People who like ...
... The Other Side - or more generally - Hevia - will probably also like Afro Celt Sound System - Volume 1 Sound Magic. In a blind test, 1 out of 1 participants thought he was listening to ACSS when presented with Hevia.

Four stars says about enough; a fairly chilled, laid-back, down-tempo treatment.

A fascinating fusion of Celtic, Spanish, and Middle Eastern
José Angel Hevía is a talented gaitero, or bagpipe player, from the Asturias region of Spain, next to the Celtic region of Galicia and with similar Celtic influences. Both Galicia and the Asturias produce many talented bagpipers and Celtic-influenced groups (Hevía, frequent Cheiftains collaborator Carlos Nuñez, Milladoiro), but Hevía is a breed apart.

On "The Other Side" (Al Otro Llado in Spanish), he blends the electronic gaita, an instrument he developed himself, with Asian, Celtic and Middle Eastern influences--Arabic melodies and soloists, Buddhist monks chanting, haunting choral arrangements of traditional songs...blended with modern sound effects, synthesizers, and haunting instrumentals on low whistle and gaita. A perfect gift for the world music fan and a great introduction to Spanish bagpiping.

Tierra de Nadie was better
The music in this album is just OK. It didn't make me feel the same way the first album, Tierra de Nadie, did. I'm not saying the album is bad, but it's just ok like in between good and bad. My recommendation to you is that if you bought the first album don't buy this one, and if you didn't buy any go ahead and buy the first one. There is something wrong about this CD but it's hard to tell what it is.

"harmonious balance of memories long past"
This album takes you to another plain, samplings from each country blends fascinating arrangements and original compositions that seem to linger with you long after you push the stop button on your remote.

Hevia is a gifted artist/musician/composer with a distinctive sound and a style that won't quit...electronic bagpipes, flute, low whistle and programming is his speciality, music that gets under your skin...many are from the days when his grandfather was cutting the hay.

Simplicity is what most of us search for, this latest release from Hevia and Higher Octave Music has given us a glimpse of what is on "THE OTHER SIDE".

Total Time: 52:49 on 12 Tracks ~ Higher Octave Music HOWCD-50794 ~ (2000)

Hevia Hevia - CD #2
I loved "Tiera de Nadie." Loved it. Then read a few reviews on this later CD. On first listening I agreed with the following: 'I loved Hevia's "Tierra de Nadie", so greatly looked forward to "The Other Side". Alas, I was a tad disappointed. The new CD has a distinctly different sound from the first. For one thing, there doesn't seem to be as much of that fiery bagpipe playing.'

I was disappointed, and had to admit I agreed with this review 100%. So I set aside this CD for a week or two. Then came back to it while on a trip and found that I loved it as much as "Tierra." Then listened to "Tierra" again, and found it very dated, and discovered how much I had progressed and actually preferred "The Other Side."

This is music that will appeal to a small segment of the population, but if you are stirred by a simple Irish wistle, or moved by the nasal drone of bagpipes, I can highly recommend this later version of Hevia. Equally unique, and for me more moving.