ROBERT FOX: Timeless Vol 2 (Best of Robert Fox 2005-2022) (2022)

“Hugs and kisses to an astral friend whose music has always moved me”

1 Earth 3:18

2 Dream State 5:44

3 Desert Song 5:33

4 Kindred Spirit 6:15

5 The Temple 4:11

6 Dirty Old Train 4:50

7 Pieta, Pt. 1 4:07

8 The Devil's Puzzle 6:09

9 Resurrection 2:08

10 Sceptered Isle 4:47

11 Icarus 6:57

12 Woodland Carpet in Blue 4:13

13 Cathedral 4:57

14 The Serpent's Tail 5:38

15 Another Time Another Place 4:46

16 Persian Sunset 5:25

AD Music - AD230CD

(CD/DDL 79:00) (V.F.)

(New Age EM Cinema)

Like the first compilation, Timeless (Best of Robert Fox 1991-2005), TIMELESS VOL 2 (Best of Robert Fox 2005-2022) is an overview of 10 albums, the last 10 ones of Robert Fox's career. It follows a press release issued by the management of the AD Music label on the precarious state of health of the brilliant English melodist. Presented in a remastered sound envelope, this second compilation flows between the ears with an improved sonic clarity compared to the original albums, especially from Maya to Still Waters. The sound is less dark, and the orchestrations are more refined. The music is still in narrative style with verse and chorus without words in a darker musical vision compared to the previous albums of the England musician since these years served as a springboard to more concept albums and works of dark and pastoral character.

The drones that are at the origin of Earth fade away to offer beautiful orchestrations that cover distant muffled explosions. Taken from a concept album inspired by Michael Robinson's native poetry book; Touching the Serpent's Tail, this ambient track loses its luster when taking apart from its concept source. But no matter, the orchestrations are like seraphic chants. They flow between our ears like those generic images from a documentary about indigenous peoples as the synth and the voices unite their emotion by humming a celestial tune. Cut by half of its original time, Dream State screws us a splendid melody to make a rock mine bawl with a piano which pours its tears on the airs of a plaintive violin. We cannot make more sensitive than here but there is plenty of these moments in this compilation. And the news of the precarious state of health of Robert Fox overdraws our level of emotion on this very beautiful title which develops in a seductive downtempo around the 4th minute. Desert Song also offers a Native American tribal essence that follows very well the first two tracks of TIMELESS VOL 2 (Best of Robert Fox 2005-2022). Its rhythm is slow and as bewitching as the incantations and the fluty chant. The album Maya also nests on this second compilation by the presence of Kindred Spirit. Always meticulous in his arrangements, the native of Newcastle begins the title by depositing melodious pads of synthesizer which stick with a structure of electronic rock. The rhythm gallops steadily through the mysteries