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Russel Walder: Rise

Kiwi-American Russel Walder is a keyboard and wind player (oboe, recorder and an Armenian double-reed instrument called a duduk) with a penchant for ambient sounds - and I bet he hates that description. These tracks are more 'sound slices' than discrete compositions; atmospheric improvisations that wax and wane in the speakers. Perfect for meditation or relaxation (Walder lists 'dreaming' among his instruments), there is nothing here to startle or disrupt. Strings and exotic percussion, all Eastern-influenced merge with Walder's virtuosic oboe playing. Having spent years playing some of the world's most prestigious venues, Grammy-nominated Walder is a musician of distinction. What becomes apparent here is that he is also very capable in the studio. Self-engineered, recorded and produced at his own Nomad Soul Records Studio, the production and packaging are flawless. Some tracks approach nine minutes in length so you can afford to put your feet up.

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