RHIZOSPHÈRE

Richard Pinhas actually recorded two albums while Heldon was still alive. But although closely related to the music developped in Heldon , the music available on those first two solo albums , it is clearly of a lesser interest than the group's. It is also much less aggressive as the guitars are very subdued, and the electronics layers of synths are a little too present, making his solo albums more experimental but also has an unfinished feel to it, compared to the group .

Among the tracks on the first side are some short themes but minimalisticly repeated and we are not far away from Eno or JM Jarre. Side 2 and its sidelong track is rather calm and constant but also unremarkable.

if the average proghead is really interested to further his Heldon-type of music searh , I would advise them to look at Ice Land or East-West, once Heldon had folded and Pinhas could tuirn all of his energies towards his solo work! Only the respect I have for the man will make give him the third star on this scale.

'Rhizosphere' is machine music that sounds like it was recorded by one of those Drones on 'Tatooine' from 'Star Wars' in 1977.

Unlike his concurrent 'Heldon' band - there are no guitars used at all. This is purely electronic with a complete absence of vocals. 'Rhizosphere' displays all the technology and gadget twisting of 'Jean Michel Jarre' from the previous year with his groundbreaking 'Oxygene'. Thankfully it's mostly a lot darker in execution.

'A Piece for Duncan' verges on New Age Ambience in the style of Steve Hillages 'Rainbow Dome Musick'. Squeaks and bloops playfully doodle around the surface as a simple pretty echoing keyboard patters out a relaxing little tune.

Quite frankly, this whole album is far more listenable and pleasing than 'Heldon' to my weak and feeble ears that have been damaged beyond belief during the past 25 years of listening to 'difficult' music. As you can see it also displays a bizarre and wonderful front sleeve. It's meaningless, of course, but represents a surrealistic approach to the recording.

Swirling keyboards make up 'Claire P.' with a hypnotic and kaleidoscopic feel throughout. This is quickly followed by 'Trapeze Interference'. Being much darker and quite sinister, it's actually similar to early 80's Industrialists 'Konstruktivists' with its wind-tunnel, doom laden chords.

The 18 minute 'Rhizosphere' is a large slab of electronica played with a huge amount of heavily treated percussion, where every sound is squashed through electronic effects. Mostly 'flanger'. It is however, just a greatly expanded version of the excellent introductory track. It's all very 'Klaus Schulze' circa 1976. On a negative note, it gets too repetitive over it's lengthy duration with too few changes in direction to hold the listeners attention. The gradual but dramatic change in tempo is the only thing that warrants such a long track. Unfortunately it drags things down a bit.

At just 39 minutes running time some may feel a bit cheated out of their hard earned pobblebeads in purchasing such an album.

As the first Richard Pinhas solo work, Rhizosphere works as a natural bridge between the music Pinhas created with Heldon and the music he would make in the future. A transition album.

We're still treated to treated electronics, but without a guitar, the aggression is scaled back on Rhizosphere. The first side flows nicely with shorter pieces, for me the highlight is the languid Trapeze/Interference.

Side B is a sidelong electrosuite that is quite repetitive and not all that engaging.

Somewhat mediocre but mildly pleasing for electrofans. The CD release includes a seperate unreleased Live album from 1982, which bumps the mediocrity level to respectably competent.