MIDITERRANEAN PADS

Miditerranean Pads stems from a Schulze period that I'm not too enthusiastic about. I didn't like this album one bit when I first heard it 15 years ago. Nevertheless, I picked it up from the library again to see if I would find myself being proven wrong again by the ever changing and frivolous nature of my taste.

I have to note a slight change in positive directions towards the opening track. The first 10 minutes of Decent Changes are very interesting, with its weaving of string chords and lush dreamy atmosphere. There is some electronic percussion, but that would have worked better had it been played live. The second section is more rhythmical, very sparse and suggestive and yet it manages to groove just enough. The synths used to accentuate the pulsating rhythm work very well.

The second track is 15 minutes of boring new age sounds. It will probable never charm me at all. The Percussion Planante is slightly better but it is too static. It depends too much on a sterile rhythmic pulse that is dominated by cold plastic midi samples. Besides, this hardly adds anything to what Schulze already experimented with on his early 80's album Trancefer. And to much greater effect back then. The track works towards some sort of crescendo but as it failed to be interesting for the first 20 minutes the effect is minimal.

I must conclude that Schulze's early 90's period isn't his best. But I promise I get back to you with an update by the time I retire. There is always something in this man's music that stays out of reach, something that remains difficult to grasp and explain. Sometimes you get it after a while, sometimes you don't.