Sleep Better

This may not have the cool cachet of Tom Middleton’s earlier works solo and with Mark Pritchard — it is, after all, packaged as a functional sleep aid, with distinctly clinical artwork and Middleton credited as “Sleep Science Coach.” But it is, in fact, extraordinary beautiful music. Where Middleton’s late 90s and 00s output had tended to increasingly big and commercial dance sounds, this is a set of pieces of really remarkable delicacy. All the familiar drones, chords and nature sounds from a million new age relaxation recordings are there, but the orchestral arrangements here are that much lusher, the way the white noise washes over and around you is that much more enveloping, the opening up of huge starlit spaces is that much more convincing. This is about way more than just comfort and relaxation, it can really take you to some very special places.