My Secret Heart (20th Anniversary Expanded Edition)
Reviewed By Janet Mawdesley February 18, 2025
Artist – Michael Whalen
Distributor: Bandcamp and other streaming platforms
Released: 31 Janaury 2025
Running Time: 1hr 31 mins - double CD pack
Website: https://michaelwhalenmusic.bandcamp.com/album/my-secret-heart-20th-anniversary-expanded-edition
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In 2005 Michael Whalen released My Secret Heart, a collection of ambient love songs, each one intimate and intricately created to capture the many aspects of love. The ongoing success of the album tells the story, without the need to elaborate about this enchanting music, reaching Billions of streams over the years.
In 2025 he has re-released the original tracks, re-mastered, with the addition of eight more tracks, several selected from previous recordings, others new to the marketplace.
Over the eighteen tracks, the spectrum of love is explored from the deeply romantic I Have Loved You for A Thousand Lifetimes, to the to the introspective, brooding Shattered; which needs no explanation
Exploring vivid and surreal sky paintings Northern Lights, is a tribute to the majesty of the natural world and a piece which lifts the heart in celebration of this unique occurrence.
Moving through tracks the elegant The Dance of Two Souls, followed by Soft as Rain form an intimate bracket of wordless poetry; an offering of love to a precious and treasured loved one.
Whispers is the final track, perhaps placed there to allow the listener a brief time to return from an immersion in the many coloured hues of romance encapsulated by softly flowing songs which enchant.
Over the past twenty years the first ten tracks have been well discussed, enjoyed and found their way into many a background music experience. The eight additional tracks are pure delight which allows the solo piano skills of Whalen to once again beguile with gentle romance.