Light & Shade

Infobox Album | Name = Light + Shade
Type = Double Album
Artist = Mike Oldfield


Released = start date|2005|09|26|df=yes
Recorded = 2004-5, Buckinghamshire
Genre = Trance
Length = 82:01
Label = Mercury
Producer = Mike Oldfield
Reviews =
Last album = "Tubular Bells 2003"
(2003)
This album = "Light + Shade"
(2005)
Next album = "Music of the Spheres"
(2008)
Misc = Extra album cover 2
Upper caption = Alternate Shade cover art
Type = Double Album


Lower caption =

"Light + Shade" is a two-disc album written and mostly performed by Mike Oldfield. It is the first album to be released by Oldfield following his signing with Mercury Records. The album was released on 26 September 2005 (See 2005 in music). Some of the music on these CDs was originally released (with alternate mixes) on the soundtracks to his virtual reality games, "Tr3s Lunas" and "Maestro".

Album analysis

The album offers two genres of music for two different moods, Oldfield created this division by creating two CDs of music. The first nine tracks are dubbed "Light" and feature brighter and quiet pieces; the second half of the album is the "Shade" portion and brings in a much darker feel.

On his official website Oldfield reported that besides the standard version of the album, a 5.1 surround mix of the album has been produced as well. However as of January 2008 only "Tubular Bells 2003" had been released in full 5.1 surround. In addition, four tracks from "Light + Shade" were made available in the U-MYX format for fans to mix themselves.

Oldfield's attraction to vocal modification surfaced again, this time in the form of Vocaloid, a virtual vocal software package. One of the Vocaloid tracks, "Surfing" was meant to be the albums first single, according to zm.nu [ [http://zm.nu/detalle.php?base=zmnews&lay=cgi&form=detalle&tok4=notici&tok5=Noticias&id=12426 Mike Oldfield regresa con “Light + Shade”] , August 19, 2005, "Zona Musical" sp icon] .

The tracks "First Steps" and "Ringscape" were arranged by Robyn Smith. Christopher von Deylen makes a guest appearance on "Nightshade". Oldfield repaid the favor by playing guitar on "Morgentau", a track from the "Tag Und Nacht" album for von Deylen's band Schiller.

"Quicksilver" is another name for the metal Mercury, which is also the name of the record label which he is currently with. On Oldfield's next album, he repeats this trick, with a track title "Musica Universalis" which when translated is Universal MusicFact|date=July 2007.

Track listing

"Light"

# "Angelique" – 4:40
# "Blackbird" – 4:39
# "The Gate" – 4:14
# "First Steps" – 10:02
# "Closer" – 2:51
# "Our Father" – 6:50
# "Rocky" – 3:19
# "Sunset" – 4:47
# "Près de Toi" (Bonus track)

"Shade"

# "Quicksilver" – 5:55
# "Resolution" – 4:33
# "Slipstream" – 5:15
# "Surfing" – 5:36
# "Tears of an Angel" – 5:38
# "Romance" – 4:00
# "Ringscape" – 4:22
# "Nightshade" – 5:11
# "Lakme (Fruity Loops)" (Bonus track)
# "Cook's Tune" (Bonus track)

U-MYX CD-ROM tracks

* "Quicksilver" (U-MYX version)
* "Our Father" (U-MYX version)
* "Slipstream" (U-MYX version)
* "Angelique" (U-MYX version)

Equipment list

Guitars

* Fender Strat (pink) 1963
* Paul Reed Smith Signature 1990
* Ramirez Classical 1974
* Fender Precision Bass 1964

Piano

* Steinway Grand 1928

Keyboards

* Roland
* Yamaha

Computers

* Mac G5 (Logic 7)
* PC (Windows XP Pro with FL Studio)

Software plugins

* Glaresoft: iDrum
* Linplug: Albino 2
* Native Instruments: Absynth 3 / Altered States / FM7 / Morphology / Reaktor / Sounds of Polynesia / Wired
* reFX: Vanguard
* Spectrasonics: Atmosphere / Stylus RMX
* Steinberg: Groove Agent / Hypersonic / Kantos / Slayer / XPhrase
* Virtual Vocalist Software: Vocaloid / Cantor

References

External links

* [http://mikeoldfield.com/flash/light&shade.html Mike Oldfield's track-by-track breakdown of his new album] Dead link|date=April 2008
* [http://www.mikeoldfieldlightandshade.com/ The official Light & Shade website] Dead link|date=April 2008
* [http://tubular.net/discography/LightAndShade.shtml Mike Oldfield Discography - "Light + Shade"] at Tubular.net
* Logo rendered by [http://kebawe.com/wallpapers/oldfield/wallpapers.shtml Hans Claesson]