I checked this CD out from the local library. It was only one of 2 Kitaro CDs there. I didn't look at the cover before listening so I thought, "who is that voice?" It was beautiful and exciting and new. Then I learned that it was John Anderson from Yes, which may not mean much to you, but has special significance for me. Regardless, this album gets better each time you listen to it - the great ones always do. This CD shouldn't only be listed under New Age, it should be listed under Great Albums. It's hard to describe, but if you're trying to fight depression, listening to this album very loudly will lift your spirits and stir up those places in your Soul that you long ago forgot.

I have always been a big fan of this album, ever since I first heard it at a friends house on it's day of release back in 1992. The sometimes majestic, sometimes mystical sounds of Japanese new age keyboard-master Kitaro make the perfect backdrop for the high-pitched, ethereal vocals of Jon Anderson (lead vocalist of legendary prog-rockers Yes, as well as a new age/prog solo artist in his own right.) The album is divided fairly evenly between the rich instrumental compositions that Kitaro is most well-known for, and the slighly more pop/rock flavored vocal collaborations with Anderson. Of the instrumental works, "Symphony of the Forest", "A Passage of Life" & "Sympony of Dreams" stand out as the most memorable and melodic; although perhaps revealing a more downbeat/melancholy side of Kitaro's work. All three of these tracks are richly orchestrated and make good use of arrangement & dynamics. Another of the instrumental pieces, "A Drop of Life", is a far more minamalistic composition that leaves the listeners with a tranquil, peaceful feeling (while still maintaining a haunting melodicism.) Although Kitaro is probably most acclaimed as a composer, he certainly should not be underestimated as a synthesist/keyboard player - to my ears he has one of the most original and instantly-recoginzable sounds of anyone in the electronic music feild, bar none. Speaking of instantly-recongnizable; Jon Anderson, who also provided all of the lyrics for this album, lends his distinct voice to four tracks here, although Jon's fans will be happy to know that they are the longest tracks on the album! Anderson once said on his website that "Dream" was one of the most enjoyable and fullfilling projects that he has ever participated in (rating it even higher than his frequent collaborations with Vangelis), and his enthusiasm for the material really shows through. I hate to use this cliche, but Anderson's voice literally 'soars' on the robust & lyrical "Lady of Dreams" (a fairly "progressive" tune than fluctuates between lightness & power.) The darker-toned & dramatic "Agreement" sqeezes an even more impressive vocal performance from Anderson's unique pipes, and Kitaro's band backs him up brilliantly (this track is nicely colored with a rich pallet of percussion, synths, and sitar sounds; and the way that the arrangement builds in intensity towards the end is quite stunning!) Clocking in at over 9 minutes, the emotional album closer, "Island of Dreams", has a flavor not unlike some of Yes' more dreamy/ethereal pieces (think of the "Going For the One"/"Tormato"-era), and it is a track that beatifully plays-up both Kitaro's and Anderson's distinct musicial sensibilities. (I also really love the guitar soloing at the end of the this final track. However, because 3 different guitar players are credited in the liner notes, I'm not sure who to give credit to!) Anderson can also briefly be heard chanting (along with his wife/frequent musical collaborator, Jane Anderson) on the track "Dream of Chant", although, to my ears, it is perhaps the weakest track on the album. In fact, the only reason that I must rate this release at less than a perfect 5 stars is that two subsequent tracks on the last half of the album, namely "Dream of Chant", & "Magical Wave", seem somehat weak & unmelodic compared with the numirable strengths of the other tracks. Still, this is an extremely minor critisism of an otherwise excellent work. All in all, this is a must for any fan of Kitaro or Jon Anderson. I hope that once day we will see these two master musicians working together again.

As a hardcore fan of Kitaro I was as always impressed with his work on this album, but it somehow didn't capture the same magical essence for me that his other albums have (e.g. Kojiki, Mandala). Still I consider this a worthwhile buy simply because of some of the intriguing and poetically beautiful works on this album that I would have otherwise missed. There is no doubt that A Passage of Life, Island of Life and A Drop of Silence are astounding pieces crafted by Kitaro's artistry.

This music certainly doesn't sound much like the majority of Kitaro's work. Definitely good stuff, but it sounds more like a high quality film soundtrack than "classic" Kitaro.

This actually seems to be the direction Kitaro is moving recently, perhaps starting with "Toward the West" (which says it all maybe). I do prefer his earlier stuff ("Ki" probably being the high point), but sometimes it all starts sounding the same. Many rehashed motifs, and listening to several earlier Kitaro albums in a row can get tiresome. I don't mind that Kitaro is going in a new direction. Although it isn't a favorite here, this is quality music that still knows where it's going. Recommended.

Jon Anderson's angelic voice, mingled with Kitaro's electronic artistry, will take you on a soulful journey through the experience of love - the love of a man for a woman, his wife, his lover, and the mother of his child(ren). I would call this THE album for straight men. It will bring home with great emotional force the overwhelming importance of having a loving commitment to one woman. There is a lot of romantic sentiment in this music, particularly the lyrics, but somehow it doesn't seem overly sentimental. The song "Agreements" is nothing short of astonishing. I say this mainly because of the lyrics. I have never heard a song that was more honest and psychologically TRUE: the fact that all love relationships are founded upon implicit agreements made between the two partners, and the importance of maintaining these agreements. Not only does this song give the album greater meaning, but it also counter-balances the more romantic sentiments of the other vocal tracks. This is an album of such raw emotional power that it can bring tears to your eyes each time you listen to it: cleansing tears, not tears of sadness. If you are a recently divorced or widowed man (like me), listen to this album at your own risk. Thank you, Jon and Kitaro, for helping men understand what life is all about.