DUNE

Dune, the welknown desert planet, is the 11th studio album of Klaus Schulze; his latest work in the 70's dating in 1979. This record contains two major composition both clocking over 25 minutes. The first one is the titletrack Dune, whereby Schulze tries to set down his view about this lonely planet and the second one is a collaboration with psychedelic champion Arthur Brown called "Shadows of Ignorance". Wolfgang Tiepold collaborates on both composition with his Cello. He did already shown up on Klaus Schulze's previous release 'X'.

The titletrack is an abstract composition without repeating melodylines or drums and percussion. Schulze made me like this way of musical abstraction which is almost only found in the progressive electronics and/or film music. People who are not common with this kind of music almost always find it boring, like I did in first instance. But Klaus Schulze became a real eye opener for me in case of slowly progressive changing musical themes with or without a great amount of abstraction. It made me not only like the progressive electronics, but made me appreciate other artists (more) as well.

Dune begins with an theme which sounds like an advanced industrial, machinal society with a cold, but mystical atmosphere. The cello tunes in after some minutes and improves the lonely feelings, but expresses it in a beautifull way. The machinal sounds slowly dissappear and the theme becomes more mystical. The sound is quiet cold and expresses a harsh planet; my meaning of cold here is actually in a positive way. There are several changes in atmosphere, which I can almost not describe. In relation to some other works of Schulze like Timewind and Moondawn these changes are quiet big. No subtle - almost not hearable-, but real changes. The effect is a 30 minute instrumental story telling epic whereby the harshness and mystique of the advanced society of Dune play an essential role.

The second composition is a bit psychedelic, but a failed experiment with Arthur Brown on vocals. The vocals doesn't sound convincing and seems to be out of place. My main complain however is not the sang, but the drum computer which flattens the otherwise dynamic composition. Even Tiepold on cello cannot save this composition, although he is trying quiet hard to do so. This composition is quiet boring.

What we have here is a very good titletrack which will take most listeners to unearthy atmospheres and a booring second composition. The titletrack's duration is 30 minutes however and is for me essential Klaus Schulze; I prefer this aboth Mirage or Timewind and therefor I can legitimate a four star rating.