Instrumental Imagery Volume 3

Whose hot idea was it to use all that spacey cover imagery and a title that leads one to believe it's atmospheric meditation music? Don't be fooled — this is actually a pretty nifty and gentle funk/contemporary jazz set, even if the packaging and sticker suggestion to file under "new age/ambient" will prevent it from ever reaching that format. Mehdi has fun interacting with flutist Dan Jenks on the easy shuffling opening track "Millennium Dance," a piece that sets the tone. The general set-up of the songs is keyboard melody introduction and then some interesting mixes of rhythmic percussion and electronic & orchestral arrangements. "Twinkling Star" features a decidedly Eastern vibe and even a violin solo, while the final piece, "Wedding Song," has a gentle, classical flavor. The only song that is truly spaced out is "Rays of Love," but even that one gets a bit rhythmic part way through.