After 42 years, Mike Oldfield has released a sequel to one of his finest works. “Return to Ommadawn” is exactly that, an artist going back to revisit a beloved piece of music. This sequel has the same instrumentation, arrangements and even themes that made “Ommadawn” so great.

It’s easy to say that “Return to Ommadawn” is “more of the same” but that’s a complement. The acoustic folk passages fused with touches of world music are what tie these pieces together. I always thought that “The Songs of Distant Earth” (for example) had some of the spirit of the original “Ommadawn” and that’s because Oldfield has a specific style to his more progressive suites. There’s a simple beauty to this album, yet it still feels quite epic at the same time.

It’s hard to really review an album like this one because who am I convincing? If you are a fan of Mike Oldfield, you probably have this album or are about to get it. If you are more of a casual fan who knows the Tubular Bells albums, maybe this is your chance to delve further into the discography of a truly incredible composer.

Mike Oldfield is on par with any of the classical composers in history. His ability to take you on a voyage with various movements and effortless segues make him a true musical genius. In short, “Return to Ommadawn” sounds like a sonically updated offspring of the original and is every bit as good (if not better) than its predecessor.

Rating: 9.5/10

Tracklist:
1. Return to Ommadawn, Part I
2, Return to Ommadawn, Part II

Website: mikeoldfieldofficial.com