ESP Project – Silver Waves ~ Astral Dreams

Feelings of weariness and fatigue invariably descend on us all. The relentless grind of daily life, the struggle to make ends meet, the constant battle with its seeming injustices, inherent unfairness and bitter disappointments leaves us physically drained and emotionally exhausted. On all sides, we are buffeted by cynical and, at times, toxic winds which sap all sense of hope, leaving us in a state of tired, joyless resignation. Deep down there is an ache, pervading and consuming, at the heart of everything we are and all that we do. ‘Soul weariness’, if you like.

“Thank God, thank God for music” sang Ringo Starr. Enter Silver Waves ~ Astral Dreams, the ninth ESP Project studio album written and performed by Tony Lowe in collaboration with singer and songwriter Louise Browne. What a stunning album it is, too. Ravishing melodies recline on the most sumptuous, gorgeous soundscapes and the siren call of the music captivates, caresses, seduces and enchants, lifting you up above the drudgery and mundanity of the present. It whispers in your ear: ‘it doesn’t have to be like this’. And then, across 8 tracks and just under sixty minutes, it takes you by the hand and shows you why.

The powerful allure of this magical recording certainly originates in the attention-grabbing freshness and joyful positivity of the luscious atmospheres it exudes. But this is no mere tonic to release the stresses of a bad day at the office, no quick-and-easy musical palette cleanser before embracing something more creatively satisfying to fill one’s time before bed. This is an album which extends the warm, comforting and enthralling embrace of complete and utter immersion.

*Shine Ambient Mix video

From the swirling eddies of guitar notes and whispering keyboard currents, the lightness of a sweet and silvery voice emerges…

Every pulse becomes a sound
And every sound becomes a note
Every note becomes a word
And every word becomes a prayer
Stop the hurting
Stop the fighting
Feed the peaceIt doesn’t have to be like this, the murkiness of the everyday. Listen. Every pulse, every heartbeat, is a note. Listen again; every note becomes a word, becomes something bigger than ourselves, more significant than the moment, pouring itself into the world. We are more than this. We are not alone. Together, we can be glorious symphonies; when we stand with each other, music throbs, music dances at the very heart of life itself, erupting uncontrollably into something beautiful, something contagious, something to be savoured and enjoyed.

So, let the message spread
and let the light ignite
Together we can change
Together we can fight
With every act of kindness
with every hand we lend
We’ll build a future where
Love will never endLouise Browne’s enchanting voice beguiles, envelops and thrills you with all the assuring warmth and welcome of a hug from a dearly loved friend. In the thrill of its enfolding arms, it reminds you of what it feels like to be secure and to be at peace. It teases you with all the tantalising delights of discovering happy connections with others. Above all, it delivers the one thing we so easily forget: the simple innocence of enjoyment, a luxurious pleasure for no other reason than the contentment of being alive. This is what makes Silver Waves ~ Astral Dreams such an astonishing delight and the exquisite antidote to soul-weary world-weariness.

The ethereal musical layering cajoles and entices your emotions ever upwards, tempting and luring you with lavish melodies and cascading harmonies, perfectly judged in their elegance to soothe, nourish and stimulate. Soul-food for the world-weary. More importantly, however, is the receptive ambience it enables for the message of assurance it seeks to deliver:

When love returns,
there’ll be an answer
When love returns,
we’ll know the truth
When love returns,
we’ll change forever
Yeah, a light will shine throughThis is no tipping of the hat to hippy motifs of ‘love is all you need’. Music and love are the creative wellsprings at the heart of life. Deep down, in the place where things matter most, the love of music and the music of love rises to meet that weary ache which gnaws at our souls and reminds us, again: it doesn’t have to be like this.

When someone’s needing
A hand to hold
Come stand beside me
And let love return
Let love returnSilver Waves ~ Astral Dreams urges us to lift our eyes above the everyday, yearns to unite us with the wonders of a life which is so much more than we dare to conceive and aspires to infuse that life with a joy and with a happiness, which is always there when we stop, listen and feel the music of love.

TRACK LISTING
01. Curious Dreamer – The Dreaming Field (8:01)
02. Silver Waves (7:38)
03. Glorious Persuasion (7.39)
04. High Inspiration – It Wasn’t A Dream (9:25)
05. Shine (5:59)
06. The Brightest Star (5:54)
07. Life Pod (4:34)
08. Love Returns (5:44)

Total Time – 54:58

*Shine Ambient Mix (free bonus track which comes with the album)

MUSICIANS
Louise Browne – Vocals & Vocal Arrangements
Tony Lowe – Guitars, Bass, Keyboards, Drum Programming
~ With:
Steve Gee – Bass (6 & 7)
Paul Simon – Percussion (1 & 4)
Cheryl Stringall – String Pads (6 & 7)

ADDITIONAL INFO
Record Label: Independent
Country of Origin: U.K.
Date of Release: 30^th August 2024

LINKS
ESP Project – Website | Facebook | Bandcamp | YouTube | X | Instagram