Deuter: Innovative German
electronic pioneer during the
prog rock era, went the way of
Florian Fricke and dove deep into the waters of the
new age.
Deuter went far deeper, however, retaining none of his connection with the street or underground music scene that spawned him. He has become a leading light in the music of healing and meditation, and
Buddha Nature is his most focused yet most stridently abstract work in this genre to date.
Deuter's correct perception that
Buddha Nature is inseparable from bliss/void and compassion -- illustrated by the image of
Avlokiteshvara (the Buddha of compassion who
the Dalai Lama is said to be a reincarnation of) on the cover -- creates five meditative tracks that deal with different aspects of the Path impressionistically. His trademark blend of keyboards, flutes, stringed instruments, and ambient soundscapes creates a web of musically impressionistic narratives that delve underneath the active perception of the listener and create a sense of stillness. The longest track here,
"Illumination," which is almost 28 minutes in length, hovers in one timbral range for most of it while keeping the music flowing and pouring through, changing like waves on a beach. Elsewhere, on the title track, all of the melodic fragments are engaged in a process of unfolding at the same time. It's quite remarkable that so much could happen in what seems like a static music. There are moments when the "bliss" element can be overbearing, especially on the last track,
"Blessing," but in all, this is as good as
new age music gets. ~ Thom Jurek
![Time and a Word [Bonus Tracks]](http://prodimage.images-bn.com/pimages/0081227378721_p0_v1_s90x140.jpg "Time and a Word [Bonus Tracks]")
