The journey of one's musical tastes is a fascinating topic. Why do we like the music we do, at the points in our lives when we like it? What about music that we initially dismiss, only to later rediscover it and then fall in love?

At various points in my personal journey with music, I might have dismissed this album as being "boring" or "simplistic." Such is the risk, I suppose, of minimalistic, ambient music. In truth, this album is rich with layer upon layer upon, so minimalistic might not be the best way to describe the neo-classical work of Marvin Ayres. But because his music isn't chock full of riffs or faster paced movements, it feels simpler to the ear at first listen. Perhaps it's somewhat ironic then, that I felt drawn to Ayres' work thanks to my love and appreciation of the music of Aaron Turner. Turner is best known as the lead singer for indie metal legends ISIS, but his broader work includes a lot of experimental stuff, music that's actually not too far removed from Ayres' vibe.

As such, I really dug this release. It's composed of 6 movements, accompanied by a DVD with the same audio in 5.1 format. The DVD also includes a couple of music videos and a live performance. I'd highly recommend this album, but with the caveat that it's going to take time to listen to and digest. But it'll be worth the effort.