Howard Ferre
  • Before You
  • Wax Branches
  • Turning Point
  • Driving Back South
  • Reaching Out
  • Stained Glass Reflection
  • Passage Through
  • 5 Years
  • Journey's End
  • Before You
    Genre: Ambient
    MP3 (09:04) [20.99 MB]
  • Wax Branches
    Genre: New Age
    MP3 (04:21) [10.24 MB]
  • Turning Point
    Genre: New Age
    MP3 (05:14) [12.22 MB]
  • Driving Back South
    Genre: New Age
    MP3 (04:44) [11.08 MB]
  • Reaching Out
    Genre: New Age
    MP3 (03:26) [8.11 MB]
  • Stained Glass Reflection
    Genre: New Age
    MP3 (03:45) [8.84 MB]
  • Passage Through
    Genre: New Age
    MP3 (04:16) [10.03 MB]
  • 5 Years
    Genre: Smooth Jazz
    MP3 (04:26) [10.43 MB]
  • Journey's End
    Genre: New Age
    MP3 (04:23) [10.28 MB]
5 out of 5 stars Review by Matthew Forss
Artist: Howard Ferre
Album: Journey’s End
Review by Matthew Forss

U.S.-based Howard Ferre explores the world of neo-classical, new age, and space music genres on Journey’s End. As a prolific theatrical music composer for nearly a quarter-of-a-century, Howard breathes life into the electronic sounds of deep space with instrumental percussion of an earthly origin. The ambient leanings and piano sounds provide a good mixture of influences for all the makings of a memorable album.

“Before You” opens with a crystalline wash of ambient sound with twinkling blips and bell-like sounds. The slow, cascading canopy of sounds envelops the track without resorting to fancy vocals or percussion. In fact, the only sound seems to be produced by keyboards. The waves of atmospheric sounds pulsate in and out with flute-like sounds near the middle of the track. The richly-textured ambient soundscapes are surprisingly reminiscent of the instrumental, deep space music by Robert Rich and Steve Reich in the 1990’s. At any rate, this track pulsates with a lush palette of sound without any ill effects. Also, the track is the longest running track at nine minutes.

“Wax Branches” begins with a few ambient washes that fade in and out, while a soft, piano melody fills a neo-classical void. This is a world where classicism and electronica collide with intertwining keyboard sounds and pensive piano playing without the additional interruptions of voice, percussion, or long list of incoherent musical instruments. The filmic qualities of this track rank high up there with Thomas Newman’s signature scoring achievement on the 1999 film, American Beauty. Whether the track is intended for film-goers or neo-classical, space music fans, Howard brings to life to disparate musical styles into a composition that does not disappoint.

“Turning Point” contains much the same melody as the aforementioned track. However, this track is appropriately-titled as it changes the pace of the album with an ambulating, yet instrumental beat and scintillating, electronic washes. The electric guitar interrupts the melody with a solo show of reverberating guitar sounds that add to a neo-classical, space-rock theme. The latter half of the track continues the percussive beat without the guitar accompaniment. Essentially, the percussive beat and electric guitar carry the momentum of the track in a relatively strong fashion, despite the seemingly rehashed melody from the previous track.

“Driving Back South” starts with an eerie ambient wash, crystalline tones, and a percussive beat that mirrors Tangerine Dream from the 1990’s. The clicking noises, barrel sounds, flute sounds, and jungle-type sound effects signify a densely-textured composition of sound that surpasses previous tracks by containing a more melodic undertone. Despite the sub-five minute length, this track seems a lot longer, due to the eclectic instrumentation and lush arrangements.

“Reaching Out” opens with electronic noises and sparkling piano keys with ambient washes intertwining between neo-classicism and new age. The three-and-a-half-minute song does not contain much variation from the first few tracks. In essence, this track seems to be more of an introduction in its musical scope. “Stained Glass Reflections” begins with a pop standard piano ballad and full percussion set with electronic strings, twinkling sounds, and the catchiest chords on the entire album in the same vein as Enya or Nazanin. This entire track is void of vocals, even though vocals would be more than suitable for such a track. Howard creates a superb sub-four-minute concoction of musical delight by subtly incorporating the piano, percussive beat, and symphonic keyboard washes in all of the right quantities.

Howard Ferre’s neo-classical and electronica leanings are on par with Enigma, Enya, Tangerine Dream, and similar groups. The mostly instrumental compositions provide an ideal environment for chill-laxing, lounging, and contemplating the extreme beauty of sound from something as simple as a keyboard. Overall, the music does not the foray into the world of techno, dance, or classical genres. Instead, Howard’s uncanny ability to create meaningful, catchy, and ear-friendly compositions in new age, trip hop, neo-classical, and electronica are clearly evidenced by the imaginative, contemplative, and filmic soundcapes. Though the overall length is a little short at forty-three minutes, Howard manages to infuse a multitude of ambient sounds to satisfy any neo-space, neo-classical, or instrumental electronica fan.

Review by Matthew Forss
Rating: 5 stars (out of 5)


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  • Members:
    Howard Ferre
  • Sounds Like:
    Arvo Part, Winterlight
  • Influences:
    Pat Metheny, Peter Gabriel, Arvo Part, Philip Glass, John Williams, Miles Davis and Pink Floyd
  • AirPlay Direct Member Since:
    07/22/11
  • Profile Last Updated:
    08/14/23 15:57:34

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