Angel Tears in Sunlight

Delving into the ethereal realms of New Age music, this album embodies a serene exploration of soundscapes that evoke both tranquility and introspection. Crafted with delicate synthesizers, field recordings, and layered textures, it transports listeners to a world where time feels suspended. The production is marked by its gentle, flowing tempos, inviting an atmosphere of peaceful reflection. Strom's use of vintage synthesizers, particularly the Yamaha DX7, creates rich, shimmering tones that dance throughout the tracks, often interspersed with organic elements like soft chimes and distant voices. This integration of electronic and natural sound sources gives the album a unique character, distinguishing it from contemporaneous New Age works that often lean heavily on one or the other. Key moments, such as the hauntingly beautiful “The Last Time,” capture the essence of longing and nostalgia with its haunting melodies. Meanwhile, tracks like “In the Garden of the Spirit” showcase Strom's talent for creating immersive landscapes, where each note feels like a gentle brushstroke on a vast canvas of sound. Released in 2021, "Angel Tears in Sunlight" serves as both a homage to the genre's roots and a forward-looking exploration of its possibilities. In the context of Strom's earlier work, this album feels like a culmination of her lifelong journey in music, weaving together the influences of ambient pioneers while carving out a distinct space of her own. For both longtime fans and new listeners, it offers a deeply rewarding experience that resonates on multiple levels.