LE BERCEAU DE CRISTAL (OST)

This "Berceau De Cristal" has to considered more as a solo effort from Manuel Göttsching than really a band's one. It was recorded a long time before its official release and the result is an excellent journey back into these splendid seventies.

The mood is mainly ambient keyboards oriented although some short passages like " Le Diable Dans La Maison" displays some good guitar like in the good old AST days.

Most of this album is full of nice melodies, early "Tangerine Dream" or "Klaus Schultze" inspired music. If you were attracted by these great bands, you can jump into this "Cradle Berth" without any apprehension.

Still, I can't be as laudatory as for the best albums of the ones I have mentioned earlier. It lacks something which made these ones memorable. My feeling about "Le Berceau" is that is a good release of prog electronic which renders some wonderful and poignant key moments like the title track, the closing number "Et Les Fantômes Rêvent Aussi" or "L'Hiver Doux" for instance.

At the end of the day, these three tracks only are good for over half an hour of great music. You have just to be aware that there are some experimental parts ("Silence Sauvage") or repetitive stuff ("Le Sourire Envolé") which are not so thrilling and can't compete.

Four stars (somewhat rounded up).