Ambient master VidnaObmana continues his ambitious four-part An Opera for Four Fusion Works with Act Two, "Phrasing the Air," featuring the saxophone playing of EMUSIC DJ Bill Fox. The first part of the Opera, 2002's "Echoes of Steel" was one of my favorite albums of the year; an autumnal, melancholy ambient work featuring the gothic-folk guitar of Dreams in Exile. "Echoes" was delightfully listenable, and would make a fine introduction to listeners (especially fans of the quieter goth styles) not familiar with VidnaObmana's oeuvre, or ambient in general. Act Two, though sharing the same recycling processes as its predecessor, is a completely different work in tone, containing unusual sonorities and textures--it is also one of the most interesting and difficult albums of VidnaObmana's recent work.

Like "Echoes of Steel," the tracks on "Phrasing the Air" are labeled only by Roman numerals (often out of numerical order). The general mood is meditative and haunting, a longstanding VidnaObmana trademark dating back to his early "breathing" synth works. "I" reminds me of no less than Jon Hassell's resonant trumpet playing; an exotic hooning, calling infinitely over a desolate landscape. Fox's saxophone is processed and layered, sounding like a chorus of strange Eastern instruments, sounds trumpeting from the mountain above. "II" is reminiscent, at first, of VidnaObmana's early work on Revealed by Composed Nature and The Trilogy of albums. The repeated melodic pattern forms a mandala of deep colors; blues and greys. Fox's saxophone is deep and resonant here, often reminding of Tom Heasley or Stuart Dempster, boiling up from the depths. Obmana's ebow adds tension, a dissonant chorus screaming above the soft landscape of recycled sax. The unusual tones carry the track forward, resembling circling birds, as the underlying ambience remains fairly static. It's a difficult track--with screechy textures taking the driver's seat--though the disparate elements, uncomfortable sounding they may be, meld quite perfectly. "VI" is next, sounding strongly like Terry Riley's "Poppy Nogood," due in part to Fox's sax, looped and ever-shifting. The track even seems to pan through the speakers like Riley's classic piece. If this reminds me of "Poppy Nogood," then it is certainly a "Poppy Nogood" played in a giant area, as the sonic undercurrents are vast and bassy. The roiling, post-industrial soundscapes and the sounds reminiscent of early minimalist experimentation truly represent an expression of past and present forms of meditative music. Quite a stunner, and my favorite track on the album. "V," the longest track at just over nineteen minutes, returns to ambient stillness. Here Fox's sax is processed down to long, almost vocal, tones. Those who appreciate the harmonic singing of David Hykes, or Ambient Review favorite Jim Cole, will find much to enjoy here, though the sound sources do not originate from the human voice. This is deep and gorgeous, more than a little gothic in tone. Obmana's guitar textures from recent works like Innerzone appear at the halfway mark. The track is creepy, resonant, and extremely memorable, though perhaps not for those who prefer their ambience free of sharp edges. "IV" ends the album on a surprisingly musical note, with Fox's sax playing instantly recognizable as the instrument it is. I have to admit even this track is a little "out there" for me, with an uncomfortably off-kilter melody repeating over nine minutes. The strange drones beneath the sax are quite intriguing, but, as a whole, the track didn't gel for me.

"Phrasing the Air" is a surprising departure for VidnaObmana, and continues the Opera in a most auspicious way. While no track could be considered "easy" listening (or "fusion," or "opera," for that matter), I find this to be one of Obmana's most impressive works of the last five years. "Echoes of Steel" was surprisingly underrated, considering its high quality, and "Phrasing the Air" proves to be a more than worthy follow-up. I hesitate to recommend this to those who enjoy VidnaObmana's lighter, airier works like The River of Appearance or Landscape in Obscurity. Regardless, this is sure to be a favorite to those who follow VidnaObmana, whether he is performing post-industrial soundscapes, translucent ambience, or bizarre (and sometimes frightening) experimental works. A fine, original, effort from one of the genre's best artists.