Land of Dreams

by Various Artists

Price: $15.00

This recording is truly...dreamy. The songs are also longer than most children's songs so there is plenty of time for your little one to close his or her eyes and truly feel the power of the music. The breathy sounds of soft instruments and male and female voices harmonizing seem to float around the room and almost instantly relax all those present. Band member Rodrigo Fernandez describes the beautiful lyrics as, "not belong[ing] to any particular language, but I do feel they belong to all human beings." The majority of songs feature the guitar as the most prominent instrument, and many also include different types of flutes. Cumbelerene, Amalunai, and Uruduel are great contrasting examples, as they all contain flutes, but different types with completely different sounds and moods throughout the songs. Ilumbarada Eja features the acoustic guitar, with the bass accentuating the beat, creating a steady measure count that you come to anticipated every four counts without realizing it. The song ends with tapping and beating, reminiscent of a heartbeat. Eyu begins like a Gregorian chant; the male voices are very soothing and female accents. This is perfect for calming down after a play session or before a nap.

The sounds will encourage your little ones to close his or her eyes and see where the song takes their imagination. Will they sore over the sea, fly past a mountain, or become the wind and blow around the world? Although some songs feel like lullabies, other songs, such as Anelaua, are slightly more stimulating and work well for meditating. It may sounds silly to ask your child to meditate, but music is something children understand on some level at any age; it is something they can focus on and relate to personally. For those who just want to join in, Kalavatal has plenty of 'oooooo's and 'aaaaaa's for your little one to hum; it makes a beautiful melody - and it artfully tells a story without using any words. Often times, the 'lyrics' are just the title of the song repeated many times over, so you can answer your child (sort of) when they ask, "What are they saying?" Your child can join in on any song through, making their own lovely sounds even if they are not real words. It allows them to feel the music and sing what they are feeling.

My two year-old friend, Kyle and I listened to this song about an hour before bedtime when I was toddler-sitting. We got Kyle into his dinosaur pajamas and teeth brushed so we could just cuddle up on the couch with his blankie and listen to the album. We both fell into a sort-of trace, quietly listening while Kyle layed against me sucking his thumb and I rubbed his back. I thought he had already fallen asleep when he whispered "magic", referring to the chimes at the end of Haredeimu. He is right - it does sound like magic being sprinkled in the air!

--Audra

Tato Gomez was born in 1953 in Santiago, Chile. He started his musical career at the age of 9, learning to play the accordion, guitar, and bass. At Santiago University, he studied musical composition and arrangement, and was also trained as a vocalist. Gomez has a long list of accomplishments and has won numerous music awards throughout Europe. He arranged the Chilean version of "Jesus Christ Superstar," founded the band Santiago, recorded with the Dutch band Focus, produced the German band Purple Schult, and produced Austrian singer Rainhard Fendrich. Gomez performs as a studio musician internationally, and composes, arranges, and produces television productions.

1.	Iriyedei	4:15
2.	Haiana Leya	4:32
3.	Ilumbarada Eja	5:42
4.	Haredeimu	5:15
5.	Amalunai	6:20
6.	Cumbelerene	5:07
7.	Mun Coburo	4:07
8.	Kalavatai	5:33
9.	Deimo	4:39
10.	Anelaua	5:16
11.	Uruduei	4:43
12.	Eyu	4:15