ICELAND

Iceland sounds just as its name suggests: cold, icy and vast. On this album, Richard Pinhas creates beautiful, ambient atmospheres that could very well be the soundtrack to your favorite winter-land vacation.

The 18 minute, 3 part title-track is cold ambience at its best, featuring large waves of soothing synths that glide smoothly atop a simple, hypnotic beat.

The 2 part, 7 minute "The Last Kings of Thule" is tick-tocking madness with electronically manipulated experimental guitar playing that fades in and out of the soundscape.

"Greenland" sounds much like the title-track, but is a bit more lush and upbeat. Glistening cascades of glassy sequences fly through the soundscape dominated by a beautiful and repetitive synthesizer melody atop a steady beat.

Richard Pinhas is no doubt a great name in the world of progressive electronic music, and this is one of his absolute best albums. "Greenland" itself is worth the money.