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Synth Music Direct (UK)
Like 'Cutted Scenes' the tracks run into each other providing a superb
continuous listening experience. No wasting time, straight into the sequence
with 'Skydance'. A heavy beat thuds over the top, getting as close as this
album gets to dance territory but it doesn't overstep the mark. At just
under four minutes delicate melodies start to come and go weaving round each
other tricking the senses.
In some ways this reminded me of more recent Schulze of Wahnfried. At
seven minutes calm descends, another sequence picking up close to the end
which carries us into 'In Trance'. A rhythm plays over a hellish montage of
sounds and a high register sequence delicately floats over the top of a
deeper more menacing sequence that comes to join it. The way the two
sequences combine with the snare rhythm and effects is masterly but when the
main lead comes in at eight and a half minutes it will make you go weak at
the knees. Klaus Schulze is again the obvious influence here but condensed.
Another stunning track.
'Lightstorm' uses a note droplet type sequence over cosmic effects to
form a delicate beginning but things are then beefed up with the
introduction of a deep rhythm. Melodies jump from one beat to the next until
a no nonsense lead line takes us to 'Visible Dreams'. Thuds sound as if a
door is being blown in the wind and smashed against a wall but this then
develops into a rhythm underlying the rest of the track containing some of
the most devastating lead lines so far. The track ebbs and flows with loads
happening, its as if months of care has gone into every sound and every
melody during every second. Again, superb. 'Entrance' uses wind blown wooden
chimes and washes of synth tones to create the perfect atmosphere behind at
first a fast deep sequence then another driving beat.
'Rainbow Runner' goes from metallic opening effects to an equally
metallic sequence which rumbles along in fine fashion intensifying and
becoming more exciting all the time creating a hypnotic groove. 'Back to the
Rocks' has flute melodies over faintly ethnic drumming and didgeridoo. Steve
Roach I hear you all thinking but I would be a lot happier if everything
Steve did was up to this emotionally tinged but exciting quality. This one
has to be heard to be appreciated because just describing the elements that
go to make it up would give you a very misleading impression. 'Living
Surreal Strings' is a the weirdest track on the album with a very heavy and
deep rhythm, more like an earthquake, contrasting with gentle synth pads.
Rainbow Serpent go up in my estimation with every track I hear from them and
it seems to me that they are growing in confidence as musicians all the time
at last maybe just realising how good and ahead of most of the pack they
really are. (DL)
Dave Law, 1999
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