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The Sounding Board by R J Lannan |
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RJ Lannan is the reviewer for The Sounding Board. |
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| As We Imagine |
| By Lisa Pressman |
| Label: Opus Fromus |
| Released 5/7/2019 |
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| As We Imagine tracks |
1. As We Imagine 
2. Amber Waves
3. Atmosphere of Love
4. Far Away Dreams
5. Sea of Tranquility
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6. Still Small Voice
7. Voyage Home
8. Sheltering Wings
9. Hidden Treasure
10. At First Light
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As We Imagine |
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Lisa Pressman
As We Imagine
It has been a while since keyboardist and composer Lisa Pressman released a new album, but As We Imagine was well worth the wait. She has gifted us with ten light, dynamic ambient tunes that power those flights of fancy that we need and crave. Lisa has a deft touch with keyboards, piano, and voice on this foray into the land of daydreams and electronic fantasies. Joining her on the album is her longtime partner, Tim Ponzek on synthesizers and contributing to the orchestral blandishments on the album. Let us ascend.
As We Imagine is the first tune. Lisa keeps everything light, unified, and uplifting. We can totally relax and immerse ourselves in the music. The gentle, transparent piano score allows us to ponder the what ifs and the maybes that elude us all the time. Atmosphere of Love became a favorite tune on As We Imagine. Every time I played the album, and it was quite a few times, this particular song pulled me into its flowing, intoxicating melody. The addition of a graceful chorus gave the tune a seraphic feel. We are light. We are free. We are above. We are one.
Lisa’s Sea of Tranquility is not filled with endless oceans of salty water. It is filled with stars. As we drift along with the music, we can touch some of them. We can wish on some of them. And we can become one of them. All of this astral power was locked up and then the music gave us entry. Is that sea of stars somewhere high in the heavens or is it closer? Much closer. Perhaps it is inside us. Every star is a thought, a memory, or a wish.
In some ways we never left our armchair, but we made a fantastic journey and we returned. Pressman’s Voyage Home is a sublime piano refrain with a touch of sadness. It may be the ache of nostalgia at leaving a place that gave us succor and strength. The silver lining however, was that you could feel with each passing moment, that there was more light on which to draw upon. Sheltering Wings. It is a memorable piece of music that I shall never forget. It has piano, bass, and voice and is an uncomplicated tune, but the melody is evocative and quite beautiful. I never tired of hearing Lisa’s bittersweet rendering. To me the music says the challenge is to rise above. The hard part is doing it on your own.
A bit of warbling atmospheric sensibilities opens Hidden Treasure as we discover something new and exciting. There is a brightness to the music. A quirky discovery that takes us on an imaginary adventure. The gold is found not at the end of a rainbow, but perhaps within ourselves. Let’s keep looking until we find it. The final tune is called At First Light. A little ironic that I write this as the sun ascends into the Smoky Mountain sky. A pale pink at first, then a warm, golden glow. What every new day affords me is an opportunity to start fresh and it comes every single day of my life. I’m taking that opportunity to start something new, something challenging, perhaps, something I’ve never done before. For that is the inspiration of Lisa Pressman’s music. I highly recommend this lighthearted album for its vibrant tones and contemplative qualities. The music has many hues that include energizing, calming, playful, and peaceful. It is wonderful to hear Lisa Pressman’s new music and perhaps, she will not wait so long to endow us again. – R J Lannan, Artisan Music Reviews
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Rating: Excellent  |
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- reviewed by R J Lannan on 9/24/2019 |
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