A Vision Beyond Light

J. Arif Verner is a multifaceted performer and a talented technician. A Vision Beyond Light is his debut CD. It is an important step in Spotted Peccary’s quest to define new music native to the U.S. Verner’s synthesizer wavers from minimalist to symphonic. It is always ambient and atmospheric. His sound is somewhat unique; it is ‘symphonic synth minimalism.’ The atmospheres are large with lots of strategically placed holes for maximum effect. A gentle drone carries the soundscape through all of its permutations. This disc will appeal to fans of Steve Roach’s pure space music, Cyrille Verdeaux, Jonn Serrie, and Patrick O’Hearn. This is essential space music.

- Jim Brenholts, AllMusic.com

Perhaps the most deeply ambient of Spotted Peccary’s expanding catalog J. Arif’s debut with this innovative label is a hauntingly gorgeous journey into dimensions far beyond anything we’ve known. Superbly detailed, flawlessly executed, awesomely imagined, A Vision Beyond Light takes us into the hyper-imagined realms of ambient realities, lucid dreams of angels in flight past chromatic stars of shocking beauty. J. Arif is an engineer as well as a composer and multi-instrumentalist, he uses state-of-the-art MIDI guitar synthesis, aeolian wind harps, keyboards and acoustic guitar, to create a totally unique musical expression that is exotically atmospheric and pungently impressionistic. A Vision Beyond Light is music made to be
listened to with headphones or a really good stereo, though played as
background to meditation or massage works well also. Given that, I want to emphasize that this is accessible music that is truly lovely to listen to, offering generous glimpses into spacious domains beyond, far beyond, mere light. Favorite tracks include the hedonistic, sensuous distillation of ‘From Extension Fields,’ the lovely, etheric ‘in Lucid Dreams,’ the high-flying, planet-chasing ‘An Embryonic Breath,’ and the peaceful, expansive serenity of ‘World Mind.’ The fabulous art work by Greg Klamt, a Spotted Peccary trademark, is gorgeous as always. For fans of heart-opening ambient textures that fill the mind with A Vision Beyond Light, J. Arif’s new opus is a must.

- Steve Ryals, Fresh Tracks

This is a highly evocative and splendid recording, full of space, vision and
emotiveness. In fact, there is a real sense of the cinematic to ‘A Vision
Beyond Light.’ Track titles, such as ‘Aeolian Atmospheres’, ‘In Lucid
Dreams’ and ‘Through Eon Clusters’ point the way.

Verner’s vision is cohesive, muscular, yet sensitive and full of
understanding of how spatial music should work. Standout tracks, despite all
being excellent, include ‘Imagination Point’ and the title track, ‘A Vision
Beyond Light.’

Of interest are the Aeolian Wind Harps in use on two songs, designed and
built by Charles Bremmer. Their inclusion add an organic reality to an
otherwise digital repertoire.

- Ambience Magazine

The perfect musical elixir, this first release by multi-instrumentalist
Verner is a pure listening delight from start to finish. The eleven
tracks–recorded in upstate N.Y. and Encinitas, CA.–feature a wide array of
acoustic and electric instruments all held together by Verner’s impressive
grasp of state of the art technological wizardry. As close as you can get to
musical nirvana without leaving the planet, Verner’s Spotted Peccary debut
is bound to create much critical praise from knowledgeable fans of New Age
and ambient electronic music.

- Time And A Word Magazine

This releases on the Spotted Peccary Music label has been a frequent
flyer on our CD-player lately. J. Arif Verner’s ‘A Vision Beyond Light’ is
a majestic textural exploration that journey’s from drifting synth
atmospherics to aeolian wind harps and ambient acoustic and electric
guitars. Its stream-of-consciousness compositional style keeps the listener
wondering what delightful musical vista will appear next.

- Body Mind and Spirit