Album Review: Imaginary Trains from Michael Whalen

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Album:  Imaginary Trains
Artist: Michael Whalen
Label:  MWM/Spout label through Six Degrees Distribution/INgrooves/UMG
Website:  www.michaelwhalen.com

Imaginary Trains, the latest CD from keyboardist Michael Whalen is a diverse compilation of evolving soundscapes and ambient passages.  From the Hot Chip's-like sci-fi sebrings of "Against the Sky" to the smooth ruminating phrases of "Across the World To Be With You" featuring vocalist Ricky Kej, Whalen's melodic sequences create imaginary vistas that delight the mind and stimulate the aural senses.

The tranquilizing soundwaves of "My Immortal Beloved" attribute human-like traits to digitally composed music, producing roving waves that crest and slope.  The music gives the illusion of traveling, evolving from one melodic pattern to the next while continually engaging the listener. Gently lit flickers are sprinkled along "The Wayward Sun" froth in fomenting rattles and fizzles, creating an ethereal realm formed by an orchestra of celestial bodies. The music does not challenge the mind but rather fascinates and stimulates the cerebral function of the listener.

Whalen's brand of electronic music stirs and enthralls audiences.   His influences include:  Vangelis, Tangerine Dream, Keith Emerson (ELP), Mike Oldfield, Larry Fast/Synergy, Mark Isham, Kraftwerk, as well as many others.  Michael Whalen’s unique blend of programmed melodies and innovative sound creations delight the mind, finding something new about the music with each listen.

Musicians:
Michael Whalen - keyboards and synthesizers

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