Odonata
Amethystium is really 22-year-old Norwegian producer Oystein Ramjford on a solo mission. The name is not as memorable asTangerine DreamorDeep Forest, yet musically, Amethystium shares common ground with both acts. Ramjford's mix of electronics, pop-dance rhythms, and some requisite sonic oddities (subdued Middle Eastern vocals, Gregorian chant, random dollops of native flutes) yields solid results, offering sufficient style and mystery to merit repeated play on an out-there, candlelit night. Amethystium could be described as a subtlerDelirium, a less self-consciousEnigma, or a second cousin toMythos. Ramjford favors a lighter, spacier vibe than most of the aforementioned acts, though. And at his best (on sparkling/pulsing tracks such as "Calantha," "Odyssey," and "Arcane Voices"), he sends an intriguing helix of melody lines on a slow swirl through inviting atmospheric fields. Pedestrian rhythms diminish some tracks, butOdonataremains a promising debut.--Terry Wood