JAZZCOMPUTER.ORG

1. "Stress" (5:12) Though the power as a support of some tense, deep-in-the-night scene is undeniable, this one is a little too soundtrack-like and less the kind of music that you'd want to play without something theatric or visual to go with it. (Are there videos to any of your songs, Yves?) Virtuosic modern jazz-rock fusion guitar play (in a JERRY DE VILLIERS, JR. kind of way). (8.5/10)

2. "Anguish" (4:22) is like standing in a big city train or bus station and trying to fathom the surrounding chaos. Amazingly affective. (9/10)

3. "Stoned and Blurred" (5:26) unfortunately uses the same guitar sound and arpeggiated chord from the previous song to introduce the theme over the stark industrial soundscapes established by the computer synths. (9/10)

4. "Inverted Twilight" (8:06) Disc Two of Gone to Earth! Awesome job of replicating the ambient soundscapes that David Sylvian created on that awesome album! (8.5/10)

5. "Those I Left Behind" (9:17) More from Disc Two of Gone to Earth! This time with similar guitar parts to the ones that David Sylvian, Robert Fripp, or Bill Nelson added to those ambient landscapes. Add the fretless bass, water drums, and Steve Jansen-like percussive rhythms to the final section and it's a perfect Sylvian replica! (8.5/10)

6. "Cold Bright and Quiet" (9:09) reminds me of the music from Vangelis' 1995 album, Voices. Spacious, deeply engaging and magically hypnotic. Though the lead instruments are nothing but hand percussives and a kalimba-like or kalimba-MIDIed vibraphone, it is eminently effective. The bass and synth washes could be higher up in the mix. (9/10)

An aural masterpiece in its representation of mankind's self-created troubled times, this is music that you don't want to listen to if you're already depressed. I commend and laud Yves' efforts and skills, but this is one of his discs that I'll probably not return to very often. (But then, you never know!)

4.5 stars; a near-masterpiece of progressive rock music though this is probably a true masterpiece of progressive electronic music.

1. "Indian Mood on Thethys" (9:38) opens like a jazz guitarist's solo sound experimentation. I'm reminded of both Pat Metheny's totally solo album from 1979, New Chautauqua, as well as some of Jan Akkerman's late 1970s solo experimentation (Eli). Gorgeous stuff. The first half goes with very little rhythmic structure (the occasional background synth wash chord), but in the second half the guitar and newly-present bass and talking drum and rim shot percussives become support for the soloing of a koto. Cool sounds and cool stuff. I'd like to have seen a little more melodic development to engage me a little more deeply. (8.5/10)

2. "Dawn in the Snow" (11:34) opens as if it came straight from outtakes from Vangelis' Blade Runner soundtrack, this song contains some absolutely magical moments (like the sparsely used operatic voice notes) but lacks from full development in many overly-spacious places. (8.25/10)

3. "Elsewhere" (24.55) other than the opening atonal space synthesizer section (which is very cool but a little too long), this song stands up as one of the prettiest, most deeply engaging and evocative electronica pieces I know of from the Naughties. The section from the beginning of minute seven to ten is absolute prog perfection. The percussives in the next section are really cool, as are the space sounds and unsettling synth worms in the thirteenth minute and the guitar "punches" in the fourteenth and fifteenth minutes. The next section that establishes itself around 17:30, driven by the "lunge jazz" beat, is really cool for the scurrilous flights of the synth "bats." If the opening four minutes were as peaceful and engaging as the final four this would be a perfect prog epic. (9.5/10)

A five star minor masterpiece of ambient electronic jazz fusion (or something like that) and a gorgeous example of the possibilities of 21st Century technological potential.

'Jazz multi-instrumentalist Yves Potin puts lush soundscapes together in a way that might be familiar to lovers of the music of Andreas Vollenveider and Robin Guthrie or even Ozric Tentacles and Paul Hardcastle but where Yves' music is different from the cited artists is in his exciting and use of percussion, layers and layers of synthetically- rendered musical nature sounds over which he employs heavily treated guitars and other synths to move the music forward on their melody lines. It's truly gorgeous music, soul-engaging music.' ' from my review of Forest Stairways.

1. 'Lake of NightRuins' (6:47) slowly picked and echo-strummed guitar over thick, jazzy bass, steady, heavy drums, and water synth sounds sets up a nice foundation over which a Pat Metheny-like synth-horn guitar joins in at the 2:00 mark and slowly, steadily introduces its sound and then starts to really solo in the third minute. Yves definitely has the Metheny sound and style down! This is awesome! In the fourth minute Yves even lets us know that he has the speed and technical chops to further earn the Metheny comparisons! Cool song'definitely more jazzy than electronica'more Ozrics than Alio Die. (9/10)

2. 'Droplets' (6:40) very catchy melodies in a groovin' jazz song constructed very much like a soundscape of Ozrics Tentacles. Great lead work over the awesome driving rhythm sections by the electric guitar and synthesizers. (9/10)

3. 'Oceaniques Part 1' (3:01) computer/synthesizer-generated water sounds open this song before electrified acoustic guitar joins in with chords and arpeggi. Fretless bass and distant 'French horn' guitar are added to the mix in the second minute. The song pretty much floats along without much development or meat, as one would almost expect based on the title. (7.5/10)

4. 'Swirls' (10:26) opens with more wave-like computer-generated synthesizer sounds behind which slow-attacking electric guitar chords appear about every six seconds. In the third minute a pulsating sound joins in (moving at a time and pace different from the waves on top). Gradually the wave-sounds begin to shift to sound a little more like keyboard chords. Then, at 3:50, a funky bass sequence enters and begins to take over as the pace-setter. By the end of the fifth minute a Allan Holdsworth-like guitar enters and begins to solo in quite an impressive way. He is soon joined by a second guitar lead, this one more synthesized (or is it a keyboard?) The Holdsworth influence (and imitation?) is remarkable. The two go on exchanging the lead in 'duel' fashion keeping us interested by each remaining founded in their own melody lines. So cool! Around 7:40 this begins to decay and a spacious, more cave- like airy section of synthesizer washes and percussives enters. At 8:42 an alarm-like keyboard sequence makes itself briefly known before just as quickly disappearing'and alternating (as if in a conversation) with a slower-attack synth playing chords. Then it ends! too soon! I want more of this conversation! Great song! Really interesting! (10/10)

5. 'Crustacean' (6:07) saw synth washes with heavily reverbed guitar arpeggi are soon joined by very cool funky/fretless/computer-popping bass and keys (so psybient like). David Torn-like guitar enters to take the lead at the end of the second minute. This is so Sylvian-esque! (Brilliant Trees Side Two or Disc Two of Gone to Earth!) Awesome! (9/10)

6. 'Oceaniques Part 2' (7:37) Straightforward jazz with heavily treated instrumental sounds and water/wave samples. The scaled down, more spacious third minute is cool'though it makes you anticipate something dramatic to follow. The muted synth washes and fretless bass in this section are awesome! Electrified acoustic guitar play becomes a soloing instrument. Nice! Again, Yves can't help but show us: he can play! Great musicianship and songwriting skills on display here! (9.5/10)

7. 'Underground River' (7:11) More 'real' water sounds used at the opening with large brass metal bells, gongs, and/or cymbals being played over the top. Early in the second minute an electric guitar screams out a single note that slowly decays. Soon, these 'outbursts' recur while beneath a bass and drum rhythm line is slowly, almost imperceptibly being established. Two chords of magical synth wash support while a very emotional lead guitar solo takes over in the fourth minute. I'm out of comparisons for this sound and soloing style (maybe Narada New Age guitarist Paul Speers), but it's beautiful. (9/10)

8. 'Oceaniques Part 3' (3:31) water flowing, washing, over which bass, drums, and guitar weave into a little spacious jazz motif. The soloing, like Part !, and the music here just kind of meander without ever really gelling into a concrete direction'flowing aimlessly despite the currents of the ocean. (7.5/10)

For lovers of the more synthesizer dominant release of 2017, Forest Stairways, be prepared: this not the same; there is much more of a guitar and jazz dominance to this album (which is just as amazing as the synth work of FS.

I haven't said this enough in my reviews of Yves music, but this man can set up some amazing bass lines! I don't honestly know which are programmed and which are played manually but IT DOESN'T MATTER! They're amazing!

4.5 stars; a near-masterpiece of progressive rock music and definitely a progressive jazz fusion artist to check out!

1. "Flying Owl" (10:12) has the rhythmic drive of a Berlin School sequence-driven song but is guitar, koto, and percussion dominated! The opening 90 seconds is more ambient and relaxing, but by the two minute mark we are off to the races! (9.5/10)

2. "Fern Chimes" (9:47) sounds like the music I would have made had I stuck with it! Love the deep bass tone, the percussive and computer-generated nature sounds, and the guitar strums, and the gentle keyboard play. At 4:50 there is a shift as a bulfrog-like bass line takes over as the main driving force. Many layers of keyboard-generated sounds are interspersed over the top of the bass creating quite a busy image of a nature scene. Vibes in the seventh and eighth minutes are cool. (9.5/10)

3. "Forest Mist" (9:20) wonderfully beautiful and relaxing "Tropical" background over which heavily reverbed electric guitar strums are spaced out so that they can float away with the mist. This is so like a Robin Guthrie soundscape! Then the koto comes in as the lead instrument. Gorgeous! (9/10)

4. "Mirror Lake" (9:17) despite the draw of the lush synths and deep bass lines, it is the busy hand percussion that is my favorite stuff to pay attention to on this one. Great chord and melody lines from the keys here. The added keyboard percussion in the final third of the song is really cool. (9/10)

5. "Future Tribes" (11:32) opens with very slow attacking synth washes and lots of waves of tuned and electronic percussion sounds over which large hand drums are played in hypnotic patterns. Echoing guitar strums enter in the fifth minute while some slow-decaying lead notes also present themselves, one at a time. At the very end of the sixth minute these lead guitar notes start to feel as if it's Allan Holdsworth playing them. Then Pat Metheny-like synth-horn guitar lead joins the party! (Think "Are You Going With Me?") This is awesome! The bass has transformed into something more upbeat and insistent and the percussion falls right in line. I'm dancing! I'm in Heaven! (My version of heaven will have lots of dancing and lots of music like this.) (9.5/10)

I will repeat the statement I made in song #2: Yves has created music that I feel would very well have come out of my own heart/mind/brain had I continued trying to pursue a course as a musician/composer--music that comes from the soul and feeds and affects other souls. Well done! Bravo and Encore! LOTS more!

Five stars; a masterpiece of progressive rock music and definitely a shining masterpiece of prog electronic music. This is my first exposure to Yves' music! I can't wait to get to know his previous (and future) work!

`Flying Owl' makes for schizophrenic opener! Book-ended with Kitaro-like eastern mystery from ringing koto-guitar, hypnotic chimes and the gentlest of laid-back jazzy grooves, it evolves into shimmering Berlin School darker electronics and maddening pulsing beats with improvised spacey electric guitar ruminations in the manner of the early Porcupine Tree discs. `Fern Chimes' alternates between lulling washes of ambient electronic caresses alongside deeply dreamy electric piano trickles with some seductively intrusive clanging electronics that take the piece in a very disorientating and surreal direction - equal parts sweet dream and edgy nightmare!

No such diversions for `Forest Mist', its placid warm guitars softly embracing and drowsily romantic, almost reminding of Andreas Vollenweider's fancy acoustic atmospheres, and maybe even the more reflective moments of the spiritual era of the Santana band. The darker and more enigmatic `Mirror Lake' holds eerie crystalline drones and even little teases of alien tribal chanting and jangling percussion, with an almost elegant cinematic flavour to Yves' synth soloing. The most near-unnoticeable of bursts in tempo and fleeting jazzy interludes ripple throughout closer `Future Tribes', glacial shimmering drones and slowly expanding synth pools lapping at dancing electronic slivers teeming with life, and Yves' guitar moves between languid mellow strums and reaching electric tendrils.

While some transitions between passages aren't entirely smooth, there's a completely unpredictable and deliciously eclectic daring approach here that shows an artist constantly experimenting and challenging himself, forever searching for more evocative and unexpected atmospheres to keep listeners on their toes. Constantly full of warmth and variety with a good mix of lighter and heavier moods, `Forest Stairways' is one of Yves Potin's loveliest achievements to date, and a perfect choice for listeners wanting a highly original prog-electronic work that crosses over into multiple genres.

Four stars - and just look at that beautiful cover art!

A rumbling drone and crystalline twinkling slivers ripple throughout psychedelic opener `Seeds in Darkness', disorientating electronics almost taking on a malevolent glee! Although gently somber to begin, `Concealing Brightness' has hope constantly reaching to break through. Chiming electric guitars and a pattering of soft hand percussion dance around rising and falling placid synth washes, and electronic piano tip-toes offer the lightest of jazz/fusion flavours, almost in the manner of the spiritual early Santana band albums. Glistening electronic tendrils and sighing synth caresses full of love flit through `Air and Water Laps', dancing alongside skittering percussion loops that soon bring a sense of urgency, as primal electric guitar wails with a tone similar to the early Delirium-era Porcupine Tree albums howl from the distance.

An abstract dream-like atmosphere permeates `Lost Shore', with shifting confused drones, clockwork-like chimes, and weeping fragile guitar notes that ring out over a constant eerie ebbing pulse, synths exhaling like a relieved sigh. Crystalline shards cut through `Drawing Forth' before it gently and unexpectedly starts to groove with improvised light King Crimson- like jazzy guitar licks. `Unfolded' ensures all self-doubt, fear and loneliness is pushed aside by serene and hopeful washes of ethereal synths and dripping electric piano raindrops. This hypnotic low-key album closer is one of the most restrained and beautiful pieces ever composed by Yves.

`Life - Unfolding' couldn't be a more appropriate title for this album, as much of the music slowly unwinds with long ethereal stretches, and it's one of Yves' more satisfying and substantial releases due to a stronger element of slightly darker, droning, more mysterious qualities, giving it a depth that is sometimes absent from his work. It's also quite comparable to ambient artists like Steve Roach, although Yves does have a recognizable sound all his own. A mix of cosmic and earthy atmospheres, why not find an unhurried time and place to listen quietly and enjoy this immersive evocative music?

Four stars.

Light of Lost Summers (2007), JAZZCOMPUTER a.k.a. Yves Potin's album has a fair share of very interesting musical proposals that tend to blend really modern electronics with a kind of sometimes imaginative "New Age Jazz", but then again sometimes with a quiet "cliched" version of modern "mainstream" Jazz..

Ironically, the best parts of the compositions are those which are closer to the prog/electronics of nowadays, the infamous "Ambient" tagging . Surrounding himself with many instruments from various parts of the world (Udu, Koto, Harp, Tablas, Timpani, Nagadas and guitars.), which he combines with "spacy" synths. So there are some heavy electronic thunderstorms alongside and simultaneously counterpointing some mellow or melodical Jazz structures.

As such it all sounds magnificent, but his Jazz songwriting does not fall that far from the kind of clean cut ,"mainstream style", aseptic, easy listening Jazz that was intended for less demanding audiences. (Not to sound disrespectful to George Benson or Wynton Marsalis or Chuch Mangione (ugh!!), but that type of "smooth" Jazz style.)

To sum it up, great electronic moments, composition wise and also more than once he gets the blending to sound daring, but on the other hand, the constant appearance of corny Jazzistic melodies or soloings spoils the whole fun.

***3.5 " Promising without doubt, but still on the making" PA stars.

Album opener `The Gravity Well - part 2' (the first section appeared on the `Jazzy Way' volume) spends several minutes as a shimmering synth drone, no percussive elements at all, ghostly groaning leaving the listener lost in deep space. Subtle looped beats fade in, ethereal electric guitar rings through the blackness. Whispering voices just out of earshot, soothing electronic washes suddenly turning more urgent and tense pulsing dance beats softly kick at the listener. The eerie `Chew Z' moves into deep spacerock territory, a repetitive droning bass-line slinks under rippling synth effects and wild spontaneous electric guitar bursts to create a wildly disorientating and uneasy mood. There's a reflective Gong/eastern mysticism atmosphere to the drone piece `Gokna', gentle koto strums intersperse around rising/falling synth washes that makes for a captivating and spiritual contemplation.

`The Gravity Well' returns for a third segment, a hypnotizing collage of machine hum, alien chirping, mechanical pulses, unobtrusive beats pattering the backdrop and unravelling crystalline synths like waterdrops in a cave. I do find Yves' trademark fanciful synth runs are a little unnecessary here and distract a little from the darker moods the piece builds, but it does admittedly give it an almost cinematic flair. Album closer `Soavre' is one of the absolute highlights, subdued lonely and wounded guitar cries plead from the dark, seeking solace and rescue from the initially glacial keyboards that slowly turn delicate and shimmering, a coming solace from stresses and difficulties, slowly bringing change. Yves' electric guitar sounds so soulful here, and, as always, he takes a form of music that can easily be cold and heartless and makes it deeply human, compassionate and emotional.

`Many Sides of Music - The Ambient Way' is a fascinating release from Mr Potin, a lovely varied instrumental journey of both inner and outer space music. Frequently his albums stay firmly rooted in ancient world mystery, but this ones shows the artist taking flight and getting lost in the furthest reaches of space more than ever before. He finds a perfect balance for all these elements, and Spacerock lovers who don't mind a laid-back, slowly unfolding and ambient variation of the style should appreciate this. It hints at all sorts of directions the artist may like to head in the future, and as always for a Jazzcomputer.org release, it has a quiet contemplative spirit woven throughout the music, that I'm sure is very much a reflection of the artist himself.

Four stars.

The perfectly titled `Warp' opens the disc, and the piece truly warps around a dizzying selection of aural colours. Gentle murmuring bass holds back behind raindrop-like pattering little beats, rambunctious acoustic guitar dripping over tense `On The Run'/Dark Side of the Moon chasing loops, and even a breakneck E.L.P-flavoured synth run in the middle! It's the sound of modern electronic coolness trying to find balance with the ancient mysterious world, with a shimmering dream-like quality throughout. Clipping beats skip over subtle synths and whimsical Moog runs on `No Joe', with wild electric guitars and heavy live drums bringing some fusion fire, quite a lustful tension to the piece. Rising and falling pulsing electronic oscillations in a Klaus Schulze-like manner over reggae flavours and tip-toeing electric piano with just a slight hint of unease in the final minute of `Sherkaner', while the infectious and up- tempo `Ivanova' has nimble delayed Steve Hillage-styled guitarwork over soft dancey programmed beats. Both of these pieces would possibly even make for a nice chilled-out track on any of the later Ozric Tentacles albums.

Despite a misleading darker opening, `The Gravity Well - Part 1' (the first of three parts, the remaining two to come on the companion album `The Ambient Way') gradually unwinds with soothing comfort, laid-back driving percussion and warm synth noodling that softly spirals away at every opportunity. `Terrace of Clouds' is the longest piece at over 8 minutes, light and dark dueling back and forth throughout. There's an almost hostile alien menace to the slowly uncurling shimmering synths, sustained strangled guitar slices that cut through and a suffocating murky bass bubbling under, but thankfully some dreamy and almost romantic reassuring diversions are offered and reprised throughout. A vibraphone-like synth setting even reminds of the later 70's Pierre Moerlin Gong period. The final two tracks bring quite a funkiness to the album, plenty of upbeat vibes and cruising relaxation to wind down on. `Three to Beam Up' has slinky fusion guitar chiming, punchy bass and bombastic symphonic synth bursts, while up-tempo closer `Transponder 1037' is positive and full of life, hypnotic electronic loops and joyful synth soloing, but it's a shame about the sudden abrupt ending!

`Many Sides of Music: The Jazzy Way is a lighter take on ambient/electronic that may be perfect for newcomers to the genre, who will find the variety and sense of movement the perfect way to ease into the style. With mostly shorter concise pieces, frequent soloing and instrument variety, it doesn't have that potentially uneventful subtlety that more difficult and seasoned electronic works have, exactly why I feel it would be a great introduction. For those familiar with the artist, it's a welcome and refreshing side to Yves, and fans of the mellow side of ambient/electronic/space music by artists like Andreas Vollenweider and the Ozrics will really enjoy this pleasing 50 minute set. I feel everyone should take a break from more heavy-going progressive music and unwind to something a little more relaxed once in a while, and this makes for a lovely undemanding listen. Those who prefer longer, thought-provoking compositions should perhaps first look towards `The Ambient Way' companion disc first, however. But they both only cost a few dollars, so why not take a chance?

Three and a half stars, rounded up to four.

The nearly ten minute `Indian Mood on Thethys' begins the album with delicate electric guitar picking and Koto strums over the top of the most gentle of synth washes. Just a hint of mystery and fascination to this introduction, and like a cool wind it blows softly around the listener. Soon the guitar playing jolts in and out of slightly uneasy King Crimson-like urgent snaps and darker keyboard tones. Ethnic percussion enters, chimes dazzle and gulping udu (essentially acting as the bass) murmurs along in the background before a disorientating fade out.

`Dawn In The Snow' is the piece that most reflects the album cover to me, even the title of the 12 minute piece suggests both the opposing sensations of `warm' and `cold'. Fading in with chilly electronic droning with pulsing effects and distant tension that draws ever closer and louder in volume, it envelopes the listener in ice and brings a sense of loneliness and isolation. Ominous and sad synth tones float in and out, yet like the beginning of a sunrise in the morning, warm keys start to gently rise and melt away the solitude to offer a sense of hope. A programmed drum loop, electronic humming bass and a wavering jazzy synth solo brings a feeling of wonder and renewed energy. Gamelan cymbals mark the end of the day, as soon the night is back upon us, but perhaps we're in a better place than we were at the beginning. We've brought a sense of hopefulness and positivity from the day to carry with us into the great unknown.

Like all good electronic-related works, a long extended piece (or a side long piece for those with a nostalgic affection for vinyl like me!) such as the 25 minute title track here is a grand statement of intent. Some sections of this piece even resembles elements of the Berlin School electronic artists, while Potin's eclectic variety of instruments and blending of genres brings his own unique identity. Beginning as a long glacial drone, cold keys and shimmering effects rise and fall, until a warmer and comforting synth melody gracefully washes forward, pushing in and out against the listener. Soon more of that Crimson styled manic guitar playing and frantic Gamelan gongs dance over the top of those humming electronic waves. The piece seamlessly morphs into a wild frenzy of programmed and live drums, harsh electronics and murky tension. A dirty and distorted electric guitar solo weaves through the chaos, carrying us through the danger, and before you know it we've arrived at a very Tangerine Dream-like soundscape with pulsing trance beats and swirling urgent keyboards. There's lots of energy here, perfectly advancing the track from the old world ethnic setting to a modern and sleek future, before falling away into a soothing and dreamy finale. So many ideas and genres blur effortlessly together on this piece!

Special mention must go to the tastefully simple and evocative cover artwork. I love the icy landscape, with the African Udu, like an undiscovered jewel, waiting in the middle to bring a sense of spiritual release and warmth to the barren world.

Although I've come to enjoy many of his albums, `Elsewhere' in particular has been been like a close friend over the last few months, providing me with an escape from the difficult place I currently find myself in. The constant sensations of an exciting future and confronting present make for an emotionally-charged and richly rewarding album to me, and it's one of many superb albums that make Yves Potin a very unique and special electronic related artist to me.

Four stars.