David Arkenstone
Atlantis

David Arkenstone is one of the leading figures in contemporary New Age, Atlantis is one of his latest works (2004). The subtitle is "A Symphonic Journey", a symphonic journey. It's quite fitting. It's a first-class musical journey. A full immersion into the Atlantean sea. In fact, the title is unmistakable; Mr. Arkenstone this time is inspired by the legend of Atlantis, the submerged continent, whose story is more or less known to all. Musically, the work is rich in sounds that intertwine, forming melodious spirals of the highest level.

The multi-instrumentalist successfully conveys the peace and prosperity that the people of Atlantis, according to legend, had in the golden years of the Continent. Many tracks are characterized by compelling percussion rhythms to which the orchestra blends, masterfully creating melodic sounds that are mostly dreamy. The ethereal voice of Miriam Stockley also finds space in the album. The record almost follows a path. It starts with "The Dream Of The Gods", which introduces us to Atlantis and makes us understand the wonders that await us. In "Tower Of Light", electronic elements merge with classical instruments and percussion, with Stockley's voice taking the lion's share, especially at the end. "The Festival Of The Goddess", as the title suggests, presents the cheerful and joyful sounds of a festive atmosphere.
"Fire And Water" is one of the most emotional pieces: It represents the moment of catastrophe, water meeting fire, Atlantis being swallowed up by the oceanic mouth of the Atlantic. It presents a very dark intro followed by a rhythmic turn with percussion.

"Atlantis" is an album to listen to until the last note. It should be done, at least the first time, with eyes closed, because thanks to Arkenstone, it feels like you’re actually in those mythical and lush lands. I highly recommend listening to it to everyone, both for the magnificence of the work and because it's something different from the usual canonical music that you hear around. Yet the mystery of the Atlantis myth remains, and probably will continue for years to come. But if Atlantis really did exist, the music of the Lost Continent would surely have been like that of "Atlantis", by David Arkenstone.