BLAKE'S NEW JERUSALEM

Whereas TIM BLAKE's debut album was a collection of improvised extracts from his concerts, "Blake's New Jerusalem" was this time fully recorded in studio. Less ambient, more melodic and more structured, this second opus sounds a bit different than its predecessor. In addition to synthesizers, Tim plays acoustic and glissando guitars, and sings on nearly each track. He is also joined on mini-moog by young prodigy keyboardist Jean-Phillipe Rykiel, only aged 17 at the time. More polished and less atmospheric than "Crystal Machine", the music is nice and spacey, with electronic sonorities typical of the late 70's.

Curiously, the opener "Song For A New Age" is the only average track as well as the intruder in this mostly synthetic record. A acoustic guitar driven track, with various spacey effects. It will later be covered by HAWKWIND LIGHT ORCHESTRA on their 2012 album "Stellar Variations". Now truly begins the magic. The heavily electronic "Lighthouse" is simply great, as it features TIM BLAKE's typical threatening synthesizer gimmicks from GONG and that he will reuse in HAWKWIND. "Generator" is a pulsing disco song can remind a little GIORGIO MORODER. Surprising, but after all on par with the cover...

Only instrumental composition of the record, "Passage Sur La Cit' De La R'v'lation" possesses a trippy frenetic electronic sequence. The disc concludes with the 16 minutes title track, the longest. The name refers to the British hymn "Jerusalem", based on William Blake's 1804 poem "And did those feet in ancient time". This soft and dreamy mini-epic is a genuine journey to stars should please every TANGERINE DREAM and NEURONIUM lover. You're entering an unknown universe... The keyboardist will later perform "Lighthouse" and the title track live with Dave Brock and co.

The style has changed since the first album but still keep its own identity. Only TIM BLAKE could have composed these tracks. More melodic than other bands from the same time period, the music is overall really nice, oneiric and accessible. Very recommended to vintage seventies electronica!

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