Album Review: Gentleforce - Refuge From The Great Sadness

Not someone exactly motivated at the thought of building Rome in a day, Sydney-based ambient explorer Eli Murray crafted Refuge From The Great Sadness over several years in Japan, London, Amsterdam and Sydney.

Its snail-paced evolution has led to a stunning harvest though, from the mystical undertones of opener Naoshima (God Is In The Water) to the emotional centrepoint of You Hold My Hand Through the Gate, a track seemingly touched by some paranormal lifeforce that radiates through its unusual harmonies and gentle throbs. Refuge From The Great Sadness is a beguiling wonderment.