Syntonic Waves Vol.8
(2001, Spheric Music SMCD 9008 / SynGate CD 2001-SM)

Klangwelt
Smooth keyboard sounds, pulsating rhythms and accessible melodies, altogether in an exzellent 3D-stereo sound, that's the magic of multimedia audio technician Gerald Arend. His musical style, influenced by Jarre & Vangelis, gained some good results an various mp3 internet sites.

Obermeier
'Color Your Emotion' is Obermeiers debut. lnspired by various film scores, Obermeier loves to compose intuitively. His preference for sound design gets audible: He uses loops & samples, combines and mixes sounds and works with filtering & effects.

Jonson
Spontaneously inspired by the momentary state of mind and by the synthesizer sounds, Jonson aka Harald Karla manages to develop quite atmospheric music. Decent rhythms and fine and gentle melodies blend into a dreamy atmosphere.

Wild Element
Composing music somewhere between big beat and trance, the austrian is usually occupied with the creation of computer games. Sonic Space is a track that was produced in the multimedia studio where he mostly creates the sound to robots and racing games.

Gunnar Spardel
Starting listeninq to 'big ones' like Jarre, Vangelis and Tangerine Dream, Spardel today is inspired by daily life events and his surroundings. He combines classical and modern electronics. He also works as a DJ and is busy in dance music (G-Trace) too.

Gianfranco Grilli
The italian musician already produced several CDs on different labels as Amplexus, Planet Garden. His more ambient influenced music has been featured widely in the media: on the television show 'I Monti Azurri' and on the official italian radio stations: Radio Uno and Radio Due and in various magazines as La Repubblica, Future Music, 21 st century Music and others. Further releases are due to be released.

Erik Seifert
The audio technicion (in the field of TV and movies) Erik Seifert composed his titles learning by experience since 1988. Mysterious bizarre sounds are combined with rhythmical electronics. Intuition and emotions are the main inspirations for his music.

Deep Tune
Busy in EM since 1984, just starting with the CS01 synth, Deep Tune expanded his equipment and found HIS unit in the MC307. His musical spectrum covers Ambient, House, Techno & Electronic Beats. Other releases are planned. This track is dedicated to Siggi Sonne.

Palantír
Palantír is the musical project of composer and audio-engineer Christian Schimmöller.  Generally based an Synth/Space-music roots Palantír explores different directions of creating 'sonic alchemy', experimenting with new methods of sound-generation and (3D) recording techniques. Palantír has previously released 3 albums on Spheric Music.

Carola Kern (Traumklang)
This transsexual lady is already well known in the EM-scene as Jürgen Kern, leader of the Traumklang project before. 'Return To Forever?' is a special version of a track which will appear an her first forthcoming album called 'Metamorphosis'.

Lambert
Lambert, the producer of this CD has gained great success with his CD debut Inside Out. Lambert puts his dreams into music by picking up a stylistical feature of Tangerine Dream: sequencer patterns. Further infos look at his website www.sphericmusic.de .

Faralley
Faralley makes his music without a plan. He just does what he feels. He hopes you like it. lf you don't, he advises you to skip the track.

Foreign Spaces
Although the music of Foreign Spaces is compared to Tangerine Dream 1974-1990, one hear distinctly the progressive touch, for which Foreign Spaces is well-known beyond the limits of Electronic Music since 1983.
Laurasia is not only the name of the northern continent during the triassic period, but part of the forthcoming concept album about the super continent Pangaea.
See www.foreignspaces.de for further details.

Compiled by Lambert Ringlage

Buy 'Syntonic Waves Vol. 8' at the SynGate-Shop or www.sphericmusic.de

Synth Music Direct (UK)

This CD features some known names but also gives 'unknowns' a chance to show what they can do. All the tracks are previously unreleased. We begin with an excellent track 'Blue Planet' by Klangwelt. A slow rhythm appears out of atmospheric pads and vocal samples. An equally good sequence falls into step. So far so good but as the main lead line comes in things get even better. Klangwelt sure know how to knock out exquisite melodies - I thoroughly enjoyed the track and have returned to it a number of times over the last few days. I will have to check out more by this artist.

'Color Your Emotion' by Michael Obermeier again starts with a vocal sample speaking the name of the title. Its a highly syncopated number in both drums and sequence departments. I found the music exciting and stimulating- yet another name I have to further explore. 'Minimalism Unfinished 2nd' by Jonson is a very pleasant gently rhythmic number which wouldn't have been out of place on the IC label. 'Wild Element' by Sonic Space is full of powerful infectious rhythms, great driving music when one is going a tad too fast. Apparently Sonic Space writes music to accompany video games, I can well imagine it going well with rapid action scenes.

Gunnar Spardel gives us 'Age of Silence' which begins with synthesised voices introducing the various elements of the track. Melodically and rhythmically it is quite exciting but I found the voices a bit old hat and a little irritating distracting from some fine music. 'The Nile' by Gianfranco Grilli initially combines atmospheric sounds, samples and effects to create vivid picture music. As the track progresses it becomes more melodic but is still highly 'visual'. Erik Seifert's 'Cosmonautic Dream' sounds very much like something I have heard before but I can't quite place. It is certainly very similar to Robert Schroeder and should be enjoyed by fans of his more laid back music. The melodies are excellent and the production uncluttered letting each note and sound shine out. 'Deep Tune' by Defered Dreams is actually not too dissimilar to the previous track but with a little added urgency.

All but one of the remaining five tracks are by artists that SMD's customers are more likely to have heard of starting with 'Extinct is Forever!' by Palantir. We begin with nature sounds. A slightly ethnic rhythm starts up accompanied by little whimsical melodies and odd sounds. Its sort of music for fairyland- until the last few minutes that is which sound more like a combination of London Zoo and Kings Cross station! The next track is by Carola Kern better known as Jurgen Kern. Jurgen followed the same path as Walter / Wendy Carlos so many years earlier. Carola's next album will rather appropriately be titled 'Metamorphosis'. The track here 'Return to Forever?' is a different version of a track which will appear on that album. Initially things are rather dark and cosmic with a three note loop providing the backbone.

An early to mid 70's Schulzian lead line then starts up. In fact apart from the loop it all rather reminded me of Klaus' work. Actually Adelbert Von Deyen's early work comes even more to mind (if memory serves AVD's first album was even produced by Klaus so this is hardy surprising). If this is typical of the rest of 'Metamorphosis' SMD will certainly be stocking it- great stuff! The track on the CD which will probably have widest appeal however is the next one 'Passing Images' by Lambert (who also happens to be the producer of this CD). As the sleeve notes explain the sequencer patterns are somewhat Tangerine Dream inspired. The first sequence enters very quickly and not too soon after another extremely rapid one is also deployed.

A rhythm falls into line between them The track continues to build in intensity. In the latter half however its the lead lines which are particularly impressive. 'Out of my Mind' by Faralley uses some lovely deep, dark cosmic sounds then places all sorts of crazed tinkling doodlings over them. It is actually very effective - it hit the spot with me and is certainly a new approach but I'm sure it won't be appreciated by everyone. Finally we get 'Laurasia' by Foreign Spaces which is a dead ringer for John Dyson on top form. The melodies are superb and even the sounds used are very similar to those John would choose. Its a lovely way to finish the disc. There are enough tracks here that most of you will enjoy to make it a worthwhile purchase and as with all such compilations you might make one or two new discoveries - I know I did.

David Law, Synth Music Direct, 2002
UK citizens, buy 'Syntonic Waves Vol.8 at: www.synthmusicdirect.com

Eurock (USA)

After some time in limbo, the SYNTONIC WAVES electronic compilation series begins again with a bang. This series of low priced EM samplers was the best around in past times and the new installment continues that tradition. A few names of note are included – Foreign Spaces, Palantir, Carola Kern (of Traumklang) and Lambert, there are also in keeping with tradition, a host of new names. So instead of buying a full priced CD to hear what’s new on the scene, this budget priced compilation fills that need perfectly. All music is previously unreleased, spanning the spectrum of EM sound from darkly, ambient and exotic, to sequential and the classic Berlin school. Check it out!

Archie Patterson, eurock, March 2002
US citizens, buy 'Syntonic Waves Vol.8 at www.eurock.com

Various Artists

> SynG@te - The Collective

> E-DITION Special CD Sampler:
> E-DITION #1

> Electroshock Presents:
> Electroacoustic Music - Vol. I - VIII

> Krautrock Karnival

> Manikin Records:
> Schrittmacher - Tasty Tracks Vol.1
> Liquid Sounds Volume 2
> First Decade 1992-2002

> MEMI:
> Hidden Treasures vol.I-IV

> Music for the 3rd
> Millennium Vol. 2
> Music for the 3rd
> Millennium Vol. 3

> Lords Of Mystery

> Mystic Spirits Vol.6

Spheric Music presents:
> Syntonic Waves Vol. 9
> Syntonic Waves Vol. 8
> Syntonic Waves Vol. 7
> Syntonic Waves Vol. 6
> Syntonic Waves Vol. 5


related label:
> Electroshock Records
> Groove Unlimited
> Manikin Records
> SynGate
> Spheric Music
> Prudence