The Reverent Sky is a new four-track album from important and prolific US ambient artist Steve Roach. The four lengthy tracks move from layer-shifting/ expansive affairs to blends of low-key beats and ambience. And I must say it’s another wholly engaging ride from Roach- who is now in his seventh decade, with over two hundred plus albums under his belt.

As with a large chunk of Mr Roach’s work over the twenty-plus years- this album appears on the Projekt label. The CD release comes presented in a blue, black, white and grey-coloured four-panel digipak. Taking in cover artwork of a distant sea-bound horizon- so a simple, yet effective but of packaging.

For the album kit wise Roach is playing: Oberheim Xpander and OB-6, Mellotron - Resch Edition, Hydrasynth Deluxe, Novation Bass Station II, Nord Lead 2X, Roland TR-8S, Yamaha CP33 Electric Grand and for the first time in his work, the innovative Osmose Synth by Expressive E.

The album has an immersive run time of seventy-four minutes and fourteen seconds. With the four tracks lasting between eleven and nearly twenty-seven minutes.  We open with the title track- which is the second longest piece here at just shy of twenty-five minutes. It opens with a selection of gliding and warming ambient sweeps- these are bright, fairly rapid, with a nice feeling of light reverb present. In time we get the introduction of subtle/ light piano notation- which becomes slowly blended in with the ambience. When playing this track I  get a feeling of both a travelling glow and past times elegance- like taking just a summer dawn-breaking road trip, as you driving past a seemingly endless, ancient, and ornate fence which lines lush green and untouched fields.

Next, we have “Sensual Sonic”- here we find a blend of steadily sweeping and droning tones on the mid to low end. Pitch wise these blend didgeridoo-like droning, climbing simmers, and slow wavering oscillation. Just tied to the track is a steady chopping ‘n’ snapping electro beat- at points, it seems to slow, and almost disappear- I’m not sure if this is really occurring- or if it’s down the way the ambient tones seem ebbing/stretching the structure of the whole thing – either way, it’s a wonderful spellbinding track.

Track three is “The Nurturing Ground” which is the longest track here at nearly twenty-six minutes. It pairs a compacted and compressed skittering-to-knocking beat line with a subdued and drifting map of tolling drifts, haunting warbles, flute ebbs, and harmonic glides.

Finally, we have “Heart Of Compassion” Here we find a blend of mid-ranged tonal sweeps ‘n’ ebbs, subtle( almost) guitar-like twangs, and gentle tip-tapping piano key motifs. This is a glorious luscious end to the album. The addition of piano elements throughout this album is something quite fresh and distinctive for Roach

The Reverent Sky is another compelling album from Mr Roach- which sees him lightly experimenting/ expanding with his ambient craft. I do hope we hear more of the paino elements in future albums, as it’s a most effective addition to his sound worlds.