Track Listing

1. Ocean Dreams
2. Sound of Still Water
3. Sea at Night
4. Valley of Healing Waters
5. River's Journey
6. Oceans of Life
7. Well of Wisdom
8. Lady of the Moon
9. Nautilus
10. Heart of the Nile

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #52335 in Music
• Released on: 2002-01-22
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .21 pounds

Album Description
What does the ocean dream? Glimpse into the depths of jeweled waters and the fantasia within. Surrender to the siren call. Come! Be transported under the waves, flowing with 2002's delicate strings, guitar, flute, keyboard and distant voices of angels of the deep. 2002 - Favorites on Billboard's New Age Chart for the past five years!

Amazon.com
They reached their namesake year, but unlike Arthur C. Clarke's 2001: A Space Odyssey or George Orwell's 1984, the group 2002 never offered great expectations. Across an Ocean of Dreams sounds pretty much like their last several albums, which means lots of women's choirs oohing and aahing in celestial bliss, Enya-esque pizzicato strings, and meandering melodies. 2002 aspires to a quiet classical grandeur, but at a sluggish pace that makes Yanni sound as if he's on an adrenaline high. Wrapping you in faux-velvet gauze, they muffle the very air coming from your speakers. Late in the album, "Lady of the Moon" almost cuts through with a plaintive mix of acoustic and electric guitars, a bit of Renaissance recorder, and a breathy woman's chorus. But by then, you've been smothered to death. --John Diliberto

About the Artist
Randy and Pamela Copus are the husband and wife team behind the 2002 name. When I was hosting an instrumental radio program back in 1995, Randy and Pamela sent me a CD of promos for my show. At that time, Wings and Savitri were their only releases, and we did what we could to promote their music. For the year 2002, Randy and Pamela have offered up Across an Ocean of Dreams, and I'm happy to say that the duo have never sounded better.

Fans of 2002 will feel right at home with dreamy piano and synthesizer work, along with subtle and angelic vocals that shimmer against strings, guitar, flute, and harp. At just over 50 minutes, Across an Ocean of Dreams moves with such grace and fluidity, that before you know it, it's over. This makes for a wonderful listening session, as you will definitely want to listen to this one start to finish without interruption.

One of the many appealing things about 2002 is their ability to tell a story with the music. Wings, their 1992 debut release, told the story of Icarus, while Savitri (one of my all time 2002 favorites), recounts the tale of a 5th Century B.C. Princess from India. From the beginning, Across an Ocean of Dreams asks us to consider what the Ocean would dream of, and thus starts another amazing journey with 2002.

The opening track is also the title cut, and immediately you can hear the signature 2002 sound. Gentle synth and strings give way to guitar and flute, and is simply a wonderful piece of music. Ethereal vocals begin after a couple of minutes, pulling all of the other elements together in a powerful and enchanting amalgam. The liner notes are particularly helpful with this album, as they explain some of the context behind each piece.

"The Sound of Still Water" features both harp and guitar, each providing a romantic counterpoint for one another. "The River's Journey" has a fantasy-world sound to it, with exquisite yet restrained vocal accents. My favorite track from Across an Ocean of Dreams however, has to be "Nautilus". As is so often the case with the music of 2002 (or so it has been in my experience)there seems to be a particular track on all of their previous albums that really defines the whole recording. "Nautilus" reminded me much of some of the more uplifting moments from Emerald Web's Manatee Dreams of Neptune, and wonderfully combines all of the instrumentation and angel-like vocals into a sweeping and dramatic composition that really shines amongst the other tracks on the album.

2002 has been a favorite on New Age music charts for the past five years, and Across an Ocean of Dreams stands as a testament to how far Randy and Pamela Copus have come as musicians. They have definitely set a new standard for themselves with this album, and I am truly looking forward to their next recording. 2002 has crossed over into greatness, and will hopefully stay there for years to come. ~ Jimmy D., Instrumental Weekly, January 2002

Customer Reviews

The ultimate in New Age
Those who love the music of Enya and Secret Garden should check out 2002. There is a distinct difference in that there are no solo female voices, but rather ethereal voices combined with the instrumentation. The result is very evocative and somewhat sensual. This is music to dream by although, unlike one of the other reviewers, I didn't find it ideal for sleeping. Those who dismiss this music as bland and boring aren't tuned in to the levels of sound presented here. As such, it lends itself to deep listening for those who do enjoy new age. I echo the advice of the reviewer who in effect says if you don't like new age music, forget this CD. But if you enjoy pure musical sound, you may well treasure this as a favorite. It is great reflective music to enjoy alone, but as noted above, there is a sensual quality, for those completely tuned in, which makes it quite appropriate for sharing with a special other who also vibrates to this style of music.

The Ocean Indeed Dreams
Ever been to the Monterey Bay Aquarium? You know the Kelp Forest exhibit? Have you sat and just watched the stalks of kelp dancing up and down lazily as the waves come in and roll out of their tank? That's what "Across an Ocean of Dreams" feels like. I've listened to many ocean-themed albums in my time, but this one nails that submerged effect that most of the others tend to lack.

Now, I know there's an overabundance of ocean and water themed new age albums out there, but let's face it, water is inspirational. Like humans, water can take many shapes and sizes and perform many different tasks by taking on new forms. Unlike humans, however, water flows carelessly wherever it is taken. Perhaps it is that humans long for such a carefree and flexible existence that it intrigues us so.

Amazon reviewer Diliberto should not be blamed for his reaction to the album. It has been a strong trend in New Age music of late to produce upbeat and inspirational music rather than gentle, meditative music. This is slowly becoming "the standard" for reviewers of the genre, and many tend to overlook the intention of other varieties of the genre.

Back to the album itself, it is my opinion that this is 2002's greatest to date. This album captures the relaxing mood often associated with underwater excursions in true 2002 fashion. I only hope that they will continue to produce music this emotional and gentle in years to come.

I LOVE THIS CD!!!
I bought this album on a recommendation from a close friend. I was having one of those crazy, stressed out days and needed to escape reality for a while. I filled my bathtub, lit a bunch of candles, dumped in some aromatic bath salts and hauled my portable CD player into the bathroom, locking the door behind me. I put this CD on, layed back, closed my eyes and let the mood of the room take over. It was like heaven, the thing I needed most for myself. I felt like I was on a spa vacation! I can't believe how great this made me feel and for so little effort. The music made everything I was stressed about seem meaningless and actually inspired me to make some life changes this year. I'm looking forward to my next "getaway" and to trying other CDs from 2002. I will definitley recommend this CD to all of my friends!