THIRTEEN FROM THE TWENTY FIRST

In 2000 Richard Wileman's Karda Estra returned with a new self-produced CD, entitled ''Thirteen From The Twenty First''.Actually this was the first full-length release of the project with an expanded five-piece line-up, featuring also Caron Hansford on oboe, English horn and bassoon.

The album opens with the 5-part 17-min. suite "Surrealisms", which is possibly the best piece of this album.Wilemann insists on producing impressive and dreamy soundscapes, blending light Progressive Rock with Classical and Soundtrack Music and the result is often a cinematic experience full of ethereal female voices and classical instruments.This particular suite contains also hints of Folk music at moments, that sound quite delicate and make it even more complete and balanced.The following short 2-part ''Miniatures'' is an attempt of Wilemann on Chamber Music with the use of classical instruments, propably more of an academic interest.The last piece is the 6-part 30-min. ''Soundtracks'', which unfortunately spoils the album's balance so far.The title characterizes perfectly these six pieces, which sound actually like soundtracks for different films than a complete arrangement and additionally this kind of music is very far from any enviroment related to Progressive Rock.From spacey synthesizers, acoustic crescendos and bombastic Orchestral Music to Gothic and dark moods and an Avant-Garde minimalism, Wileman's talent on producing a variety of atmospheres is undisputed, but as a piece this is very far from an essential listening.

Great addition for anyone tracking down anything close to Soundtrack Music, but not of major interest for a Progressive Rock fan.A few rock elements and tons of atmospheric soundscapes, which are hard to follow through as a whole.