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Synth Music Direct (UK)
Three tracks lasting over
sixty six minutes in total, more vintage kit on the cover, but is it as good
as his first CD 'Plugged'? Fraid so!. For all those analogue / sequencer
fans it is an essential purchase. If anything it is a little more subtle
than ‘Plugged’ but none the worse for it. The sequences are, of course,
still top notch.
‘Apocalypsis ll’ and most of this CD in fact is very much Tangerine
Dream in ‘Encore’ and ‘Sorcerer’ mode. Spooky atmospherics and
strange alien animal noises lurch from the speakers. Calm descends and
electricity arcs across the atmosphere to be joined by sonic booms then a
beefy sequence jerks into life. The lead lines could have been taken from
‘Encore’, ‘Force Majeure’ or even ‘Romance 76’ by Peter Baumann.
Graham Getty once said about RMI’s ‘Republic’ “if it gets any better
than this, tell us”. Well Graham I put this up as a contender. As the
sleeve notes mention, the sound quality occasionally leaves a little to be
desired but really this music is so brilliant I am sure most people will be
only too happy that these gems have been released. Just wait until the
distorted synth guitar blisters over the top, lasting less than a minute but
devastating in its impact never the less. After about ten minutes there is a
welcome return to the spookyness so that we can get our breath back though
the heart keeps pounding. The atmospherics sound a little like Edgar
Froese’s ‘Epsilon In Malaysian Pale’ but with a bit more bite. More
booms like vast metallic doors being slammed in subterranean hell add to the
tension but even these fade away into the foggy wastes. At around the twenty
minute mark another sequence tentatively emerges and takes us close to the
end until more atmospherics and a beautiful piano melody bring us to the
close. Oh My.
The next track ‘Zoomland l’ is a real shorty at almost quarter of an
hour. It begins with metallic shimmers then we are treated to some very
‘Sorcerer’ type eerie bits but it isn’t too long before a tinkling
sequence breaks through. A chopping static laden sequence joins it and a
flutey synth lead line plays over the top. A third more robust sequence is
also added but somehow Jiannis manages to avoid overload. Things mutate and
shift throughout the piece in a most magical way, I just wish it had gone on
for longer.
‘Zoomland ll’ initially takes us back to the alien jungle of the first
track but then all is change with the ominous tones of an organ droning over
the top. Just before the ten minute mark the sequence decides to make an
appearance but it is not on its own for long before a slow snapping rhythm
is added. This is a good track but not quite of the same quality as the
opening number but then again what is? (DL)
Dave Law, 1998
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