Phil Derby / Exposé Magazine

«Vestiges is a great ambient expanse of soundscapes much in the style of Roach, but with a Spanish flair, particularly in the percussion that is added. This is immediately evident on the first track, «Desolada.» Despite a healthy dose of drums, the sweeping synthesizer textures that surround them convey a sense of calm. Like much of Roach’s more organic works, the music lives and breathes. «Night Caravan» continues the feeling of spaciousness, as the ambient sounds envelope the very pleasant drumming. Slightly more active at first is «First Rain,» but the relaxing ebb and flow continues thoughout. In fact, the drums disappear for the first time over the latter half of this track. The drumming returns, slightly more tribal, on «Erosion.» Throughout, one is reminded of classic Steve Roach discs like Dreamtime Return, or Desert Solitaire.

Titles like «Death Valley» draw such comparisons even closer. This is the sparsest piece,though each of the last three tracks is very free flowing, very ambient, with little or no percussion. The title track has some brighter tones mixed in, and reminds me somewhat of American space music artist Glenn Deardorff. It makes a perfect closer to an extremely relaxing and very enjoyable CD.