice. And
also the Elevation 2 contains composition “Lovers In Motion” performed by Jonn Serrie. It was a very big and
pleasant surprise for me that the music of this remarkable appeared in the compilation. When you listen to the
music by Serrie, you understand that he is here and by means of his music he communicates with you, and he
needs yourself... all the rest is just modern means of realization, which has not became a self-goal, as for
example, the music of Patrick OHearn in the composition “Trust.” Serrie is presenting in his music. He and his
presence is so light and pleasant! How wonderful!
My summary will be following: You can use Elevation 2 as good background music, but do not think that you're
listening to New Age and do not judge this music on this very album. The best thing is, that Elevation 2 will be
your introduction to this deep and beautiful new music. Maybe after listening to this album, you will want to hear
music by Mars Lasar, Nicholas and Cheryl Gunn, Cristopher Franke, and many other remarkable musicians, also
released by Earthtone Records.
Serge Kozlovsky
Muzykalnaja Gazeta - Republic of Belarus
August 20, 1999
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