Baekgaard took note that "Caldera's musical vision is widescreen and cinematic, but the wondrous thing is that it never becomes too much, which has always been the danger of fusion.

Caldera keeps the wide soundscapes in check with organically earthy rhythms and a perfect balance between electric and acoustic.

The result is a sound that is surprisingly contemporary and, rather than being a journey back in time, revisiting these records is just as much a peek into the future.

"[5] Alex Henderson of AllMusic, in a 3.5 out of 5 stars rating, found that "While Caldera's first LP was produced by Wayne Henderson, Sky Islands finds Strunz and del Barrio doing the producing with Earth, Wind & Fire keyboardist Larry Dunn -- who was a logical choice considering that EWF was among Caldera's many influences.

But the writing is consistently superb, and all things considered, Sky Islands makes good on the promise of the band's previous album.