The Enchanted Forest David Sun Cassette or CD New World Company, Paradise Farm, Westhall, Halesworth, S~ffolk IP19 8RH, UK. Tel: 01986 781 682

Gende, slow temple bells and wind instruments create a haunting sound that is supplemented, as the title would suggest, with bird song, crickets and bubbling streams and waterfalls.

The two tracks, which are somewhat unimag- inatively called Enchanted Forest A and B are each about 23 minutes long, the ideal length for a piece of relaxing music and a relaxation exercise or creative visualization.

Unfortunately, part way through the piece, a somewhat discordant synthesized xylophone starts to play following a short episode of bird- song that sounded to me very much like a 'cheeky chappie' happily whistling on his way to work. Although a feeling not shared by some- body who was listening to the CD with me, I found this and much of the other birdsong unconvincing and I was left wondering whether it was synthesized or human.

Not with standing this, 'The Enchanted Forest' conjured up images of ancient woodland, with shafts of sunlight illuminating a heavy dew, thick moss, fallen branches and toadstools. Useful, perhaps, for creative visualization.

Sacred Spirit Various Artists. CD Virgin Records and main retailers

This CD is a recent release in what seems to be a long line of adaptations of Native American songs and chants that appear to have been sani- tised (sterilised?) in order to appeal to the popu- lar market. Although perhaps more true to the original form than, for example, a dismal earlier CD entitled 'Music for the Native Americans' by Robbie Robertson, this CD suffers from the inclusion of over-produced, predominantly synthesised orchestral backing tracks (with lots of violin) on top of some really very amazing and moving American Indian chanting and drum beats. But perhaps I am being unfair. If this CD was designed to bring American Indian music to the attention of a wide market, and I think it probably was, then it will do a good job and some of the proceeds from its sale do go to the Native American Rights Fund. Although I occasionally listen to and enjoy the CD, what I long for is something that gives me the impres- sion that it is authentic.

Appalachian Mountain Suite Dan Gibson's Solitudes. CD. Castlewood PO Box 38149, 550 Eglington Avenue West, 7bronto, Ontario M5N 3A8, Canada.

This CD is one from a series o f recordings of purely natural sounds combined with music. Each of the seven tracks represent difrerent scenes, events and encounters with wild birds on a journey through the Appalachian Mountains. You can travel across marshlands, build a campfire and feel the warmth of the crackling logs, traverse a mountain stream and end your journey on the sea shore. All this accompanied by abundant sounds o f wildlife, mainly birdsong, and a selection o f soothing melodies, the guitar, orchestral sounds, a piano and more. This CD is not best suited for relaxation, I found that track four 'Around the Campfire' was a bit ' jumpy' and track six 'Lake Voices' was fairly strange and perhaps a little too mystical but in general it may be good to have playing, perhaps in the back- ground.

Dolphin Dreams: A Delphonic Birthing Environment Spirit Sounds. Cassette Tape. s Spirit Music Inc., PO Box 2240, Boulder, CO 80306, USA

Although I was at first irritated by this tape, after the first five minutes or so the gentle sounds of waves, a flock of seagulls, the (to the human ear) clicks and squeaks of dolphin com- munication over a constant murmur of O M and a heartbeat became incredibly soothing. The sleeve notes tell that the recording was made in order to attune the listener to the reso- nance of the earth (7.8 cycles per second). This, coupled with the rhythm of the slow heartbeat (at about 50 beats per minute), makes it an ideal tape that can help induce deep relaxation, not only for whom the tape was originally made - pregnant women, birthing women and infants - but for anybody interested in deep relaxation or meditation. The sounds of the 'delphonics', communication between two dolphins named Joe and Rosie, are supplemented by wild dol- phin sounds and are claimed to be of interest to anybody interested in inter-species communi- cation. Part of the proceeds from the sale of these tapes go towards the organizations work- ing for dolphin rights. I f I had to choose any one outstanding relaxation or meditation tape, this would be a very strong contender.

FRAN BILEY MSc, BNurs, RGN, RMN, PGCE, FETCert

Lecturer in Nursing

Complementary Therapies in Nursing & Midwifery (I 995) I, 155 �9 1995 Pearson Professional Ltd