Oreade Music produces the "Our World's Sounds" series with, as it says clearly on the front and back covers, "no music, no voice-over." This is an important distinction, since so many relaxation or meditation-themed nature albums muddy up the natural elements with clunky, new age synths or whispered words. The additional sounds are probably added with good intentions. Nevertheless, they too often take away from the pristine simplicity of the ambient nature recordings. For this installment, Oreade presents a day in the life of a herd of seals. The album is separated into 20 tracks, with each explaining by title what's happening. There are fights between seals for available fish, the barking of seal young, the mischief caused by dolphins and whales (complete with eerie underwater whale calls), and the ever-present roar of wind, waves, and surf. Close your eyes and imagine you're there. ~ Johnny Loftus