Michael Sterns

The Drift Inside (1999). Following on the heels of The Ambient Expanse, the first solo effort by Vir Unis, after collaborations with Steve Roach and Ma Ja Le, consists entirely of ambient floats and drifts, putting aside the 'fractal grooves' of Body Electric. Naturally, the closest similarity would be with the co-producer Steve Roach, yet Vir Unis already has his unique voice, already a sure hand with subtlety and nuance. There are 12 pieces here, and as with many albums of textual nature, the divisions between tracks aren't always noticeable. At times, such as on the opener "Currents Beneath the Shine" or "Resonate and Glow", the sound is crystalline and ethereally positive, reminding of early Michael Sterns with the music's shimmering, mandala-like patterning…