Robert Fripp's contributions to 2000's A TEMPLE IN THE CLOUDS were recorded in 1991, supposedly in a Buddhist temple. These tapes were given to co-producer Jeffrey Fayman some time later, and Fayman processed the tapes thoroughly, looping and sampling small parts of Fripp's guitar work and surrounding it with ambient sound effects (waves, birds, that sort of thing).
The four resulting pieces--"The Pillars of Hercules," "The Sky Below," "A Temple in the Clouds" and "The Stars Below"--resemble the work of Vini Reilly and Harold Budd much more than they do the usual work of Fripp. Even Fripp's long-running Soundscapes series of ambient CDs had a bit more weight to them. Folks looking for King Crimson-style pyrotechnics will be disappointed, but ambient and new age fans may find this diverting.
Professional Reviews
Alternative Press (10/00, p.91) - 4 out of 5 - "...Unique...atmospheric soundscapes....likely to be filed simultaneously in the Fripp and new-age sections..."
CMJ (10/00, p.47) - "...An album that lives up to the spiritual evocations of its title..."
