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February 2006 Label Spotlight: SpaceForMusic.com Tony Gerber is an excellent musician in his own right on guitar and electronics, both solo and as a member of Spacecraft and other collectives. But he is also the founder of the diverse CDR label SpaceForMusic.com. Though certainly known for its electronic music, the label is not afraid to delve into a variety of other music, including jazz and rock in the EM mix. Below is just a small sample of the label’s extensive offerings. Check out their website for much more. Vic Hennegan “Desert
God” (SpaceForMusic.com, 2004) 8 tracks, 57.52 mins Vic Hennegan makes a variety of music in the LA music scene, from techno trance to ambient space music. Desert
God definitely falls into the latter category. This is living breathing music, electronic and yet organic as well. “Gaya”
is nothing fancy, just very good floating music, nicely layered and textured. After a swirling opening for a few minutes,
a gentle sequence gets going in the middle and carries the soft melody along to the end. This opening 12 minutes passes by
too quickly. The title track has a soothing blend of soft percussion and synths. I particularly like the gentle sound used
for the rhythm, a unique hybrid between tribal and modern. “Morning Star” reminds me of earlier albums by Patrick
O’Hearn in the way Hennegan seamlessly weaves a relaxed melody through a rich set of synth atmospheres. “Weary
Traveler” continues along a similarly enjoyable path, going down smooth and easy. “Ocean Watch” has a velvet
sequence and synth pads, and again I think of O’Hearn and other early releases on the Private Music label in the 1980s,
the really good ones. “I walk Alone” is the busiest piece, full of clanging bells and percussion, a fitting contrast
to the rest, particularly juxtaposed with “Weep a Silent City,” the quietest and most melancholy selection. “Desert
Island” finishes on a bubbly upbeat note. Easy listening EM with a sense of fun. Ken Martin “Spheres” (SpaceForMusic.com, 2004) 6 tracks, 54.39 mins Ken Martin has been making music in the pioneering Berlin school sound for years, and thankfully Space For Music
has been releasing quite a bit from his archives. Spheres showcases a variety of his space music from 1989 through
2000, which was remixed by Martin in 2004. The result is another solid outing of music suitable for journeying to the far
reaches of the galaxy. “Cloudance” floats around for a while before settling down into a slow sequence and a beautifully
laid-back synth solo, soaring high above the rest. As is so often the case with Martin, he doesn’t go down the well-worn
path of building up layers of sequences; rather, he opts for a slower, subtler approach. For instance, “Cathedrals of
Neptune” is, well, cathedral music. A church organ plays slowly, regally, enhanced just so by a smattering of other
synths. “Tranquility,” as you might expect, is also a quiet one. Martin maneuvers these delicate sonic landscapes
quite skillfully, adding just the right nuances to keep the listener fully engaged. “Spheres” takes a more traditional
approach with the obligatory string pads, a simple four-note bass sequence, and a lovely oboe synth lead. And yes, this one
does build up in some fashion, but it stays low key, and Martin makes this approach work time and again. “Blackholes”
is abstract and spacey, a cool ambient mind trip, as is all of Spheres. I can’t recommend it highly enough. Neal Merrick “Magic
Traveler” (SpaceForMusic.com, 2005) 6 tracks, 65.40 mins Lengthy space tunes with eastern tinges abound on Neal Merrick’s Magic Traveler, starting right off with
the 15-minute title track. I love the description of the instrumentation, which credits Merrick with a “whirl tone,”
and you know exactly which part of the music this refers to. Xylophone chimes add a softer touch, and cello makes for a nice
contrast. This is a bright, shimmering atmospheric track perfect for deep listening. “To Be” starts immediately
with tribal drums, followed by trumpets as soft synths caress the background. These two tracks are striking for the unique
combination of sounds, part ethnic, part jazz, part electronic, all blended quite effectively. While the first two songs use
a variety of musicians, including familiar names like Tony Gerber on guitar and Matt Oakes on trumpet, “We Are To Be”
is all Merrick. Wordless vocals add an appropriately earthy feel to the primitive mix, a little heavy for me but it does fit
I must admit. “What Magic Is Made…” starts with a soft rapid rhythm, and features the longest list yet of
instruments, including glass bowls and a vast array of drums – frame, dumbek, Udu, and others. The result is surprisingly
low key, again content to set a relaxed mood and just go with the flow. Wordless vocals return, female this time, on “Floating
There To Comfort You,” a dreamy pillow soft number. The disc ends beautifully with “Drifting Away With Birds,”
featuring Merrick on only vibraphone, drone, and tamboura. Magic Traveler is something different, something good. Craig Padilla & Skip Murphy
“Planetary Elements v.2” (SpaceForMusic.com, 2005) 10 tracks, 70.53 mins This 2005 release is a live planetarium recording from Craig’s hometown of Redding, California in May
2003. The first night is covered on tracks 1-6 and the second night is tracks 7-10. I can just imagine sitting back looking
up at the planetarium sky as the show begins while listening to “Lithium,” an expansive spacey piece that rides
on the whooshing wind into “Beryllium,” another drifter with vintage synths flowing through it, along the lines
of early Jean-Michel Jarre. These first two selections are so laid back that the album sort of sneaks up on you, not really
commanding attention until it launches into “Carbon,” which quickly picks up the tempo with a brisk beat and a
stellar sequence. An energetic synth solo follows suit, again very Jarre-like. This is a great solo with an irresistibly catchy
melody, and it flows seamlessly into “Nitrogen” which progresses in similar fashion. A growling little bass sequence
drops really low toward the end, then ratchets up the scale before fading on the wind into “Oxygen,” a short piece
of deep space ambience. “Flourine” is the climax of night one, a 12-minute piece that chugs along beautifully,
moving at just the right pace and adding extra touches here and there as it goes. Abstract warbly space sounds start night
two with “Neon.” Like “Nitrogen,” a slow sequence almost growls as it sets the pace. “Sodium”
and “Aluminum” are two long numbers that allow themselves to progress at their own pace, each using a variety
of synths and sequencing to achieve a good sci-fi sound that crescendos and then levels off, floating out among the stars. All reviews © 2006 Phil Derby / Electroambient Space. Any
reprint in whole or in part must be appropriately credited. Thank you. January 2006 Feature #1 Best EM of 2005 I said on the main page that the titles below aren’t listed in any particular order, but I do have my
favorites, so let’s just get that out of the way. Best Electronic was AirSculpture’s TranceAtlantic, and Best Ambient
was Steve Roach’s New Life Dreaming. If you want more details,
check out my reviews from the past year. There were a lot of close ties for second and third if I tried to rank all of these.
Regarding the Best New Artist categories, I realize that Steve Humphries
released music under his Create moniker in 2004 – but he is still very new,
and his sophomore album really showed him a force to be reckoned with, not to mention his excellent collaboration with Jez
Creek as the group Astrogator, whose CD also made the year’s best list.
And if you like ambient, you must check out Between Interval, a.k.a. Swedish musician
Stefan Jonsson. I discovered him, to my surprise, by a recommendation from Amazon.com based on other purchases I had made.
They were right on the mark with this one! Congratulations and thank you to all the artists selected, for continuing to create such great EM. Best Electronic CDs of 2005 AirSculpture “TranceAtlantic” ARC “Arcturus” Astrogator “The Darkness Between” Create “From Earth To Mars” Thomas Fanger “Parlez-vous électronique?” Cosmic Hoffmann “Electric Trick” Nemesis “Xtempora” Radio Massacre International “Emissaries” Radio Massacre International “Hog Wild” Klaus Schulze “Moonlake” Spyra “Meditationen” Best New Electronic Artist: Create Best Ambient CDs of 2005 Dwight Ashley & Tim Story “Standing + Falling” Between Interval “Secret Observatory” M Griffin “Sounds Are Hidden Inside Objects” Igneous Flame “Satu” Patrick O’Hearn “Slow Time” Oöphoi “Signals from the Great Beyond” Robert Rich “Echo of Small Things” Steve Roach “New Life Dreaming” Steve Roach “Possible Planet” Best New Ambient Artist: Between Interval Best Reissued Recordings of 2005 Mathias Grassow “Ambience” Ron Berry “Wastelands” Ron Berry “Osiris” Steve Roach “Dreamtime Return” Feature #2 Label Spotlight: Groove Unlimited I did a Groove Unlimited feature in the last hardcopy issue of Electroambient Space the magazine a little over a year ago. But they have so many new releases coming out all the time that it seemed time for another focus on this prolific label. In fact, with Groove the label, E-dition the magazine, and EMForum.nl all run by Groove, one could say that Ron Boots and Kees Aerts are the Bill Gates and Paul Allen of the EM industry. Hopefully this EM conglomerate will only lead to lots of good music, not lawsuits and boycotts! Be sure to check out www.groove.nl for lots more information on their past, current and future releases, as well as an extensive library of sound clips for all sorts of EM, both on their own and other labels. Andreas Akwara “Synthetic
Horizon” (Self released, distributed by Groove Unlimited, 2005) 10 tracks, 73 mins Simply titled parts one through ten, Synthetic Horizon is another in a string of recent releases from
Andreas Akwara of Spain. Though Akwara technically is not on the Groove label, all of his independent recordings have been
distributed by them. “Part I” is a stirring introduction, a perfect hybrid of orchestral and synthetic timbres.
“Part II” shimmers brightly as breathy synths and bubbly electronics spring forth. A sequencer loop sounds like
it is equal parts synth and acoustic guitar. “Part III” is a melodramatic piece with a wall of noise panning back
and forth over symphonic sounds. “Part IV” explores deep space for 17 minutes. I particularly like the middle
section of this piece. The opening and closing movements are similar, with a quirky stop-and-start pattern to the electronics
that is unique if a little unsettling. “Part V” uses a similar effect, almost sounding as if the synthesizer is
shorting out as notes fade, which I found jarring. “Part VII” has a danceable toe-tapping beat to go with the
synthesizers. In contrast, “Part VIII” is one of the quietest pieces, a soothing floater with various abstract
sounds inserted here and there. “Part IX” is equally quiet but goes back to a more symphonic as opposed to synthetic
sound. Water and wind begin “Part X,” which ends the disc on a moderately lively note. Though Andreas’ albums
haven’t quite caught on with me, I give credit to him for being a unique voice, definitely recognizable and distinct
from those who have gone before. Create “From Earth
To Mars” (Groove Unlimited, 2005) 7 tracks, 75.16 mins Steve Humphries is back with his follow up to his strong debut Reflections From The Inner Light. Once
again he has created a disc rife with classic space and retro sounds, presented in a fresh way, sure to please most discriminating
e-music fans. “Light Bank” builds and builds in a thoroughly enjoyable manner, a terrific track to start things
out. Though the sounds are familiar and again pay homage to his favorite band AirSculpture, the arrangements are invigorating
and exciting. Even better is the exquisite title track. A steady thumping beat and synths find a cool groove and run with
it for nearly 20 minutes. I think of AirSculpture’s excellent first album Impossible Geometries when I hear this
one. The great music continues with “Gethsemane,” another energizer sure to get your brain tripping out to the
hypnotic sequencing and your toes tapping to the infectious rhythms. Continuing on to “Solar Flare,” Steve relentlessly
keeps the energy and the fun going. Once it picks up speed this one is almost dance-floor ready, though still firmly rooted
in Teutonic origins. “Re-Entry” has a steady rhythm as well, and is full of great synth sounds. No synth oboes
or guitars, just 100% pure electronic bliss. “Goodbye” is a soft, tasteful tribute to the late Michael Garrison,
a beautiful gently layered piece to close things out. From Earth To Mars is excellent from start to finish. Embrase “Dreamworld” (Groove Unlimited, 2005) 12 tracks, 79.15 mins Embrase
is Marc Bras, a Dutch electronic musician, and Dreamworld is his debut release. I would categorize his style as “melodic
Berlin school,” with a strong emphasis on emotion and composition to go along with the synths and sequencing. For example,
“Come On” is the sort of irresistibly catchy tune that gets stuck in your head for days. The majesty and musical
imagery in the opening moments of “Underwater Secrets” would do Vangelis proud. But I especially like the dramatic
opening of the disc. “Mysterious Landscape” starts with piano and a light smattering of synths. It is graceful
and restrained, yet commands attention. As this leads into “Soundtracking” and it moves into its opening sequence,
a masterful drawing in of the listener has taken place. His musical expression reminds me much of Ron Boots, who mastered
the album. “Time Is Killing” sounds like it could be a Boots composition, or perhaps a Tangerine Dream piece around
the Underwater Sunlight period. Judicious rhythms and bass wrap around synth pads to open the title track, again a
very familiar Boots style. That may be due in part to the presence of Harold van der Heijden on drums, who fills the same
role on several Boots CDs. “First Movements” features a low bass sequence, crisp cymbals, and awesome synth work
that all begs to be driving music, turned up good and loud. The great tunes just keep coming, culminating in two excellent
closing numbers. “Journey to the Unknown” has an awesome beat and could again be taken for a TD piece from the
mid-80s. “Less Is More” would be a hit single if people were more accepting of music without lyrics. Dreamworld
is an excellent debut, hopefully with more to come. Harald Grosskopf “Oceanheart” (Groove Unlimited, 2004) 6 tracks, 38.05 mins This 1985 reissue comes without any extras, hence the short running time. “Eve On The Hill” starts
in light pop mode, a bouncy sequence and upbeat rhythms setting the pace. “While I’m Walking” ambles leisurely
along and does indeed sound like walking set to music. Again, the mood is very lighthearted and happy. The title track comes
next, slowing things down considerably, quite a moody atmospheric departure from the structured tunes preceding it, a nice
counterpoint to those. “Coming Out” takes us right back into toe-tapping music, pleasant and just barely avoiding
being overly cute. “Pondicherry Dream” has a cool tribal beat and brisk synths, again quite cheerful. Though lamely
titled, “Minimal Boogie” has a cool pulse that grabs attention right away, and the bright piano that joins it
does boogie right along with it. Grosskopf creates a busy yet hypnotic number with this one. It would be extremely hard to
be down while listening to Oceanheart. Harald Grosskopf “Yeti
Society” (Groove Unlimited, 2004) 7 tracks, 44.07 mins I’ve never cared for what I call “ya-ya music,” where someone decides to get ethnic with their
EM by doing a little chanting or what have you. So I’m put off by the beginning of “Circumspection,” the
opening track of Yeti Society. Fortunately, this phase doesn’t last long and some very modern synths, bass and
beats take over soon enough. However, it’s now gone from ethnic to dance-floor ready, still not a plus in my book, so
the album hasn’t won me over yet. “Bravery” has a similar slick sound with lots of synths and mechanized
beats. “Elephant Island” slows up a bit and has nice layering to it, but we’re now three tracks in and I’m
still waiting for something to make it worth my while. “Endurance” requires just that to listen to it, with a
rapid thumping disco beat. “Broad Liquids” is similar, though a shade better. It isn’t until the last track,
“Endeavourance,” that I finally find one I really enjoy, a mellow ambient piece with lots of cool subtle sounds
melded together – although alas, female chanting near the end brings us full circle to where we started. If you like
synth pop with a dance flavor this might be your thing, but it isn’t mine. Noteworthy is bonus data tracks with visuals
for “Bravery” and “Endurance.” John Lakveet “Proportions” (Groove Unlimited, 2005) 10 tracks, 73.13 mins “Fractal Clouds” starts Proportions with booming
sounds like distant thunder. Twittering electronics appear on top of a bed of atmospheric synths. After a couple of minutes,
Lakveet’s trademark crisp sequencing comes brightly to the fore. Then a simple synth lead brings in a sparse melody
so as not to detract from the already busy background effects. Sequencer fanatics will really be in heaven on this one as
it is continuously in motion, gyrating and shifting constantly. After nearly 10 minutes it finally relaxes for a spell, going
back to its thunderous and ambient textural origins. The last note hangs in the air, flowing into “Randomize Fractions,”
a mellow reprise of the first track, or a distant inverted echo of it. “Confusion of Integral” has a cute Vangelis-like
melody as softly clanging electronics loop in and out of the mix. This one wavers quite a bit in a quirky manner, playing
with the pitch bend. Sequencing comes back full throttle in “Elipse O,” moving at an almost frenetic clip. Similar
but better is “1 and 1 and,” which is equally rapid but more hypnotic than frantic. Perhaps best of the bunch
is “Square Serial,” composed with frequent collaborator Dom F. Scab. It has a number of different themes to keep
things interesting. At its heart, Proportions is extremely computer based, right down to the fractal graphics on the
cover. Despite its often playful nature, it has a certain cold precision to it. If you are looking for pure synthetic sound,
look no further. Frank Van Bogaert “Closer” (Groove Unlimited, 2004) 14 tracks, 64.09 mins If you liked Frank Van Bogaert’s previous albums, Closer is sure to captivate as well. For those
not in the know, the title track should bring you quickly up to speed with its appealing rhythm, melody and varied sound palette.
“Coming up for air” features a soft sequencer pattern, rich pads, beautiful piano chords, and a classic Vangelis
synth lead line. As usual, Van Bogaert’s music is finely crafted, each piece carefully constructed and thought out.
“Rorogwela” is tribal drums blended surprisingly well with lighthearted piano, which builds with a sense of grandeur.
“High Above” is soft and sweetly restrained with a smattering of pads and other synths. “Melting”
shows Van Bogaert’s piano musicianship, another engaging number with a majestic flourish as it crescendos. “A
Picture Of You” is as intricate and beautifully rendered as anything he’s done, this time with a variety of unique
synths instead of piano. I don’t like the male vocals in the background on this track, but the rest works very well.
On “Caleidoscope” electric keys skillfully dazzle with a jazzy flavor, complete with sax. Two of the last three
tracks are achingly beautiful piano pieces. From beginning to end on Closer, Van Bogaert reminds what a skillful and
varied tunesmith he is. Various Artists “Analogy:
Volume 1” (Groove Unlimited, 2005) 12 tracks, 79.55 mins Conceived and created by members of www.emforum.nl, these 12 previously unreleased tracks begin with Steve Humphries,
a.k.a. Create, from whom we have the aptly named “Analogue Revival.” A steady driving sequence keeps this one
going. A loud warbly synth sound rings out frequently, perhaps a little too frequently, but mostly it is good fun. Remotion
is next with “Freeflight.” It starts with formless atmospheres, and eventually a gentle sequence and relaxed melody
emerge, very nice. Next come two tracks featuring Steve Roach. He is joined by Loren Nerell and Chuck Oken on “Zone
Patrol,” a bubbly brew much like Steve’s Possible Planet CD. On “Where Are You?” Steve is teamed
up with Paul Ellis in a much livelier affair, with percolating rhythmic loops much like his Life Sequence CD. “Elegy”
by 4m33s follows, a smooth delicate piece. “The Morning After” is signature Gert Emmens firmly rooted in the retro
style. “Viking Mission II” by Syn effectively combines an array of influences from Jean-Michel Jarre, Vangelis
and others into an appealing Berlin school selection. Three of the last five cuts are by names unfamiliar to me, beginning
with New Zealander Russell Storey’s “Cosmic Kiwi.” This is cosmic indeed, with twitters, wind and bubbling
noises. As a transition piece it is pretty cool, but I’m not sure what a full CD of this would sound like. The co-lead
of Groove’s label, Kees Aerts, is next with “Grey Keys.” He begins by laying down a very soothing atmosphere
with synth strings and sparse bass notes, before letting go with a very nice sequence. Reminiscent of early Jarre, it stays
very laid back, enjoyable throughout. Next is unknown Altres, with “Brain Flame,” an all-out growling sequencer
blitz that thoroughly satisfies – I definitely want to hear more from this quartet! “Tsunami” is an active
piece by Modulator ESP, lots of fun knob twiddling going on here. Lastly is “Aquamarine” by Ian Tescee, a sweet
but sad piece that makes a fitting ending on a slightly different note from the rest. This is an excellent compilation, highly
recommended. All reviews © 2006 Phil Derby / Electroambient Space. Any
reprint in whole or in part must be appropriately credited. Thank you. Feature #3 Artist Spotlight: Indra Indra
is Romanian Dan Bozaru, and though he has over 25 solo albums to his credit, he only started widely releasing them, relatively
speaking, in 2005. He has a very good handle on the Berlin school sound, with just a bit of an Eastern touch to it, which
meshes with his spiritual beliefs. I hear influences of classics from Klaus Schulze, Software, and others. Indra’s label
contacted me a while back and offered to send me a sample of his extensive back catalog, reviewed below. Indra “Millenium Live
2000” (www.indramusic.ro, 2005) 6 tracks, 72.30 mins “Focus on Mind” is a wonderful beginning to Millenium
Live 2000, a 17-minute epic sequencer excursion. The mesmerizing tone is set early and is allowed to run unabated for
the duration – but it is such a pleasant sonic space that it is completely relaxing, not boring. “Moving (into
the Solar Wind)” is quite a bit different. Assorted sci-fi synth sounds are followed by a brief female monologue from
the imaginary tale, something about warding off the effects of the plague for as long as she can. There is a bit of kitsch
to it, but I like it. “Brain Machine” combines equal parts Berlin school and Eastern influences into something
distinctive and special. “Angel Dream” is new age with singing, a must-skip in my book I’m afraid. Thankfully,
this is followed by the most powerful track, “Morpheus,” with fantastic drums and unique synth percussion, rich
pads, and various other electronics. The serene “Benedictus” closes out a mostly first-rate offering. Indra “Ultimate Nexus” (www.indramusic.ro, 2005) 7 tracks, 69.31 mins Ultimate Nexus starts in
deep space mode with “Just Fusion” though it quickly turns into a dance/techno number. Normally I’d consider
that a bad thing, but this really cooks. “Andromeda” is a dreamy space sequence, although majestic drums return
before it’s over. After another energetic number in “Timewarp,” things slow down considerably with “Rue
du Soleil,” a delicate meditative piece. “Rhythm of the Gods” is as you might expect, with a fun upbeat
melody to go with those rhythms. A name like “Beyond Classic” begs to be made fun of, but it is very good space
music, a long slow drifter. It and the title track comprise nearly 30 minutes of exciting deep space exploration. Indra “Whispers of
Nature” (www.indramusic.ro, 2005) 2 tracks, 45.43 mins Originally recorded in 1999, this album has two side-long tracks, beginning with “Silvania.” Gently
running streams and birds are surrounded by very quiet subtle music, a considerable departure from the other Indra offerings
I’ve heard. No sequencing, no rhythms, very little melody – but incredibly relaxing and pleasant music. “Silvania”
seems to be developing into something more over the last five minutes or so, but then it softly fades away. “L’Amour
de l”Infini” starts with crickets, which eventually fade and lead to serene music and water sounds, definitely
with a more new age flavor but extremely well done. Excellent music for relaxation, meditation, or just listening and chilling
out. All
reviews © 2006 Phil Derby / Electroambient Space. Any reprint in whole
or in part must be appropriately credited. Thank you. Label Spotlight: Neu Harmony Time flies. It’s been a year since I
interviewed David Law, founder of the excellent Synth Music Direct and its label Neu Harmony. Unsurpassed in bringing pure
Berlin school sequencer madness, Dave thrills at giving us Teutonic purists what we crave. Whether bringing us established
acts like AirSculpture or hot new acts like The Omega Syndicate, Neu Harmony is always one to watch. Let’s take a closer
look at some recent offerings from the label. AirSculpture “TranceAtlantic” (Neu Harmony, 2005) 2 CDs, 3 + 3 tracks, 62.38 + 67.18 mins It’s been four long years between AirSculpture albums. But you have to give them credit; the last album,
Quark Soup, was a double, and so is the new one, TranceAtlantic. Barely a few minutes in to “Walk The
Locust Part 1,” it is worth the wait. And I can say that without hearing a single synth. A beautiful piano solo –
what, on an AirSculpture album? Yes, and it’s marvelous, lasting nearly five minutes before the first glorious sequence
arrives. It’s a beauty, worthy of hanging most of a 33-minute track on. Despite an incredibly strong back catalog, this
could quite possibly be AirSculpture’s finest moment. “Part 2” is quite abstract, eventually evolving into
train track clacking, which then devolves into something else, then a train whistle brings it back momentarily before it spins
out into the far reaches of deep space. For the first half, it’s unlike anything these guys have done to date. It somehow
comes full circle back into classic AirSculpture mode, with a frenetic looping frenzy, culminating in thunderous applause.
The brief “Part 3” moves along at an even faster clip at first, then quickly brings us back to earth with more
pillow-soft tones from the piano. Disc two follows the same successful formula, solo piano followed by synths. This time,
the piano lingers just a bit longer, melding with dreamy electronics for a while before they take over with another stellar
sequence along with rich full pads. An abrupt turn into more experimental sounds takes place just prior to the 17:00 mark,
doing a fair impression of the more freeform style of their Berlin school cousins, Radio Massacre International. Meandering
and yet aggressive, it’s another bold step on a two-disc set full of them. Deep space twitters and ######## begin “TranceAtlantic
Part 2,” and go on like that for several minutes before another brilliant retro section ensues. The synth percussion
sounds like something off of Tangerine Dream’s Logos, just fantastic. It is very laid back, relaxed, thoroughly
cool. “Part 3” closes the disc with a more industrial sound, very heavy on the bass. Slow and sparse, it brightens
just a bit with a simple, slow sequence low in the mix. TranceAtlantic is my runaway pick for best CD of 2005. The Omega Syndicate “Phonosphere” (Neu Harmony, 2005) 9 tracks, 68.41 mins Their debut album Analogue Waves drew raves from Berlin school enthusiasts. I enjoyed it well enough,
but it didn’t stand out from the pack to me. However, I can say without reservation that I thoroughly enjoy Phonosphere.
Cool cover art, cool song titles, cool music. The bar is set high early with “Our Communications Satellite Has Disappeared.”
Drifting space sounds start us out, then a whoosh of wind brings the first sequence along with it, a low-key affair followed
by mellotron strings and a nifty bass sequence that echoes the first. This one-two punch forms a strong backbone that carries
it through from start to finish as the music slowly morphs here and there, maybe getting a little more squelchy here, a little
smoother there, but largely staying the course. “Onyx” pings back and forth with little electronic bits, light
and bright at first before shifting into a darker mellower section that just sort of hangs on the air for a while. Mellotron
flutes float softly by, then a playful bouncy bass sequence come in. It stays relatively quiet, laying back beautifully instead
of trying to go for a big dramatic build up. The title track is divided up into seven parts totaling about a half hour. Unique
metallic abstract sounds form a brief intro before launching back into strong melodic synths and sequencing in “Phonosphere
2.” Best yet is “Phonosphere 3,” combining crystalline sequences, active bass lines, and cool retro synths
in a way Redshift would admire. The fourth and sixth parts are brief but effective piano interludes, sandwiched around two
synth and sequencer fests, the latter of which finishes things with a flourish as soft mellotron flutes return, ringing out
in the distance. Phonosphere is an excellent album. Otarion “Faces of the
Night” (Neu Harmony, 2004) 9 tracks, 64.34 mins Ominous angelic choirs and dark dramatic synths start “Nightfall,” the opening track on Otarion’s
Faces of the Night. It is a perfect fit for the gothic angel in purplish hues on the front cover. A couple minutes
in, a bubbly little sequence comes forth, followed by cymbals and then a steady beat. Those who like the melodrama and dark
sci-fi themes of Andy Pickford’s solo albums should find a great deal to their liking here. Tight composition and catchy
melodies complete the package. “Mylene” picks up where “Nightfall” leaves off, a mellow beginning
quickly giving way to more rhythms and sweet lead lines. Beautiful crystalline synths come into play. Near the end a harpsichord,
so overused in Tangerine Dream’s output of recent years, is perfectly employed to add just the right atmosphere. Perfect
pacing continues as “Tower of Darkness” slows things down in majestically dark fashion. Once again, though, Otarion
doesn’t sit still for long, as another thumping beat pounds its way onward. Pinpoint sequencing is again excellent.
Speaking of sequencing, there’s a great bit right in the middle of “Sleepwalker” that sounds right off of
TD’s Livemiles disc. Oboes add a nice touch to “Picture of Dreams.” “Nightmare” would
be suitable for Halloween listening. These two are the only tracks to remain somewhat subdued throughout, both with an epic
feel to them. The last two tracks bring the energy level back up for the remainder. Syndromeda “Metaphysical
Experiences” (Neu Harmony, 2005) 6 tracks, 65.42 mins A long sustained swirling note begins “From Here To….” Danny Budts’ trademark deep bass
then steps slowly forward, joined by choirs. At 6:00 the plodding bass line speeds up, carrying the rest of the track on its
back as it builds to the end. “New Energy” is as you might expect, filled with enthusiasm, full of catchy synths
and beats. This is as radio-friendly as EM gets, begging to be a hit single. The amusing “Mondo Bizaro” gurgles
about at first, then shores itself up with another steady bass pulse. The synth solo in the midsection plays like a fuzzed-out
guitar. Later on a thoroughly retro wavering synth takes up the lead part. “Edge to Edge” is loaded with atmosphere,
more about texture than melody for the first few minutes. A restrained lovely sequence then fills the void, and this turns
into another distinctive Budts’ slow builder. A heavy backbeat fills the latter part of “Back to Earth,”
very cool. “Speed of Light” is a great Berlin school track, filled with all the classic elements, a perfect finish
to a strong Syndromeda showing. All reviews © 2005 Phil Derby / Electroambient
Space. Any reprint in whole or in part must be appropriately credited. Thank you.
November 2005 Feature #2 Artist Spotlight: Stephen Philips If you know drone and minimal ambient music, you probably know Stephen
Philips, founder of Dark Duck Records. His was one of the earliest homemade CDR labels –his first CD covers were fractal
art in black and white. Though he still largely uses the label to release his own music, he has a number of other artists
in the fold, which has culminated in his highly successful Drone Download Project, wherein people can go to his website and
download tons of good, not-available-elsewhere music…for FREE! Better yet, each year’s collection of drone downloads
has been made available as long-playing MP3 CDs. The first year’s project resulted in both the MP3 disc and an excellent
standard CD-length version of remixes. Featured below is Stephen’s latest release, which is ironically
not on his label, but on the limited CDR offshoot of Hypnos called Hypnos Secret Sounds. Also included are several reviews
of some older releases on his own label that I have been quite remiss in not reviewing up to now. Stephen
Philips “Dagboken” (Hypnos, 2005) 1 track, 72.37 mins A low rumbling drone resonates throughout much of “Dagboken,”
the foundation that binds the other elements together. Abstract sounds come and go and are interesting but difficult to describe.
At first there are shimmering elements, but these fade into the background after a few minutes. A little later on, the main
repeating noise cascades a bit like water, but it has a more solid character to it. The rumbling disappears for a good twenty
minutes or so, but reappears at about 43:00. Sounds echo and reverberate, a bit warmer, from 50 to 60 minutes in. The music
gradually softens, and has mostly faded at 70 minutes, but takes its own long sweet time to disappear completely at the end.
This is a very slowly developing work, and will have great appeal for fans of extremely minimal ambient that works more as
background than music proper. Stephen Philips “Micronized
2: The Microambient EP” (Dark Duck Records, 2003) 22 tracks, 34.15 mins Call it a sampler platter for the ambient undecided. The Microambient
EP features only one selection that runs above 3 minutes, and most are under 2 minutes. Abstract titles like “asdirkj”
and “nwaozo” lend themselves to the scattershot nature of the musical proceedings. Actually, there is a fair amount
of interesting sonic ground covered in these very short doses; some are pulses, some are drones, some are a bit more structured,
even orchestral, such as “djunsmrw,” for example. It’s really quite a fun set of mini-adventures. I would
imagine that these are seeds that may have eventually germinated and become full-fledged musical ideas on other Philips albums.
But they are perfectly fascinating to listen to as is. Stephen
Philips “One Point of View” (Dissonance Records, 2003) 8 tracks, 56.16 mins Dissonance is a sub label of Dark Duck, and this disc begins with a disclaimer
that any glitches in the sound are intentional. “Alone on the Other End” does have a bit of distortion in it,
a slight edge, and seems like it could come from an old sci-fi film. “Fallen Star” has some spastic pulsing sounds,
and is nearly silent in sections of it. For some reason, it reminds me of Tangerine Dream’s Zeit, although this
is more minimal than that. But it captures the same coldness that I feel in that recording, in a good way. “A Slight
Beginning” starts in quite similar fashion, but an edgy sound emerges partway through, perhaps a processed guitar of
some sort, and the timbre changes more throughout this one, though it remains fairly subdued. “Not So” gets a
bit louder and grittier, still quite experimental and completely non-melodic. “Classical Arrangement” sounds more
musical, but only in the vaguest of terms, in a way that is hard to describe. I guess it just sounds more likely to have come
from some sort of instrument than just creating abstract electronic noise. And so it goes, each of the remaining tracks taking
challenging and unexpected twists and turns. There is cohesiveness to the nature of it all, a similar sense of adventure throughout,
with rewarding results. Stephen
Philips “Cycles 5” (Dark Duck Records, 2005) 1 track, 60.07 mins This CD consists of a single hour-long track, “Random Occurrences
Within The Realm of Organized Thought.” A scratchy droning pulse goes for the first couple of minutes before the rough
edges drop off a bit. Shockingly, just as it seems this will be a long drone piece, a shuffling beat and a melody comes out
of nowhere just before the 3:00 mark. It’s good, but completely unexpected and takes several moments for the brain to
accept. This continues for a few minutes until by 7:40 we’ve dropped into smooth ambient territory, a very pleasant
space which gets explored for 20 minutes before a distant beat arrives. Once it leaves, a more experimental somewhat disjointed
section follows. Changes the rest of the way are more gradual but discernible. Frankly, the section from 2:52 through 7:40
belongs somewhere else; the rest is a reasonably interesting journey into a variety of ambient and experimental electronic
sound. Stephen
Philips “Live In Pittsburgh” (Dark Duck Records, 2003) 10 tracks, 56.26 mins Recorded live with no overdubs just before Christmas 2002, this disc captures
Philips in quiet reflective mode. The first several parts are soft and smooth, with just the right tinges of darkness. Pads
and a few more electronics start to appear by “Part 4,” though it remains quite mellow. This is really a beautiful
CD, subtle and nuanced. A few tracks are a bit more developed, but mainly it is content to remain in the shadows, reminiscent
of earlier ambient works by Pete Namlook on his FAX label, like Silence and Sad World, although those sometimes
have more going on than is here. But I love the moodiness of pieces like “Part 8,” a deliciously cinematic, slightly
ominous number. Intense drones build to a crescendo in “Part 10,” bringing the disc to a close in style. This
is quite possibly my favorite Stephen Philips album; I highly recommend it. All reviews © 2005 Phil Derby / Electroambient
Space. Any reprint in whole or in part must be appropriately credited. Thank you. October 2005 Label Spotlight: Underwater Music For more about the label, see the website here. New labels seem to be springing up all the time
in electronic music and its various subgenres – how to keep track of them all? Ah, leave it to Electroambient
Space to help you out, at least a little bit. This month we look at Jacek Spruch’s label from Poland,
Underwater Music. You’ve heard me rave before about Jacek’s project called ESP, and he also records as E=Motion
and occasional other names as well (see Solitude below). His label reminds me a bit of another CDR-oriented one, Germany’s
fine SynGate label run by Lothar Lubitz. Let’s take a closer look at some of the offerings on Underwater Music. E=Motion “A Dream Within A Dream” (Underwater Music, 2003) 8 tracks, 49.38 mins Full of Jacek Spruch’s characteristic energy and enthusiasm, A Dream Within A Dream goes down easy, smoothly.
“Awakening” has everything you could want – music that is thoroughly electronic, loaded with synthesizers
and sequencing; infectious beats that set your toes tapping; and tight compositions that are well thought out, with all the
elements placed just so. I especially like the electronic percussion that percolates and drives the music along. Cool keys
and beats start “Global Beat,” then a fun brisk bass sequence takes over. This time the melody is restrained,
as the electronic palette in the background is effective on its own. It ends suddenly, moving into the hypnotic sequencing
of “Golden Sand.” Layers are folded in perfectly – a few synthesizers here, a couple of rhythms there, until
the piece is complete. The melodic structure reminds me of recent era Tangerine Dream, but the sounds used are so much better.
As “Out Of Nowhere” begins, I’m struck with how Spruch on the one hand seems to follow a tried and true
formula for good synthesizer music, but on the other hand he varies the sounds and tempo just enough from track to track to
keep the interest level – and the fun level – quite high. Speaking of fun, put this disc in your car stereo, get
up to speed down the highway, and cue up track five, “Timebound.” This fast number is a blast, as is “Night
Vision,” with more of rock edge to it. But make no mistake, E=Motion is all about the synthesizers, and lots of them
– just the way I like it. E=Motion “Re-Trance-Mission” (Underwater Music, 2004) 9 tracks, 62.41 mins Polish musician Jacek Spruch is the man behind the Underwater Music label and behind the sound of E=Motion.
Bright and unabashedly optimistic, his music skips along pleasantly on a bed of steady rhythms, sequencing, and melodies.
“Berlin Wavelength part 1” bounces happily along, hitting its stride early and holding steady, until it segues
into part two, which drops the intensity just a touch as it adds drums. A cool bass line pulses along, followed by a vintage
synth lead that weaves its way through quite nicely. Next is the three-part “Sequence Trance-mission,” which only
briefly lets up on the energy before picking up again, though it is a bit more relaxed than the first two. Again a very nice
synth lead takes the melody, it would be pretty hard to be depressed listening to this upbeat stuff. Crystalline sequencing
is especially nice here. There is no discernible change from part one to part two; part three has the melody line drop out
briefly, letting all the sequencing do the work for a while. Eventually the melody and beats return, bringing an end to over
18 minutes of fun energy. We mellow out for “Space Caravan,” again in three parts. The lead line here is very
squelchy, and reminds me of Klaus Schulze when he really gets going on a synth solo. Really, it’s hard to imagine a
classic Tangerine Dream and Schulze freak not totally going bonkers over this disc from start to finish. All the Berlin school
elements are there in abundance, so turn it up and enjoy. Philippe Emmanuel Gueble “Fire & Remembrance” (Underwater Music, 2003) 9 tracks, 47.12 mins I suspected from the cover art and track titles that this disc would show a different side of the normally upbeat
Underwater Music label from Poland, and upon listening I find that I am not mistaken. “Origin” is delicate and
minimal, a drone hovers in the air as soft shimmers of other synth textures gently wash over the top from time to time. Moody
and understated, it is a captivating beginning to the disc. “Ligurian Sea” is softer still, with barely-there
electronics and a gently strummed acoustic guitar. The quality of the musicianship is very high throughout, causing me to
forego my usual reservations about music with more of a new age bent to it. “Mother Nature Legacy” carries itself
on a wave of bright metallic sounds that floats soothingly by. The oddly named “Paris 23H36” plays more like an
experimental drone piece at first, but very pleasant soft keys and bright synth tones join the mix. I am really impressed
by the diversity of sounds and styles that still somehow connect with each other. Also, I can make no ready comparisons to
similar musicians – I hear bits of everything from Jonn Serrie and Robert Carty space music to Brian Eno minimalism
to Alex De Grassi new age guitar. “No. 20 Piano” even adds a dash of modern classical for good measure. Female
wordless vocals are enchanting on “Raga 1,” and the gentle “Holy Light” makes a perfect closing. I
am very impressed with Fire & Remembrance from start to finish. Dorian Przystalski “Antimatter” (Underwater Music, 2003) 8 tracks, 45.24 mins Beautiful synth strings and pads start “Liquid Nitrogen,” and I wonder for a second if I’ve
put on a great new Klaus Schulze disc by mistake. The sense of drama is so like KS, and catches your attention immediately.
It keeps you holding your breath right into the next track, “Escape From Reality,” which features cool bass and
beats. A soft silky synth plays the melody just right. A lighter, more playful synth then takes over. This is some fun hybrid
of easy listening, lounge, jazz, and a touch of dance, something Jean-Michel Jarre might create in a mellower moment. In a
stark contrast, “Antimatter” is so shrill at first that you almost have to cover your ears. Abstract sounds lend
a sci-fi feel, and then a watery synth rises up every once in a while like bubbles. More experimental, it’s an interesting
choice to be the title track. “Lost Labyrinth” slips immediately back into cool groove mode, again featuring a
rhythm and a bass line that are relaxed and fun. It is very similar in feel to “Escape From Reality” but not mere
replication. “Expedition On The Pole” moves along faster, fun synth pop. Tracks keep alternating between upbeat
and mellow, so it’s no surprise that “Mysterious Forest” goes back into calm, reflective mode. The lead
synth in the middle is very Jarre-esque, like the closing track from Equinoxe, then a little Vangelis-like section follows.
But I don’t think Przystalski sets out to emulate anyone, he just does what he enjoys. “Aurora Borealis”
may be my favorite, an admittedly guilty pleasure that is almost too catchy, but the beat and the sequencing are too cool
not to enjoy. For lighthearted synthesizer fun, Antimatter is hard to beat. Defactor “The Exploration of Atlantis” (Underwater Music, 2002) 13 tracks, 42.48 mins This was the last disc of several from the Underwater Music label that I chose to spin, and I have to say it
suffered by comparison. Yes, this disc is light and bouncy like E=Motion, but it all seems rather fluff and overly high on
the cheesiness factor. Synth lead sounds are too cute and overdone. The rhythms seem heavy handed and rushed. Add to that
some syrupy new age strings at the very beginning of the CD, and it came out to a big thumbs down unfortunately. The compositions
are tight, the playing is reasonably good, I just don’t like the overall sound. A moody piece called “First Immersion”
works pretty well, providing good imagery for the Atlantis theme with the choir sounds and a nice synth lead, but unfortunately
this is just a two minute bridging piece between two overly cute beat-heavy numbers, so it gets lost in the shuffle. Male
vocals in “Guests from the Stars” make it sound like a bad outtake from Disney’s The Lion King, not alien
visitors. A variety of overdone chanting in “Cataclysm” yields similar, well, cataclysmic results. Solitude “Ambient Guitar” (Underwater Music, 2002) 3 tracks 47.12 mins Another project with label founder Jacek Spruch, he plays guitar samples and sequencing on this one, along with
Jerzy Jura on electric guitar. The title track is first, an interesting piece of floating music with unique sounds. It is
what I’d call light ambient, and it’s very good even though it is fairly static. Good music to just kick back
to and daydream. “Emergence” is similar, but has a bit more to it, an extra edge though it still is quite dreamy
and relaxing. It effectively uses repetition to create a hypnotic effect, as water sounds surround the main guitar loop. “Sophia”
is longer than the first two tracks combined, and starts quite differently. An edgy guitar sound jumps in and out, each sound
echoing into silence before the next guitar notes appear, then they too fade away, and so on. It’s a bit jumpy in terms
of the flow, with the occasional silences. This first section lasts about 5 minutes, then the sounds smooth out a bit. This
piece is pretty threadbare compared to the textured layerings of the first two, and a bit more of a challenging listen, but
I like it just the same. Thinking man’s ambient. September 2005 Cleaning House, Part 1 As Electroambient Space is a one-man operation, so it should come
as no surprise that there is a continual process of catching up and falling behind (more often the latter than the former)
when it comes to reviewing all the CDs that arrive in my mailbox. So I decided it was way past time to clear the decks, and force myself to review most of what has been sitting
on my shelves. Apologies in advance to the musicians who hoped for a more in-depth and timelier review of their CDs, but hopefully
better late than never, and better short than not at all. I’ve added a couple of new features to provide more information for these brief reviews. First, a brief
description of the genre, admittedly a subjective art given all the subgenres in EM. Second, if similar artists immediately
come to mind, I’ve mentioned them. And third, I’ve added a “5-star” rating system, as follows: Rating system:
♫♫♫♫♫
Best ♫♫♫♫
Very good ♫♫♫ Good ♫♫ Fair ♫ Poor Half-star ratings are indicated by ♪. For example, if a disc rates a 2.5, it would shown as ♫♫♪. Enough chatter, away we go…
Andreas Akwara & Björn Lutz
“Pathos” (AA Music, 2004) 8 tracks, 79.21 mins Style: Melodic synth-pop Rating: ♫♪ I don’t know why I like synth oboes so much, but I do; I suppose Tangerine Dream doing it so well could
have something to do with it. Anyway, “Nu Ages” starts this disc, and an excellent synth oboe takes over the melody
toward the end, very enjoyable. “Ambush” is a low-key affair with solid synths, but I swear if I hear one more
song with G.W. Bush voice samples in it, I’ll scream. Voice samples appear on several other tracks as well, overstaying
their welcome. I could also do without the ya-ya female vocals on “At all delight,” but that’s always been
a bias of mine. Mostly, this is light upbeat melodic synths, nothing groundbreaking. “Synthetic Horizon” is different
from the rest, a quiet closing number that finishes the disc strong. Andreas Akwara “Pathos” (AA Music, 2003) 8 tracks, 79.21 mins Style: Sweet melodic synth music, with touches of melodrama Similar artists:
Frank Van Bogaert, Vangelis Rating: ♫♫ Pathos is emotive melodic
synthesizer music by Andreas Akwara of Germany. The upbeat playful “Part III” is equal parts Jarre and Vangelis,
with very crisp perky sequencing. Equally good is “Part IV,” with a moderate sequence pinging back and forth over
the top of some nice water sound effects. Spacier passages like “Part II” and “Part V” allow room
to breathe, the latter including some Gregorian chanting, giving it the feeling of a processional. Another Jarre-like upbeat
passage is “Part VII,” which would not sound at all out of place on Oxygene or Equinoxe. Sometimes
the synths get overly cute, as on the bouncy “Part VI.” Also, the layers get a bit thick here, choirs practically
shouting at one point as it gets too busy. For the most part the music is accomplished enough, but it doesn’t quite
catch with me. I need to spin it a few more times; it could be a grower. DAC Crowell “Red-shifted
Harmonies” (www.magnatune.com, 2005) 3 tracks, 73.10 mins Style: Minimal ambient floating music Similar artists:
Brain Eno, Harold Budd, James Johnson, David Parsons Rating: ♫♫♫♪ This one is all about bright shimmering floating music. Two of the three tracks are in the half-hour range,
starting with “Tranquilitatis,” a swirling set of mellow metallic ambience. The music captures a pleasant space
and stays with it, varying just enough throughout to keep the meditative flow interesting. “Prisengracht Extensions”
is even brighter, with a drone seeming to pulse as light atmospheric touches play bout. The evolution of this 35-minute piece
is even more subtle than the first, but it still works very well indeed. If these first two tracks don’t have you spellbound
and completely relaxed, then the comparatively brief title track should finish you off. Nearly silent for most of it, this
one has a bit more edge, a little more experimentation going on, but at a very subtle level. Strings give it a modern classical
feel. Excellent. DAC Crowell “The Sea
and the Sky” (www.magnatune.com, 2005) 2 tracks, 74.55 mins Style: Ambient with touches of modern classical Similar artists:
Phillip Glass, Steve Reich Rating: ♫♫♫♪ Crowell spreads his wings a bit as he goes for something with edgy rhythms and a wider array of sounds. “Tidal
Motion” has this repeating sound like a processed cymbal or something. A cool percolating sequence has a punchy quality
just a bit like Klaus Schulze on his classic “Totem” track. The synth lead provides a melody of substance, unusual
for DAC. The crashing processed cymbal sound eventually goes away, although it returns again later, and the pulsing shimmers
that follow remind me a lot of Phillip Glass, though the hypnotic effect is softer, not frenetic like Glass sometimes gets.
The remaining track is almost an hour long, an epic ambient piece that has a low drone and a slow steady beat that paces it
for the duration. The rate of change is very slow. The beat keeps the same tempo but becomes louder, more insistent toward
the end. Creepy sound effects gather at the very end, a touch chilling. Note that both of the above releases are on www.magnatune.com, a download-only label. You can go to the site, and download the disc and cover art cheap. What could
be better? DeTrop “After The Water” (Skean Dhu, 2004) 11 tracks, 48.50 mins Style: Drone, experimental, avant garde Similar artists:
Stars of the Lid Rating: ♫♫♫ The cover of After The Water looks very avant garde, unusual sketches of a couple in muted yellow and
brown tones. I know nothing about this American label or the musicians from Scotland – Colin Laughland and Krist Moran
– who recorded this. “Stars and Angels” opens with drone music. The track propels steadily forward, virtually
unchanging but it swirls and dances in your head as you imagine different elements moving in and out of the mix. “Foo”
follows, and shows that this will be an adventurous listen, taking a dramatic departure into a simple instrumental guitar,
a stripped down tune with a relaxed pop feel. It’s a surprising contrast to the first track, but no less enjoyable.
“For The Duck People” has more guitar, and a very odd synth that seems just slightly off-key as it mimics the
guitar phrasing. Other songs range from fuzzed out guitar distortion (“Cracked Bleeding Lips and Red Shoes”) to
beautiful crystalline synth structures (“Little Broken Kittenheart”) to all over the board between accessible
and experimental all in the same song (“Angels Hanging from a Rope in a Darkened Room”). For the most part it
is daring stuff; the pieces that have gentler guitar movements seem a bit out of place, but for those who love to explore
new original stuff, check it out. Not my usual thing and I don’t see myself playing it a lot, but it is clearly inspired
material with a sense of craftsmanship. Electric Lawnchair “Double
Platinum” (Smiley Jones Records, 2003) 20 tracks, 73.12 mins Style: Experimental,
avant garde Rating: ♫♪ If you are an old rocker like me, you went through your Kiss phase sometime in high school. You may recall they
released a double album compilation called Double Platinum. Apparently, the person or persons behind Electric Lawnchair
could not think up song titles for the music, which is a bizarre though often interesting collage of sounds, spoken word stuff,
synths, and the kitchen sink. So, they simply lifted the song titles of the Kiss album. Yes, track one is called “Strutter
‘78” and track twenty is called “Black Diamond,” and in between there are classics like “Love
Gun” and “Calling Dr. Love.” It’s a strange and possibly copyright-violating idea, but I am very amused
by it. The music itself is way too odd and random to appeal to the typical Electroambient Space reader, though parts of it
are strangely compelling. Enemy From Space “The
Condition of Music” (Smiley Jones Records, 2003) 12 tracks, 59.35 mins Style: Quirky electronic music meets progressive rock Rating: ♫♪ This unusual set covers a variety of sounds. “Achilles and the Tortoise” stutters along in humorous
fashion, reminding me of the quirky character of music by ex-Tangerine Dream member Johannes Schmoelling. Even weirder is
the brisk, brief “The Seventh Victim,” with marimbas, organ, tympani, and a cheesy synth lead. But there are also
excellent bits that stray into more conventional Berlin school styles, such as “The Outer Worlds,” with great
spacey sounds effects and a beat that chugs along very nicely. The title track is all over the map over its 21-minute course.
Sometimes it sounds like a cheap video game, sometimes a prog rock manifesto, sometimes who knows? And I’m either starting
to admire it as a unique vision, or I hate it, I can’t decide which. There are good moments here and there, but you
have to look for them. Enemy From Space “Abstractions” (Smiley Jones Records, 2002) 9 tracks, 39.11 mins Style: Ambient electronica; ambient; electronic Rating: ♫♫ A much more cohesive work than The Condition of Music, Abstractions is relatively solid synthesizer
music that is a bit different from the norm. It is very listenable, and some tracks like “Pastures of Alpha Centauri”
have very strong references to early Tangerine Dream and other krautrock and Berlin school. But others, like “To Be
Born,” dabble in ambient electronica. “Loving the Chimera” is a soft delicate tune with vintage sounds that
closes the disc nicely. Short and semi-sweet. August 2005
Artist Spotlight: TouchXtone
Michael Thomas
Roe and Jim Combs are TouchXtone from Decatur, Georgia. Their four currently available CDs are all rock solid, straddling
Berlin school and ambient electronica realms. To get an idea of how inventive their music is, take a look at how many different
artists I try to compare them to in the reviews below, just to try to give the reader a frame of reference. This very good
music happened by Jim putting out an ad for a collaborator, and Michael responding. They started by playing three 2-hour sessions,
and hit it off well enough to produce 2 CDs worth of music. More followed, and we are the happy recipients of the results.
I highly recommend them all, let’s take a closer look. TouchXtone “One” (www.touchxtone.com, 2003) 1 track, 53.30 mins One plays as a single continuous track, although the cover lists the starting
times for the six movements. One starts with “Dub Chill 2,” marked by light modern percussion and floating
bass tones. The bass takes over on “Florian and Fauna,” a mellow mood piece. “Kyoto Dragon” has a
lilting sequencer that bubbles gently up and down, along with soft melodic piano. The piano playing is exceptional, and the
overall composition is very strong. “Alien Radio on a Moonless Night,” is the fourth section, the title piece.
Dark churning mechanical sounds emerge, then a classic synth lead soars slowly over the top for just a few notes. The moody
atmospherics continue, along with warbly electronics that could indeed pass for alien radio. “The
Dawning” is the longest section at nearly 16 minutes, starting with smooth undulating pads. A gentle melody surfaces,
and I can envision a beautiful sunrise accompanying the music. We then take a surprising turn into a more experimental section,
nearly silent, with clicking buzzes and metallic sci-fi sounds. Softer sounds return, but in more melancholic fashion. A Vangelis-like
synth lead appears briefly. The music is quiet but restless, creating a mild yet palpable tension that doesn’t abate
until we move into the last section, “Age of Desire.” Another mellow number, warbly space noises are followed
by softly echoing choirs and tiny electronic pings that mark each measure, along with a great vintage lead line that plays
a soft melody. Synth strings and sparse piano playing make a muted, effective conclusion. I like this disc a lot. TouchXtone “Two” (www.touchxtone.com, 2003) 1 track, 68.30 mins Like One, TouchXtone’s Two plays as a single continuous track, the cover listing
the starting times for each individual passage, of which there are eight for this go around. Oddly enough, “Dub Chill
2” appears on One, and Two begins with “Dub Chill 1.” At any rate, this disc begins similarly
to their first, with relaxed crisp percussion. A steady toe-tapping beat is nice, as is the pleasant synth lead that forms
the melody. “Titans and Chariots” is up next, a dreamy combo of pads and strings, along with occasional beats,
piano and other elements. It subtly shifts over the next 20 minutes before going “Subterranean,” which indeed
it does. The brief “Cat Got Your Tongue?” is piano and cat-like strings that meow in the higher range. The titles
convey the imagery well, such as the cold crystals of “Ice Palace.” This disc is mellower than One. Even
the slightly foreboding “Imperial Standoff” is quiet in its menacing. This has the feel of a soundtrack to an
epic film. “Cold Stone of Tiananmen Square” is the quietest, darkest track. The brief, bright “Life for
a Thousand Years” has a hammered dulcimer quality to it, a marked contrast that sounds like the credits rolling to a
movie’s happy ending. Another winner. TouchXtone “Three” (www.touchxtone.com, 2004) 7 tracks, 67.15 mins Having discovered track indexing, TouchXtone’s Three is a little easier to follow
along than its predecessors. The oddly titled “Hello Hercules” makes for a quiet, somewhat experimental beginning,
reminder me somewhat of Cluster’s abstract sound when they played here in Portland in 1996. The intensity picks up toward
the end as the music swirls about in a most unusual and fascinating way. On the face of it this track feels a bit disheveled,
but it is compelling nonetheless. After a short bridging piece, “Riders on the Xtone” has a sequencer rolling slowly
up and down in the rain. This reminds me of the opening track on O Head’s Silent Universe CD. “Below the
Surface, Beyond the Touch” is the longest track, rumbling drones that shift into near silence for a time, then a softer
low drone holds for what seems like an eternity, hypnotizing as other subtle sounds surround it from time to time. A bit of
muffled drums come into play toward the end. “The Return” has a unique synth sound panning back and forth that
is cool but difficult to describe in words. “Child Mind” is the softest track, excellent space music. Water flows
as “Lake O’Shalmirane” appears, bringing the disc to a quiet ending with a long slow fade to black. TouchXtone “EyeDream and Beyond” (www.touchxtone.com, 2004) 7 tracks, 64.55 mins This is a live recording from July 2003, featuring a few tracks from the first three releases as well as new studio material. The live tracks differ significantly from the originals, sometimes twice or half the length, so if you own and enjoy any or all of the first three that shouldn’t dissuade you from getting this set. Only the last two tracks are called bonus tracks, but as far as I can tell there are four new studio recordings here. “Solar Flare” reminds me of the modern electronica I enjoy so much on the Databloem label, such as The Circular Ruins. Subtle shadings of synth sounds join little backbeats and computerized percussion. Chugging bass and synths move sluggishly along in “Acid Wash,” a short but entertaining piece. “Your Brightest Star” begins bright and shimmering but moves to a more experimental line of musical thought in the middle that continues to its end. The longest track (and title, for that matter) is “A Perfect Future in Real Estate.” Punchy beats and edgy synths start us off, but the music isn’t content to sit still. There is a dark ambient stretch for a few minutes, followed by light ethereal tones with wind chimes. This lighter touch brings us to the finish.
All reviews © 2005 Phil Derby / Electroambient
Space. Any reprint in whole or in part must be appropriately credited. Thank
you. Jesse Sola is the man behind Numina, a floating
ambient project in the style of fellow American contemporaries such as Steve Roach, Robert Rich, and Robert Carty. He specializes
in luxurious floating soundscapes that conjure up images of deep space and abstract paintings, music suitable for inner or
outer exploration. Jesse recently sent me three CDs reviewed below, all of which I believe are currently still available at
www.hypnos.com if you want to check them out. Numina “Eye of the
Nautilus” (Hypnos, 2005) 9 tracks, 73.55 mins Numina is back with a strong follow up to his well received Hypnos debut Sanctuary of Dreams. Once again,
he creates beautiful paintings, using sounds as color, using synths, samplers, and guitars as his brushes. “Drift Catalyst”
is a rich textural piece that combines its layers into a wall of sound that ebbs and flows. Though Numina often reminds me
of Steve Roach, this piece has a smooth silky quality and a somewhat brighter tone that is more reminiscent of Robert Carty’s
space music. “Secrets from the Flame” features Rudy Adrian as a guest, and though Jesse doesn’t tip his
hand as to what Rudy contributes, there is a bright shimmering quality that I associate with his work. Tribal drumming picks
up the pace a bit midway through, blending into the synth textures extremely well. The intensity builds and crests before
a long slow fade. “The Thirteenth Moon” is full of bright choirs and silky pads. It sounds like heaven. Drums
return on “New Lands Approach,” adding vibrancy and vitality. “The Nautilus Chamber” swooshes by like
the wind. After a lot of velvety smooth sounds, “Sundrown” takes a more abstract turn with clanging bells, eerie
strings, and things that go bump and thump in the night. Something like Japanese koto or hammered dulcimer appears for contrast,
and works to great effect here and in the closing track, “Return to the Crystal Temple.” In between are a couple
other ambient morsels for you to sample on your own. There is a nice balance between pure ambient tracks and those with more
rhythmic elements. Put it all together, and it’s another Numina winner. Numina “Sanctum Sanctorum” (Self released, 2001) 10 tracks, 72.05 mins Sanctum Sanctorum give us
a glimpse into some of Jesse Sola’s earlier work, still very much in the already established Numina style of silky floating,
perhaps a shade darker than his later releases on Hypnos. “Recluse” reminds me that good drifting ambience distinguishes
itself in the indescribable details. I can’t tell you why this is better than other ambient music that sounds similar
– but it is. The notes hang just right, the flow is there, the feeling is relaxed but not too pretty. Everything is
in balance. “Luminous Form (Fading In)” is quieter and softer, with just a bit of an unsettled edge to it. “Dimly
Lit Hallway” adds haunting female choirs for an eerier effect. After three virtually formless pieces, “Tattered
Illusions” drapes just a bit of substance over the free floating. There is still no rhythm or melody to speak of, but
the textures have shifted from liquid to gelatinous. A wisp of rhythm finally takes hold on “Thorns Upon the Throne,”
a subdued backdrop to bright metallic shimmering sounds. “Wilted World” marches slowly into dark mists, the plodding
beat keeping pace throughout. Every track seems to have both dark and light aspects to it, such that the mood of the piece
could strike you totally differently on two different listening occasions – although it strikes me that the tone does
gradually brighten toward the latter tracks, closing with a brief “Angel’s Sigh.” Sanctum Sanctorum
flows smoothly, enjoyably from beginning to end. Numina “The Haunting
Silence” (Self released, 2005) 10 tracks, 74.46 mins Numina specializes in silky smooth ambient textures, and “Sothis” starts The Haunting Silence
so smoothly it seems as though we’ve walked in on the middle of the disc. It fades in and gets right to work, though
it floats so effortlessly by that it hardly sounds like work. The music swirls in a circular drift, perhaps three or four
main atmospheric parts folded gently over one another. The first three tracks glide along in similar fashion, followed by
deep resonant booming in “Searching Above for Reasoning,” although familiar soaring synths rise over the top.
Next is the thoroughly chilling “Unfolding the Soul,” complete with restless water, clanking noises, and dissonant
drones. Dare to listen to this with the lights out. Fortunately, this is followed by perhaps the lightest number, “Elsewhere
and Here.” “Canicula Brighten” has really cool pulsing electronics and sparse beats. It reminds me of a
couple of mellower tracks by Global Communication, whom I wouldn’t normally associate with this subgenre of ambient.
As such it’s a standout, possibly my favorite. “A Silent Haunting” is much less scary than “Unfolding
the Soul,” another particularly quiet piece, quite relaxing. In fact, The Haunting Silence is so relaxing that
one of the tracks, “Asleep Before the End of the Story,” is liable to aptly describe the lovely soporific effect
this disc will have on listeners. Artist Spotlight #2: William Edge William Edge is a space musician from New
York with a great sense for what pure space music should sound like. Much like
fellow American synth maestros Jonn Serrie and Robert Carty, Edge’s music evokes images steeped in science fiction,
astronomy, and various deep space phenomena. William contacted me a while back and sent me his three CDs which all reach for
the stars. Together they form a space trilogy, which we’ll cover in the order of the story. See Bill’s home page for more details on his music. William Edge “Edge
of the Universe: Discovery” (Sounds Blue Music, 2004) 14 tracks, 71.53 mins “Reflected Light” jumps right into the space theme, and would be suitable as planetarium music or
simply imagining your living room has become one. “Spectrum” expands on the motif a bit with light percussion,
although the soaring synth pads are still pure space music. A lilting melody weaves seamlessly into the rest, very pleasant.
“Discovery” starts like gentle radar blips. A British woman gives a narration about the state of things in the
year 2211, then the year 2250, and so on. Soft liquid keys are very much like Jonn Serrie, and there is a very nice floating
quality about this one. The narration stays in the background, but becomes too talky for me as it goes. “Fragments of
Time 1” centers on piano along with some outer space sounds. This has a bit more of a new age feel, though thankfully
not nearly to the extent that Serrie did on albums like Midsummer Century and Ixlandia. “Return of the
Ardent” is a natural progression, continuing the piano but adding more synth elements that work quite nicely. Plinks
of water drops, then rainfall, then crashing waves begin “Memories of Water.” The water effects are nice, as piano
and strings lend a new age feel, which is not my thing but is very well done. “Solar Wind” could pass as a good
Software track, another soft floater. “Energy Form 1” has cool sound effects and nice backing rhythms that fade
in and out. “Infinite Horizon” is a little on the cute and quirky side, though it finishes strong with flowing
synth strings. “Epilogue” ends the disc with more narration and deep space transmissions. William Edge “Journey
to the Edge: 76 Lightyears” (Sounds Blue Music, 2004) 9 tracks, 46.53 mins Aggressive rhythms and a rocking bass line on the opening track “Doppler Efx” make me think more
of Yes’ “Roundabout” than space music. It’s actually pretty cool but unexpected, and takes a moment
or two to get used to. “Radial Velocity” immediately brings us back to mellow realms of new age and space, with
percussion that gives it a tropical or lounge flavor. “Animation Suspended” shimmers brightly at first, but an
odd mix of piano and heavy slow beats don’t seem to fit in. It works best when it is content to float and drift as it
does at the beginning and in the midsection. “Captain’s Log” follows the pattern of “Discovery”
from that album, with British female narration. It works okay on one album briefly; twice it feels contrived (actually three
times – see below). By and large, 76 Lightyears seems to just miss the mark, needing to trim cute excesses or
avoid certain clichés that keep it from rising to the next level. However, Edge recorded this disc first, and planted the
seeds for the two solid follow-ups that form the beginning and ending of his space trilogy. William Edge “Beyond
the Edge: Into Infinity” (Sounds Blue Music, 2004) 13 tracks, 63.11 mins “Ianus” has the same woman’s voice as in William Edge’s other two albums, but is very
brief. The rest of the track is pretty cool space sounds and some relaxed guitar playing. “Dark Matter” has an
appropriately ominous beginning, although Edge has a consistent lightness and optimism to his music that keeps it from being
too threatening, a nice atmospheric number. “Into Infinity” is a variety of classic space sounds blended together
effectively, again quite soothing. “Dance of Lost Souls” is loaded with synths, thoroughly electronic, and that’s
always a plus in my book, with some nice sequencing to boot. Even better is the drifting sounds of “Unfolding Sphere”
and the bright rapid tinkling synths of “Infinitas Perieritus.” There is a playful quality to the music, and you
can always tell that Edge enjoys making this music. Even the darkest track, “Levels of Consciousness – Sleeping,”
has brightness to it, although not as evident as on the other selections. The disc ends unevenly, my favorite track “Levels
of Consciousness – Enlightenment” followed by easily the worst, “Destination of Prayers.” Disturbing
twisted narration, moaning, and other eerie sounds are woefully out of place to the rest of the disc. Except for this aberration,
Into Infinity is my favorite of William Edge’s three CDs, followed relatively closely by Discovery, both
of which I would recommend for fans of light, positive space music. All reviews © 2005 Phil Derby / Electroambient
Space. Any reprint in whole or in part must be
appropriately credited. Thank you. April 2005 Best Live EM Albums The Beyond_EM list on yahoogroups
has been debating this, as have the writers for E-dition magazine. So I thought I would jump into the fray with my own take
on the question: What are the best live e-music albums? Glancing at my collection, the standouts were easier to spot than
I imagined. Though I expected the older classics to come to mind, a number of recent live albums made the cut as well. So
here they are, in alphabetical order. I love them all, but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t have a favorite. It’s Ricochet, hands down.
I used to say that my favorite TD period was the Schmoelling era, and that Logos was my favorite, but over time I’ve
come to agree with the old-timers who swear by Peter Bauman’s influence as forming the band’s creative peak.
1. Airsculpture
– Europa An amazing raw live recording, Europa really captures this improvisational band at the top of their craft. Great sound
quality, great performance. 2. Airsculpture
– Quark Soup Quark Soup is a masterful, epic work. Culled from a couple of different shows, it feels a bit more polished than Europa,
but is no less genuine or passionate. 3. Ron Boots
& Friends – Livelines Just plain fun, this
one. From the rocket countdown at the beginning to the screaming girl to the sizzling live version of “Desert Clouds,”
everything on this disc just feels right. 4. Free System
Projekt – Atmospheric Conditions The best 1975 Tangerine Dream recording that they never made. That, and FSP’s Protoavis as well. 5. Radio Massacre
International – Upstairs Downstairs 6. Radio Massacre
International – Solid States Several of RMI’s discs are live, and I like them all, but these two are the ones that are the cream of the crop.
Upstairs Downstairs has wonderful sequencer passages, and Solid States perfectly captures the essence of RMI’s
first (and to date only) U.S. tour. The live version of their first-ever track, “Wrecks,” is awesome. 7. Klaus Schulze
– Live Forget all those bootleg quality live recordings from The Ultimate Edition, even though there are gems to be
had there. This was KS’ first live recording. At the time, he said he shunned live albums and that there would never
be another one. I can do without Arthur Brown’s vocals, but this double disc set is worth the price of admission for
“Sense” alone, all 51 glorious hypnotic mellow minutes of it. 8. Spacecraft
– Hummel Recorded at Hummel Planetarium, this disc has the best Spacecraft track ever, the title track. It is one of the best
EM tracks of the past decade, for that matter. There are great highs and lows, a nice variety here. 9. Tangerine
Dream – Ricochet 10. Tangerine Dream – Encore 11. Tangerine Dream – Pergamon 12. Tangerine Dream – Logos 13. Tangerine Dream – Poland It’s really hard not to pick so many TD albums for this list, so I didn’t even try to limit myself, ending
up with 5 of my baker’s dozen coming from them. I don’t care what people say about Livemiles (so-so) or
220 Volts Live (crap), the Schmoelling and Bauman era live recordings are the only ones that measure up. And forget
about the eternal debates about how retouched these may or may not be. Their source and inspiration was live, and the end
result is, in my opinion, inarguably great. My three favorites are Ricochet, Logos, and Poland, the latter
of which I don’t hear nearly enough good things about. That’s my list, so there. ♫ Redshift “Redshift” (Champagne Lake, 1996) 4 tracks, 64.16 mins The one that started it all, what can you say? Redshift is a perfect marriage
of new ideas and vintage sounds. Take the very essence and spirit of Schulze’s Mirage, Tangerine Dream’s
Ricochet, distill it into Mark Shreeve’s own vision, add his talented cohorts Julian Shreeve, Rob Jenkins, and
James Goddard, and the end result is nothing short of magical. It’s fair to say that Redshift has redefined retro, setting
the bar so high with this one nearly a decade ago that it has scarcely been touched. For over six minutes, “Redshift”
explores dark nooks and crannies, then a simple but fantastic sequence and haunting choirs fill the air. The lead synth comes
forth very assured, just right in the mix. It sounds so much like TD’s Ricochet or Rubycon, and yet it
is new, fresh, vibrant, as exciting as those were the first time we heard them. Listening to it again now, my enjoyment and
appreciation of this stellar debut has only increased over time. It’s not overstating it to say that Redshift transcended
the sound they were paying homage to; when you hear any Redshift album now, it has “the Redshift sound” –
not TD, not Schulze, but Redshift. The debut disc features two long pieces sandwiched between two shorter ones, “Spin”
and “Shine,” which are perfectly concise packages, each a perfect balance of hypnotic rhythmic sequencing, cool
synth effects and sounds, and memorable lead lines, especially “Shine,” which seems gone too quickly but that’s
part of its appeal – it goes in for the kill and dashes off, leaving you in awe. I still don’t get the 10 minutes
of near silence during “Blueshift,” and would like to edit it out, but that’s the only thing keeping this
disc from absolute perfection. Redshift “Ether” (Champagne Lake, 1997) 4 tracks, 65.04 mins For many, this is the pinnacle. My favorite review of
Ether was written by Graham Getty at SMD, who said, “I think it was the "review of ‘96" article where I said Redshift’s music
was so far up my street that it was sitting in my living room with its feet up watching TV. Well, Ether is actually
wearing my slippers, drinking tea and eating biccies!” Now, I have no idea what “biccies” are, but I know
exactly what he means. This music is comfortable; it’s like coming home. It is everything we love about EM, it’s
why we listen to it, it’s why the musicians make it, and it’s why people like me write about it. The sequencing
on “A Midnight Clear” takes a while to arrive, but once it does it grabs hold and simply won’t let go. Constantly
shifting, always energetic, full of rich resonant bass tones, it thoroughly satisfies. Shreeve and company pattern this CD
after their debut, with two lengthy improvisational pieces surrounding two shorter more structured ones. And yet, the end
result is distinct, and even a touch better than the original, which is saying something. “Bombers in the Desert”
is one of the best EM tracks ever, probably Redshift’s greatest achievement. Then there’s the surprise of the
lengthy fuzzed-out guitar section to open “Ether,” making it sound more like a Pink Floyd concert than Redshift.
But as usual it comes back to brilliant choirs, sequences and lead lines, a beautiful oboe synth taking center stage on this
one. A more playful guitar solo occurs at the end, sweetly ringing out alongside more choirs. A perfect ending. The perfect
CD? Redshift “Down Time” (Champagne Lake, 1999) 7 tracks, 60.31 mins Over the course of their first two CDs, Redshift had already gained almost legendary
status among many fans of the analog retro movement. It’s no surprise, then, that some have expressed disappointment
over Down Time, because Mark Shreeve and company decided to toy with the formula a bit. Though there are still juicy
sequencer passages, particularly on the fantastic opener, “Nails,” there is more to Down Time than this.
I, for one, am thrilled that the band has pushed the envelope just a bit farther to see what they can do. “Nails”
and “Protoland” deliver for sequencer addicts, but there are also haunting guitars on “Ultranaut”
and “High Noon.” The guitar playing is superb, perfectly restrained in balance to the dark synths and choirs.
But what really clinched Down Time for me is the phenomenal “Mania,” almost certainly my pick for best
song of 1999. Redshift pulls out all the stops here. Like Shreeve’s “Ride the Lightning” from Nocturne,
I defy anyone to sit still while listening to this. It is an effective contrast to most of the material, which tends toward
darker realms. Haunting echoes and sequencers blend together to perfection in the title track to close a very satisfying sonic
journey. Down Time is a great CD from start to finish. 2000 © Phil Derby / Exposé Magazine Redshift “Siren” (Distant
Sun, 2002) 9 tracks,
58.12 mins After a long hiatus, Redshift released three discs simulataneously – Siren,
Halo, and Wild. Two of the three were new recordings. The third, Siren, was a live recording from the
Alfa Centauri Festival in April 1999. Though the tracks have original titles, several numbers have their origins in previously
released material. For example, the sequencing in the middle of “Bleed III” comes from “A Midnight Clear”
and “Bleed V” is the guitar solo at the end of the title track from Ether. And “Siren II” is
a variant on Down Time’s “Ultranaut” if I’m not mistaken. But that’s not to say that
Siren is a token album or a retread, not at all. It’s more like familiar themes and sounds weaving their way
in and out of new musical ideas, blending them together in an imaginative, creative manner. And there are large sections of
Siren that I cannot definitely place as being from a particular previous release. “Siren I,” for example,
features some stunning Melltron flute that I don’t immediately recognize. Perhaps some of the familiarity comes from
the fact that they have so clearly cut a path of their own, such that you can always tell a Redshift release. And that’s
not a bad thing. Redshift “Halo” (Distant
Sun, 2002) 9 tracks,
58.12 mins Ok,
so this is an almost too-obvious choice for one of my top EM albums of 2002. After all, it’s Redshift, one of the most
highly admired bands in the Berlin school retro genre, and a personal favorite of mine. Add to this the long dry spell between
albums to increase fans’ hunger, and that this is all-new studio material, and it becomes a no-brainer. Oh, and did
I mention that it’s fan-effing-tastic? “Leviathan” starts with low atmospherics and a single steady pulse.
The first sequence comes in before the first minute is up, and it’s a lovely one – not too energetic, not too
laid back, just right for an opener. These guys are confident enough not to give up all the goods in one go, content to let
this be a restrained yet awesome beginning, trademark Redshift. Vintage sounds galore build in volume, layers, and intensity.
The subtle shifts in the hypnotic loops are magnificent. Witness, for example, the changes in timbre of the sequence that
unfolds across the 5:00 mark. The pace remains the same, but the sound keeps evolving and then turning back in on itself.
Sublime stuff. Next, you gotta love a tongue-in-cheek title like “Rhode Kill,” a short sweet little number that
lulls you into a false sense of security before “Panzer” comes in for the brisk attack, along with edgy distorted
guitars. Like tracks from Down Time, this is more structured, full of great retro sounds and sequencing, but with a
definite melodic theme amongst the great textures and effects. “Different Light” is a more downbeat affair, with
night sounds and sparse electronics. The album is full of wonderful little bridging pieces like this. The title track is the
longest, beginning with shades of vintage Schulze in the form of a crystalline cascade of notes. The sequence is allowed to
play out virtually unadorned for the first couple of minutes, allowing for full appreciation of its elegant touch. It builds
and builds and builds until it crescendos just past the 9:00 point, rapidly falling off into a dark brooding section that
teases with only a brief reprise of the original sequence before a segue into “Savage Messiah.” You begin to wonder
how many variations on first-rate sequencing there are, as this is yet again spot-on. A chugging low sequence is set off by
strong lead synth lines. As this one fades, really cool sound effects pop up, sometimes sounding strangely muffled or twisted,
or even looped backward, but it all works beautifully. A real standout is “Turbine,” a great twist on Berlin school,
quite different than anything Redshift has done before. It still has their stamp on it, but the sonics employed are unique.
That’s really the very best thing about this CD. It is undeniably Redshift, but it is something very fresh and new,
a remarkable feat in this age retro EM nearing its saturation point. One of the best of 2002? Absolutely. © 2003 Phil
Derby / Electroambient Space Redshift “Wild” (Distant
Sun, 2002) 4 tracks,
35.47 mins This
disc was a collectible for those who came to see Redshift perform at Hampshire Jam 2, never available for sale after that.
That’s a pity, because music this good should be available to all Redshift fans, especially considering that many of
them, including yours truly, live thousands of miles away and couldn’t possibly have made it to the show. But enough
editorializing, this is a worthy addition to any Redshift fanatic’s collection if you can get a hold of one. “Red
1” is understated but with the usual brilliance and panache we’ve come to expect. A midtempo sequence carries
this one along nicely. “subEther” is a solid variation on themes and sounds from Ether. “Vega” takes
things in a new direction, soft, ethereal, and a bit sad but also quite majestic. I would imagine a cross between Redshift
and Vangelis would sound a lot like this. This short disc closes with “Jupiter Collision,” a fantastic original
number that follows the path of more structured pieces like “Shine” and “Bombers in the Desert,” and
successfully so. It builds to a crescendo and brings the disc to a sudden and winning conclusion. Please see the Reviews page, January 2005, for reviews
of the last two Redshift releases, Faultline and Oblivion. All reviews
© 2005 Phil Derby / Electroambient Space unless otherwise specified. No reviewed may be reproduced in whole or in part unless appropriately credited. Thank
you. Rogue Element “Premonition” I knew early
on in 2004 this was the one to beat. Nobody did. Vintage synths done right. Fanger & Schönwälder “Analog Overdose The Ricochet Dream Edition” Although
I just said that nobody beat Rogue Element, this disc is a virtual tie for Best CD of 2004. Simply fantastic blend of Berlin
school and chill-out music. Free System Projekt “Protoavis” TD improvisation
circa 1974-75, done perhaps even a half-step better if that’s possible. Radio Massacre International “Walking on the Sea” One of their
very best, and that’s saying quite a lot. Remy “Different Shades of Dust” I want to
see Remy and Schulze play on the same bill, then I can die happy. A great musician gets even better. Various Artists “Ricochet Gathering Mojave 2003” Disc 1 is
fantastic classic Teutonics, Disc 2 branches out into other areas without straying too far. Redshift “Faultline” Great capture
of their Hampshire Jam 2 show, all original material. Redshift “Oblivion” New studio
recording, their first as a trio, solid Redshift sound. Radio Massacre International “People Would Really Like Space Rock…” At first
I knocked this for RMI’s deliberate attempt to try to rock out, but the drums mostly behave themselves, and the sequencing
is fantastic. This one grew on me quickly and I’ve played it a lot. Gert Emmens “Live – A Long Way From Home” Even better
than the studio versions of the source material from two other albums, and the best tracks from both are included here. VoLt “Star Compass” A strong
debut is followed by an even better sophomore release. Best New Group:
Rogue Element Best New Solo Act:
Create Best Reissue: Bas B. Broekhuis “The
Escher Drawings” Best Compilation: “To
the Sky and Beyond the Stars: A Tribute to Michael Garrison” Best 2003 CD release that I didn’t hear until 2004:
ESP “The Gate”
– this probably slipped under most people’s radar, but if you like 1980s TD you absolutely MUST get this CD. I
was blown away! It has been in my player almost non-stop for the past several
weeks. Go to www.syngate.net right now and get it, you won’t be disappointed. Spelerei & Mantacoup
“Wichman and Other Pieces” Best Ambient
CD of 2004, with occasional Berlin school touches thrown in for good measure. Steve Roach “Places
Beyond: The Lost Pieces 4” Best of The
Lost Pieces series, among the best of 2004. It flows unbelievably well for a compilation of unrelated tracks. Steve Roach with Bryon Metcalf,
Mark Seelig “Mantram” Fantastic
floating meditation music. Robert Rich “Calling
Down The Sky” His
best subtle ambient work in years, possibly since Trances/Drones. Chad Hoefler “Twilight
in the Offing” A stunning
debut in the style of Robert Scott Thompson, Steve Roach, and other greats. Zero Ohms “Spatial
Glacial Nebulous” A deep outer
space journey, subtle and amazing. Dwight Ashley “Discrete
Carbon” Great musicianship.
Dark, intelligent, wonderful. Sylken “Dreamlife” Pure space
music. Lammergeyer “Borrowed
Time” Each Lammergeyer
release is better than the last one. Oöphoi “The Dreaming
of Shells” A master
of minimal drone music, this is another solid outing. Best New Group:
None - seems like everyone in ambient was solo or duo in 2004 Best New Solo Acts:
Chad Hoefler, Ben Fleury-Steiner Best Compilation:
“Distant Friends” and "Bibimap" (tie) Best Reissue: Oöphoi "Three Lights at the End of the World" January Feature #2: A compilation of compilations
2004 was seemingly the year of the compilation - tons of them. Here's reviews
of 10 of them.
Various Artists “Ambienism: Volume One” (Spiralight
Recordings, 2004) 9
tracks, 73.54 mins The
Spiralight label is a promising new label that offers a cool variety of ambient electronica, as evidenced by this first-rate
collection. Zero One’s “Dreamworld” is not unlike Saul Stokes, with punchy bass and beats surrounded by
very synthetic sounds. The lead synth solos are not unlike Paul Ellis on his Into The Liquid Unknown CD – very
active, constantly shifting. Mystical Sun’s “Something Very Pure” is very enjoyable ambient electronica,
quite accessible with a catchy tune and beat. Bluetech takes the energy down a notch with “Elementary Particles,”
perfect for just chillin’. Magic Sound Fabric’s “Cosmic Consciousness” is another piece that goes
down easy and smooth. Distant vocals are appropriate to the mood. Spyra and Pete Namlook’s styles are in the neighborhood
of this, good company to keep. The next four tracks have familiar names to many ambient fans. “Another Time…Another
Place” is the first of two tracks by Alpha Wave Movement, from his Drifted Into Deeper Lands CD. Richard Bone’s
“Stillness Repeating” has a simple effective bass line and soft synth sounds that float along nicely. Dino Pacifici
follows with “Clouds Drift,” an apt name for this atmospheric breather. A Quiet Invocation” is the second
AWM track, this time unique to this compilation. This is beautiful space music in the style of Jonn Serrie. Fortunately, Cyberchump’s
contribution “Abstract Air” is far better than the band’s name. It forms the leisurely end to a soothing
ambient outing. Various Artists
“Bibimbap” (The
Foundry, 2004) 8
tracks, 51.41 mins Bibimbap is a Korean meal, and this intriguing title was chosen for two reasons. One, the musicians met over
this meal often, and two, the meal involves a mixing process, putting in a little of this and a little of that into a bowl
mixed with rice. In this case, the bed of rice is an ambient foundation, and the blend of ingredients are whatever the individual
artists had at their disposal – their synthesizers and samplers, their moods, but most of all their ideas. In an added
twist, the musicians took each other’s musical scraps and threw them into the stone pot. Ben Swire starts with “Amalgam,”
a tasty treat of crisp percussion and beats, with atmospheric tinges of darkness to offset the energetic rhythm. Imagine an
amped-up Biosphere and you wouldn’t be far off. Saul Stokes’ “Cyclops Afternoon” pauses to take a
breath and kick back a little. Although Saul’s characteristic bleeps and other unique sounds are there, this is a surprisingly
mellow melodic composition. Ideal for a compilation, it’s a touch different than his other material but much too good
to be left on a hard drive of unpublished material. Forrest Fang offers “Filling the Bowl,” and you can almost
visualize it – the emptiness of the bowl with only rice in it, waiting for more; the music brightening as a medley of
fresh ingredients gets poured in; the flavors blending together into an invigorating mix. Like the dish, the ingredients used
here are fresh and varied. My favorite title has to be M. Bentley/eM’s “The Twilight Pageant of the Bibimbots.”
Sparse resonant bass is fused with a unique subtle rhythmic element at first, giving way to a more steady beat with a light
melodic component for a very pleasant effect. Earwicker’s “Entrée” is the musical equivalent of the mix
being complete – settled, calm, ready to eat. The music evolves as the guests around the table dive in to the meal.
The quirkiest morsel is Chris De Giere’s “Kimchi Tastes of Summer,” a smattering of unsettled rhythms jumping
about restlessly. As the meal winds down and things become more social, Thermal’s “Muse of Expiration” conjures
images of relaxed banter and the buzzing undercurrent of side conversations, both at the table and by neighboring patrons.
The final contribution, by Dean Santomieri, is shorter than its title, a brief burst of static, buzzes, and general experimentation.
Sounds a bit like post-meal indigestion to me. The rest of Bibimbap is a perfect evening of ambient listening. Various Artists “Distant
Friends” (Ambient
Circle Music, 2004) 6
tracks, 63.14 mins This
compilation of all previously unreleased material is the brainchild of Brannan Lane, who plays on every track with the likes
of vidnaObmana, Amir Baghiri, Robert Carty and others to form a very cohesive sampler that flows easily from one musical thought
to the next. Beginning with “The Forth Zone,” vidnaObmana and Brannan Lane show they are still comfortable collaborating,
as they did on their Deep Unknown CD. It reminds me of Steve Roach’s Slow Heat CD, as high-pitched metallic
synths circulate. Next is another familiar collaborator, Zero Ohms, with the clever title “Watch This Space.”
Relaxed drones flow over the sonic landscape like waves. “Dark Vessels” is immediately more organic and textural,
featuring Amir Baghiri. However, it too takes a shimmering soft turn into reverberant ambience. “Unforgotten Dreams”
is a beautiful piece by Brannan and space musician Robert Carty. Slow and subtle, it sets a perfect mood and holds it for
16 minutes. It reminds me more of James Johnson than either Lane or Carty. Biff Johnson contributes to the haunting track
“Waning Moon,” with a midsection that vaguely resembles a train in the background, lending a unique compelling
effect. “Weeping Willow” closes with the longest track, and the only name with which I’m not familiar, Silvercord,
apparently one Geoff Nostrant who formed the band with other Detroit natives but now lives in Seoul, South Korea. This one
has a more minimalist, almost modern classical approach to it. Silvercord’s influences include not only Steve Roach,
but also Dead Can Dance and Black Tape For A Blue Girl. The end result is a different twist on ambient, enough to be interesting
without distracting or out of place. I like it. Various Artists “Eintrittskarte” (Manikin Records, 2004) 9
tracks, 78.49 mins Manikin
seems to release especially good compilation albums, notably 2003’s Liquid Sounds Volume 2 and Manikin The
First Decade from 2002. Add Eintrittskarte to the growing list of excellent collections from the label. “Loondermolen
#21” grabs attention right away with a contagious beat and a sequencer loop that is a perfect hybrid of vintage and
modern. Broekhuis, Keller & Schönwälder are always a good combo, and that certainly holds true here. Next is a rare treat
– you’ve heard of Fanger & Schönwälder, Fanger & Kersten, even Fanger & Siebert – but never
just Fanger solo. He presents “Live in Vienna,” and shows that though he is a great collaborator, he definitely
can hold his own. Beautiful mellotron flutes keep the melody going, surrounded by crisp percussion and hypnotic sequencing,
sounding a bit like Spyra. After two very energetic numbers, Bas Broekhuis’ “The beauty of the beast” mellows
things considerably, a well placed changed of pace. Things get livelier again with Arcanum’s “Killing Dreams,”
a midtempo track that has great drums and percussion to move it along. The synth lead is very sure-handed and reminds me of
Ron Boots. “Nomina sunt odiosa” is next, a beautifully delicate piece by Detlef Keller, among the prettiest he
has done – in a good manly way, I mean. Perennial favorites Fanger & Schönwälder bring us “The trees turn
tangerine.” I still can’t get enough of these guys. Similar in feel to “Killing Dreams” but different
enough and certainly good enough to include in this marvelous set of music. Cosmic Hoffmann’s Eastern mystic touch is
evident in “Timeshift (Live in UK!),” very good as usual. The disc also brings the first new music in some time
for Der Laborant, the effervescent “Speed Dream.” At the risk of sounding the same notes over again – great
sequencing, great beat, great lead line. Finally, we get the awesome foursome of Fanger, Keller & Schönwälder, and Spyra
for “Bad Sulza Rehearsel” (sic), the longest and in some ways the mildest track, chilling things out for a smooth
clean finish. Various Artists “EM Post No. 1” (SynG@te,
2004) 8
tracks, 45.07 mins, + video clips This
is a great sampler that shows off not only some solid music on the SynG@te label, but also some cool video excerpts from a
2004 road trip movie called “Route 66: An American Bad Dream.” The clips are very effective, making me appreciate
ValleyForge’s excellent music even more than when I heard the audio only, and making me want to see the movie as well.
Also, the quality of the music here is consistently higher than on SynG@te’s 2 CD compilation The Collection.
Only “Saints” by the Whitebirds disappoints, a blending of synths and saxophone that reminds me why Tangerine
Dream should not have tried this. I admittedly have a strong bias abstaining from sax in my EM; it’s actually fairly
pleasant if you have no problem with that. The other tracks are sensational. Syn’s “Connected” from his
Orange CD starts the audio portion of the disc (you have to cue directly to track two, as the audio data is on track
one). Sci-fi narration starts it off with “I will tell you what happened on my world,” followed by melodramatic
synth pads and a bass line that chugs along just right. Frank Klare comes next with the strangely titled but very good “Kit
Kat Club: Metallic Men.” The synth sounds and percussion remind me of Tangerine Dream in the early 1980s, say from Exit
or Hyperborea. Der Konig’s “I Feel Free” meanders leisurely along, again with solid bass pushing
it along. Stockman’s “Enriched” is the most structured, with a rock sensibility to the drums. Three ValleyForge
tracks close out the disc, only one of them a repeat from their soundtrack to the “Route 66” movie. Hot guitar
licks come out of nowhere near the end of “Coloured Flowers…,” whose humorous lengthy title you have to
read on the CD to fully appreciate. ValleyForge has a unique style that is part rock and part Berlin school, and I really
enjoy it, as well the rest of this excellent compilation. Jonathan Hughes/Various Artists “Fluidities” (The Foundry, 2004) 2
CDs, 11 + 11 trakcs, 66.44 + 66.44 mins Note
the track listing above – same number of tracks on both discs, same running time. Coincidence? Hardly. Fluidities is
a rare though not totally unheard of concept: compose separate pieces of music designed to be played together. Each track
has a running time of 6:04 (actually, the first and last tracks are 2 seconds longer and shorter, respectively), with the
intent that you can combine each set of 11 tracks in a virtually infinite set of possibilities. The plus side is the disc
allows you to experiment in many ways; the downside is that the choices seem overwhelming, and they don’t always work.
For example, Saul Stokes’ “Summer” is abstract buzzes and bleeps, and M. Bentley’s “April”
is soft solo piano, so together they sound about like you might expect if you combine two songs at random, like a bit of noise.
Most of the tracks are perfectly listenable on their own, if a little threadbare at times. There tend to be two main varieties
of ambience – those with buzzes, clicks, pops and other indefinable noises, and those that are very sparse and quiet.
Many of the contributors are relative unknowns, with names like High Skies, ATOI, and Susanne Brokesch. One surprising exception
is the presence of Ian Boddy. His “Suburbia” track is a cool bubbly experiment, featuring synths that sound like
chirping birds mixed with metallic drones. Eventually it becomes dark and churning. Great stuff. Fluidities offers
many possibilities. Various Artists “Schrittmacher: Tasty Tracks Vol. 1” (Manikin
Records, 2004) 7
tracks, 64.49 mins Manikin
Records has branched out into the world of producing their own synthesizers, namely the Schrittmacher step sequencer. What
better way for the label to demo the new sound than to take a few of their closest friends including the likes of Klaus Schulze
and Ron Boots, and ask them to play around with the new toy and record the results? This CD is the result. Of course, label
founder Mario Schönwälder and his close collaborator Detlef Keller want to get into the act too, so Detlef opens with “Are
we devils?” and Mario answers on track three “We are devils!” I’m not a technophile, so I can’t
really compare the finer details of the sounds or the sequencing abilities of the Schrittmacher, but I can say that both Keller
and Schönwälder were in a dance/techno frame of mind when they recorded these two tracks. Heavy on the beats, these two are
good for turning up while doing housework or driving down the road. To just sit and listen to in my living room, they are
bit heavy-handed. The other musicians demonstrate a wider range of sounds, from the mellow tinkling “Od Ban Ryaah”
by Wave World (with a great vintage Klaus Schulze type of lead line) to the almost funky tempo of Ron’s great track,
“Conjunction.” You can tell he had fun playing with the Schrittmacher, and the result is a new style and sound
for him, one that works well. Klaus gets to have the title track, named simply “Schrittmacher.” It is immediately
recognizable as classic Schulze, as rapid hypnotic sequence gets up and running. In fact, his track more than any of them
demonstrates that the important thing isn’t the music machine, it’s the man at the controls. Nonetheless, it sounds
like all the musicians enjoyed themselves, and we can probably expect to hear more Schrittmachers on future albums by these
guys and others (not to mention Tasty Tracks Vol. 2, coming from Manikin sometime this year). Various Artists
“Syntonic Waves Vol. 9” (Spheric
Music, 2004) 14
tracks, 73.18 mins If
you haven’t heard of the Syntonic Waves series by now, you are probably still getting your feet wet in the land
of EM. There has never been a bad CD in this series of unique tracks of generally upbeat enthusiastic synthesizer music. The
toes get to tapping right away on Skylander’s “Strange Heart,” a light-hearted piece with a Spanish touch
to the synth lead. Previous entries in these compilations have included at least somewhat known names, but the emphasis is
definitely on new musicians this time around. Next up is Startle B with “Hold Your Head High.” The keys on this
one sound straight from 70s pop, with a perfect beat to follow along to. What the disc lacks in new ideas it makes up for
in fun melodies and positive mood. Even bouncier is Miroslow Mirocho with “Nachdenken.” Bright piano blends with
pleasant synths and a steady rhythm. “Bedrock” is a personal favorite, with cool synth pads and a catchy sequencer
loop. The guys behind it, Joh & Marvin, remind me some of Waveshape, whom I like a lot. The beginning of the Alien VS
track “Watching TV (crying aliens)” is a dead ringer for a piece from Jean-Michel Jarre’s Chronologie album,
a low synth note rising with heavy portamento. A few EM artists of late have been inserting political sentiments against the
Iraq war, and this one is no exception. Reuter/Nies have nailed Klaus Schulze’s sound on “Follow Me,” an
interesting cross between his sounds of 1975 and 1985. Excellent sequencing adorns Liese & Kopper’s “Le Rêve
Numerique 22.” Bay’s mellow “Desert” piece is not at all like Steve Roach’s desert-inspired
music, it is more like Tangerine Dream in very relaxed mode, say like their quieter works on Le Parc – although it also
reminds me of Remy and very recent Klaus Schulze. The flute synth is especially nice. Gems like this are what make samplers
so fun to explore. Not every track is a winner, as the kitschy “City Night” can attest, a blend of synth music,
new age and smooth jazz that is too smarmy for its own good. Even worse is the very disjointed “Die Plage,” an
odd conglomeration of sounds. But there are more hits than misses, and plenty new names to be on the look out for. Various Artists “The Collective” 2 CDs, 12 + 12 tracks, 78.48 + 79.41 mins Synrise’s
“Rainfall” starts the disc on a relaxed yet upbeat note, beautiful tinkling sequencing and bright percussion making
for a positive beginning to this comprehensive collection of SynG@te’s offerings. Next is Valley Forge’s “Parking
Lot at SAN (A Different One),” featuring Maxxess’ excellent guitar playing, which sizzles. The narration sounds
like a cheesy French waiter, though. Quirky rhythms on Der König’s “Lift Off” are very cool. Throughout
the disc, the emphasis is on mostly lighthearted melodic tracks with a steady beat. For example, Oliver Ganz shows a deft
hand with composition on “The Castle,” crisp beats accented nicely by synths and guitar. On occasion, however,
as on “Gothic” by Dharana, the music mellows out, this one with an Eastern flair. Wellenfeld’s “Odyssey”
cranks things back up with a dance beat, skillfully blending Berlin school with more modern sounds and rhythms. My favorite
may be “Step Into The Future” by Realtime, exclusive to this compilation. It focuses on sequencing and beats,
with melody also good but almost secondary to the strong foundation it rests on. Occasionally a track gets a little too cute
for me, so I like that this one just sticks to the basics and does it very well. Vintage synth fans will love the lead lines
on Certamen’s “Ozone Zone,” a 10-minute edited version that makes you want to hear the rest of it. Disc
two is equal to or better than the first one. Hardy Kukuk’s “E-Motion” is laid back but has a good beat
to it. Always good is BIOnighT, and “Daybreak RMX” plays to their usual strengths of strong synth solos, tight
arranging, and excellent sequencing. Next is one of my favorite discoveries of 2004, Remote Spaces. “Arpematik Part
1” is on their Silos CD, which I highly recommend. After Nebula Drone’s “Nectaris” from their
very good On CD, a few unforgettable tracks follow – too sweet, too cute, or both. Things improve again when
Mac of BIOnighT returns with “Unbearable Wait” – nothing fancy, but better than much of the material preceding
it. Also good is E=Motion’s “Time Traveller,” another exclusive to this collection of generally solid material.
With nearly 160 minutes packed onto these 2 CDs, you stand a good chance of finding something to your liking. Various Artists “To The Sky And Beyond The Stars: A Tribute To Michael Garrison” (Quantum Records, 2004) 2 CDs, 12 + 14 tracks, 76.21 + 79.37 mins Michael
Garrison passed away much too soon, in March 2004 at the age of 47. A mere two-hour drive away from me, I ordered CDs occasionally
from Mike from his Bend, Oregon location, via his mail order service. Though I didn’t know him well, he was a genuinely
nice man whom I never heard anything but positive things about. And then there was his music – full of optimism and
energy, a true pioneer who started by driving around the state selling cassettes out of the back of his car. Eventually, his
catalog of CDs sold over 500,000 copies. Given his influence, it is no surprise that a tribute album was immediately suggested,
and that seemingly everyone wanted to be a part of it. Some of the best talents in EM are represented on this 2-CD collection,
and it is a fitting tribute. Unique tracks by the likes of Redshift, Jonn Serrie, Cosmic Hoffmann, Rudy Adrian, and many others
are included. Rather than try to re-do Garrison’s work, the artists created new tracks in remembrance of him, sometimes
showing strong influences of his work, other times providing their own style of EM. Redshift’s “Crystalline 94”
is an excellent start, with trademark Redshift sequencing, bass line, and synth lead, but with Garrison’s characteristic
buoyancy as well, forgoing their typically darker approach. It’s an instant classic and a perfect beginning. Erik Wollo’s
“The Flight” is much mellower, a nice contrast. The order as well as the selection of tracks for inclusion on
this set is excellent. Kudos go to Quantum’s Eric Snelders, and to Mike Valant who conceived and headed up
this project, for the superb choices. Next is Jonn Serrie’s “The Star Road,” in his classic planetarium
style. My favorite might be Axess’ “The Pilgrim Soul,” with a particularly strong sequencer and synth string
combo that works wonders, gradually building layers of synths and emotional intensity. Again, sounds used are light in keeping
with Michael’s musical spirit. Next are a couple of laid back smooth tracks that almost seem like EM meets lounge or
soft jazz, Venj@’s “Astral Waves” and Callisto’s “Chilled Naiad,” both extremely pleasant
to kick back to. Perhaps the most moving contribution is by fellow American synthesist Craig Padilla, who used instruments
from Garrison’s own studio to compost “Parallels,” a great midtempo piece that combines elements of Jarre
and Garrison, along with Padilla’s own great synth style of course. Writing about each of the 26 tracks here could fill
pages, but suffice to say that there is amazing consistency here, mostly reflecting the upbeat nature of Garrison’s
spirit and music. However, the tribute has an appropriately somber finish to disc two with the majestic “Requiem”
from Cosmic Hoffmann. A portion of proceeds from the sale of the disc will go to mpower, musicians for mental health. Fantastic
CD, great cause, you can’t go wrong. Easily my pick for Best Compilation Album for 2004. All reviews © 2005 Phil Derby / Electroambient Space. Any reprint in whole or in part must be appropriately credited. |
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