Euphoria

ALTHOUGH FEATURING a wide-ranging supporting cast that includes pedal steel player about town BJ Cole, Ann Dudley and Rush's Geddy Lee, Euphoria is essentially guitarist Ken Ramm's project.

The formula is that of mixing technology and traditional instrumentation to create an ambient mood, but the use of strong vocal tracks takes it out of the background music category. For instance on 'Lost On A River', the soulful voices of Juliet Roberts and Maddie Willis add much to a track that counterpoints acoustic bass and pedal steel guitar against programming and other instrumentation.

'Watching The Skies', which again features Cole, opens with low-key ambient sound before Willis' vocal again gives the track a focus and depth. The closing track is the six-minute plus 'The Road', a studied piece that utilises bagpipes and harmonica to give a certain edge to the keyboard and string arrangements. All in all, an uplifting and diverting experience.