Home New Age Music Carmen Rubino – Aquarian Dream Review

Carmen Rubino – Aquarian Dream Review

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aquarian-dream

Most people dream about going on a big adventure. We want to travel far away and experience something totally different. But for most people it will never happen because we cannot find the time, money or courage to go on such a big expedition. But luckily there are books, movies and music that remind us of what a true adventure is. Carmen Rubino’s Aquarian Dream is an epic music album with references both to the Antiquity and the Renaissance. Simply by listening we are transported to a faraway world, where there are adventures and mystical places to be found. It is dream journey you don’t want to miss.

Carmen Rubino is born and raised in Buffalo, New York. He played in the prog-rock band called EKTRA (Eternity Keeps Time Reaching After). The band played at bars, restaurants and jazz clubs throughout Western New York State, and made several recordings. Carmen has also performed solo. Aquarian Dream is his New Age music debut album.

Beautiful Melodies
Aquarian Dream is like a collection of stories. Some are long – up to 13,5 minutes – and some are shorter, only 2-3 minutes long. The first song is the 13 minutes long Transcendence/Infinite Hearts Desire. The song is almost like an album within the album. It has a wonderful build-up and it is a great introduction to Carmen Rubino’s style. The strings, piano and flute sound great. The arrangement is very well done, and fans of analogue synths will feel right at home. Note that  “Transcendence (3:19)” and “Infinite Hearts Desire (9:54)” are two separate tracks on the CD (although they play as one).

Next song is Tears of Joy. It is a breathtakingly beautiful melody, and it could have been the soundtrack to a happy movie scene. The 2 minutes and 29 seconds is over before you know it. Spirit of Our Reflection is a more thoughtful and contemplative track. The song has true poetical qualities and it makes you think; how would the spirit of our reflections be like? I have no answer here, of course, but it is a fascinating song.

Perfect Harmony
carmen-rubinoCarmen Rubino is, according to himself, inspired by Yanni and Secret Garden. But I think the style on Aquarian Dream is closer to Cusco or Clifford White. Rubino is just as much a storyteller as a musician. Here I must mention the beautiful cover artwork. The waterfall and the Aquarius statue are of course the moat important. But the mystical sunset and the dark sky with the moon and stars are also vital elements. Gazing at the sky, humans have for thousands of years tried to answer the great questions in life. Aquarian Dream’s atmosphere is all about this never-ending quest to find answers – wherever they might be.

The mood gets a bit lighter with the song Perfect Harmony. It is elegant as an antique statue. Christmas Wish has a warm and loving atmosphere; this is indeed a Christmas wish that will come true. The focus on harmony continues with the beautiful In Our Place. It is a heartwarming song, and you feel that this is a place that you very much would like to stay.

Carmen Rubino is a fantastic piano player, which the neo classical How I love You is a proof of. It has quite an intricate melody. It reminds me of Debussy with a modern twist. The track Father takes us even further back in time, showing that Rubino is inspired by Bach and other masters of the Baroque period. The 12 minutes long song has wonderful segments of both piano, flute and horn. It is a wonderful song, perfect for relaxation or dreaming.

Sweet Angel Return has the colors and light of an archangel; The gentle synth sounds absolutely divine. Sacred Vows is a bit darker and slower, with some distant birdsong. The album ends with the 13 minutes long title song, which is a worthy conclusion of the album. Even Vangelis would have been happy if he had created that melody.

In conclusion; No day feels gray and insignificant while listening to Carmen Rubino’s Aquarian Dream. This is music for the imagination and the soul. It is both incredibly relaxing and highly inspiring. If you want to go on a dream voyage of epic proportions, you’ll get no better offer than this.

94/100 – See how I rate music here

Visit Carmen Rubino’s homepage.

Play the album on:

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