CHURCH

Intro:

In The Netherlands the world of electronic music is very vivid: a strong and loyal fan base, many experienced and inspiring artists/bands (from Gert Emmens and Rudy Adrian to Bas Broekhuis and Synth.nl), an annual EM festival (E-Live) and, last but not least, the outstanding and specialized Groove Unlimited (from mailorder and E-Live to artists and concerts). In this review I would like to focus on one of my favorite electronic music CD's in the last two decades: the live album Church from ARC (2010, limited edition 1500 copies).

Info from record company DIN:

"ARC are Ian Boddy and Mark Shreeve (also Redshift), two veterans of the UK electronic music scene. They employ a vast range of vintage analogue equipment, not the least of which is Shreeve's massive Moog IIIC modular system. Although this is the duo its sixth CD release, their concert appearances are rare occurrences with only three prior performances. Boddy had performed in Philadelphia four times previously and so knew there was an enthusiastic audience for this style of electronic music. However this was Shreeve's first Stateside concert and with the impracticality of transporting so much vintage gear the duo were helped out by three local musicians who kindly lent the duo several synthesizers as well as analogue modular & sequencing systems. The concert itself was staged at St.Mary's Church in Philadelphia on 14th November 2009 which was a suitably atmospheric venue for the electronic music of ARC. Four of the tracks are completely new material with the fifth, Falling Through to Rapture having at its core the sequencer section from the track Rapture which was the final track of the duo its last studio album Fracture."

My review:

ARC their music sounds like a tribute to the German electronic music from German pioneers Tangerine Dream and Klaus Schulze, the cosmic part of the Berlin School. The five compositions are structured in the same way but each with a different colouring by the instruments and a subtle variety in climates.

The very long titletrack (21.34) features a captivating changing of climates, between spacey with sound effects and hypnotizing sequencers with majestic Mellotron violins and flutes, very compelling, ARC at its best!

In Bliss Plane (14.01) pulsating sequencers and lush Mellotrons are combined with mellow synthesizer flights.

In Torch (10.57) we can enjoy a dreamy atmosphere, then a great build up to a hypnotizing final part.

In Veil 10.19) there are more experimental overtones but the lush Mellotron violins are omnipresent.

The final track Falling Through To Rapture (17.38) is another tribute to the unsurpassed sound of late Seventies Tangerine Dream and Klaus Schulze: wonderfully coloured and flowing changing climates, with spacey sound effects, hypnotizing sequencers, dreamy synthesizer flights and lush Mellotrons.

If you like the more cosmic electronic music like Seventies Tangerine Dream and Klaus Schulze and TD inspired recent bands like Free System Project, Air Sculpture and Red Shift, I am sure ARC their EM will appeal to you.

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