South African musician, Ashton Gardner, was born in Durban and made his way down the coast to Port Elizabeth before settling in Cape Town almost 20 years ago. Gardner can play acoustic guitars, bass, piano, keyboard and drums, making him wonderfully versatile when it comes to creating and performing his own music. The local muso writes all of his own compositions and material, able to carry his Vision right through to performance. Having years of studio experience, this independent artist is able to take a song from inception to release.

While Gardner's written and performed most of his songs with lyrics, his latest offering A Vision of a Dawn is what he describes as a "meditative instrumental album". The 10-track instrumental-focused release runs at almost an hour and was produced over a few months in meticulous detail. Fans have described the music as "deeply relaxing", "wonderfully ambient", "ethereal", "otherworldly" and "a mesmerizing landscape of sound".

After listening to the album, it's all of these things and more. Gardner's brought a cinematic feel to his instrumental collection. Mysterious, warm, uplifting and at times creating a sense of weightlessness, it's just what the world needs right now. After a tumultuous 2020 with everyone trying to grab your attention through adverts, social media, triggering headlines and a constant barrage of noise, it's no wonder taking a break and escaping into a dreamland is so promising. Vision of a Dawn will help you get there.

Creating dreamy soundscapes with his music there are dabs of Angelo Badalamenti who's best known for the Twin Peaks soundtrack and his work with David Lynch. This surreal aspect and soundscape layering makes the music rich in melody and atmosphere recalling the meticulous and ethereal works of Billy Corgan. There's a touch of melancholy, which is restrained by more optimistic riffs giving the blend of guitar and piano an emotive quality. The uplifting yet magical undertones are reminiscent of Owl City at times, making Vision of a Dawn enticing and more universal.