WHISPER
DAICHI
TABIJI
WAVE OF SAND
GOLDEN MASK
FAIRY OF WATER
SAMPONA DANCE
TOWARD THE EAST
MAYA MAGIC
SUMERIAN MAGIC (*)
INCA
WONDERLAND I
PRAY FOR BEING (*)
SITARA IV
MORI NO TAMI
FARAU
WONDERLAND II
MAIN THEME NILE - VERSION II
SUMERIAN MAGIC II (*)

all songs written and arranged by KITARO except (*)

additional musician:
Kristin Stordahl Kanda: flute, alto flute

This is a sequel to last album ANCIENT and again the soundtrack for Japanese TV program "NHK Special / Messages from the Past". The relation between ANCIENT & AN ANCIENT JOURNEY is completely the same as between SILK ROAD VOLUME 1 & SILK ROAD VOLUME 2, i.e. in its creating process, the songs which was made first are included in ANCIENT and the latters are in AN ANCIENT JOURNEY. This is also the very first 2 disc set original album for KITARO-san in his original album. Arrangement on each songs is so simple again. This current is since THINKING OF YOU album (on its booklet this is called "new KITARO music"). The atmosphere of each songs is similar to ANCIENT. And also just like ANCIENT, impressive melodies & phrases are few and improvisations never last long.

But the obvious difference between ANCIENT & AN ANCIENT JOURNEY is... you can feel "the flow represented through an album" on AN ANCIENT JOURNEY. You can feel that many songs have the connection (or relation) with last song and/or next songs (which is not exist on ANCIENT). This connections between songs creates "the flow represented through an album", but this "flow" is different from usual "KITARO-san's typical flow represented through an album". The atmosphere of "how album opens" and "how album ends" is obviously different from usual. But you can hear many nature sound mixed with the music here there & everywhere on the album and this current is close to THINKING OF YOU album. And on "WONDERLAND I" & "PRAY FOR BEING" we can hear the location recording music performed by someone (maybe) in the exotic place. These recordings are not the main dish of the album but well-tapestried and a fresh challenge.

"DAICHI" is a dramatic song which has no pop music type of arrangement, and this makes us feel "long time no see!!", because this kind of song is not appeared on last 2 albums THINKING OF YOU & ANCIENT. The origin of "SUMERIAN MAGIC" & "SUMERIAN MAGIC II" is a score discovered from ancient ruins, and KITARO-san reconstructed on his own way and performed (fresh challenges again!). Finding the song title "SITARA IV", you may think there are versions "I", "II", "III". You can find "SITARA" (version "I") on live video TAMAYURA, but "SITARA II" & "SITARA III" are both previously unreleased. Don't try to find!! "MAIN THEME NILE - VERSION II" is another version of "NILE (MAIN THEME)" on ANCIENT, and this version has "new KITARO music" type of simple arrangement.

As sams as ANCIENT, this album is NOT the very first KITARO album for those who have interest in KITARO Music. Better album than ANCIENT, but weak album in KITARO-san's whole discography.

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