The Dreaming, Vol. 3

by Johnny LoftusDreaming is a relatively conventional trance/downtempo record, blending breezy vocals with tasteful push-button backgrounds, but also building towards something closer to worldbeat that's ultimately more exciting. Angel Tears' Momi Ochion and Sebastian James Taylor favor this template throughout, accentuating sighing, Middle Eastern-flavored vocals with nylon string guitar solos as the synthesizers hiss and click away. The mystical, evocative "For Your God" is a highlight, as is "Conjuring Rain" with its puttering percussion, quirky bassline, and detached vocal. This leads into "Uri," which with its multilingual chatter and breezy flute is like a softer version of Leftfield's mid- '90s work. Later, "Ishka" offers some of the best instrumentation of the album, its Arabic guitar and string swells meeting a scratchy trip-hop beat halfway across the bazaar. Like many releases in this style, Dreaming can drift a little -- its grooves get obscured by clouds. But sticking with it provides more depth than you might at first expect.