Paul Avgerinos is a prolific composer and performer. He’s released a series of ambient/new age CDs, played on other artist’s releases, and composed for film and TV. Avgerinos’ latest release, Gnosis, falls into the world of ambient and new age music, but has also has a strong Greek influence.

The title Gnosis comes from a Greek word that means a type of enlightenment derived from self-awareness and personal experience with the mystical. Gnosis explores meditative and mystical moods. Many of the tracks feature ambient drones with world instruments such as oud, sarangi and table, or the addition of Greek vocals.

While many CDs are paced to build in intensity, Gnosis seems to do the opposite. It starts out with more rhythmic tracks and moves on to more ambient tracks. As a result, the CD seems to be increasingly relaxed.

The CD ends with the ambient We Are One, which is explores slowly drifting drones.

Avgerinos’ music on Gnosis has a timeless quality. It recalls ancient religious music, early new age works and yet also feels contemporary. The combination of electronic and acoustic sounds and instruments from around the world also seem to remove the music from a specific time or place, making it easy to listen to the music free from definite associations.

If you’re familiar with the pioneering early new age music of Stephen Halpern, you’ll recognize elements of Halpern’s approach here. Halpern’s style stripped music of melodies, harmonic progression and propulsive rhythm, creating a style that emphasized waves of beautiful sound with the pulse of relaxed human breath. Avgerino’s Gnosis explores similar territory, but tends towards a darker, more mysterious feel.

Tracks:

• Pure In Heart
• Follow YourListen
• Awakening
• Know Thyself
• Journey To Now
• Gnosis
• Peaceful
• Waves Of Bliss
• Breathe
• We Are One