BLAKE'S NEW JERUSALEM

...The age of progressive electronica! Tim Blake presents a mixture of progressive, acoustic, space rock and electronica music filtered through his talent and musicianship. The result is an innovative record that will surprise many people (like me) who are not very familiar with electronic music. The album deals with themes from birth of man and space that fit perfectly with the music. The listening of the record is a pleasant, yet 'strange' journey into cosmic galaxies... I admit I have never been a fan of electronic music, I was not even aware that Blake participated in Gong and Hawkwind albums... I can see the obvious relation now.

The album starts off with a pleasant and spacey 'Song for the new age'. Acoustic guitars and few keyboards compile a great opening with decent (not great) vocals. Very promising start that intrigues the listener and keeps his interest active for the next to come.

'Lighthouse' changes the flow of the album to a more electronic path. Spacey, obscure keyboards and weird vocals are dominant. Lyrics deal with space and cosmic relations, creating a 'psychedelic' emotion that will flow on through the album till the end.

'Generator (Laserbeam)' is the next and, most definitely, the weakest track in the album. The music continues on the same path, but the vocals are at least mediocre. The tone of the voice is ironic and may pose some interest on the song, but the overall vocal performance turn this track to a filler, that could easily be excluded from the record. Tim Blake might have probably included this as an interval to the next spacey track...

'Passage...' (instrumental) is another electronic piece of music quite similar to 'Lighthouse'. However, this time, the music is filled with more melodies and more jamming keyboards making this far more interesting for the listener. The perfect intro for the album's last epic that is about to follow...

I don't know what Blake was thinking when composing 'Blake's New Jerusalem', but this track is one of the most interesting in my short experience in electronic music. Beautiful instrumental parts alter with weird lyrical melodies, making this the ultimate standout from the record. Although this is a 16 minute track that follows a standard tone, it's far from boring, it's more like a journey...

Musically, and after careful consideration, I find some similarities with the music of Vangelis (electronica) and that of Eloy (more in the vocals section and the spacey feeling). The weaknesses of the album lay in the vocals, which are not bad, but mediocre at times, and the middle track that does not impress.

I was in the middle of a 3 and 4 star rating but I believe this album (keeps growing on me) will be an excellent addition to the collection of someone who is not very familiar with this genre... The fans are already aware of Blake's capabilities...

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