Portable Medicine Organizer Box - 7-Day Pill Case with AM/PM Compartments for Daily Medication Storage | Perfect for Travel, Home, and Office Use

One of Einstein's scientific maxims was "Everything should be stated as simply as possible; and no simpler." This is a good description of Robert Rich's music, especially his latest album, Medicine Box. I have given a lot of thought to what makes Rich's music so distinctive, and so recognizable, even as he brings unexpected changes (at least in emphasis) to each new work. The phrase "Electronic haiku" comes to mind, but perhaps it short-changes Robert Rich's range. Still, I hope it suggests his intuitive mastery of the telling detail, his ability to create and select the essential rhythms and atmospheres without overdoing it. Most ambient music, whether "serious" electronic or the more mellow new age stuff, tends to fall into two categories: either (too) minimalist or (too) bombastic. Both extremes can seem affected or precious, or that the artist is trying too hard to be profound or serene, or hipply incorporate elements of world music. It is telling that Robert Rich does all these things on Medicine Box (profound, serene and utilizing multicultural variety), seemingly without much effort; something akin to the Japanese ideal for brush painting or calligraphy. Or Sufi dancing.Rich's music is undeniably spiritual--without being soupy. Several reviewers have described his flute-playing on this album as "haunting," which does not mean either horror-show disturbing (the dark end of so-called "dark ambient") or overly ethereal. It is haunting the way Indian flute music is haunting--both the South Indian and Native American kind. In fact, Rich's flute-playing (and every other instrument, for that matter) is best understood within the context of the album's title. He does want to disturb us, but in the way that a therapist or surgeon is willing to disturb us to get underneath our protective assumptions and, ultimately to free and heal us. Rich always walks a line (by no means a calculated one--simply artistic expression with integrity) seeking a balance between comfort and surprise. I think this soothing edginess is present on all of Rich's now more than two dozen albums, whichever direction they take and however much one side might be emphasized more than another. Medicine Box provides that healing balance between continuity and exploration with a grace and, well, balance that is completely satisfying and self-contained.Since other reviews have described this album's specific sounds, I won't go into such details here. Music can have a mystical effect. That does not mean there is necessarily anything mystical about its creation. As a professional writer and poet for more than 30 years I still find it hard to describe what makes one piece of writing good and another mediocre. Most people have experienced this same puzzlement of articulation about movies, for example. We know when we've seen a really good one, but if someone asks what MAKES a particular film great (or bad), we might be hard pressed to say exactly, yet we know there are definable elements to enduring art beyond individual taste. (We might say "good acting" or "a good script," but the harder question is what MAKES good acting or a good script?) Medicine Box contains those ingredients of long experience, skill, wisdom and intuition. The results are indeed magical, and rewarding to repeated listening, whether in focused meditation or just as background.