- Planetary Unfolding
Planetary Unfolding is an album of electronic
ambient music by the American musicianMichael Stearns .Infobox Album
Name = Planetary Unfolding
Type = studio
Artist =Michael Stearns
Released = 1981
Recorded = 1981
Genre = Ambient
Length = 52 min
Label = Continuum Montage (1981), Sonic Atmospheres (1985)
Producer =
Reviews =
Last album =Morning Jewel (1979)
This album = Planetary Unfolding (1981)
Next album = Light Play (1983)Michael Stearns became a resident composer musician at Emily Conrad's meditation classes in 1975. He composed and performed at first on a
Minimoog and various electro-acoustic instruments. In 1979, he was introduced to the Serge modular synthesizer byKevin Braheny , who owned a 15-panels system (dubbed "The Mighty Serge"), which he used onMorning Jewel . He then build his own 12-panels Serge. On this one, as he already did with Braheny's system, he performed electronic music with a strong feeling of space."Planetary Unfolding" was recorded around 1981, when Michael left Conrad's Continuum Studio. Musical ideas that Michael performed on the Serge the previous years were put together and developed and gave birth to this 52 minute piece of music, with two parts each cut in three tracks.
The album was given a first release under Michael Stearns' own label, "Continuum Montage", in 1981. It was reissued on CD in 1985 by "Sonic Atmospheres", and seem to be now unavailable, as it wasn't since reissued on Stearns's new label.
It is considered a classic of ambient. [cite web|url=http://www.echoes.org/Beyond-Ambient25.html|title=25 Influential Ambient CDs|publisher=Jeff Towne and Peter Manzi|date=
2002 |accessdate=2007-02-20] [cite web|url=http://www.starsend.org/25albums.html|title=25 Significant STAR'S END Albums|publisher=unknown (Star's End website)|date=2001 |accessdate=2007-02-20] .Track listing
#"In the Beginning..."
#"Toto, I've a Feeling We're Not in Kansas Anymore!"
#"Wherever Two or More Are Gathered"
#Life in the Gravity Well
#As the Earth Kissed the Moon
#"Something's Moving"References
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