To be lying in a lush, green field looking up at light clouds on a sunny day is for many the very idea of relaxation. When looking up you are experiencing a powerful atonement while the troubles of everyday seem unimportant and small. Many will also have fond memories of such carefree cloud gazing from their early childhood.  

But sadly there are not many times in grown-up life you are able to throw everything aside and just stretch out in a field and do nothing but looking up. Even in your holidays you will find yourself constantly on the move, even when the idea was to stay still and relax.

This is where Michele Ippolito’s new album In The Clouds has something profound to offer. This one hour long album successfully recreates the very atmosphere of looking up and imagining actually being in and among the clouds. Ippolito’s second album (first being Mystic Moods from 2005) strikes a perfect balance of lightness and vastness; it is not too bright and it is not too cold either.

Simplicity is a keyword here. I find Michele Ippolito’s arrangement to be tasteful and very well done. I must admit that I am a fan of analogue synths, and Ippolito’s is using some fine choir and string synth banks – but it must be said that some listeners might find the sound to be a bit dated. But even if you fall under this category, give it a chance because the album’s true quality lies in the gentle ambient melodies. Michele Ippolito is classically trained on piano and this can easily be heard in the flute, harp and string melodies, which for some reason reminds me of classical music.

In The Clouds strikes a perfect balance of lightness and vastness; it is not too bright and it is not too cold either.

BT Fasmer

The atmosphere is very much the same throughout the album, but on some parts have a more detached and cold feel, while other parts are considerably brighter – just like a day in the field. After all, the sky is constantly changing. It is hard for me to select one or two favorite tracks because they are all connected, but I absolutely love the colorful second track On Skylark’s Wings. 

Other reviewers have compared Ippolito to Chuck Wild’s massively popular Liquid Mind project. I think that is a good comparison, and Wild’s fans will feel right at home here. But Ippolito has managed to create an album that just might be a little lighter and less complex – all in a good way.

For this In The Clouds has been nominated for the 2009 Zone Music Reporter Awards in two categories. After all, looking at the clouds is perhaps the most relaxing thing you can do.

In The Clouds is simply a perfect album if you need something from a 5 minute to a 1 hour timeout. If you give yourself just a small dose of this before a stressful business meeting or a large family gathering, you will for sure find back to that priceless inner calm you felt as a child when you were cloud gazing in a green field. Anything that can give such an effect must be considered a gift to the listener.

What a wonderful and remarkable album!!!

Sample In The Clouds on CDBaby - where you can also find Michele Ippolito’s previous album.

Picture Copyright Bigstockphoto – hjalmeida