Echoes of Egypt

by Johnny Loftus Echoes of Egypt is another in Neo Pacifica Recordings' Adventure Cargo series, which has previously included titles like African Skies and Spirits of the Rainforest. For Egypt, Diane Arkenstone and David Arkenstone meditate on the spiritual history of that country and the captivating pull its past still has today. There are five pieces, with four clocking in at ten minutes plus; musically, they mix traditional Egyptian rhythms and instrumentation with the compositional makeup of contemporary new age. It does make for a few evocative moments. Opener "The Secret Chamber" drifts between spooky breath of the Pharaohs moments and more upbeat passages tinged with finger cymbals, flutes, and Egyptian lutes. At first, "River and the Sun"'s echoing atmosphere is similarly effective. However, the emergence of a subtle electronica pulse in its mid-section doesn't really jibe with the moodier side of the record. After all, the Adventure Cargo series seems intent on greater access to the mysterious motors that drive its chosen subjects, right? By that way of thinking, too many beats and the whole thing just starts to sound like Banco de Gaia. This becomes an issue as Echoes of Egypt's remainder plays out. When the Arkenstones move away from rhythm -- like in the hissing, shifting beginning portion of "Temple of Isis" -- they can create some thoughtful work. However, as the pieces here inevitably return to beats and rhythm -- even if the percussion is tradition-minded -- the album can't escape comparisons to workmanlike worldbeat or, worse, the Stargate SG-1 soundtrack.