SYNTH MUSIC:
DWIGHT ASHLEY: Discrete Carbon CD
Following several collaboration albums with fellow musician and keyboards/synth player Tim Story, this was his first foray into solo work, and it's beautiful stuff. Largely rhythmless space music, the tracks are layered and arranged to provide more than just a sea of space synths. You get those and strings, but also piano, guitar, treatments and more to give a wonderful sense of texture to the music, so that it remains cosmic without falling into the trap of becoming lightweight, as the compositions never stand still, never stay in one place too long and always something is moving along within the mix. It's one of those albums that is both atmospheric and riveting, the tracks, between three and nine minutes long, hold your attention throughout. The music is deep, even resonant in parts, while the melodies are languid and the combinations of soundscapes and flowing, purposeful instrumentation just transfix you in their view once it all begins. It's not "New Age" neither is it "space synth", it's not really at all symphonic yet it has the best characteristics of that term within a cosmic context. It's highly atmospheric and just a gorgeous album that is something different within a well-tried genre.
DWIGHT ASHLEY: Four CD
Actually his second album - see the sleevenotes for why - and this time it's a more musically adventurous offering we have in front of us. In many ways, it's a lot darker - still essentially space music with melodic flow - and in places, a mix of mournful and eerie, in others, almost stark and eerie, but always the many and varied soundscapes producing ever changing horizons that still have that effect as you remain glued to the music that unfolds. Certainly more subdued in many ways, this is the silent contemplation after the cosmic euphoria of before, music when you want to be alone with your thoughts, almost "religious" in parts, with its synth/electronic/guitar textures providing the soundtrack to your innermost thoughts and feelings at a time when no-one or nothing else can share them. A magical listening experience.
JOHN DYSON: Evolution - Remaster+Bonus Track CD
Opening with the stirring synths introduction to the opening track, you get the same feeling here as you did on hearing the opening to something like 'Shine On You Crazy Diamond' as the synth waves flow and build, starting space, adding layers and becoming ever stronger and more atmospheric to the six minute mark, when this sequenced synth rhythm begins the rolling nature of the piece as gorgeously warm string synths and a trademark solo melody line soar into being as the whole thing now gathers ever more layers and tunes and drives forth, rising from peak to peak as the electro-percussive foundations thunder in and the whole sea of melodies, rhythms and strings just flies to the heavens in immaculate fashion, rising to a crescendo and a full stop at just over eleven minutes - superb! After this a three minute 'Heaven's Bridge' provides us with spacious deep bass and sparkling melodies above which a flute-like synth lead provides the central tune - gorgeous! This goes straight into the four minute 'Haydn Seek', a track that, as you might expect from the title, is very orchestral sounding with strings all over the show as the central thematic flow unfolds to wondrous extent, the sound of the "Dyson string orchestra' in full bloom as the surrounding synth backdrops unfold to equally fine extent. Then, almost unbroken once again, you dive into the bas depths and swiftly following cascading rhythms above which a flute-like lead tune spirals away until that dies out, the lead rhythm cascade takes on a more bass-y effect, the drums crash in for effect as the track gathers ever more layers and builds to majestic effect, changing shape and sound as it goes, weaving assorted melodies and backdrops against the strong, rolling rhythm base, as six and a half minutes of glorious synth music passes by. The ten and a half minute 'Return 3' starts with deep synth bass, space synths and atmospherics before a flowing lead melody from piano appears above the cosmic backdrop, then the whole nature of the track becomes more orchestral as it flows on in fine melodic and strongly supportive fashion, adding and subtracting ever more synths, textures, melodies, backdrops and synth choirs as it goes, only towards the end the drums crashing in like waves on the shore, for extra dramatic effect. The eight minute 'Juan Michel' is one of those tracks that can be enjoyed by all fans of the music as it crosses melodic, "Berlin", cosmic and forceful, all in one glorious piece of music. The near eleven minute title track is an epic of synths music that builds and layers on flowing sea s of melodies and rhythms, gradually opening out in a hail of string synths, lead melodies, sequencer rhythms, majestic synth surrounds, strong crashing percussive effects and all wrapped up in tunes that spiral ever upwards, gradually becoming stronger and even more anthemic as the track rises up and breaks out to stunning effect. As an added bonus, there's a ten and a half minute live track recorded by the Dyson band line-up which reveals that, with the added guitars and band members, what a potent force this was in a live situation, as an incredibly strong and soaring rendition of 'Dying Eagle' unfolds, so majestic you could almost shut your eyes and be in a Pink Floyd album. The remastering, overall, has done this music the justice it deserves and this has to be regarded as one of the landmark albums of UK synth music.
PAUL ELLIS: The Sacred Ordinary CD
Title's just about right - sacred and very ordinary. Even for an album of atmospheric synth music, it's somehow completely devoid of feeling for the first ten minutes. Everything happens in slow motion and I guess it's just the way it's constructed that leads you into terminal boredom by the time you're ten minutes in. Then, sequencer rhythms fire up and the whole thing begins to move - at last - a whole sea of synth rhythms rising up, all ready for the melodies and atmospherics to appear on top - and, guess, what? - yes, that's right - they don't. All you get is the cyclical rolling rhythms, occasional synth swoops and very little else, as you crave for a melody just somewhere to appear. The title track is nine minutes of rhythm-free space synths that goes to the opposite end of the scale, but doesn't fare much better in the enjoyment stakes. I don't know - I listened to the rest and it completely failed to grab me in anyway whatsoever -I suggest you get another opinion - I'm no use to you at all where this one's concerned.
ROBERT FOX: Maya CD
There are a few CD's released these days - not many I admit - where you have to treat the album as a whole body of music - you have to listen to the whole thing - there's no point highlighting things here and bits there - not unless you have something the equivalent of Brandenburg No 3 (I think) that sticks in your head - otherwise you have to treat said album like one of the great orchestral works of the past - and this is that sort of album. In its own way, it's HUGE, sounding as expansive as any I've heard with synth soundscapes, melodies, backdrops, rhythms and layers that billow like cloud formations and rise up to impress or mellow out to caress. There's a distinctly Oldfield-meets-Enigma flavour to the album but without the syrupy or twee or blandness that characterized a lot of those two's works. With a seriously full-sounding mix and crystal clear production, this is an album with purpose, direction, cohesion, strength, dynamics, warmth, delicacy and drive. There's nothing here that will challenge and there's nothing particularly powerful, there's no "Berlin" School" or long-winded Schulze-esque compositions, but what there is reveals a sense of great depth to the music, with compositions that have been thought out and carefully constructed to provide the perfect soundtrack to your thoughts, as images of faraway places, towering cathedrals and high-flying over gorgeous landscapes, all come into play. Decidedly greater than its component elements, this has class and quality running through its veins from start to finish and, as a melodic, rhythmic, spacious and cosmic album of great strength and substance, even though it is solid yet easy listening, it has to be regarded as one of his finest albums to date.
Across 6 tracks and sixty-one minutes, this is Parsons doing what he always did best - multi-textured, multi-layered, cosmic, spacey, atmospheric, full-sounding, rhythm-free synth music. It's one of those albums that, once you put it on and the sounds unfold, the bass depths boom, the strings float and the synths well up, you are inexorably hooked and, whatever you are doing, you just let it play as the mood dictates. In many ways as hypnotic, if not quite as stark, as something like Tangerine Dream's 'Zeit', it's got that sort of chatracter and, as electronic space music goes, is at the top of its tree.
RADIO MASSACRE INTERNATIONAL: Hog Wild CD
It's classic RMI - really, that's all you need to know. Recorded live in concert in Leicester and Manchester in 2004, you get 2 eighteen and twenty two minute tracks that are sequencer/mellotron/synth/guitar-fests in the vein of good old seventies Tangs, then a nineteen minute spacey track with lots of layers and a nine minute track with lots of searing guitar and a nine minute track that has all of this distilled into one piece - you know what to expect - you get it and more. This is quality stuff from start to finish, perfectly recorded, superbly played and nearly eighty minutes of pleasure - another essential purchase.
AMARESH MARK SEELIG/STEVE ROACH: Disciple CD
Now you'd have thought that an album of flutes, chants and analogue drones sprinkled with percussion here and there, might not exactly be the most riveting thing in the world. Normally, yes, but in this case, far from the truth. Across four lengthy tracks, the gorgeous flute textures and Asian-flavoured textural backdrops combined with space drones, are the cohesive forces that stick the whole thing together and keep your attention fixed. On the fourteen minute 'Call Of The Divine' the icing on the cake is a female vocalist who provides a slow Indian chant/song that is just divine, in every sense of the word, and although you might have heard things like this before, you've never heard them this good or this atmospheric and this substantial. Apart from the use of percussion on the thirteen minute 'On The Path', it's a slice of cosmic, meditational heaven from start to finish, with plenty of varied and differing textures to take you through a world where nothing stands still yet it's all in glorious slow-motion. A gem.
FRANK VAN BOGAERT: Colours CD
Every musician has to make something that breaks the cycle of what you expect from them, based on work that you already know, and this is the one for this guy. Twelve tracks, averaging just over four minutes a-piece, and each the title of a colour. Musically, though, this can be seen as his "chill-out" or "downtempo" album with a fair few of its rhythms occupying an ambient land from the early nineties. That said, there's a lot more melody in this music, as you'd expect from a "trad synth" musician, than in any of the classic "ambient" albums of the past, so, in many ways, this is a synth/ambient crossover. Rarely free of string synths and flowing tunes, it nevertheless manages to sound quite solid, coming across more as a mix of atmosphere and melody than you'd think, with heavy glimpses of influences ranging from Oldfield & Vangelis to Enigma & Deep Forest, with electronic, electro-percussive rhythms to the forefront on most tracks.
V/A: Celticum Mysticum CD
A themed album that involves tracks predominantly featuring, synths, keys and, on the odd occasion, heavenly female vocals, that all ooze the Celtic spirit of aeons gone by, so that you really feel this music transports you back to the middle ages and beyond, a time of castles, maidens in distress and fairie magic. The likes of Gary Stadler, Alquimia, Bernd Scholl, Marcator, Eleven Of Hearts & Gleisberg, all with a couple of tracks a-piece, provide a beautiful New Age soundtrack to your ancient dreams.
V/A: Voices Of Asia CD
Despite the title, it's largely instrumental and is primarily electronic, synthesizer, keyboard and electro-acoustic music in a semi-New Age setting that has the flavour of the Asian continent running through its veins. Occasional wordless heavenly female vocals crop up, particularly amazing on the decidedly Mike Oldfield-influenced title track from Ginkgo Garden, but elsewhere it's a trip through the heart of Asia using electronics, keys and synths in the main, although the track from Aschera revolves around a soaring electric guitar lead, and also features a couple of tracks exclusive to this album from Gleisberg & Shajan, both cosmic music tracks of over seven and three minutes respectively. Melodic from start to finish, substantial, cohesive and yet beautiful, if you like your New Age music to be electronic and full of feeling, with a variety that suits even the most demanding of listeners in this genre, all infused with the Asian spirit, then this is a dream album for you.
RICHARD WAHNFRIED: Megatone CD
Available again for a short period, subject to stock, the long-deleted Klaus Schulze alter-ego album that featured just three tracks from nearly nine to over twenty minutes long. The album starts with the crunching solidity of 'Angry Young Boys', a track founded on beds of rhythm, as Schulze's electronic drums and synth rhythms form the foundations over which the rattling acoustic drums of Santana's Mike Shrieve roll around the mix while the main body of the lead instrumentation starts of with some steaming electric guitar, moves through a brief sax melody before Schulze takes the reins and provides this sparkling synth solo over the solid rhythmic base, as the track veritably flies along effortlessly, sounding just so solid and addictive. The near nine minute 'Agamemory' features the exotic percussion at the heart of the rhythmic machine, only this time more samba-esque and chilled-out as the synths and keyboards take the lead over a sea of choppy rhythms with electric guitar cutting in from the distance to provide extra melodic texture to the track as it, once again, rolls onwards on the exotic and heady sea of rhythmic bliss. Finally, the twenty minute 'Rich Meets Max' a similar sounding composition to the first, only this time with much more room for the lead instruments to stretch out so that this time the electrifying work from the biting lead guitar becomes much more addictive while the distant sax work sounds perfectly in context with the, primarily, electro-percussive and electronic rhythms, all sailing onwards to the twelve minute point whereupon the rhythms just stop, the synths move into space mode and then, just as you're expecting a cosmic excursion to see out the album, the electro-percussive beats and chugging synth rhythms kick back in, only for the electric guitar lead to spiral upwards and shine with one seriously stunning solo above the beefy rhythmic foundations. The guitars stops, the rattling acoustic drums come rolling into the heart of the mix as a percussion segment sees out the final rhythmic part of the album, albeit briefly, before the track closes on a wave of deep, dark, eerie synths.
BEKKI WILLIAMS: Inner Sense CD
If you describe an album as "uncompromising" you generally mean it's going to be something you're not going to want to hear - HOWEVER……occasionally it will work the other way - and this is one example, because this album is unashamedly melodic. Not only is it melodic but it's full to brimming over with tunes. Not only has it got tunes but it's romantic. Not only is it romantic but it's full of warmth and fantasy - yes folks, it's the Mills And Boon of synth music!! Across ten tracks and fifty minutes, the incurable romantic that is Bekki Wiliams provides the listener with more melodies than a Richard Clayderman album, more tunes than you can shake a stick at and somehow manages to wrap them up in such a way that they come out sounding more like a John Dyson album than anything else. Rhythmically you'll get a fair bit of strong stuff from assorted sequenced electronics, electro-percussive beats and programmed rhythms, and sometimes you won't get any rhythm at all when the flow really starts. What you also get is string synths - truckloads of the things - more strings than the Halle Orchestra - a world where every track could be the accompaniment to some unheard of romantic B-Movie. This sort of album just doesn't exist anymore - noone would dare!!! - so you have to hand it to her to produce something in which she feels so passionate and for which that passion comes flowing out like a river after a heavy storm. If you like melody, tunes, direction, purpose, cohesion and beauty in your synth music look no further - if you don't like synth music that's schmaltzy, overblown, more syrup than Tate and Lyle and indescribably twee, then look elsewhere.
OR
BEKKI WILLIAMS: Inner Sense CD
Well, the opening track starts off sounding like one of those early romantic tracks that John Dyson used to do then opens out into this orchestral sounding passage before the two things merge to provide one of those anthemic finales, again very reminiscent of early solo Dyson. Track two comes along and it's full of sweeping strings, pretty melodies, tunes and all things sugary from a variety of synths, piano, strings and electronic drum rhythms - all very, errr…… pleasant. Track three - more string synths, presumably with aromantic streak in there somewhere, as percussive tinkings are heard and this oboe-like lead synth sails over the top of the strings, again very orchestral sounding, as a cyclical melody emerges and this piano tune comes sailing in, again, all terribly pleasant sounding if you're into this sort of thing. Track four actually manages to inject some semblance of force and cohesion into things with at least a good solid shuddering rhythm and some heavenly choral voices, but still the string synths present in the background as this twee lead synth melody line rises to the top and becomes the main focus over what is, admittedly, a deep and spacious backdrop. Thankfully the thudding beats return and the whole thing is once more back into Dyson territory - in fact, close your eyes and it could be a Dyson album - admittedly ten or fifteen years old, but one nevertheless. The rest of the album follows a similar trail - tons of melodies, even more tunes, lashings of strings, bucketfuls of romance and things that sound like soundtracks to B-Movie love films - the Mills and Boon of synth music. If you like a good tune and don't want anything remotely challenging, then this will do you just fine.
