Max Corbacho - The Ocean Inside (2012)

If ambient music has one defining characteristic, I think it is to evoke a sense of wonder and mystery. This album achieves that core task both in name and in deed. The Ocean Inside takes you on a journey into the deepest depths of your being and simultaneously reveals to you the grandeur of the universe. The music is vast, beautiful, and limitless. As on Breathstream (I did a review for this earlier) The Ocean Inside perfectly harmonizes darkness with light and, indeed, shows their inseparability. Warm, caressing tones mingle freely with dark, hypnotizing undercurrents until both become almost indistinguishable. Another reviewer referred to this album as a "soundworld" and I couldn't agree more with that description. Each track flows seamlessly into one another to create an immersive, awe-inspiring experience that's sure to please pretty much any ambient fan. With this album (and I'm sure with his other ones too), Mr. Corbacho demonstrates that he can stand head to head with the giants of the genre such as Steve Roach and Robert Rich, and that he too can create some of the most beautiful music in the world.
10/10
(Many thanks to Mr. Corbacho for graciously sending me a promo copy of this album.)