REED, ROBERT - SANCTUARY I (CD+DVDA/2014 OLDFIELD STYLE/CARD COV)

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Keyboardist, composer & producer of symphonic Prog projects by MAGENTA & KOMPENIUM with unique multi-instrumental album in the ‘Tubular Bells’ style!

* Please click on the Video icon in right corner above to view & listen to a promotional You Tube video *

Entitled ‘Sanctuary’, the album has been played, produced, mixed and engineered by Robert Reed, who is joined by legendary ‘Tubular Bells’ producers Tom Newman (as co-producer) and Simon Heyworth, who also mastered the album for Robert.

The sound quality of this album is outstanding with each and every instrument beautifully recorded and clearly focussed on the soundstage. Musically, for me personally, it has more of the feel of a cross between Oldfield’s: ‘Hergest Ridge’ and ‘Ommadawn’ albums, both of which I preferred to ‘Tubular Bells’ anyway.
There is a lovely melodic symphonic flow running throughout the piece and it demonstrates just how proficient Reed has become on each of the many different instruments he plays in the work.
The Bonus DVD disc is very entertaining. The two DTS 5.1 SS Audio versions of the tracks on the album are truly excellent at takes the work up onto a different level! – This type of musical multi-instrumental layering is ideally suited to the Surround Sound medium, and you can hear the individual instruments clearly distributed across the listening area and into in many different locations throughout the room.
The DVD disc also includes three Promo Videos featuring excerpts from ‘Sanctuary’, two of which feature clever use of multi-image layering techniques where you see several different versions of Rob “synched” in the studio playing different instruments. The third is a situation video recorded in what’s meant to a record company executive’s office (maybe even Richard Branson’s ;-) that features someone that looks like a dead ringer for someone famous as both a Prog-Rock legend and TV personality – but I’ve had it confirmed that it’s not him!

The packaging for ‘Sanctuary’ is also first-class. The classy, high quality, laminated, Gatefold Card Sleeve houses the 2 Discs in its inner wallets, finishing off what is a top-quality production all round.
You really will struggle to get a better value-for-money release in this day and age than this one!

About ‘Sanctuary’s inspiration…
Robert was inspired to become a musician and composer at the age of seven after discovering Mike Oldfield’s ‘Tubular Bells’. So inspired was he by the album, that he learned to play not just one, but all the instruments featured on the album. ‘Sanctuary’ is the fruition of a decision that Robert made in January 2013 to utilise his abilities as a multi-instrumentalist and create an album in the style of ‘Tubular Bells’; he recalls: “The next four weeks were a blur as the music just came out. It turned out to be the most enjoyable album I’ve made. I wanted to play all the instruments, and for all of them to be real - no synthesised or sampled instruments, just the real thing. Everything is played by hand by myself, except for guest vocalists: Synergy Vocals.”

Reed was conscious that he was treading a fine line in preventing ‘Sanctuary’ becoming a pastiche of ‘Tubular Bells’. He continues: “I worked hard to make the melodies stand on their own. I wanted to capture the emotion that Mike Oldfield managed to communicate through his playing.
I wanted to use voices, but not have lyrics; just vowels combined with nonsensical words.”

Reed secured the collaboration of ‘Tubular Bells’ producers Tom Newman and Simon Heyworth after seeking their seal of approval. Reed comments: “Simon told me when he heard it, he closed his eyes and was back in the Manor Studios in 1973 and commented on how well it was executed. I contacted Tom to ask if he could offer any advice on the mix or production, and when we finally spoke, he was really complimentary and offered to get involved in the production and mixing; he also had loads of ideas about structure and arrangements. He has been invaluable with his insight and was always there when I was struggling to finish the album. All the timing errors and tuning errors are left in… it was real”.

Tom Newman says: “I really enjoyed working on this - I had carte blanche and just enjoyed sculpting the sounds into shape, and placing all the beautifully crafted parts in the right places in the musical landscape . . .”
The result is an astounding piece of emotional instrumental music.

On ‘Sanctuary’ Robert Reed plays: Grand piano / electric guitars / acoustic guitar / nylon guitar / 12-string guitar / bass guitar / mandolin / glockenspiel / vibraphone / marimba / timpani / gran cassa / recorders / Solina string ensemble / Roland SH200 / Farfisa organ / sleigh bells / orchestral snare / table / banjo / bodhran, plus... Tubular Bells!

‘Sanctuary’ is also available as a 180gm Vinyl LP cut form the 24/96 Masters. It includes a link to a free Digital Download of the complete album – Stock # 1708460

‘Sanctuary’ was released on 21st July 2014.

ROBERT REED: SANCTUARY CD+DVD Track List:

Disc 1 [CD]:
01. Sanctuary - Part One (20:41)
02. Sanctuary - Part Two (18:09)
TPT – 38:52

Disc 2 [DVD - 24/96 Stereo & DTS 5.1 Surround Mixes]:
01. Sanctuary - Part One (20:41)
02. Sanctuary - Part Two (18:09)
03. Promo Video: ‘Sanctuary – Part One’ excerpt 1 (6:08)
04. Promo Video: ‘Sanctuary – Part One’ excerpt 2 (2:11)
05. Promo Video: ‘Sanctuary – excerpt 3 {Ommakache} (3:45)
TPT – 50:56