** 2021 stock ** This Vidna Obmana work is a surprising return to textural composition, particularly since intervening collaborations with Djen Ajakan Shean and Steve Roach have revealed the more restless side of Dirk Serries compositional persona. Still, an overarching focus on melody and dynamics distinguishes Appearance from earlier program works such as the Trilogy, combining mood with movement in far more obviously "musical" ways. Slow strings and piano, and gentle and sparse repeating lines. For you short attention-span types, the tracks are only about six minutes long, so the overall texture of the album is constantly shifting. It doesn’t get too dark, mainly covering ground established by former ambient explorers, but with a classical feel reminiscent of Penderecki. There is movement here, so don’t get lost.