artist: Healer country of origin: Sweden style(s): Ambient trance, ambient, psychedelic essential releases: Wonderground (2000, Flying Rhino) Higher Grounds (2004, Candyflip Records)

Swedish composer Michael Andresen aka Healer produces exquisite, gently psychedelic tracks that suggests a modern take on classic German ambient trance ala Ashra and Tangerine Dream, as well as echoing the clean, gleaming synthetic sufaces of Jean-Michel Jarre.

Comparisons with the masters of yore can be limiting, even if a few tracks into either of these albums it becomes clear that Healer is no brazen recycler. But the DNA is certainly there in those rich synthetic chords and steadily spinning loops of melody, right down to the whistling melotron-like phrases on "Three" from Higher Grounds. And, from the same album, the chugging, intense sequencer-driven groove of early Berlin ambient is channeled to perfection on "Art Of Translucency".

The key to this music's greatness is harmony; Healer really understands the power of building a track until we get a layering 2 or 3 melody lines at once. These are two essential albums of tone-colour ambience in the post-dance vein.

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