Australia: Sound of the Earth

After the success of Dreamtime Return, which was inspired by Australian aboriginal mythology, Roach returned to Australia. He traveled the continent with a tape recorder collecting natural sounds and capturing performances by native musicians, which he then wove into a sonic journey through the outback. The album is significant in that it features high-quality recordings of aboriginal didjeridu master David Hudson, who does some startling things with this ancient wind instrument. There are also some powerful performances by a group of five didjeridu players, as well as some intriguing contemporary compositions by Australian composer Sarah Hopkins. – Linda Kohanov