Loved the mix on this and am definately glad I took the plunge after reading elmer's inital post. Having Tony Levin on Bass was the kicker for me to buy it.
It is interesting to find that this was conceived as a surround release from the start. I am hoping that more Artists and Producers will follow this example, and that the sales figures for albums such as this will be high enough to justify more of the same.
Great job Peter, thanks. Gave it a 10.
Interesting one this. The sound is absolutely gorgeous, the surround mix is demonstration quality - incredibly effective right from the simple oboe / harp duet through to tracks with a lot more musicians.
Oi give it ten.
Reviewer: Warren Poitras
I've been a huge fan of high-resolution surround music since the SACD was introduced. I've bought most of the surround titles issued by the major labels, assuming the music was to my liking. Since the majors have all but stopped releasing SACD's one has to look elsewhere to find new titles. Primamore, released by independent Big Apple Music and obviously available at CD Baby, is the best sounding surround album I've heard this year. I won't address the music itself because as the description offered by CD Baby sums it up pretty well. But the quality of the sound, now that is in need or addressing. It's an album you have to hear. You are virtually surrounded by the musicans. Close your eyes and you'll swear you're in the studio. The artist says the album was conceived as a surround recording right from the start. I believe it. If you have a properly balanced system and can playback SACD's in surround, expect great things. You won't be disappointed.
This instrumental gem is quite a nice hidden treasure; mostly unknown, little hype
Reviewer: Spiral_Mind
There's a kind of classical feel owing to the instrumentation - piano, strings, oboe, clarinet, flute, some harp - but it's also spiced up with some Spanish/classical guitar and exquisitely tasteful bass and percussion. All the textures are used to paint all kinds of vivid pictures and moods: from sunny fields to winter snow to European cityscapes and more, it's a buffet for the ears. It seems like things should be structured fairly rigidly when balancing thirteen musicians in various combinations, but apparently everything was sketched out with room for each member to improvise and contribute freely in the finest jazz tradition. The result is a vividly colorful mix with a little of everything and then some. It also sounds great. I don't even have a SACD system to bring out the full depth of the recording, but the regular CD layer alone makes it sound as if Tony Levin is standing right in the living room and the flutes are fluttering just outside the window. Basically, Grancia is like twelve mini-movie scores without the video; sometimes thoughtful, sometimes sunny, sometimes sad, but always beautiful. Listen and your imagination can fill in the rest.
Peter, your music is so lovely. It's very peaceful, how gorgeous and well done.
