MOOCH: Gaiaspace
The long-awaited brand new, Dead Earnest label studio album, and follow-up to the chill-out classic 'Acid Metal Grille' CD. Like that album, this is consistent, cohesive, varied and although each track is a different setting, the music flows perfectly throughout its seventy two minute running time. But this new album has two major improvements from its predecessor - rhythm and strength!!
This time around, the feast of synths and electric guitars are joined by sequencers, electronic and programmed drums, and percussion - but the effect and sound, while covering styles that range from downtempo chilled through solid ambient to "Retro" and space, is uniquely Mooch.
Opening with an eight minute starter, you'll find a spacey introduction leading to a solid rhythmic undercurrent from deep bass, lurching, rolling drums and percussives, while on top, assorted lead and background synths, wailing synth solos, searing but melodic electric guitar, and keyboards, all combine to provide this huge-sounding expanse of train-ride proportions as the whole track travels ever forwards, constantly changing shape, always busy and yet thoroughly engaging.
Track 2 starts with string synths, choppy rhythms, swelling synth chords and rolling electronic drums as tinkling percussion, rolling bass and a variety of almost symphonic synth leads provide what is a light and airy melodic setting to some solid, rolling rhythmic foundations, as guitar is added onto all of this and another full-sounding slice of ambient magic unfolds to glorious degree, the effect utterly hypnotic and spellbinding, as the melodies and rhythms take you on another glorious sounding journey, space synths spiralling upwards as the synths flow, the rhythms drive forward in almost lazy but strong sounding fashion and keyboards, guitar and heavenly choral textures provide the icing on the cake, to what is a truly amazing and immaculate nine minutes of electronic music.
The third track is a sixteen minute epic that could quite easily be likened to some of the best of the Namlook/Schulze 'DSOTM' series of albums, only here with added '74-era Tangerine Dream content at one end and added chill-out factor, at the other. The sequencer work is solid, the guitar work flying into the skies as the layers of string synths and synth melodies with added percussive rhythms combine to create this huge-sounding, expansive piece of electronic bliss, the perfect fusion of "retro" and ambient, and a track - as the whole album - that you will enjoy for a long time to come.
Track 4 is a five minute piece, full of spiralling optimism, as lurching ambient percussive and deep bass rhythms roll forward, above which assorted lead synths soar and fly, the whole effect spiralling upwards as the mood and feel of the album so far, is continued and you hear music that has beauty, strength, depth, atmosphere and cohesion, as a distinctly Steve Hillage-esque electric guitar wanders in and proceeds to solo in searing lead and fuzzed-up manner to provide the electrifying main focus of the track - superb stuff!
The rhythms on track 5 are to die for - it's one of those utterly addictive, rolling percussive rhythms with deep undulating bass, crisp and strong electronic drums and percussives providing the Namlook-meets-Kraftwerk train-ride effect, while oceans of flowing synths, sparkling space synths, gorgeous string synths and layers of expansive electronics just combine to jaw-dropping degree to provide this absolutely wonderful setting as the whole piece oozes strength and atmosphere, one of the best modern ambient tracks that you'll hear on the planet, and at over seventeen minutes long, yet another track on the album that is heaven itself, the perfect mixture of cosmic synths, soaring synth melodies, early Krautrock keys and totally compulsive rolling train-like rhythms. Genius!!
The eight and a half minute track 6 leaves the percussion factor behind as it immediately sets its sights along slowly moving waves of cyclical synths, from which a gorgeous sea of sequencer rhythms emerges, as brief guitar slowly soars along the top, swooping space synths falling gracefully from the skies, deep bass undercurrents running under the cascading space synths as the whole track seems to climb and build, layer upon layer, to become this glorious sounding slice of space music but with a sea of light sequencers coming more into play as lead synths and flowing melody lines are also added and the track slowly takes on a more solid shape. Then the melodies die away to leave the slowly spiralling sequencers to which are added acoustic guitar textures, soaring distant string synths and ever spiralling space synths, the whole thing seeming to add layer upon layer once more, as a gorgeous electric guitar emerges and the whole track takes you to heaven once more, the sequencers, at the heart of the ocean. The album ends with six and a half minutes that are yet again different but in keeping with the feel of what has gone before, this time a spiralling deep sequencer-like rhythm at the core, overlaid with soaring, echoed flute, rolling drums, crisp percussion, deep undulating bas and assorted synths that swoop, flow and soar all around, providing melody, atmosphere and an almost Middle Eastern feel to the piece as it takes off but this time with an almost darker feel to it. Brief heavenly choral effects are added as the lead synth solos and wails, rhythmic synth layers entwined around the heart of the track and the flute returns briefly, climbing ever higher. The track is the most Middle Eastern sounding on the album and a link back to his early works with a modern outlook. It ends on a bell-like tone and fading space synths swoops to atmospheric degree.
Overall, one totally consistent, stunning album that is sure to please a whole host of synth and ambient electronic music fans for years to come.
Andy Garibaldi saying it as he sees it
Found it. And listened. Some very nice ideas and certainly in the ballpark of what we play on the show, but rhythmically, it doesn't quite work for us, a little stiff and mechanistic, which might be the effect you wanted, but it didn't seem to work for us. Thank you for sendiong it to us and good luck with it.
Sincerely,
JOHN DILIBERTO ("Echoes" Radio Host) - saying it as HE sees it!!
The project of one Steve Palmer, I remember the name Mooch first coming to light as a release on ex-Hawkwind Harvey Bainbridge's label if I recall correctly. They seem to have been born out of that space-rock meets ambient techno hybrid field, where Ozric Tentacles and Porcupine Tree once almost stepped into, but then wisely avoided. I'm certainly no fan of Eat Static, System 7 or any of that scene at all, and it seems that Mooch are gradually moving away from that too.
Gaiaspace does have trendy sub-techno beats, but not too many, and is largely floaty stuff that increasingly tends to feel like a side-step from Ash Ra or more atmospheric instrumental Steve Hillage. The track "Galactic Oceanic Consciousness" does sound very much like "Code Blue" from Ash Ra's "Belle Alliance", and is definitely the album's high point. Sometimes it is also cosmic teutonic synth music, where I could really do without the rhythm programming.
I've no idea if it is Mooch's best yet as I've seen noted elsewhere, but it's certainly much more listenable than most music in this field, and I've managed to listen to it all the way through (three times now) without itching to press the "skip" button!
ALAN FREEMAN for AUDION MAGAZINE (UK) Issue 52
Mooch plays ambient, ethnic electronica with a rather psychedelic touch. Keyboards and synthesizers are always playing the leading role. “Emerald”, the first track on the new album is a bit more outgoing than usual, dark, rather heavy and brooding piece of work with programmed drums. There is also some nice electric guitar work in there, and at times the track goes almost into fusion. “Meteorologue” is not, luckily, a weather forecast but a little New Age styled, if only also rather rhythmical track with some acoustic guitar and a little bit of female voice. I’m not a big fan of machine drums, but this is OK stuff otherwise. The over 15-minute-long “Flow-thing” is a peaceful, floating track full of atmospheric space. Very pleasant and relaxing stuff, and this one also has some female voice. Klaus Schultze has apparently been the influence for this number. “Massive” is the most danceable track on the album; pretty nice going and really good keyboard work. The effected electric guitar solo also works. The greatly titled “Indigo Sky Trip” is a 17-and-a-half-minute long journey through the skies with sampled drums. Now the ethnic influences of Mooch get a chance to shine through. A very good track! Just close your eyes and get ready for the flight. “Galactic Oceanic Consciousness” is laid-back ambient a bit in the early Astralasia vein. The last track on the album is “Noo!” and it’s dedicated to cultural diversity and tolerance and includes for example ethnic flutes from Steven Palmer’s collection. This track has a somewhat mystical mood that is enhanced by the oriental scales and female voice. I must say that Palmer has again succeeded in making an interesting album of good quality and the graphics on the booklet work very well with the music.
From the excellent Finnish review site Psychotropic Zone, by DJ Astro
Mooch are a British space rock band who have been around for a long time, having recorded five previous albums. This is their first after a long layoff and it's nice to have them back! They use guitars and keyboards to create a really appealing spacey music and I say this even though they use electronic percussion, which I generally don't like, but which they use in a really good, simple way which in no way detracts from the music.
WAYSIDE MUSIC MAIL ORDER in USA
You know a Mooch album is going to be out of the ordinary just by looking at the album cover. Gaiaspace carries on this tradition, and musically it can be roughly categorised as prog/space rock coupled with psychedelia meets ambient electronica, with hints of jazz thrown in for good measure! As usual Mooch crafts the sounds cleverly so that there seems to be more instrumentation than is actually used - guitars, keyboards, drum samples, and vocals.
First up is the trippy hallucinogenic track “Emerald”. Guitars and electronics slew this way and that as drum effects create an out of kilter rhythm. On first blush it all seems erratic but it's more like controlled chaos and gets better after a couple of listens. After another psychedelic piece then comes my favourite track “Flow Thing” which according to the liner notes is inspired by Klaus – presumably Klaus Schulze. At nearly fifteen minutes it is minimalist but also has enough development to keep it interesting. After a brief section of various electronic effects a percussive rhythm begins and is joined by earnest spacey synth refrains. The piece gets into its stride when a sultry guitar comes in creating an exotic sense of time and place, all the while the pace is picking up and the style gets loose in places without taking the track away from its main theme.
On this album Mooch tread a musical path that is decidedly their own and somewhat psychedelic but most of the time they do this around a well defined and accessible structure. I often enjoy parts of Mooch albums but can find certain other parts to be a little too eclectic and “out there” for my somewhat conservative taste, though I wouldn't say Gaiaspace goes into weird territory. Overall it's an interesting listen for those who like the envelope to be pushed, but not too far.
DENE at melliflua.com (yeh, I know...whoooooo??)
In my mind, this is the best Mooch release ever. I cannot get enough of this disc. It's a darker and much more upbeat approach to the usual releases. Though this certainly has the drifting shamamic like trips that we tend to more expect, this has the elements of what I would call breakbeat ingredients added to the mind-altering recipe. Track one, Emerald, is the demented and evil spawn of drum'n'bass culture. Wow, I say! This grabs you by the throat, drags you in, messes with yer head and then chucks you out again when you expect something more to happen... but nothing. It all ends suddenly, leaving you hanging for awhile, until the next track kicks in.
Whilst track 2, Meteorologue, is still a tad of a happy energetic piece, it still has a soothing effect. A comfort from the nightmarish experiences of Emerald. It has the feel of an Enid instrumental track. If it wasn't for the ethereal vocal and the pulsing rhythm that sits in the background so neatly, I would have sworn to anyone playing it that I was listening to a new track by Robert Godfrey and cohorts. Listening to this track conjures up visions of wild desolate alien landscapes. Is there life down there? I can't see...
On track 3, Flow-Thing, something drops from a hidden source into a mirror-smooth expanse of water. Your mind is put in a trance-like state watching the ever increasing circles radiate to beyond, breaking up at a rocky beach. As the mind is taken to the lake edge, you are swiftly and unexpectedly taken aloft, vertical, not stopping, until you find yourself at tree level. Travelling at an increasing speed, you have veiws of an ever changing, mutating landscape. Large expanses of green lie before you, which suddenly transform to deep gorges, and then forests, rocky plateaux, and infinite blankets of greenery. Suddenly you find youreslf decending, and before you know it you are back at the waters edge, beside the calm, mirror-like lake, watching the the circles, still increasing, and striking the shoreline...
Steve has done it again. An album of amazing quality, musically and instrumentally, a stunning album, one that will take pride of place in anyone's collection. The album, from beginning to end, is a mind trip of varying paces. By half way through things level out, and you can take stock. The mood slows down, and once again the comforting ambient pace helps you make sense of the trip you have just been on. Like a madddening roller coaster ride, this album excites, and takes you by surprise. Back down to Earth I can recommend you search out a copy of this fabulous album. I thought I could not be surprised again by Mooch, but by golly am I pleasantly surprised. 'Gaiaspace' has exceeded all expectations, and has out shone my other fave Mooch album 'In Search Of The Acid Grille'. How good can it get, I ask?
BRIAN MORRIS for whom or what, I have no idea - but he's got it spot on!
Mind trip of varying paces..." brilliant description. So true that the return to ambient pace is a time to make sense of it all. The first couple of tracks are so different to the type of ambience I listen to that they blew me away, because they force you to listen to them. I couldn't give it a listen whilst doing anything else! I had to sit down, press play and enjoy the ride. This isn't ambient background music. The depth of the tracks will suck you under. Only by taking the full ride can you appreciate that this is a full album from start to finish.
Gaiaspace is what it is, each twist and turn of the journey expressing the aspects of the earth in all her moods and emotions. What makes this different from other ambient releases is Steve's feeling for Gaia being projected into the music. This album has soul put into it. The soul of the artist and the subject.
Forget the mass produced ranks of psydub compilations available at your local record store. This is Art.
SUNHAIR RECORDS
... spacier ambience can be found on “Gaiaspace” the latest album from Mooch, an album that contains seven tracks of drifting synths, pulsing sequencers, Hillagesque guitar, electronic percussion and still manages to avoid the obvious clichés that this kind of music can fall into. Opening track “Emerald” is the perfect introduction, the blend of sounds creating something vibrant rather than soporific, with the guitar adding some wonderful atmosphere to the slightly unsettling percussion lines. Further in, the 17-minute “Indigo Sky Trip” is everything you need to know about Mooch, filled with synth explorations, ethnic rhythms, and a warm groove that will take you on a journey to a different realm. If you like Ambient Trance then this is a fine example of the style that is well worth investigating
SIMON LEWIS at Ptolemaic Terrascope magazine
The author and musician Stephen Palmer creates his music under the name Mooch. He has called his newest and fifth work 'Gaiaspace'. The topic is completely dedicated to the "mother earth". Stephen unites various moods on the CD, which, as usual, is very psychedelic and also electronic. Full of effects and experimental sound sequences, the CD offers a number of driven, even intense tracks. Partly spacey, then again orchestral or jazzy, Stephen mixes many different elements into unusual sound landscapes. At times one hears harmonious melody lines as in "Meteorologue", then, as in "Emerald", the music is quite angular, then again spacey in "Flow-Thing". In this track the electric guitar plays gently in the foreground, while a synthesizer sound and drum computer float in the background; this track reminds me of Klaus Schulze. It is difficult to classify the music of Mooch in any one category;there are too many beginnings. "Gaiaspace" is a disk which one must hear intensively, then there is much on it to discover. Those who liked 'Flight OF The Dub Voyager' will love this CD also.
STEPHAN SCHELLE for website
Gaiaspace is the first album of new Mooch recordings in some years, and by golly this may be the best one yet. Headed up by Stephen Palmer (Blue Lily Commission, sci-fi novelist), Mooch music is a brand of space rock characterized by electronica influences on the one hand, floating space and ambience on the other, and with the rock occupying various scattered points along the axis. There's 7 tracks on the album and each one deserves mention.
An intense wall of symphonic electronica forms the basis of the opening track, "Emerald", with ripping guitar licks adding the body and direction, and all manner of spaced out synth and keyboard work adding color and working alongside the guitar. Mooch do a great job of developing their set theme in an exploratory way, resulting in a nearly 10 minute piece of cosmic progressive space rock. "Meteorologue" is next and is described in the liner notes as a depiction of the weather. It's much more electronica based, and has a jazzy, sometimes Caribbean feel. I love the combination of accessible melody, chill-out grooves and fun freaky bubbling space synths. And Maxine Young's occasional chanting vocals are a nice extra touch. "Massive" is another deep space electronica driven piece with a seductive melody and dancey grooves, but with excellent stinging efx'd guitar licks. This may be the shortest song on the album but there's LOTS happening!
The nearly 16 minute "Flow-Thing" is noted as being inspired by Klaus, and judging by the music I think it's safe to say Schulze, though there's powerful shades of Ash Ra Tempel here too. We've got classic sequenced patterns, multiple keyboard melodies, prog symphonics, and a banquet of alien space electronics. But there's also more of that great tasteful guitar that makes "Emerald" such a cool tune, and in parts injects a strong Manuel Göttsching feel to the music, and at others has a spaced out frenzy that reminds me of Greg Kozlowski of Architectural Metaphor and Secret Saucer. Absolutely awesome!
At over 17 minutes "Indigo Sky Trip" is the epic track of the set and a seriously cosmic journey. It's got all the aforementioned elements wrapped into one, but with some spacey ethnic elements not unlike Palmer's other project, Blue Lily Commission, and more of that spacey prog rock feel that Mooch are so good at. What a great balance between dreamy brain massage and head bopping rhythmic pulse, all happening in deep space surrounded by the stars. Cross Ozric Tentacles with Klaus Schulze and throw in a dash of trance and techno and you might get something like this. Far… OUT!
"Galactic Oceanic Consciousness" gets my thumbs up for best song title on the album, and opens with guitar patterns that once again recall Manuel Göttsching. But those are quickly joined by floating space electronics and some bits with a more experimental edge. And when the acoustic guitar kicks in it adds a nice raga vibe to the music, at which point we're swimming in a wildly varied stew of musical parts that fit together oh so lusciously. Finally, closing the set is Noo!, which the liner notes say is about cultural diversity and tolerance. This is another tune that in part resembles Blue Lily Commission. A solid track that brings this wonderful album to a close. At the end of 2006 I'm sure Gaiaspace will be high on my best of list. Recommended.
JERRY KRANITZ from Aural Innovations Issue 34
Maybe it's a sign of there being too much music out there. How else can you explain away a project that's been releasing albums since 1993 never having crossed your path before. Or in this case, mine. Now, on average, I probably listen to 500 new releases every year, yet the spacerockingtastical Mooch only permeated my world over the last 12 months. Weird.
And annoying, for the swoosh is one of the noises that invigorates my musical being. Chuck in some glistening guitar lines, a few nonsensical titles (hello "Galactic Oceanic Consciousness") and I'm as happy as a pig in uniform.
For this is spacerock of the highest order, courtesy of Steven Palmer and Mooch. Yes, they take a trip down Ozric Tentacles Boulevard for some bits and bobs, nip off to the 24 hour Astralasia shop for some vibes, but when they put it all together, it comes up smelling of pure Mooch.
STUART HAMILTON for spacerock.co.uk