I like to have music for my various moods, and sometimes I just want something floaty and atmospheric. The new album The Gate by Aisha Vaughan has really been scratching that itch this month. The album released on December 6th through Leaving Records.
Aisha Vaughan is an artist from Wales, and, as far as I can tell, she’s been featured in various films and collaborations, including Netflix movies and The Wheel of Time series. In the past, she has gone under the name Chaouche, under which she released at least a couple records. She has released two albums this year under her actual name, though I haven’t heard the first one, Endless Journey, yet.
The music here is New Age ambient with oceanic, Celtic vibes. I like the broad range of instruments and sound effects, ranging from campfires to crickets and birds to windchime, harp, flute, and synth. It is an immersive and instantly soothing sound that draws in the listener. I would compare her to Diane Arkenstone, though more organic and less immersed in fantasy.
Unlike most artists of this genre, Aisha uses extensive vocals, not with lyrics, but harmonious inflections and peaceful melodies. With Chaouche, she did sing words, but here, she is emoting with purity and wordless expression. Her voice is constantly in the music, weaving and sparkling in the sun. It really is a wonderful style.
The album is only about 36 minutes long, which is perfect for this type of music. It has seven tracks, and they are all wonderful. I like how they each tend to have slightly different auras about them, so while the album passes like a glorious cloud in the sunny sky, there are different movements and shapes that it takes.
The first half of the album is great. The opener “No Past, No Present, No Future” is one of my favorites; I love the hovering, celestial feelings and somewhat cosmic tone. “Half Awake” is a bit squirrely in its electronica, giving nuanced spurts of color and movement. I also really like “Do You Love Me?”, which exudes sincerity and innocence with its bright and authentic sound. I love the subtle synth in the background that almost seems to echo with light. “Day Dreams” ends the first half, and it’s another favorite; I love the rainy ambience as it transitions into a surreal Celtic fog full of crickets and night. So beautiful.
The second half is fantastic. “Across the Golden Land” has a subtle, burning synth in the background, and the vocals remind me, honestly, of Lisa Gerrard on the Gladiator score. “A Moment in Space Time” is probably my favorite overall; I love the gentle waves of windchimes as they transform into a lingering electronic rhythm flanked by soothing ocean breakers. The closer “Campfires in Midnight Sky” is terrific; I love the crackling fires and how Aisha’s softly rising vocals seem to hang as if in the comforting darkness of the night sky. The song swoons, boasting in its ambience, before drifting away peacefully.
Aisha has a knack for textures and subtlety, and The Gate has convinced me to listen to her other works soon. This album is deeply healing and utterly entrancing, and I always want to listen start it again when it finishes. Honestly, I might need to buy it on vinyl.
_________
Find Aisha Vaughan online:
_________
_________
The PROG Mind 