Release Date: October, 2008

Genre: Progressive/New age/Ambient

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Producer: Mark Mendieta

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With ten absolutely stunning tracks spanning all of 60 minutes, Transcend with Time's 'Through Memory's Perception' is definmately one for the 'ingenuity and enourmous scope' collection!

This is the second album I've reviewed from this artist and it's one of those efforts that was so worth the time and energy with the added joy being I get to keep a copy! I've listened to this album three times already and I keep finding things that make me go 'Wow!'. It's the 'wow factor' that keeps me motivated and so we'll begin by looking at the numerous wow factors that are overflowing from beginning to end!

Open Your Eyes is a little over eight minutes in length opening with some nice background drones and some really pleasant mood-settling piano and strings that are given life with some nice prog-fusionesque percussion. There's quite a clever example of fine strings and bass synchronizing and for me, the perception is of bright, positive, growth as expressed by the charming arrangement. TWT's progressive leanings are apparent in a way which makes the project so much more interesting but you have to expect that kind of ingenuity occuring throughout this artist's development cycle simply because it's what it is and we like that ALOT!

Through Memory's Perception arrives with a very bright and uplifting assembly of keys and drum work that exude something really happy and marvelous going on. I get the impression that, in the composition stage, the organization of the percussive layers and parts took quite a bit of work perhaps to get the right feel across the entire track rather than being due to any missappropriation of sounds. Either way... it's a very interesting piece of music that made it's way to my Jeep's iPod where it's nestled nicely alongside some of the greatest music ever made! Watch out for the 5.30 mark... that's the bit for me!

The thing I like most about Visions of Premonition is the fact that it opens with a kind of foreboding and hesitant observation theme which is unusual for TWT but works exceptionally well with some lovely string work and sits really nicely as a follow up to the previous tracks. Signs of Existence on the other hand, breaches the kind of flood barriers that electronica often gets clogged up with by simply being that inventive. The other end of the piano; the left hand section, the lower, darker end is where the majority of strokes are laid out here. The repetitives and the bass and percussion work are exceptional. It's a 'busy' track and another example of what happens when you go back and find more things you might have missed first time around!

Cognitive Imagery is uttertly brilliant for lots of reasons but here's the main one.. it's highly engaging! I like the string work more for it's power and dynamism in the performance than for the actual choice of key. An octave lower maybe, and you'd have an uber track as opposed to a mega track but then anytrhing I produce with electronic strings doesn't come close to this!

A Lingering Thought has momets of excellence located in the string arrangements that are gently persuaded to venture to other realms by the sleek bass and riff sequences. TWT has a great command of percussion against strings which is actually a little harder to get right than you might think. You can't over do it and you can't mess with the cymbals too much but then I guess Mark Mendieta/TWT knows not to go messing in that space which is why his arrangements are so strong.

Reminiscence and Into the Realm of Quiet are two of my favourite tracks that deserve some praise and appreciation here for the inventiveness that they've been saturated with. Where Reminiscence is abundantly a contemplation track, Into the Realm of Quiet is the real thought provoker and I'd recommend that you listen to both tracks exactly in the order that they have been presented to get the full flavour and the lingering after effect that remain with you for quite some time. It's a hard thing for a composer to make happen and I'm glad that I had that experience in listening first time around.

Time of Certainty provokes some great audio imagery irrespective of the mood your in and I think it's down to the intricate piano layers that are given a kind of life vibrancy by the percussion work. Strings are very nicely positioned and I'd really like to see this piece performed by a full orchestra whether Mark would like that or not ;o)

A Dream Subsides brings the album to it's close delivering the kind of hook that sends slivers of sparkling desire for more into your thinking. Synth work includes some 80's effects that bands like Ultravox managed to turn into big royalty cheques and although the track is not really that reflective of the decade, it's good to see those little hints from wence it all began now and then. What stands out in this piece as with all of the tracks on this album, is the clever binding of prog-styled percussion with strings and piano to make a great album greater. Transcend with Time provides excellence and thought provocation to a genre that's often hungry for it. The more contemplative and imagery needy folks are adequately catered for too.

With Transcend with Time, I'd say that you can go and listen to the available projects with high expectations and you won't be disappointed. Better still, start with this album and work your way back through the catalog before you impulsively click the buy now button!

Elley Wilson

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