Toop's third album in the Virgin ambient series is an all-star affair, featuring the talents of
Robert Hampson from
Main,
Scanner,
Toshinori Kondo, and
Witchman, as well as usual colleagues
Max Eastley and
Peter Lockett. Most of the music however, was created by
Toop; his instrument list takes up a good paragraph of the liner notes and includes guitar, bass, pedal steel, e-bow, flute, programming and many more. The music on Spirit World is dark, powerful ethno-ambience informed by
Toop's interest in music from around the world. Though his poetic readings on tracks like "Ceremony Viewed Through Iron Slit" and "Sleeping Powder" are a bit too mystical for their own good, the music never fails to back him up. On "Sunless," the heavy bassline and
Toshinori Kondo's treated trumpet make for easy comparisons to fusion-era
Miles Davis. ~ John Bush, All Music Guide
