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Encyclopedia of Electronic Music (Russia)
Upon learning that Jörg Bialinska aka ebia has done an album inspired by the great club-sound of the 80's played by Cyber People,
Hypnosis, Koto, Proxyon, Rygar, Syntech and Laserdance,
I was immediately eager to hear it.
Although I will be the first to admit that musicwise the 1980's were one
of the most dreadful decades ever, I was still brought up with 80's music.
As a result, I still have a soft spot towards some of the popular styles
of that period, such as the "Spacesynth" (or Space Disco).
There's nothing progressive or artsy-fartsy about this music, it's just
fun to listen (or dance) to when you get bored. In the Spacesynth genre,
Laserdance and Koto were the be all and end all, followed by the Cyber
People, Proxyon, Hypnosis and others, most of them sounding pretty much
the same.
So, what is Spacesynth or Space Disco, I hear you asking? It's a danceable
(in the way of the 1980's, not 2000's) and energetic music which is pretty
repetitive and is built around cyclical synthesizer melodies, spiced up by
rolling bass lines, steady drums and some atmospheric sounds. Simple? It
is. Bad? No. It's fun. Just plain fun. For a reference point, imagine a
totally instrumental, spaced out and energetic version of Italo Disco and
you get pretty close.
"Hunter of Worlds" begins with a 6-minute "Galactic
Quest". Menacing bass drones open this piece. After a while, a rich
symphonic soundscape takes over. The drums are introduced and off we go.
An exciting Laserdance-like melody is all we really need for this positive
and uplifting slice of Spacesynth sound. The title track begins with
highly atmospheric synth sounds, before a rolling bass line takes over.
After a while we get the same thing - typical Spacesynth, done in a highly
positive and inventive way. Jorg uses some interesting patches and the
quality of sound is excellent. There's also that atmospheric interlude
that makes the hair on the back of my neck stand. "Passing Tripoint
Station" is more of a relaxed number, with a slow rhythm, gently
percolating bass and echoing synthesizer melodies. This is truly an
eye-opener, it's magical how the guy turns simple dance sound into
something so captivating and atmospheric. "Solar Eclipse (Dub
Mix)" follows closely with dramatic chords and synthesizer arpeggios.
A rhythm starts as the level of excitement grows in no time. More
arpeggios follow, as the piece remains rather trancey and repetitive. This
reminds on the last stage of Laserdance's output (circa 1995) when they
started incorporating more Techno elements into their trademark synth
sound. However, on "Solar Eclipse" the rhythm is pronouncedly
Spacesynth in style (i.e. no hard Techno bass drum). On the other hand,
"Voyager In Night" is pretty much a classic Spacesynth number,
with an overall major and optimistic tone. "Invader" is more
menacing, with a complex rhythm and lots of atmospheric sounds.
"Brothers of Earth" begins with deep sounds but after a while in
comes a typical drum rhythm and a very 1980's-like melody. A classic!
"Cosmic Flight (Remix)" is full of captivating sounds, at the
same time retaining the dance beat and the rolling bass line. And then
"Gates of Chaos" sounds like yet another typical Spacesynth
track. This one has got some really captivating melodies and once again
great sounds. An absolute winner! Finally, "Faded Sun" closes
this album on a rather dramatic note. This is a slower track, with heavy
bass synth and melodies of a cosmic character. I wish Jorg made more music
in the style of "Hunter of Worlds".
But even if it remains a one-off experiment, it's still a significant and
very individual-sounding foray into the world of Spacesynth / Space Disco.
Artemi Pugachov, 2009
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Guts Of Darkness
(CAN)
The French Magazine of Dark & Experimental Music
Faithful to its trademark, Syngate perfects to make us discover new artists who bring out yokes of traditional EM, in order to embrace a more libertine musical style, and by ricochet a more accessible one. Ebia is the musical project of Jörg Bialinska which presents its 4th album in Hunter of Worlds. A title far from reflecting an extraterrestrial vision, but rather a collection of 10 tracks which borrow the spheres of a liven and rhythmic music. A dance-floor music which thrashes between melodious atmospheric layers and about enters of melodious strata atmospheres and rhythms kicked down, beaten by percussions which drive with strength and dynamism. Galactic Quest depicts the musical universe which waits for us on this last opus of the German synthesist.
An ambient intro which moves with a guttural voice and a beautiful atmospheric synth pads. A sweet floating intro which crashes on percussions with hammering movements whom feeds a stroboscopic and neurotic structure. A rhythm where the speed of percussions embraces the undulation of bass sequences on a synth stuffed with beautiful harmonies and with childish tunes which are fired on heavy and alive musical structure. Jörg Bialinska has the beat in the blood. Hunter of Worlds borrows the same pulsating path, but with a more unctuous, a more harmonious synth, quite as Voyage in Night, Invader (although sharply more spatial), Brothers Of Earth, Cosmic Flight (Remix) and the aggressive Gates Of Chaos.
Passing Tripoint Station offers a slower and more circular intro on beautiful percussions to rubberized droning and hands banging. An intro which becomes delicately misty with a zest of a languishing techno, wrapped by a synth with charming lyrical stratums. A soft techno, quite as Solar Eclipse (Dub Mix) who marinates for a long time in an atmospheric atmosphere on a synth to childish and disdains vocal harmonies, before increasing and decreasing its crescendo. One of the beautiful track on Hunter of Worlds, quite as Faded Sun who flows as Passing Tripoint Station.
In Hunter of Worlds Ebia offers an electronic album of Techno Space. Techno Space in the very paradoxical atmospheres, which coils up both in the fervent rhythms with accelerated pulsations and in the ethereal mists of a spatial music to floating and harmonious layers.
Sylvain Lupari (Phaedream), 2009
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