Hein Strobl is an Austrian new age multi-instrumentalist (proficient at piano, percussion, guitar, and synthesizer), and has issued countless albums on a steady basis since 1980 under the alias of Gandalf. Taking his name from the good-hearted wizard in J.R.R. Tolkien's trilogy Lord of the Rings, Gandalf's work often reflects his love of nature, as well as his commitment to preserving the environment (while his music has been compared to such other artists as William Ackerman, Rick Wakeman, Shadowfax, Enya, and Mike Oldfield over the years). His first few albums -- 1980's Journey to an Imaginary Land, 1982's To Another Horizon, and 1983's Magic Theatre -- contained a definite prog rock edge, before adding such instruments as flutes and saxophones to the equation and heading in a more new age-ish direction. Over the years, Strobl has recruited several renowned musicians to guest on Gandalf's recordings (including Tracy Hitchings, Steve Hackett, Emily Burridge, and Peter Ashenbrenner), and in 1989, composed the soundtrack to the motion picture Labyrinth.
Album review
This music was composed as the soundtrack to an Austrian experimental film screened at the Berlin and Cannes Film Festivals in 1989. A refreshing departure from Gandalf's eternally optimistic style, Labyrinth explores the deeper psychological realms of sound through dense, darkly evocative melodies, minimalist rhythmic patterns and contemplative soundscapes.
01 Main Theme (05:29) 02 Behind The Mask (04:51) 03 Cage Of Rules (03:45) 04 The Ever - Turning Wheel (1) (03:48) 05 Painful Heart (05:24) 06 Brain Control (02:44) 07 A Glimpse Of Light (02:46) 08 Facing The Demons (06:33) 09 The Ever - Turning Wheel (2) (03:48) 10 No Chance To Escape (02:16) 11 Edge Of Despair (03:12) 12 Bury The Pain (04:21) 13 Beyond The Heartaches (03:09) 14 The Ever - Turning Wheel (3) (02:58)