Music reviews
All reviews here are the subjective opinion of each writer. Feel free to quote our reviews. We only require that you reference "Electronic Shadows" as the source and mention our URL which is www.electronicshadows.com

If you want your CD reviewed here, contact us or read about this special offer.

Byron Metcalf and Mark Seelig: Wachuma's Wave

Reviewed by Loren Bacon

Playing time: 73:53 (6 tracks) Label: Spotted Peccary Music Release date: 2003 Availability: Online

Having somewhat followed the career of Byron Metcalf, I am not surprised to see Steve Roach and Ron Oates lending their synth skills to this recording. After all, Metcalf has been working with Roach for some years now and Oates has lent a hand on earlier Metcalf solos. The unknown, for me, was Mark Seelig. An internet search gave me information that he was "German based" and, similar to Metcalf, is a psychotherapist who obviously uses music in his healing work. Seelig's spiritual interests lean towards the Far East, so it's no surprise to find that he adds Bansuri flutes and chanting into the mix. Additionally, he he has developed the ability to sing overtones, which add an exotic flair even without any digital enhancements. Seelig's influence is also found when you see that five of the tracks are cowritten by Metcalf and Seelig with the final song a Roach-Seelig contribution.

This CD's title track starts off with a chant like tone gradually building in volume creating a trance like soundscape. Then, nearly five minutes into the work, the first beat of the percussion comes on like a thunder clap. The exotic flavor is enhanced by Metcalf's "hybrid tabla" work which gives it an Eastern feel.

The blending of acoustic instruments, especially percussion, with electronic devices gives the musicians a chance to have seemingly contradictory sections of music. Some of the passages seem fast and slow at the same time, trancy and yet rapid movement. Synth pads and soundscapes gently flowing while a hailstorm of percussive beats race along. This recording is a must for any lovers of shamanic/tribal worldbeat electronica. [ Top ]

Alidan: Nebulae

Reviewed by Loren Bacon

Playing time: 68:24 (10 tracks) Label: Margen Records Release date: 2004 Availability: Online

For those not familiar, Alidan is an artist originally from Madrid, Spain. This is his second album, the first being released in 2001. That being said, this was my first exposure to his music.
 
In many ways, this recording was a refreshing change, in that, although ambient, it lacked the dark elements that much of the genre works with. Rather than layering deep imposing chords and tones, Alidan layers bright riffs and melodies. It's certainly in the realm of New Age much of the time, yet not in the bad sense that the genre name sometimes brings to mind. In addition, there's a spheric component swooshing through the music, as can be seen by the flowing nature of the titles such as Glider, Flowers on the Wind, or Dolphins. In combination, these approaches make for some good music.

After translating his website, I found that the recording was made with the option of using the music as soundtrack music for massage therapies, yoga, tai chi, and similar practices. The "cheerfulness" of the music would certainly make sense in these circumstances.

Equipment-wise, I'm told he uses Korg and Yamaha digital synthesizers with additional analog synths, sequencers, and the miscellaneous computer and special effects devices.

I must admit that this recording occasionally gets a bit too perky for my personal taste, but still there's plenty of good material here to put up with that. [ Top ]

Dreamwind: Nightlight

Reviewed by Loren Bacon

Playing time: 54:57 (9 tracks) Label: Private release Release date: 2004 Availability: Online

It often seems like interesting EM bands are always across the globe from where you are. Curiously, this band turns out to be located just down the road from where I live. I have yet to see them live, but if the opportunity presents itself, I'll be sure and check them out.
 
This band is a trio, two keys and a bass player, who have obviously been inspired by classic EM. A quick look at their website shows that they aren't kids, so apparently, like myself, they heard those classics when they came out. However, I'm certainly not saying they are a clone of 70's era Tangerine Dream or Klaus Schulze. Instead, you can hear thoughtful contemporary EM, but with a healthy flavoring of Berlin School sequencing and the like for spice.
 
These artists have been together for four years doing an improvisational ambient / electronica style of music. The bass guitar lines, unusual for an electronic group, add a unique lower end and structure to the songs. The dual keyboardists allow plenty of room for experimentation while maintaining the coherency of the songs.

The title track gives a good sampling of their musical style. A deep mysterious tone is maintained which borders on the scary edge without plunging into it. Sequences and the bass carry you through swirling vistas and a spoken vocal sample gives you some message which isn't quite clear.

I'd recommend this disc to those who enjoy contemporary EM from a classic angle. [ Top ]

Robert Rich: Open Window

Reviewed by Loren Bacon

Playing time: 64:21 (8 tracks) Label: Soundscape Productions Release date: 2004 Availability: Online

Technically, this album isn't electronic music, but since Robert Rich is such a well known artist in the EM community, I was anxious to hear this one. The disc is entirely performed on Rich's Chase baby grand piano. He mentions that he's been doing a piano solo during his live shows for some time, and finally decided it was time for a release of this nature.
 
In some ways, it reminds me of Steve Roach's Midnight Moon, in that Roach had been experimenting with electric guitar and decided to release a CD of entirely guitar songs. (Musically, of course, they are very different!) I find this a positive move for both of these artists, because, no doubt, composing on one instrument or another would expand your awareness of the subtleties and complexities of both the instrument and the music.

The songs on this CD are gentle calm wanderings that can shift to torrential downpours of emotional notes only to return to more subtle and sustained tones. In terms of genre, they almost remind me of classical piano solo pieces, but perhaps that is only due to the choice of instruments. Regardless, the songs are reflective and sometimes melancholy movements that carry the listener along.

In the final analysis, this is an enjoyable side project for Rich, and I hope he incorporates this angle into his next recording, blending what he has learned here with the wonderful electronic sounds he's been developing for so long. [ Top ]

Otarion: Faces of the Night

Reviewed by Glenn Folkvord

Playing time: 64:36 (9 tracks) Label: Neu Harmony Release date: 2004 Availability: Online

An album of classic electronic music (not Berlin School) where the melodies are in focus. Beats, ambient atmospheres and catchy sequencer patterns sound as if they are constructed around the melodies to support them. Which is not necessarily a bad thing. It works rather well on Faces of the Night. The album has many good melodies where both themes and bigger structures form easily accessible space electronica.
 
The album even has several tracks that are suprisingly creative, where typical song structures are deviated from, and form and structure is played with. In fact, most of the album sounds rather playful and fun, even with it's dark tone. Most tracks are upbeat with ambient intros or extros, or there are ambient transitions between tracks, and even though this sounds like your typical Equinoxe clone, the playfulness makes the album quite interesting to listen to, compared to many predictable albums in this genre. Faces of the Night can be compared to albums by Fin or Mike Andrews.

But it is rather evident that the sound is not state-of-the-art. The many good melodies and structures present deserves a music producer with excellent knon-twiddling skills who would have gotten better sounds from the equipment used (nothing is listed in the booklet). Most tracks suffer from a relatively thin sound, similar to what I have heard on PC based tracks with cheap soundcards. Some sounds are downright cheap, for example the fltue sound on Mylene and something I suspect was supposed to sound like a Mellotron choir. It's a pity that the songs have not gotten the tweaking they deserve.

But all in all, the musical joy takes over and for fans of classic space electronica that is inspired by the 70s and 80s without sounding as if it is 25 years old, Faces of the Night is a good buy. [ Top ]

Area 51: Jupiter Beyond

Reviewed by Glenn Folkvord

Playing time: 67:29 (12 tracks) Label: Hypersound Release date: 2004 Availability: Online

Area 51 is the name of a new Dutch synthesizer dance duo, starring Michiel van der Kuy and Rob van Eijk, who are both well known in this scene from groups such as Laserdance, Koto and Proxyon. It's therefore no surprise that Jupiter Beyond offers the exact same style of music.
 
Unfortunately the quality of Laserdance or Koto is not present in the arrangements or melodies. Jupiter Beyond mostly sounds like rejected Laserdance tracks. An important element in this style of electronic music is the melody, and most melodies on Jupiter Beyond are simply not clever enough. Sometimes short riffs and themes sound promising, but then they are followed by a less clever theme which lowers the impression. The third track, Sector 9, is one exception where the themes work well together, but it is not a masterpiece.

One annoying thing about this album is all the samples from science fiction films, including Aliens and Star Wars. It's fun with the occasional sample of a movie character saying cool things, but not in every other track and not long monologues as in the opening track.

The overall sound of the album adheres to the strict requirements of the genre, and is probably one part of the album that fans will enjoy. Think late 80s early 90s Koto, but with the themes and melodies of Laserdance, and you know what this album sounds like. Only for hardcore spacesynth fans. [ Top ]

Enterphase: Solar Promenades

Reviewed by Glenn Folkvord

Playing time: 66:11 (11 tracks) Label: AD Music Release date: 2004 Availability: Online

A gentle album of mostly soft ambient beats and floating space textures, Solar Promenades would fit perfectly as the soundtrack to a documentary film about space travel or astronomy.
 
Unless you're a fan of purely floating music, you might miss more structure on the album as a whole. The first track with a distinct melody is track five, Ice & Lace, and by then you have wondered where the build-up that the first four tracks seem to be, goes. It's a very, very long build-up, in other words. And from there the album again slowly wanders around in ambient areas, with occasional aural movements such as the guitar in Ray Bradbury's Ghost. The following track, Sky Surge, is the first uptempo track, with a sequenced drum pattern and a bass riff supporting a synth melody. While I at this point actually longed for a faster track, I feel the pace of the song breaks with the mood of the album, and also the production seems slightly underdeveloped. The next track, Time Unbound, fits better with it's mellow sounds in a light sequencer arrangement and soft space chords supporting improvised-ish melodies.

With track 10 we're back in the semi-ambient style again, but with synth riffs playing on top of the ambient pads. In this context, The the morrow breaks is uptempo, and again quite nice as it not only breaks the long ambient passages but keeps the same overall sound and production quality as the rest of the album.

The 11-minute For You closes the album; a somewhat jazzy and gentle finale with a less experimental structure, which includes male nonverbal vocals, but in a style that seems again a little out of place on an album like this. Nice song, but it does feel a little like a fish out of water.

This album features near-ambient electronic music of a relatively experimental style, and some tracks that counterweigh the oddness, and even though "something for everyone" is a stretch, most EM fans will find one or two tracks they enjoy, unless they fall for the whole album. Having said that, I am not totally convinced that Enterphase know what they are doing in terms of putting together a whole album. This CD, Solar Promenades, smells of lack of concept and not enough source material for a coherent project. Musically, the talent shows through but the sum of the individual tracks are less than the potential of the full album. [ Top ]