Secret Worlds
Ambient music is a difficult genre to rate, in that its very definition is almost impossible to pin down. It can be a genre of high concept, or of impenetrable minimalism. On his 13th CD, Secret Worlds, Australian composer-performer Guido Negraszus works from both ends of the ambient spectrum to create a recording that would play equally well as a video-game background, or as a soundtrack for deep meditation. Stepping outside of the typical beat-driven framework that forms a great deal of electronic music, Negraszus builds his songs from the melody up, which makes for an altogether pleasant listening experience; and the inclusion of world-music sounds puts his music in a category all its own. Above all, his compositions—which bear titles like “I Dream of Africa,” “Sailing Forever,” and “Flying”—are suitable for a long, peaceful journey, either to a faraway land, or into your own mind..  John Brodeur in 2008 (USA)

Across the Souther Skies
After having enjoyed Guido Negraszus’ CD Mirage as much as I did, I could hardly wait for its sequel, and with Across the Southern Skies my wait has come to an end. The new CD, which I call Mirage 2, is truly a great work and I offer my sincerest congratulations and thanks to Guido for having created such marvelous music.

The first three tracks, Nightsky in Motion 1, 2 and 3, open this fabulous CD with nearly 15 minutes of music reminiscent of the grandeur and excellence in Vangelis’ Chariots of Fire and Conquest of Paradise, but unmistakably stamped with the signature sound that is Guido, sounds I first heard in Bon Voyage on the Mirage CD. Fading Lights is pure sadness with the progress of a march and a sound space evocative of Tangerine Dream.

Take off is like moments of Jean Michel Jarre’s Oxygen combined with Guido’s grand soundscape.
Call of the Pheonix and Journey To Fairyland 1 & 2 are once again characteristically Guido, very much in the Mirage vein, particularly Café Mirage, complete with superb guitars, great keys, good vocals and rhythm. Reflections is somewhat mournful, a perfect rendition of what true relaxation means.

Sunset Boulevard is soft funk, best listened to at the end of the afternoon while savoring a glass of good scotch. Nightfall is full of authentic sounds that give fresh portrayal of absolute harmony and peace. It is a delightful caress on the senses. Night of a Million Stars is a tribute to Jean Michel Jarre’s Oxygen and captures its spirit completely.

Across the Southern Skies is traveling in resonant wonder, breathtakingly restrained. Majesty of the Skies is very much Guido in his sound element and style, with his melodious progressions and magnificent guitar sounds. Space Night is a remembrance of Blue Planet, and what a finish it is! I have only the highest praise for this spectacular CD and in so doing, await the unveiling of the next new work, which I shall most affectionately name Mirage 3.  Luis Gonçalves  in 2006 (Portugal)

Mirage
Mirage, is without doubt, a reflection of Guido Negraszus' soul, inspirations, and innate musical craftsmanship. The album opens with Cafe Mirage, a track carried forward by calming percussive treatments with incidental horns and piano parts that give you the feeling that your are indeed traveling through a literal soundscape of aural delight. A Mediterranean flavoured guitar sequence is sprinkled into the mix in just the right spot followed by the pausing effect of fading strings.. nice!

Bon Voyage is the perfect up-beat second track with it's bright and fluorescent sequences and engaging piano licks, it's a nice tune for uplifting your mood, whatever your situation.

The Blue Planet is my personal favourite, and that is a healthy enough reason for me to have included the track on the Mervyn Swift Online Music Tour compilation. I particularly like the arrangements here... lovely, bright, positive, and expertly mixed and produced. As the music builds and moves forward, I'm left in a happy state of euphoria.. but what is perhaps most interesting from a technical perspective, is that the song embodies Guido's early influences, bridges those with his own unique style, and the accomplishment I discussed earlier in this review becomes obvious and apparent. The Blue Planet is quite simply a superb track, composed by a superb musician. Watch out for the deeply emotive ending... nice work Guido!

Heartlands never fails to amaze me... regardless of the number of times I play it, this is one of the most beautiful instrumental pieces I have ever heard in my life. I like romance when it's real... and Guido Negraszus has made the romantic theme in this composition very real indeed. A great deal of care, musical passion, and gliding imagination has been thrust into this shard of excellence in a way that is quite unique... in a way that makes the piece a little more transcendental than most composers could possible manage. Westcost Heights is travel inspired... it makes for great driving music, great travel music.

Fata Morgana before I played it, made me quite curious. The track title is a personification what ever way you look at it, but then the music!!! I am completely knocked out every time I press play. At almost 6 minutes in length, the arrangements are so incredibly clever, it's a wake up piece... an epitaph to what can be done in instrumental electronic music when you know what you're doing and Guido knows exactly what he's doing... You will love the amazing and quite intricate guitar parts!

Then we get to Cafe Mirage ll and Cafe Mirage lll - two tracks that move drastically forward from where we were at the start of this album. The sequential running themes and intermittent percussion sections tend to straddle across workable yet unpredictable time signatures... the mark of a true instrumental artist... and how he or she goes about captivating a wide audience is abundantly clear in these compositions... both tracks are strong examples of music composed and arranged with classiness all over the place!

Eclipse is the track that almost broke Sgt Rutherford's heart when he first heard it! (Sgt Rutherford of Mervyn Swift fame). The slow to mid tempo pace of this startling piece of music is completely enchanting and it's easy to see why the Serge loves it so much! Watch out for the majestically moving choral parts and swirling dervish-like pads... they lead you to a landscape of pure guitar dominated bliss... I could write pages about this track but I'll leave it at that!

Valley of Dreams l and Valley of Dreams ll are two contemporary classical compositions that I wished I'd written. The meandering female vocals are reminiscent of early Vangelis and of early Pink Floyd... but the music is absolutely in an interstellar class of it's own, slow moving, focused, and sweeping, it makes you want to give up whatever you're doing and dedicate your life to producing the consummate album. The magnificent guitar invoked ending is quite astonishing... be amazed... be very amazed!

Bon Voyage ll is many rungs up the ladder away from Bon Voyage but is every bit as uplifting and every bit as cheerful in it's arrangements... it's such a happy tune and I imagine it's owner was a very happy guy indeed for having composed it!

The Grand Desert meanwhile, is the one minute 49 second audio carousel you'd want to ride if you had the golden ticket... it's a bit like a monolith... a kinda of hold-your-breath track before you move on to the almost 17 minute long grand finale that is the title track Mirage.

Now... whatever your musical persuasions, whatever test of time you have ever afforded instrumental music of this genre, you have to be impressed by Guido Negraszus masterful performance and production skills here. Mirage is a completely engaging and captivating achievement in modern sound sculpture. It's the piece of music that awards were made for... and it comes from a guy who is destined for greatness... whether he is awarded for it or not, it's all on the horizon for the man who made Mirage! 
Colin Lynch in June 2004 (Canada)