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An introduction is presented in which the editor discusses articles in the issue on topics including perception of magic in popular music culture, popular music studies and New Age music.

Taking inspiration from a press article comparing doom metal and New Age music, I explore individualism and magic in these musical cultures, reflecting on the 'dirty, soothing secret' suggested in that article's title. I trace the loosely defined characteristics of New Age music in the limited academic research on the topic, before situating the music in the wider New Age milieu which centres around the epistemological authority of the seeking self among diverse spiritual resources. Then, I examine the claims made about metal in the news article, drawing out themes which also relate to individualism and magic. Finally, I return to the concepts of the dirty, the soothing and the secret, arguing that these are not merely incidental aspects of the mainstream reception of New Age and metal music, but in fact can be understood as contributing to the magical potential of such music for listeners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seven excerpts of modern jazz piano improvisations were selected to represent a range of perceived complexities. Audio recordings of the excerpts were played for 27 listeners who were asked to indicate their level of enjoyment on 7-point scales. Indications of enjoyment followed an inverted-U when plotted against perceived complexity of the music. Overall enjoyment was less for nonmusician listeners than for musician listeners. The inverted-U function was similar to the relations predicted by Wundt, over 100 years ago, and obtained by other investigators for responses to classical piano music and nonvocal New Age music. Assuming that perceived complexity generates comparable arousal levels, these findings substantiate optimal level of stimulation theory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines the way that Kitaro, the internationally renowned composer and musician of new age music, recasts resources of traditional Japanese culture in his live performance in 2001 at Yakushiji, a 1300 year-old Buddhist temple in Nara, Japan. It focuses on Kitaro's deployment of concepts from Japanese tradition and new age philosophies to address different audiences. It then examines his relationship with new age music by reference to a new composition 'Wa/Peace' premiered live at Yakushiji. It argues that Kitaro strategically uses his music to explore fundamental narratives of self and tradition in the context of globalization. It concludes that Kitaro's performance at Yakushiji is used by modern Japanese consumers to make and re-make the cultural world of music and tradition which sustains their own identity in the twenty-first century. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Music is not just about sounds. It is a political act. Likewise, the academic discourse about music plays a role in cultural polemics. This paper deals with the characteristics and dynamics of the academic struggle over a research topic that is the subject of a cultural conflict--New Age music. An in-depth analysis of the academic discourse and its polemic dynamics leads to an identification of the struggle strategies, and a distinction between different dispositions and paradigms among the researchers. Our conclusions demonstrate the penetrability of the academic sphere by cultural fashions, as it is not rational considerations and factual findings, but rather trends, habits, socio-cultural or professional affiliations, and ideologies that motivate and "advance" research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents the author's insights on the use of the term new age to depict pure art image in music. He states that such use of terms were used by artists as marketing strategy as it offers authenticity and is applicable for music that do not fit into rock, jazz, or pop music. However, he says that skeptics like Robert Basil rejected the use of the term due to its depiction of symbolic system and primal aspects that raises tight relation for arts and spirituality.

Chapter 4 of the book "The Jukebox in the Garden: Ecocriticism and American Popular Music Since 1960," by David Ingram is presented. It explores the conclusion of composers and musicians which is influenced by deep ecology and New Age ecophilosophy, that listening to music has the possibility to be an ecologically attuned activity. It highlights the effect of music listening to the consciousness of individual.

The article discusses the concepts of underground popular music and its role as an index of avant-garde music. It suggests to think of the field of underground music like a popular avant-garde as it particularly pertains to music that falls within the generally accepted critical boundaries. It points out that underground musicians radically make avant-garde music with aesthetics alongside the best popular music or classical music.

Background: Music therapy could reduce stress and the stress response. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of music therapy in alleviating stress during day surgery. Methods: Sixty patients undergoing day surgery were randomized to one of three groups, each containing 20 patients. Before and during surgery, patients in group 1 listened to new age music and those in group 2 listened to a choice of music from one of four styles. Patients in group 3 (control group) heard the normal sounds of the operating theatre. Plasma levels of cortisol and subpopulations of lymphocytes were evaluated before, during and after operation. Results: Plasma cortisol levels decreased during operation in both groups of patients who listened to music, but increased in the control group. Postoperative cortisol levels were significantly higher in group 1 than in group 2 (mean(s.d.) 14.21(6.96) versus 8-63(2.72) ng/dl respectively; P < 0.050). Levels of natural killer lymphocytes decreased during surgery in groups 1 and 2, but increased in controls. Intraoperative levels of natural killer cells were significantly lower in group 1 than in group 3 (mean(s.d.) 212.2(89.3) versus 329.1(167.8) cells/µl; P < 0.050). Conclusions: Perioperative music therapy changed the neurohormonal and immune stress response to day surgery, especially when the type of music was selected by the patient. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zimbabwean musicians continue to struggle to earn a living and respect decades after ushering in the country's independence in song and dance. This article locates the roots of the problem in the independent state's ill-conceived cultural disposition, which failed to appreciate the country's music as an important cultural and economic activity. It argues that the government's policy towards music was characterised by apparent indifference - an inappropriate stance towards the needs of an expanding sector that absorbed multitudes of unemployed Zimbabweans. It exposes the facade behind the proscription of most 'foreign' music from the country's broadcasting media after 2000, under the guise of promoting 'local' talent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Provides an overview of relatively new forms of music such as New Age/ambient and trance music and their relationship to dissociation. Relation between music and altered states of consciousness; New Age/ambient music as quiet, contemplative music commonly used for relaxation and meditation; Trance music as repetitive, rhythmic music open played at dance parties to produce trance states.

This study investigated the effects of interpersonal context and age on children's emotional responses to new age music. One hundred and twenty participants aged 9-10 and 13-14 years listened to four excerpts either alone, or in groups of three. Immediately after listening, they rated the emotions aroused by the excerpts on eight five point-scales based on a circumplex model which conceives of four quadrants of emotional response: positive/negative affect, and high/low arousal. The results showed that participants gave significantly higher ratings on four of the eight scales when listening in groups rather than when listening alone, and that the younger children gave significantly higher ratings on positive emotional states (relaxed, excited, energetic) and liking, whereas the older children gave significantly higher ratings on negative emotions (irritated, bored). These findings suggest the influence of both social and developmental factors upon children's emotional responses to music; namely group effects, and younger children's higher tolerance for unfamiliar styles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Analyzes the impact of year 2000 on the music industry. Issues on technological reproduction, the evolution of popular music and the consequences of moving pictures; Influence of the modern age on compositions, performances and the listeners; Connections between modern music and history.

The article discusses the proliferation of new age music in the United States. To its growing numbers of followers, the new age music is the anti-frantic alternative, a higher-consciousness music, or the world music. The new age music found its use for the commercial purposes. Hospital programs use the new age music to set the mood at natural-childbirth sessions as well as to ease the fear of death in patients who are about to undergo surgery. Airlines generally feature at least one new age music channel on their on board broadcasts to alleviate the fear of flying. The supporters of the new age music are found in baby boom generation. The cover art of the new age music also depicts the range of variation in its content.