Stockman & Mac of
BIOnighT - Solar Mission
(2008, SynGate CD-R 2138)
Electroambient Space (USA)
The Discerning Guide to Instrumental Electronic Music
"Both Stockman and Mac are known for
bright, optimistic melodic EM, often with themes of ancient or future
worlds, so it is not overly surprising that the two would decide to join
forces, and Solar Mission is the result. It doesn’t take long for the
title track to start moving right along with a steady beat and light
electronics. Tangerine Dream’s pop sound of the mid-eighties,
particularly their soundtrack work, is a handy reference point.
Occasionally a passage may turn darker as the atmospheric sound effects
take over, but it usually isn’t too long before the synth melodies and
sequencing return. Whooshing winds fade right into “Space Travel”,
which reminds me of Software with its easygoing accessible nature.
“Closing In” features the catchiest melody yet and is likely to get
your toes tapping along with its infectious rhythms. On the softer side is
“Solar Orbit,” a brief ethereal number, which then launches into
“Heat,” a bouncy happy tune with an insistent beat. Synths and
sequencing build up nicely at the end. Fuzzed out sounds start “Sun
Flares” before moving back into light, bright melodic electronics. Given
Stockman and Mac’s musical leanings it’s no surprise that there is
little to be melancholy about here. “Probe One” is a chilled
exception, all atmosphere and space twitters. But the stuttering pulses of
“Data Stream” bring the energy right back. Solar Mission is the ticket
for easygoing accessible EM fun."
Transmitting energy directly from the sun to Earth:
a wild theory that became a project. Two scientists travel towards the sun in a powerful – and powerfully
shielded – spaceship. The two men will get closer to our star than was ever thought possible and launch
a probe into it in order to collect data. They will use the data to set up an experimental station orbiting
around the star to test the energy transmission plant before coming back to Earth... to
be continued at http://www.macvibes.com/solarmission.html
I don't remember which of us had the idea to make an album together, but
when Godfried and I started working on it, the whole thing just flowed out
so very easily and pleasantly to be almost impossible to believe...
Godfried came up with the album concept and a first draft of the story,
which was then broken down into "chapters" (tracks, that is).
From there on, it was just music and and fun!
We've never met in person, so the album was realized by sending tracks
back and forth between Italy and Belgium, both via regular mail and email.
Finally, Godfried did the mastering - a great job indeed.
We were both very happy with the result, and the next logical step was to
ask SynGate (the label that releases our solo albums) if they were willing
to release it. Well, they were :)
Last missing piece of the jigsaw was the cover. I have been in contact
with a French artist - Thierry Moreau - for several years now, so I asked
him if he could come up with a cover for our project. He did, and he did a
fantastic job, too. So here it is: Solar Mission! Enjoy!
Transmitting energy directly from the sun to Earth:
a wild theory that became a project. Two scientists travel towards the sun in a powerful – and powerfully
shielded – spaceship. The two men will get closer to our star than was ever thought possible and launch
a probe into it in order to collect data. They will use the data to set up an experimental station orbiting
around the star to test the energy transmission plant before coming back to Earth... to
be continued at http://www.macvibes.com/solarmission.html
