Epicycles by The Changelings

The Mirror Pool by Lisa Gerrard

Between the Twilights by The Unquiet Void (Jason Wallach)

Over the past year or so, I've come into a bit of a ritual with regards my more serious fiction writing -- a time, a place, a certain brand of light, certain alcoholic beverages that create the universe that needs to exist in order for my words to come out the way I want. Naturally a big part of this universe is also the music. Generally I choose things which are more moving in their overall sound than in their words and which bring evoke a dream world I can paint with my own thoughts.

One CD I've come to really enjoy is the EP I picked up at last year's Dragon*Con in Atlanta. Called Epicycles, it's a product of Atlanta's own Changelings and contains music they created for a computer game and two tracks "commissioned for Netherworld haunted house." At first I was too infatuated with my other D*C purchase Astronomica to give Epicycles much of a chance to get listened to, but over the months I have gradually grown to really appreciate this little disc, filled with aching sighs, both human and instrumental. I can imagine that whatever game the first four tracks were written for must be pretty cool, as I can almost picture Cobweb from Wraeththu dancing around to them or casting spells. The tracks for the haunted house are appropriate spooky as well!

Lisa Gerrard, formerly of Dead Can Dance, is certainly someone many Storm fans are familiar with. For me, however, The Mirror Pool is the first (and so far only) of her solo albums I have heard. For me, this album is something I treasure almost more than any DCD release because it's just Gerrald and no one else -- and for me, that means the man whose presence spoils ever other DCD track, at least for me. Having just her voice but the same DCD sound is just perfect for me and through that experience I'm able to soar or dance in temples or imagine exotic mourning rites. I would definitely recommend this one to DCD fans.

This album is one I purchased, music unheard, after hearing a description of it from the label Middle Pillar's e-newsletter. What a great pick! Between The Twilights sings the song of the mind in the dream world, from dusk to dawn. "The Uniquiet Void" is actually artist Jason Wallach, who according to Middle Pillar, since 1989 has "been creating his own unique style of synthesized atmospherics that stir the soul and stimulate the mind." I've been using this album to accompany both my writing and my visualization work and I have to say, it's fantastic for both -- extremely calming but at the same time, subtly invigorating at a deep level.