William Aura – Half Moon Bay

Released on the cult new age label Higher Octave Music, William Aura’s Half Moon Bay is a highly sought after New Age gem that was one of the first few records in the genre to incorporate world-adjacent downtempo dance elements. Revered as a pioneer in the developing alternatives in “New Music” at the time, Aura introduced recently discovered digital sampling techniques and matched them with traditional acoustic eastern instruments. With tracks like “Heartbeat” and “Dream Dancer,” a case can be made that Aura was well ahead of his time, and these tracks can be compared to some of today’s modern downtempo flavors. To compose the record, Aura built a studio that faced the ocean, taking inspiration from his panoramic view of the Atlantic, and reigned in the tropics’ natural world with classic 80’s synths like a Yamaha DX7 along with Indian sarods and flute. The album as a whole is an amalgam of dreamy and atmospheric moods with the optimism and positivity that is perfectly matched by album’s cover featuring a guy smiling into a Northern Californian sunset whilst wearing a full pastel suit.

– DM

Recommended – A3 Mirada, B1 Dream Dancer, B3 Heartbeat