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KEVIN BRAHENY's first two solo albums, Lullaby For The Hearts Of Space (1980) and The Way Home (originally entitled Perelandra [1984]), established his mastery of the serene, extended meditation. On the other hand, reviewers praised his 1988 planetarium soundtrack album Galaxies for the exquisite beauty of its very concise pieces. While working on Galaxies and Secret Rooms, Braheny also participated in two successful collaborations: Western Spaces (1987), with STEVE ROACH and RICHARD BURMER, and Desert Solitaire (1989) with Roach and MICHAEL STEARNS. CD Review called the trio "three acknowledged synthesizer masters." What separates the masters from the masses? Real synth heroes roll their own. Kevin actually builds much of his own equipment and creates all his own samples, often using his "Mighty Serge" modular analog synthesizer. For Secret Rooms, Braheny also built the custom 3-D binaural recording technology for the "Passages" that link the musical pieces. (Try listening to them through headphones to get the fullest effect.) Secret Rooms unveils Braheny's expanded range as a composer. The brilliant "Shadowcatcher" and "'Til You Get There" represent his first significant rhythmic explorations to date, with ethno-percussion specialist LEONICE SHINNEMAN. Other pieces extend and deepen his trademark warmth, depth, and unerring melodic appeal. The theme of secret "internal rooms" - hidden emotions, psychic states, spaces in consciousness, each with an individual ambience and identity - conjures up a journey that, in Kevin's words "is about experiencing the different spaces, and then using each experience to move on to the next." Secret Rooms confirms Braheny's own ability to keep moving on - exploring, expressing, and evolving his singular talent in ever more significant and satisfying ways. Stephen Hill |