VOYAGE

I would think that BRAINTICKET are the most well known and appreciated non-German Krautrock band out there. They were from Switzerland, and were led by flautist and keyboardist Joel Vandroogenbroeck who was born in Belgium. Their first three albums were legendary, and my favourite of those is "Celestial Ocean" from 1973 but they would disband 2 years after that. I wish they had made a followup album to that one back then, but it wasn't to be.

They did get back together, well Joel and his drummer and two new keyboardists. Making this a three keyboard and drummer setup. And releasing two similar styled albums in the early eighties "Adventure' and "Voyage". Both feature two side long suites. This feels like a Krautrock interpretation of early Mike Oldfield. So of course being like a lot of Krautrock it's less melodic and less rhythmic than Oldfield, going into more experimental territories, slower paced too.

This one did grow on me a lot. The flute is much appreciated and I like the clavinet. I'm not sure what the two members do with their computers here but they are credited with that along with synths. This was recorded live in their small studio and truly feels like a long jam they had that would become "Voyage'. This just isn't on the same level in my opinion as their first three albums, but these two 80's albums have their fans. This second reincarnation of the band is more about improvisation. I feel that Krautrock spirit is still here, I'm just not as "into" this music as I am their more adventerous recordings from the early seventies. Lots of electronics on this one. I do prefer the second side as being darker and more atmospheric. Good album.