Ultimate Meditation – Alex Archer www.alexarchercomposer.com

To title a CD ‘Ultimate Meditation’ is pretty dumb in my opinion, given the highly subjective nature of meditation (let alone music!). However, Alex Archer does seem to be on to something here.

Comparatively little meditation music actually attempts to directly affect the body’s natural rhythms or cycles, leaving such changes in brainwaves, etc. to the emotional content inherent in the music. Here Alex has experimented with gradually slowing the repetitive elements of his soundtrack, such that the listener is sub-consciously encouraged to match their breathing to the pattern, thus drawing them into a slower, deeper state within. It is often said that the simplest ideas are the best, and yes, I can confirm that I felt this technique working for me to some degree.

On the CD there are four tracks between 10 and 30 minutes long. They essentially use the same musical material, but can be selected according to how much time one has to spare, or how deep one wants to go.

What is more than a little disappointing is that the musical material could have been so much more sensitive and subtle. Clanging gong type sounds don’t hold any particular charm or potency for me, in fact I find the choice to adopt a ‘Tibetan’ sound to conjure meditation is in this instance a bit crass in its clichéd symbology. However, I’d like to see this concept of the ‘relaxation ritartando’ explored more fully, as there’s no reason why the basic principle couldn’t be used in a variety of ways and styles – though what is Alex going to call his next CD: The Even More Ultimate Meditation? Methinks he didn't really think things through and was too preoccupied with positive thinking marketing spin.