EDGE OF TIME

One of those albums you can really get lost into. A concept album about an acid trip, and it does sound like it. A very creative interpretation, expressing and evoking a host of different states of consciousness and deep internal emotion. The album is a trip to listen to, especially if you're already under a psychedelic influence, as this is psychedelic, tangential, breathing, pulsing, exploratory music. It took me a while to really appreciate, so i suggest at least a few spins (preferably in different mind states, and when you can really be present with the music). I echo luisman's remark that this album is meant to be experienced as a whole, a single journey.

Being mostly in the Psychedelic/Space Rock and Krautrock realm of sound, the music is also psych folk in places, and somewhat electronic in places, with no electric guitar just acoustic guitar in a number of places, and sometimes some delicate flute, some harp-like instrument, bells, assorted percussion in most places, with a few other sound effects I can't really classify or remember at the moment. The music is alternately or concurrently electronic, with very cool psychedelic sounds with pink floyd-like organ, and various other electronic instruments and sound effects. The music is mostly instrumental, with occasional singing or spoken word to varying effects and with various effects.

Compare to early Pink Floyd, Brave New World, Kalacakra, Tangerine Dream, Brainticket (Celestial Ocean), Emtidi (Saat), Popol Vuh, Between, Ash Ra Tempel, Cluster, the quieter and more downtempo moments in Agitation Free and Amon Duul II etc and generally to the genres of krautrock, progressive electronic, psychedelic/space rock, and acid folk.

My favorite track here is "Silence", though all three of the other tracks are generally excellent. There are a few (short) somewhat dull spots (usually involving aimless light melodic percussion or weird effects) on the album (which actually may be appreciated in the right state of mind), but it as a whole is very good.

The originally released lp and cd-reissue contain 4 tracks, each of approximately 9 minutes, a relatively short album at 36 minutes. Fortunately it was issued again by Second Battle in 2001 I think with 5 bonus tracks totalling almost 17 minutes! The sound and production are also significantly improved on this new reissue. The bonus tracks aren't as good as the music on the original album, with a more arcane sound, less quality and lower recording quality. 4 of them in close to the same style, like outtakes (production as the same quality as the original album) and then the last track, "Let Me Explain", is in a similar in aspects but distinctly different sound that is attributable to it's containing chopped-up speech, some uptempo disco/hip hop like drum machine pattern that starts halfway through, absolutely strange sound sequences, and generally a weird vibe with strange sounds, chords, juxtapositions, etc.. weird, and pretty trippy. The bonus tracks do add value to the album package IMO, if only as demo-like afterthoughts.

4.5!