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Synth Music Direct (UK)
Stunningly beautiful
plucked string and piano lead lines get the title track underway. They are
initially left in isolation to weave their magic but in the third minute
some faint synth colouring is brought in. A minute later yet another
fantastic melody replaces them as well as a beautiful harp type sequence and
slow rhythm. This is some of the most delicate and yet heart warming EM I
have heard in quite some time. 'I Wish' begins with yet another lovely
melody, this time on guitar. The rhythm is sympathetically gentle but it
seems to lose direction a little in the middle section, it's as if they are
trying too hard, adding too much to it when it would have probably been
better to keep it simple. 'Jump 16' starts with a nice chugging sequence
around which two more excellent melodies meander, one piano the other more
typical synth. It's another winner. 'September 1724' is a rather short but
extremely beautiful piano / flute / strings interlude, yet again the
melodies are really not notch.
'Lady River' has a very Christmas feel to the initial main melody. Other
delicate lead lines come in and it's all rather nice but could have done
with a stronger hook. This couldn't be said about 'The Losers' however as I
was grabbed by the exquisite guitar lead line right from the off. And it
gets even better backed by piano and other lovely supporting lines. In many
ways it is similar to the title track. It wasn't until near the end however
that I realised it could have been completely acoustic (though I bet it
isn't) and non-the worse for it. Next we get a remix of 'Songswell by Mac
which isn't too dissimilar to the original except that it might be slightly
'tighter'.
'Littlecutesongfromtheswissmountains'
should surely win some sort of prize in the silly title category and it
takes longer to say than the thirty seconds it lasts. Yes, it's just as twee
as you might have expected. 'Thing' begins with Oriental touches but soon
settles down to a very pleasing infectious chugger. 'A Life' has a
mysterious dark atmospheric start, not too dissimilar to something you would
find on a Kirkwood album but the sequence that emerges from it is much more
standard fair and as with the rest of the CD the lead line is rather restful
rather than music to go berserk by. It's as if we are slowly waking from a
fitful sleep starting a calm new day. In the fifth minute another melodic
sequence starts up accompanied by more tuneful lead lines which reminded me
a little of some of the IC label's acts such as GENE or Peter Seiler. With
five minutes to go the foot is put on the gas but things soon calm down
again in a gentle sea of bubbling sequences. BIOnight's most tender album so
far.
David Law,
June 2003
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