Pauline Anna Strom Angel Tears in Sunlight

Those emotions are somewhat enhanced in this case by the knowledge that Strom passed away just two months before the release of the album. Even more poignant is that this was to be her first album in three decades, released on the very credible RVNG Intl. imprint.

Angel Tears in Sunlight is highly meditative, with blissed-out moments and occasional tripped-out tribal excursions. ‘Marking Time’ uses angelic choral samples to create a kaleidoscopic soundscape that pushes harmonies and boundaries to their limits. ‘I Still Hope’ is an atmospheric, sun-drenched ambient masterclass, sometimes fading away before lush strings wash back over you like a warm tide. ‘The Pulsation’ has layer upon layer of tribal drums, wind chimes and other percussive sounds that bring about a trance-like state without ever breaking into an accompanying sweat.

At times, we might find ourselves in the midst of lush, wild green overgrowth with ‘Tropical Rainforest’ or under bright starry skies with ‘Temple Gardens At Midnight’, for this record is a mellow journey. More angelic, chilled-out, beatless sounds return with the highly emotive ‘The Eighteen Beautiful Memories’, which is a timeless and utterly gorgeous track. The album is a culmination of Strom’s vivid imagination, one that imagined other plains and times. It’s a magical release and it’s a shame that she won’t be able to reap the rewards of her fantastic work and talents.