Two Hearts

How does love impact your life? Lao Tzu said that: “Being loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage.” David Wahler’s new album “Two Hearts” seems to contain just as much life wisdom as this 2 500-year-old quote. It describes love in all its phases, brilliantly balancing the high and low points. Love is about giving, but is also about receiving. “Two Hearts” is yet another winner from Mr. Wahler and a must-have in any romantic music playlist. David Wahler began his musical career at the age of 7 playing the piano “by ear”. Early years of summer music clinics and academies at various universities culminated in his studying piano performance at Lawrence University Conservatory of Music; Mannes College of Music in New York; and Berklee College of Music, Boston. David released his first album, “Antiquus,” in the spring of 2009. Then followed “A Star Danced” (2010), “Secret Dream” (2012) and “Spiritus” (2015). His album “Mosaic” was honored with Zone Music Award’s Best Relaxation/Meditation album of 2018 at the award concert in New Orleans in May of 2019. David’s music “Kyoto Mist” was featured in the summer 2019 Warner Bros. movie, “POKÉMON: Detective Pikachu“. There’s no doubt that David Wahler is one of the most loved stars on the New Age music scene today! Always The album opener is called “Always”. It is a warm, relaxing and positive piece – it is as if we are boarding a pink cloud, flying towards a place where love lasts forever and goodbyes don’t exist. “Always” is beautiful beyond words. It has Wahler’s usual melodic focus and exquisite layers of synths. After that opening, you might think that “Two Hearts” is a sugar-sweet album, but that is far from the truth. It is a very mature release, reflecting on love, loss, and times gone by. Next song is called “I Remember You”. It is truly remarkable how Whaler manages to describe two conflicting emotions at the same time; warm feelings and grief, happiness and sadness. It is impossible not to be touched by this. The flute sounds wonderful! Paris Rain “Melancholy” is a word that springs to mind many times while listening to “Two Hearts”. The next piece takes us to the city of love – Paris – and it is raining. There are some interesting sound effects in the intro. I also like how the synth lead emulates the sound of raindrops. It is a gentle and romantic song, perfect for dreaming and relaxing. “Night Sky of Orion” is one of my favorite songs from “Antiquus” – and the new version sounds fresh and chilled. So much has happened in terms of synths, DAWs, and VSTs over the last 10 years, which perhaps is why the remix sounds better. One of the finest songs on “Two Hearts” is “You and Me”. It starts off as a romantic guitar ballad, but as more and more instruments are added – namely some lovely 1980s analogue sounding synths – we are rewarded with a passionate atmosphere. With this in the background, any dinner will be romantic. Love Lost The vibe changes with “Love Lost”. This is, as the title implies, a sorrowful song. It has a slow melody, telling us of both good and bad memories. You can tell that this is a feeling that is here to stay, it is something you have to live with. This love is lost forever. Somewhere in the background is the same sound effect as in “Paris Rain,” adding contrasts and emotional depth. The title song is a small masterpiece! A whole story is told in less than 6 minutes, it is as if we are reading a well-written novel. I very much enjoy the opening; The song seems to need no build-up, like a musical in medias res. We can sense that the “two hearts” are deeply in love – but it is not a love without its share of problems (hence the touch of melancholy), but each of the hearts is there for each other, through the hardships. It is a lasting kind of love. Wahler is truly a master storyteller! The selection of synths used is fabulous. Bloom “Bloom” is entirely different. It is a gentle and thoughtful piece. We reflect on life, and how everything grows and blooms. Notice how the song gets more intense near the end. It is very bright and colorful. Talking about colors; on “One Fine Day” we leave all our worries behind. The world feels new, the sky is blue, and there’s not a cloud in the sky. It is a wonderful and positive piece! Two of the most interesting songs are saved for last; “Confession” and “Then She Went to Sleep.” I believe “Confession” has the perspective of the person who is being confessed to. The atmosphere is foreboding, and we get a sense that something big is about to happen. The sound design is very well-made and intricate. “Then She Went to Sleep” makes sure that the album ends on a high note. The person is safe now, flying off to dreamland and leaving all her troubles behind. Perhaps the confession left her feeling emotionally drained, and sleep was her only way to escape? In conclusion: “Two Hearts” is David Wahler’s most personal album to date. As he himself puts it: ”I wear my ‘heart on my sleeve’ with this album”. It is a very wise and mature release, making the listener reflect on love and its ability to change lives. It is true what they say; Love is heaven, and love is hell. “Two Hearts” is a fantastic addition to Wahler’s already impressive discography. When you first fall in love with it, you don’t want to let go!

David is an interesting individual and blessed as well. He was a successful businessman for several years then “retired” to make music. It is people like him that give me the inspiration to carry on and do something else once I finally leave the routine of a day job. Being in a daily routine day job does not allow for the spontaneity one desires to keep the energy level high and your mindset in the excited mode. David is one of the fortunate individuals that found his way rather quickly after stepping away from the rat race. “Paris Rain” caught my ear for the ambient textures and spacey interludes. I added it to my New Age Music Reviews Spotify Playlist right after I heard it. There is more to hear besides that kind of style, however. For example, directly after that track, “Night Sky of Orion (Remix),” starts with a nice acoustic guitar and all the other elements of keyboards and layers come in to create that instrumental magic that you will be accustomed to hearing throughout this release. Keith "MuzikMan" Hannaleck

David Wahler’s "Two Hearts" is one of the most beautiful albums I’ve heard in a while - and I’ve been listening to some incredible recordings lately! From the warmth and romance of new love to the pain and devastation of love lost, Wahler explores the powerful connections that unite us “from our human relationships to our precious pets, and all living creatures throughout the planet.” Strongly melodic to ethereal and dreamy, Wahler’s eleven original compositions are expressed with quiet grace and heartfelt emotion. Some have a cinematic sweep and others are more subtle, but the theme is always the same: “By focusing on love and the powerful connections uniting us we can overcome many of the challenges we face.” David Wahler’s 2018 release, "Mosaic," received Zone Music Reporter’s Best Meditation/Relaxation album award and several nominations for Album of the Year. His albums are consistently among my “Picks” and “Favorite Albums of the Year,” and "Two Hearts" will be no exception! The music was composed, performed and produced by Wahler and mastered by Tom Eaton at Imaginary Road Studio. Everything about this album is top-notch, including the cover artwork by Matt Strieby at New Leaf Design. Two Hearts opens with “Always,” a tender love song with piano, strings, wordless vocals and light orchestration. It’s easy to imagine a romantic slow dance or this piece playing behind the closing credits of a beautiful movie - a potential classic! “I Remember You” is a gently nostalgic waltz for piano, voices and orchestration. Simple and sincere, it’s like a warm musical hug. “Paris Rain” softly shimmers as it casts a magical spell. “Night Sky of Orion” is a remix of one of the beautiful pieces from Wahler’s 2009 album, "Antiquus." One of my favorites, “You and Me” reminds me a bit of some of Michael Hoppe’s music - high praise, indeed! Primarily a guitar piece with voices, strings and keyboard, the deep emotions expressed flow from one heart to another. Simply gorgeous! “Love Lost” is also a favorite. The gently flowing broken chords on the piano support the heartbreaking melody, also on piano, enhanced with strings and keyboard instrumentation. The video that goes with this piece poignantly illustrates some of the many ways love can be lost and really tugs at the heartstrings. Don’t miss this amazing piece of music! The instrumentation for the title track includes piano, wordless vocals, sweeping strings and keyboard. Warm, soothing and full of love, it is sure to brighten anyone’s day! My other favorite is the haunting “Confession.” Guitar, voices, keyboard and percussion are intensely emotional yet mysterious, stirring the soul. The album closes with “Then She Went To Sleep,” a lullaby for lovers with enveloping warmth and a glowing contentment. Ahhhhhhh. New releases from David Wahler are always a treat, and this one is exceptionally so! "Two Hearts" is very highly recommended!