I?ve always loved the thought of travelling to the Antarctic; it?s a recluse?s heaven. The desolate and isolated expanse carries on forever, the feeling of complete freedom from the world would be glorious; and in those silenced peaceful calms, when the wind has died down, and the sun, high in the sky is shining through the murky mist of the snow. I believe you would hear this music. It is as much eerie and daunting as it is glacial and beautiful. The dream like quality of the drones wandering silently through the air, leaving you misplaced and disoriented, levitating and drifting, carrying the listener along with its slow meandering wave upon wave of heavenly drone.

It is sparse, cold and detached, but there is also a mild warmth emitted from it?s centre, like a beating heart, it feels organic, it feels alive. This music gives the experience of a great expanse, and it will lead you on a journey drenched in reverb and carpeted in a radiant murmur.

The deep layering coated with the floating celestial hum that continues throughout, levitating over the darkness below; creating a nomadic feel to the music, projecting the image of a river, deep and wide, or similar to a jet stream or wind. I recently saw a program about the Katabatic; it?s a wind that emits from the South Pole. As it spreads out across the Antarctic wastelands, it increases in speed and strength. It is the most powerful wind in the world. This is the music that would accompany that winds path, mimicking its motion and movement, washing over the land and leaving nothing but a blanket of drone resting over the baron landscape. It all resounds with the last track, a much more ominous feeling overcomes; a sparse droning guitar layered over in replacement of the organic drone gives the feeling that the music is coming to it?s natural conclusion, and that the moaning wind will soon peter out when it reaches the sea. This track is of a different fashion than the others, but maintains the same style.

All in all, ?The River That Flows Into The Sands II? is a magnificent listen, I dare not mention its name, but this could be referred to as ambient drone. It sounds like the 21st century equivalent to Eno?s ambient work, and it is the closest thing that I?ve heard that reaches that level of greatness.

This is precious music. I?d even go as far as to say that it?s worth its weight in gold. 9/10 -- James Clarke (24 July, 2006)