Well, 2014 was loaded with amazing reissues, particularly of the cosmic/ambient bent: Brian Eno's The Shutov Assembly, Z's (aka Bernard Szajner's) Visions of Dune, Emerald Web's Whispered Visions, and Joel Vandroogenbroeck's two volumes of Meditations and BiomechanoĂŻd, among many others. But the most revelatory archival release in this vein may have been Ariel Kalma's An Evolutionary Music (Original Recordings: 1972-1979) (RVNG Intl.).

A French native who made the most of his wanderlust in terms of accruing musical knowledge, Kalma created several albums of spiritual, blissful ambient and astral jazz that, at their best, sound like an ideal fusion of Terry Riley and Don Cherry's most hallowed works. "Ecstasy Musical Mind Yoga"—off An Evolutionary Music—represents a pinnacle of Kalma's deep-breath radiance, exalted melisma, and peace-mongering tonal feng shui. This track accomplishes the nearly impossible: It transports you to a holy place in an irredeemably profane, fallen world.