PROGRESSIVE ELECTRONIC

I first saw this album cover at my brother-in-laws place many years ago. He owned the vinyl, and I was drawn to their name, as well as that cover. I would end up getting their debut first, and again the cover art is so well done on that one as well. SPACE ART were a duo from France of drums and electronics, and those first two influential albums I just mentioned, were both released in 1977.

Many feel they were influenced by Jean-Michael Jarre's "Oxygene" from 1976, and he is also from France. The SPACE ART duo would be invited by Jarre to play in China as his backing band, which they did. I personally feel SPACE ART are far better than Jarre, in fact having Jarre under Prog-Related proves that(haha). I'm just not big on "Oxygene" or "Equinoxe", two of Jarre's more praised records.

And while I much prefer SPACE ART, I also am not blown away by any means by this group. But those first two albums are really solid electronic recordings, with real drums which I appreciate. We get about a 36 minute album over seven tracks. This album doesn't start that well for my tastes with those first two tracks bringing to mind HARMONIA and NEU! with the high pitched synths and sounds. Too catchy. And while I do have an appreciation for those two legendary bands, it's that part of their music that just doesn't do a lot for me.

So that third song "Eye Shade" is where we really get to the good stuff. Almost 7 minutes long and a top three track for me. And the thing that stands out is the atmosphere that can be overwhelming. It changes stripes often though early. But from 3 1/2 minutes to the end we get slow beats and a lot of atmosphere. Good tune! "Watch It" is sort of hit and miss even though it's only 3 minutes long. I like the rain of electronics later, but also the way it starts with that explosion of sounds.

"L'opsession D'archibald" is my favourite. Lots of electronic beats and pulses, but it changes a lot but with repeated sounds to tie it all together. This one is a ride. A lot of energy on "Hollywood Flanger" while it turns beautiful late. The closer "Psychosomatic" is a top three and the longest at almost 11 minutes. Some melancholy for a change here. Sounds like mellotron-flute and sparse sounds contributing to that sad sound. Experimental sounds arrive out of space after 1 1/2 minutes, but they are really brief. It's that majestic soundscape that follows that makes this track standout. It settles some after 4 minutes before picking up some around 6 minutes with more passion. Best part though is 8 minutes in with those spacey sounds.

I prefer the debut slightly, but these two 1977 releases are really companion albums and the best of what they did. Glad to own them, but I doubt they'll make my "best of" electronic list. We'll see. Jean-Michael Jarre isn't even in the area code as far as that goes.

— First review of this album —

I am not sure just how many albums have been released by the trio of Steve Dinsdale (keyboards, electronics, drums), Duncan Goddard (keyboards, electronics, bass), and Gary Houghton (guitar, keyboards) since they started playing together as 16-year old students, but it must be approaching 30, of which this is their fourth collaboration with Cuneiform. Their music is largely improvised and performed live, without overdubs, gathering shape via post recording editing, and this was recorded over the course of a week, in the middle of summer, in North Yorkshire. They were lent a cottage which had plenty of natural light and air and positioned a live microphone outside on the decking to capture sound, pointing towards woodland and countryside.

It is strange to think of a natural ambience being involved, as this is an album which seems very technical and clean, almost as if it had been created in a laboratory. There are only three instrumental tracks across this double CD, with playing times of 24 minutes, 36 minutes and 60 so this is not for the fainthearted (my version also includes a radio edit of the second track, cut all the way back to 9). This is music which has been hugely influenced by Tangerine Dream and is all about creating an atmosphere and bringing the listener deep inside their world. It is not something to be played in the background but instead is to be listened to solely on headphones when there is the time to focus on this and nothing else that is going on in the world. Having this as a physical product will be of high interest to fans of the band, given they release so much music as downloads only, but I suggest that those who are new to RMI take a trek to Bandcamp and listen to this prior to purchase as it will not be to everyone's tastes.

Bernard Xolotl's work typically lacks some of the complexities of other Berlin School devotees. Further, Xolotl comes in at the end of the 70s and thrives in the 80s, and like many at the time gravitates towards new synth timbres that are thinner, glassier. Some can feel that these tones lack the resonance of earlier synth work--Tangerine Dream's 80s work would be a good comparison.

However, this album has some more impressive keyboard variety and layering, which adds depth. On top of which, the compositions develop and evolve more creatively, suggesting a bit more effort in that department--less reliance on just atmosphere. It is less new agey. Additionally, there is light percussion sprinkled throughout, which adds momentum and texture. Finally, there is some evocative use of violin that really elevates the overall album. In places it is redolent of how Schulze uses cello in his final album, Deus Arrakis.

This is by a margin my most played Xolotl album, and well worth picking up.

Le Parc is a homage to multiple public spaces across the globe and unlike the extended experimental work that gave Tangerine Dream its identity and fanbase this is a group of more concise interpretations leading to a more relaxed and diverse album of music. A couple of the tracks do step far too close to those rather simple melodic arrangements that plagued 80s pop music and so there are a couple of jarring moments that for me at least, represent significant regret. However if you compare this work with the similar shortened creations of Froese, for example, then we do have a far more polished and expertly executed set here. Unfortunately almost all the tracks could easily be transformed into mediocre pop songs with the simple addition of a few repetitive lyrics.

There is a decent level of complexity brought to bear by the layers of sound employed but it simply isn't enough to elevate the work beyond forgettable pop or contemporary film soundtrack. Let's face it, in the 80s, TD really became a bit of a cliche as the kings of film soundtracks. The real value in this set boils down to whether or not the music captures the essence of those locations it is intended to represent and the only way to know that is if you have actually visited them. I am lucky to have experienced a couple of these places so I can see that the general arrangement of each track has been tempered in an attempt to evoke a similar ambience to reality but I can't really see it being anything more than a rather tenuous scratching of the surface. In addition to that, surely there are better subject matter to apply your considerable creative talents to than a short list of public places?

So I am not enamoured by the concept of this album and owing to the differing nature of some of these places, I am not even convinced that these tracks belong in the same place but this album is nothing if it is not inoffensive. I say that but I am a little upset by the Zen Parc interpretation; using a few oriental sounds is not enough to evoke my memories of this place especially when adding in a little symphonics and most especially when using what is obviously a non-Japanese vocalist in a kind of choral, almost ecclesiastical effect. Awful as an interpretation as far as I'm concerned. Like much of TDs later work, this is the kind of stuff that can be used to help you drift off at night or as a back drop to a quiet introspective moment on a rainy Sunday afternoon. I have listened to this a dozen times and haven't noticed any lyrics so far, so if they exist then they are completely forgettable.

The production quality really should be perfect but it isn't as it comes with a slight muffle.

Ok so if you know some of these places and you want a quick reminder of them in rapid succession then you might get something from this album. Unfortunately that probably excludes almost the entire planet especially since there is nothing new or innovative included in the album, so it is not even of significant interest to the Electronic prog community. Overall this is pleasant enough, really quite accessible but almost entirely without purpose or worth. TD are milking it by this stage, unfortunately.

Effectively the fourth Fripp and Eno album, this is less cohesive than the others simply because rather than being conceptualised and executed as a whole it's a compilation of short little experiments the duo tried out now and then over the span of a decade and a bit. If you are enthusiastic about what Robert and Brian get up to with each other in their spare time and don't expect them to be radically reinventing ambient music (come on, give them a break, they already radically invented it with No Pussyfooting), this is worth a listen, but if you only want to take in their truly groundbreaking collaborations you need to reach back to the 1970s for that.

When it comes to the ballet or opera as a means of entertainment I feel like an outsider. This is the world of the rich and as a middle class Canadian give me RUSH and the world of "Rock" music please. "Logos" was created as the music for a ballet, and after hearing this I admit that maybe this world of ballet does have something for me. I mean some of those ART ZOYD recordings are also the audio for ballets. We're talking some dark and experimental music with these two projects.

Igor's father was an art director in France but born in the Ukraine. He and his family escaping to the south of France. Igor being taught piano by a classical composer when he was just six years old. He would grow to be influenced greatly by contemporary avant-garde performers and eventually hanging around with some legends who were impressed by Igor's work. His meeting with Terry Riley influenced his "Hathor" album significantly. And really those first three records he released are the ones to focus on from the early seventies. "Logos", "Doctor Faust" and "Hathor" are all are quite different from one another.

This debut is described in the promo for the 2012 reissue as such "Originally recorded in 1970, this is the perfect introduction to Wakhevitch dark, powerful and often menacing sound world. An unlikely mixture of 20th century classical avant-garde, both orchestral and electronic, and psychedelic rock courtesy of french psych-prog band TRIANGLE." Igor was influenced by Russian thinker Georges Ivanovitch Gurdjieff and also Kabbalistic and Alchemistic traditions, coupled with Igor's vision of cosmic art for the 20th century.

As far as the music goes, this is soundscape music that is dark and haunting much of the time. Unique sounding with the use of voices, like mellotron choirs for example but different. This is similar to modern classical and dark ambient. A lot of these eight tracks blend into each other. This is a very uniform sounding record. And very much headphone music. I do prefer this to his next one called "Doctor Faust" but this is certainly not for everybody. Salvador Dali was a fan and used Igor's music for his work related to operas.

The enjoyment level is not at that 4 star level but this album in my opinion deserves that rating for other reasons. Not the least of which is that Igor was blazing new trails, and that counts for a lot.

2.5 stars. SONISK BLODBAD or SONIC BLOODBATH are an electronic collective from Norway. Starting out as a duo the one constant has been Ole Christensen. There are 20 musicians on this particular record and they include Conrad Schnitzler who passed in 2011, so I guess they are using some of is recorded music. And Conrad was on TANGERINE DREAM's debut "Electronic Meditation" from 1970 which is a good reference for what I'm hearing here at times on this 2022 release. This album number four with their debut coming in 2012.

Dark ambient comes to mind. There's this sinister vibe I get from the music, and even the cover art to me is so unappealing. Empty. I understand they touch on some dark and disturbing subjects. Besides early krautrock there's that 80's vibe with the COIL sounds. The album ends with the very sparse "Aspik" the longest piece at 11 1/2 minutes and a tribute of sorts to Philip Glass, Terry Riley and Steve Reich. Talk about minimalistic.

It's not until we get to that fourth track "The Shores Of Oblivion" that we get some pleasant music, quite spacey. It doesn't last long of course given the title. "An Echo In The Dungeon City Of My Heart" opens with whistling and this is creepy as it turns dark. The opening three tracks do little for me and track two "Alan Vega 2.0" is annoying at times.

Just not my scene in any way. I have a feeling this is a very personal record. I received this cd as part of a batch of cds that Apollon Records sent me a few years ago. No note, and most of the bands represented are not on this site, so I can't review them. This was one of the few.

"Planets + Persona" is Richard Barbieri's third studio album, and a departure in many ways from his first two. He looks at the subject of "duality" on this 2017 release. His first solo album from 2004 was done all on computer with no analog keyboards in sight. He did this mainly at his home, and then worked with a drummer and bassist to finish it. Album number two from 2008 began with a rhythm section on board, but because of finances he would eventually finish that off at his home. Here on this 2017 release he adds that acoustic element and delegates more to his musician friends. Richard was more concerned about doing the arrangements on this one.

I had no idea that Miles Davis' "Bitches Brew" is one of Barbieri's favourite albums, or that MAGMA was one his favourite bands. You think you know someone. He officially joined PORCUPINE TREE in 1993 but before that he was part of JAPAN and the related RAIN TREE CROW. Richard sold a lot of his JAPAN memorabilia to fund "Planets + Persona". As he's related in the past, it's him and his wife, he has no other family, and no interest in keeping this JAPAN stuff anyways.

So after PT disbands he would eventually work with Steve Hogarth on "Not The Weapon But The Hand" from 2012. Hogarth is here some five years later along with several other vocalists including Tim Bowness, but as Barbieri relates he uses and abuses these vocals, often morphing them into textures and sounds that make who's singing often unrecognizable. Unless it's his wife Suzanne singing.

A surprisingly experimental album that is quite ambient overall. And a very manipulated recording in the sense I don't know what I'm hearing with the the use of "sound design", "omnichord" and samples from many of the guests. While Richard is quite happy with the results here, I have lots of issues with it. The one song I can cling to is "New Found Land" which starts off sounding status quo, but when the trumpet and piano arrive before a minute followed by beats, it's sounding almost normal.

The latest release featuring Claudio Milano finds him again working with electronic artist Borda (Teo Ravelli) plus two pianists/electronic artists, Niccolò Clemente and Alberto Nemo. In English, the title means 'Fracture/Appearance/Fade' and it is worth understanding the concept behind this, which is that it is a "musical and scenic action on a text by Niccolò Clemente aka Whale, which stands outside space and time, creating a world of its own, liturgical, cathartic, therapeutic, 'other'. It places conscious man at the centre of a sonic display without latitude or time (Western and Eastern modes, ancient and contemporary), without any pretence of clamour." Given there is also a statement that the value of history "has lost the value of spirituality and a consciousness of the Jungian archetype in order to overcome its own limit" we can also state this is not a 'normal' release. However, I firmly believe that anything involving Milano can never be considered "normal" given the way his vocals are so far removed from what we normally expect to hear.

I do not understand Italian, so have no idea what is going on with the lyrics (which even in a foreign language appear incredibly deep and complex), but that is sometimes I never worry about when listening to Milano as he is always way more than "just" a singer. He is a true experimentalist, using vocal gymnastics as he brings to bear many different classical styles from baroque through operatic to display a stunning range where he produces intense emotions just by the sound of his voice, going from growls through to falsetto with ease. It feels as if we are in a cathedral, with incredible echo, resonance, and passion as each instrumentalist allows Claudio to take centre stage and provides nuances and support when there is a need, but often all we hear are the vocals which take over everything. This is music which is to be played on headphones and will be admired as much into more classical forms of music as to those into progressive, but always with the knowledge that this is challenging and not for all, even if they enjoy those genres.

His vocals are an instrument, probably more so than any other singer I have come across, and as I keep saying, he is a true master of his craft, seemingly at home with every style and emotion he is asked to portray. Listening to him sing is an experience, something once heard will never be forgotten, and while this will certainly not be for everyone, for those who enjoy their music to be challenging then slap on the headphones and be prepared to be taken on an intense journey of pain and pleasure.

Progressive electric music is unique as just one of the prog realms in the universe of prog music and Cybotron's debut album definitely puts that in spades. The energy put through sax and other instruments by Steve Maxwell and Geoff Green put a electronic spacey sense of sounds on the album. This style of music resembles Tim Blake of "Clearlight"s work on the synth. This album is a cosmic 70's musical odyssey.

1.The opening of the album "Arrakis" features synth by Steve Maxwell strolls deeper into the album. 2. The sophmore track "Mumbo Jumbo" brings in more percussion .3 "gods of Norse" presents a laid back melody that resembles the electric prog band "Tangerine dream"s sound with talent behind the synth and other keyboards. 4. the fourth song drags on and it starts to become unsettling but its pacing for the final track. 5. The ending to this album involves a 10 minute medley of electric prog fusion that in other words is the "echoes" by pink Floyd of the album concluding the sci Fi esque album.

1976 was a golden year for music and this is just one of the great albums that came out that year.