Light + Shade

Defiant and proud to this day, the man behind the phenomenon of 'Tubular Bells', a teenage prodigy turned one-man band revolution who has defied all manner of movements while creating one of his own, has continued to go his own way. From turning his hand to maverick pop, explorative rock, progressive ambience, orchestral maneuvers, Celtic and African taints (well before both forms of music came into vogue), chill-out sophistication and designing his own internet-based Virtual Reality games (with soundtracks, of course), not forgetting penning the theme to the world's most iconic horror movie 'The Exorcist' and the soundtrack to equally powerful 'The Killing Fields', Oldfield is a singular character.

At this juncture, the man has arrived at a double album project that expands on both the ambient chill-out ("though I hate those terms!" he laughs) side of his brain, which he's called 'Light'. And then there's the darker, moodier counterpart, namely 'Shade'. "Two sides of my musical personality," he concludes.

What has emerged is an enduring mix of simplicity and complexity - from elements of electronic dance ("Quicksilver", "Slipstream", "Romance") to "Closer"'s bluesy serenade, from The Gate's uncanny, varying shades of man machine melancholy to "Tears Of An Angel", which flow from stirring orchestral minimalism to a soothing guitar passage, to African-tinged chorus to a stinging guitar coda. Despite "First Steps" 10-minute duration, 'Light + Shade' is Oldfield in bite-sized form, taking in numerous vistas.