Search - Danna & Clément :: North of Niagara

Life-Changing, Heartbreaking, Haunting Music !

Daniel R. Greenfield | Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States | 01/10/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"You ask how an album of mere music can change a person's life? Well, try this one. Sometime, during the summer, go on a journey, somewhere you have never been before, and take this album with you. You will come back transformed. This music will weave incredible magic into any journey, whether it is to the Bruce Trail or simply to the wild outback of your own home state. Heartbreaking, haunting, timeless music. Anyone who loves contemplative music will treasure this album. One of the greatest albums of "new serious music" from the 90's."

A masterpiece of reflective and wistful music

Bill Binkelman, Wind and Wire | Minneapolis, MN United States | 06/15/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"North of Niagara is easily one of the best somber and melancholic works of ambient music around. Mychael Danna and Tim Clement have combined forces once again and this time produced a work so sublime, so rich with emotional power, that it is near essential for any fan of new age or ambient music.The music itself combines the "feel" of acoustic music (thanks to piano and some other instruments) with the textures of ambient, since electronic keyboards as used as well. The results are tone poems that are sad, starkly beautiful and immensely compelling. The inspiration for the music comes from the "Bruce Trail" a very long hiking path through the Canadian forest "north of Niagara" (hence the title). One can easily feel transported (helped along by very discrete use of nature sounds on the CD) to the walking path in late summer or early fall. The mood of the music is grey and somber, so I usually picture the scene as mid to late autumn.Along with Tim Story's Beguiled and The Perfect Flaw (and Mychael Danna's own Skys), this is a near perfect recording for those days when melancholy strikes and you wish to pause and reflect. I cannot recommend it highly enough."

Beautiful northern exposure.

Laurent COUQUIAUD | Lagny, France | 06/11/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This CD is amazing! Truly Canadian in spirit and sounds, "North of Niagara" is of a sentimental value to me. When I listen to Canadian duo Mychael Danna and Tim Clément's keyboard melodies, I remember those romantic summer places like The Thousand Islands. Actually, the environmental sounds in "North of Niagara" remind me of earlier passages from "Summerland" (the first Danna/Clément collaboration in 1985). Most of all, "North of Niagara" is a very emotional recording, which explains why I often go back to it to soothe my mind. Minimalist yet profound in music fabric and melodic material, Mychael Danna and Tim Clément manage to blend suberb natural sounds (recorded along the Bruce Trail in Canada) with sublime keys of melancholy. The music in this album laps against your memories to reach the subconscious level of your mind with a rare emotion. From the searing nostalgia of "Remember Summer" to the ominous ascent of "Mount Nemo", the lapping waters of "Coote's Paradise", and the sentimental yearning of "Lookout Point", the diverse landscape of "North of Niagara" speaks to the heart. This is a must-have for your ambient music collection!"