ESCAPADE:Inner Translucence CD
You can hear it now - the group saying 'Right, now that we've got all of THAT out of our system, we can REALLY start to explore the universe'; and, sure enough, on this follow-up, they do just that, as the opening 22 mins will testify, with the 3 compositions being a lot more intricate and less immediate, with all sorts of layers from synths, treated guitars, electronics, flute and guitars over a steady and powerful rhythm section in classic 'Eugene' Floyd meets Agitation Free manner, all very carefully studied and constructed to breathtaking effect, mostly spacey-cosmic in the same way that the early Krautrock pioneers could be while still having a pronounced rhythm section presence. Track 4, at just over 4 mins, drops the rhythms entirely for a voyage into the unknown on waves of scorching electric guitars, cymbal splashes, synths and space swoops to superb effect. Track 5 at just under 5 mins, immediately goes for the kill with a lead guitar that is nuclear hot over rumbling drums, bass and assorted electronic backdrops. guaranteed to leave you and your system in a heap of smokin' rubble. Track 6 is just over 2 mins of spacey synths and guitars and effects before it's onto the 20 min track 7, the final track, which is not a fast and furious outing but a slow moving, multi-layered, space music track but not any old space music, this begins with smooth synths and cascading guitar lines, all very 'out there' before percussion and bass enter with a subtle rhythmic drive, and the composition unfolds, always changing, with the group all contributing to the proceedings making it so much more than your average cosmic track. It's more solid, more interesting, well cohesive, flows along, has an underlying power to it and is a wealth of guitars, bass, drums and synths/effects playing a highly charged yet restrained and brilliant 20 mins of Kraut-influenced space music, again near things that were heard on the amazing live album from Agitation Free and less noisy early Guru Guru. As a complete track it's absolutely superb and completes an equally faultless album. So, overall, more essentially 'low key' than its predecessor, with which it complements quite perfectly, a fantastic instrumental album and equally essential listening.
ESCAPADE:Citrus Cloud Cover DoubleCD
Over 2 hours of instrumental music on the official third album from this exciting new contemporary group. With a line-up including synths, sampler, feedback generator, percussion, synths, processed bass, e-bow, electric auto-harp, octapads, bass, guitar, electronics, drums, this takes their previous Cosmic Jokers/Agitation Free/Guru Guru style of instrumental music into yet another new, exciting and fresh musical dimension, but sensibly one that does not leave the old roots behind. With tracks ranging from 3 to 31 minutes long ( and 4 more being between 11 and 23 minutes long), you get a huge array of guitars, fx, drums, synths, generators and more on one of the most epic space/Kraut-styled music voyages that you'll hear with some fantastic cosmic guitar work as though Gottsching was doing lead duties in Guru Guru, allied to thick soundscapes and massive spacey territories, but, most importantly, there is a structure and sense of carefully crafted work to the tracks rather than a series of aimless jams. The drum work is a central factor in the same way that Grobkopf is to the electronic bands in which he operates, and the tracks even exude a sense of melody in a similar way to Agitation Free on their longer tracks. Yet this isn't retro-sounding music although it will be enjoyed by anyone who had their roots in these bands from the '70's. The music here is as inventive and atmospheric as you'd expect in the '90's with massive array of layered soundpools and a sense of space and spaciousness that makes it a riveting winner from start to finish. The electric guitar work and drums are a revelation on most of the tracks as the group flows through the compositions with ease, the moods ranging from reflective to swirling whirlpools of melodic ensemble work where the combinations of synths, fx, electronics, guitars, drums and bass positive spiral to the outer reaches of the galaxy. It's all excellent stuff, the guitars are featured prominently for anyone expecting a more synths-biased music, but most of all this is just stunning music that you really can't afford not to hear. If this is your first time, get this and work back to the previous 2 studio (and ltd edition live) albums. But get into this for sure - you won't regret it.
ESCAPADE: Duetoafaultypremonition CD
Brand new studio album from one of the USA's leading instrumental '70's-styled Krautrock-influenced bands, here with a much tighter set of tracks that have similarities with Agitation Free's legendary "Last" album, or the first half of it anyway, only with a whole lot more happening here than ever that band could dream of. All music is composed spontaneously, although you'd never believe it from the tightness of structure that's on display here. While the music is, in a sense, cosmic, there are guitars, electric bass, drums, synths, percussion, processed bass and sampler all combining to produce some fantastic music that's so much more than mere Krautrock. There are hints of early Grateful Dead in the guitar work on the final track, and hints of Can-like rhythms on one of the longer tracks, but overall it's just full of spellbinding music from start to finish and one that will be sounding as good in ten years time as it does now - this is absolutely stunning music that should be heard by a wide and open-minded audience.
ESCAPADE: Remembrance Of Things Unknown CD
A CD of previously unreleased archive tracks recorded live in the studio and it's really different kettle of Kraut from things that have gone before. Instead of the polished, multi-textured soundscapes, you will hear long tracks of raw and wild electric guitar, bass and drums jamming, sounding for all the world like something from the archive cupboard of early Guru Guru than anything, and, despite the presence of synth and treatments very much in the background, this album's stars are the players of the aforementioned instruments. From space music, in an early seventies guitar-based Krautrock vein, through more driving psychedelic jamming, this is one seriously hot album and comes unhesitatingly recommended to all those who like to hear great playing with a primitive emotive feel and a raw edge but also with atmosphere and heart. Totally far out, and then some.
