Radiance Spiritual Shimmer: An Electrifying Dive into Inner Space
Alright, let’s talk about Radiance Spiritual Shimmer by Michael Hammer, because apparently “electronic music” wasn’t niche enough in 1990—we needed something that sounded like a yoga session on Mars. Released under Light Body Music (which sounds suspiciously like a label run by someone who owns too many crystals), this album is a wild ride through Abstract and New Age vibes. And yeah, it’s as woo-woo as it sounds—but hey, sometimes woo-woo works.
The opening track, "Spheres Of Light," hits you with these ethereal synth pads that feel like floating in a warm bubble bath... if your bathtub was located in another dimension. It's got this slow, deliberate build-up that makes you wanna close your eyes and pretend you’re meditating—even if you’re just sitting there wondering what’s for dinner. What sticks with me here? The way the melodies seem to shimmer (yep, they nailed the title) without ever fully resolving. It’s both soothing and kinda frustrating, like when someone tells you the punchline of a joke but leaves out the setup. Weird flex, but I respect it.
Then there’s "Focusing Inward," which might as well be retitled "Focusing On How Weird This Is." There’s this pulsing rhythm that feels like your heartbeat after three cups of coffee, layered over twinkling keys that sound suspiciously like wind chimes being tickled by angels. It’s not necessarily bad—it’s actually kind of mesmerizing—but it’s also the musical equivalent of staring at an optical illusion for too long. At one point, I swear I heard what could only be described as “the sound of enlightenment glitching,” and honestly, I haven’t been the same since.
As for the rest of the tracks, they blend together like watercolors left out in the rain—pretty, sure, but hard to tell where one ends and the next begins. Still, props to Hammer for creating something so unapologetically chill it practically begs you to lie down and stare at the ceiling while pondering life choices.
Here’s the kicker though: listening to Radiance Spiritual Shimmer feels less like hearing an album and more like accidentally wandering into someone else’s lucid dream. If you dig electronic music that leans heavy on atmosphere and light on structure, this is your jam. But fair warning—if you play this during a party, don’t be surprised if everyone suddenly remembers they “have to go home early.”
Final thought? This album proves that even back in 1990, people were trying to figure out how to relax in increasingly complicated ways. Turns out, all we really needed was some good old-fashioned silence—or maybe just better snacks.
