The Sentinel

When I think of “space music” the first name that immediately comes to mind is Jonn Serrie. With an extensively impressive portfolio that includes award-winning film scores, projects for NASA and numerous concert performances at planetariums, Serrie’s pioneering brand of cosmic electronic music has spawned numerous protégés over the years and consistently remains the gold standard of its genre. Comprised of six compositions spanning just over an hour, The Sentinel is based on Stewart Cowley’s illustrated science fiction series of the late 1970’s that represents a virtual reality audio journey. On this intergalactic sojourn, the listener acts as the commander at the controls of a spaceship navigating the farthest reaches of the universe, guided along by state-of-the-art sound technology that feels incredibly life-like and three-dimensional. While Serrie’s extensive discography includes albums that range from world-flavored to spacy jazz, The Sentinel embodies the classic brand of electronic space music that he’s best known for and is styled in the mold of classics like And the Stars Go with You, The Stargazer’s Journey and Thousand Star. The opening title piece, “The Sentinel”, immediately embarks the listener on an interstellar journey that seemingly conveys images of a giant spaceship leaving earth and ascending through billowing clouds into space. Pristine synthesizers create undulating drones, celestial vocal washes and inexplicable effects of gravitational forces. Slipping into a bit of a darker mode towards the end, one gets the sense they’ve headed deep into space as the view of earth fades away out of sight. The stunningly beautiful “Centauri Arrival” ensues with unfolding layers of tenebrous chords and sparkling textures that paint a black canvas of shimmering stars. The title of this piece naturally implies one’s arrival at Alpha Centauri, the closest star system to our own solar system, of which many intriguing and ancient legends among various cultures abound. The eerily haunting “Ghost Ship” elicits images of the traveler’s spaceship having entered the atmosphere of an icy planet, as it descends through a fog of clouds to discover what lies below. Here, the music feels cautiously foreboding and exploratory, as supremely realistic sound effects evoke that of skimming upon the surface of a murky sea teaming with alien lifeforms. “Semblance on Laguna 7” seemingly ascends us back into the cosmic vastness where passing comets and distant galaxies soon come into view. An emerging light eventually unveils a glorious scene reminiscent of the many magnificent images captured by the Hubble Space Telescope such as the Eye of God and Pillars of Creation. Named for a star in the constellation of Pavo, “The Veils of Beta Pavonis” is a dreamily drifting piece that lightly carries the traveler upon a softly incandescent stream of stardust, as blanketing warm textures gently wash over one’s being while experiencing the freedom of weightlessness. Finally, “Starship Destiny Homeward” effectively recalls the undulating sound of an engine and controls of a cockpit with its many spine-tingling effects. Here, one seemingly enters through a wormhole where time itself dissolves, as pulsating waves form a rhythmic undercurrent that guides the traveler back home on a journey of many lightyears distance. Another masterpiece hailing from an artist whose remained among my favorites for many years, The Sentinel is easily one of this year’s best releases. Reaffirming my belief that music can serve as a channel, the experience of listening to this album feels like a portal opening to other dimensions and streams of consciousness, in which a celestial paradise always seems just out of reach. Unspeakably beautiful from beginning to end, this magnificent interstellar journey is not to be missed by astronomy buffs, cosmic dreamers, sci-fi and space music fans!

Jonn Serrie is the master of Space Music and he continues to be the best in his field. His music relaxes me and allows my imagination to run free in the Cosmos. I have bought everyone of his albums and just wish he would release more of them!

It's useless to speculate as to whether a given album is the artist's best. What is "best?" The play count on the other Jonn Serrie albums in my library--And the Stars Go With You, for example--is nearing 500 plays. There's an expectation I have when listening to an album of "space music," which I can't define, except to point at Serrie's albums and say, "This." It's mysterious, at times frightening, it hints at an inconceivable vastness, and draws the imagination to think on wonders. That's what I get from Serrie's music at least. And maybe The Sentinel is even a little more "This" than his other albums, which I've loved for so long. So very very "this."

I have followed this genius of space since the beginning, listening to his music on a loop removes me from this tiny world to the void of the cosmos. My journey continues.

"The Sentinel" is Jonn Serrie's latest foray into the hinterlands of deepest, interstellar space. Serrie's newest effort is all, that one would expect of an artist of his stature. The CD is adorned with some astounding 'conceptual art' depicting the visage of a lone-occupant, waiting on a hazy planet, with a large craft, hovering nearby. You wonder is this "The Sentinel"? Are they finally returning, across the distant light-years to collect this solitary being? Perhaps, this is his very first glimpse of contact, or the sinking-feeling of being marooned on an uninhabited world for all time! The score opens with the majestic-feeling of being aboard a craft, that's able to withstand the rigors of space itself. Serrie adds a few glitches on this one, which creates a sense of something interfering with, and obscuring total-clarity. The music is exotic, and hints at curious-things just beyond the crew's limited instrumentation. You also get wispy, ghost-like echoes, and distorted voices, far-off in the distance. Imploring those aboard the 'Day Star' not to linger, at this graveyard-world on the edge of space. It's your choice, to venture beyond the airlock, and investigate further. All these emotions, are wonderfully, and thematically realized by Jonn Serrie on "The Sentinel". Great for fans of Dave Luxton, Ascendant, Simon Wilkinson, Csillagkod, and John Lyell. Highly Recommended.

Anyone who is versed in ambient music knows it’s foundation with artists like Brian Eno, Steve Roach, Vangelis, Jean Michel Jarre and others which has made ambient music a common staple of musical styles with it’s minimalistic, atmospheric and experimental qualities. One person who has also been on the forefront is Jonn Serrie. Since the 1980’s Jonn has been composing and scoring projects for NASA, US Navy, and Planetariums across the United States. His space ambient music is outstanding and this new album from Jonn, “Sentinel” is a masterpiece of what space ambient should be. Each track takes the listener on an interstellar journey. One could close their eyes and feel as they where not only floating through space but landing on a distant planets, each with their own characteristics. As an ambient artist myself composing ambient music is very hard. It’s all about the textures and the weaving od soundscapes into a space of time without the feeling of time. Jonn is a master of this. His gorgeous, lush sometimes even dissonant soundscapes capture what this “Stargazer” feels is a journey into the places we have always wanted to go. Take a listen and take this trip to sonic and atmospheric bliss.

"I don't LIKE space music. I NEED space music." Get into it, people.