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------The
Strato Ensemble - Drawn Straws |
| STYLE |
|
Electronic jazz
oriented improvisations. Drawn Straws features the combined
sounds of electric guitar, keyboards, sax, bass and drums
& 'glitch pads'. The ensemble strings together well
delivered instrumental riffs over a rhythm section that
follows in the nineteen seventies prog rock tradition. There
are spacey sections of expansive electronic pads where the
music seems to hang almost weightless for a while before
the pace leaps up a gear and the whole arrangement is hammering
along, fingers flying over rapid scales. The exploratory
approach is initially given free reign through a series
of lengthy passages that eventually have been edited down
to the set of tracks here presented. |
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| MOOD |
|
The
mood is quite a serious one, the melodies quite challenging
at times, the rhythms intricate and varying. Performance is
the root of the sound, this is music clearly played by musicians
enjoying the process. |
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| ARTWORK |
|
The
CD comes in a jewel case with a single sheet insert featuring
a striking front cover image. An organic cliff face perforated
with oval openings and indentations tinted green, slightly
reminiscent of Roger Dean's painted scenery for such artists
as Yes. Turning the insert over we find a sepia tinted portrait
of the band set above credits and overdub information. On
the jewel case rear each track is set out with the initials
of the players involved and there is a lengthy paragraph explaining
the project in terms of inspiration and intent. |
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| OVERALL |
|
Drawn
Straws is the culmination of a series of sessions from Autumn
2003 through to late 2004 involving Dean De Benedictis (Surface
10), Giuseppe Patane (Maata Haari), Andrea "Jako"
Giacomini (Socadia), and Takeshi Nishimoto (I'm Not A Gun).
The album pulls together the highlights of these sessions,
presenting them with certain overdubs into a listenable,
coherent whole. Promotional material explains that this
is "a project based on the principal of liberation
through improvisational flow. Rather then take that same
atonal, sparsely-punctuated path into experimental jazz,
so thoroughly explored and exploited through the generations,
we decided to indulge our genuine interest in a modal, melodic-ambient
approach, so as to allow for extra-aesthetic qualities such
as mood, expanse, and build". Track lengths range from
over twenty four minutes to around three and a half. |
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| WHO
WILL LIKE THIS ALBUM |
|
This album
will appeal to lovers of 'live' sounding electronic music
given to a bit of jazz with a strong retro-rock edge. |
| |
|
 |
|
------Various
- eMotive |
| STYLE |
|
A varied
selection of electronica and world sounds. There are ethnic
rhythms, global voices and world instruments alongside smooth
synths, nylon guitar melodies and delicate pianos. Tablas
cross paths with oriental violin sounds, synthetic choral
voices give way to acoustic plucked string effects and almost
orchestral arrangements - the mood ranging from neo-classical
to new age optimism through world fusion exoticism and on
to Celtic emotionalism. Despite the variation in style, nonetheless,
the album maintains a consistent voice throughout - attractive
harmonies and restful settings elegantly performed. |
| |
| ARTWORK |
|
The
front cover depicts a piece of golden musical notation against
a bright graphic design that radiates with an overlaid spiral
pattern. A black background draws stark attention to the legend
that this is a Non Profit Music CD (the profits all going
to Doctors Without Borders). On the rear is a full track list
with cover shots of albums by each of the contributing artists.
Inside a two page booklet opens out to provide information
on the label and its purpose on one panel and a detailed paragraph
on the four artists on the other. When the CD is removed an
attractively dark image is revealed of waterfall sheeting
across a cave mouth. |
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| OVERALL |
|
The
compositions on this collection are all the work of four artists
- Grundman, Gnomusy (David Caballero), Joaquin Taboada and
Eduardo Laguillo. The pieces are mostly instrumentals of a
gentle nature and 'almost all of the works have been previously
published by Non Profit Music with the exception of Cliodhna
by David Caballero (Gnomusy) and The Girl With The Stolen
Smile (Nanjing, 1937) by Jorge Grundman, which are extracted
from the upcoming albums by these composers'. This tranquil
collection will appeal to lovers of dreamy melody and light
new age serenity. |
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|
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------Asura
- Life² |
| STYLE |
|
Atmospheric
downtempo electronica and global chillout. Life² opens
with a dramatic track of tribal intensity, swelling synths
and moody duduk phrases - establishing a somewhat timeless
cinematic space threaded through with a cutting edge contemporary
aesthetic. Laid back trance beats and rippling sequencers
appear on track two, introducing an undulating rhythmic
terrain that lumbers into thudding regularity one moment,
smooth synthetic sheets and mists hanging in the air, before
evaporating away into ambient floatation and beatless space.
This varied approach produces some beautifully unhurried
passages of meandering mystery and exotic mood in among
the more danceable grooves where pulsing basses and gated
vocals rise to the fore. Vocal snatches echo and spiral
on turbulent sonic drafts, rich marginal effects gushing
against choral beds, Indian female lyrics woven among lush
strings, fluid pads and swells buoy up philosophical musings,
middle eastern percussion meshing seamlessly with programmed
beats. In short the sound palette is luxurious and diverse,
yet strung together with tasteful restraint into a powerful
listening experience. |
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| ARTWORK |
|
Ultimae
presentation guarantees a sumptuous package with tasteful
imagery - Life² being no exception. The front cover
photograph shows an arcane device of concentric rings and
slots which reappears on the back in enlarged form and again
on the cover to the accompanying booklet. Spread across
the full three panel panorama within is a broad shot of
grassed horizons and heavy skies centred on a gleaming sun
- the artist looming in silhouette on the right. The sixteen
page booklet follows the Ultimae tradition of laying out
a full page for each track - a well selected series of beguiling
imagery holds a brief credit at the foot of each. At the
rear of the booklet is a page of French text and another
English language page of thanks. |
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| OVERALL |
|
Asura
has been around in various incarnations since around the
year 2000 when the debut album Code Eternity was released.
This album accompanied the birth of Ultimae Records and
became one of the landmark albums of the genre. Code Eternity
was followed up with an altered line up in 2003 releasing
Lost Eden and now the team has been further distilled down
to founder member Charles Farewell as a solo project. This
latest offering is something of a rebirth, seeing the initial
sound revisited and developed into a dynamic, finely honed
fusion of ethnic warmth and technological liquid. Beautifully
produced and brimming with aural colour, Life² fits
into the Ultimae catalogue ideally, bringing with it a distinct
personality and confident vision that will doubtless further
broaden the appeal of this flagship of modern electronic
music. |
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|
 |
|
------Gaudi
+ Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan - Dub Qawwali |
| STYLE |
|
Dub drenched
fusion bringing the inimitable vocals of legendary Pakistani
singer Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan into a fresh context. UK artist
Gaudi has taken a selection of original songs and worked his
studio magic around them presenting them in a twenty first
century framework of digital dub styling and infectious reggae
rhythm. Low bass lines roll and lumber against the stabs and
echoes of the genre, a pop lightness and uplifting warmth
pervading much of the collection including some distinctive
Kraftwerk borrowings from the classic track The Model. Retaining
something of the flavour of the source material heady sarangi,
unfurling flute lines, harmonium and tablas are all woven
among the synthetic content. The title says it all really
- dub meets Qawwali - deftly crafted, bewitchingly blended,
exquisitely produced. |
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| ARTWORK |
|
I
have only the promotional card sleeve for this album - but
this shows the attractive cover imagery that you can see above
- a rich melding of graphic elements and textural surfaces
that centres around Gaudi's own human figure logo. Lush natural
hues of green, brown and red make up a design that combines
some effective aging techniques and sharp modernising. The
reverse presents a timed tracklist and all relevant contact
details. |
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| OVERALL |
|
Gaudi's
latest collaborative project makes able use of a series
of rare (and in some cases unreleased) studio sessions from
the late 60s and early 70s - these vibrant recordings are
here carefully reworked in memory of the singer on the tenth
anniversary of his death. Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan needs no
introduction to much of the world - he was born back in
1948 in Lyallpur, part of the Punjab Province of Pakistan.
His first commercial recording is generally considered to
have been made in 1973 in Pakistan with a huge number of
cassette albums following and a wealth of remixes aimed
both at the Western and Indian markets following that. Something
in the region of 125 albums make up his current catalogue.
WOMAD and Real World did much to expose the singer to the
West experimenting with a variety of styles and approaches
and such talents as Bally Sagoo and Massive Attack have
brought their creative talents to this incredible voice.
Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan died in 1997. Such a heritage makes
it all the more remarkable that Gaudi's project is so effective
- his respect for the songs is evident in his delivery,
his masterful studio skills evident in the quality.
|
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------The
Peaking Goddess Collective - Organika |
| STYLE |
|
Deep downtempo atmospheres
and lush progressive organic/synthetic colour. Organika brims
with all manner of sonic ephemera - breezy flutes, didgeridoo,
dreamy guitars and ethnic percussion - swirling, spiralling
electronic effects and mangled voice samples- lapping water,
birdsong, finger cymbals. A lot of work has been put into
the percussive side of the music, smooth hand drums and clattering
stick work interweave the downbeat dance grooves and imaginative
bass lines that drive the music making for a rhythmically
engrossing experience. The band's live approach beams clearly
through the sharp programming and sparkling mix, performance
elements smoothly complementing the digital aspects. Poetic
words from artist Alex Grey and Peak’s own resident
poet Tanina Munchkina highlight the collaborative vision that
the project shares, drawing on the skills of a widely varied
pool of talent. |
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| MOOD |
|
The
Peaking Goddess Collective have put together a striking album
of chillout mood music - blissful and floatational whilst
at the same time heaving with some driving beats. The psychedelic
side of the music is ever spattering and layering the tracks
with peripheral detail, aural air movement and sonic turbulence.
Music to brighten your dreams or to fuel the dance floor,
the eclectic aesthetic that the band works toward establishes
a timelessness and a trans-cultural sound that works to great
effect. |
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| ARTWORK |
|
Artwork
for the album brings together a similar blend of the synthetic
and the organic as can be found in the music - circular mandala
like patterns overlay or lurk within luminous photographic
imagery. On the front cover half of a rising/setting disc
hangs against a sky flushed with rainbow glows, within another
disc echoes the shape of the CD. The track list can be found
both outside and inside noting key contributors alongside.
A full list of guest performers is found on the inside of
the sleeve bathed in graphic light. |
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| OVERALL |
|
Advertised
under the genre 'psychedelic chill' Organika comes as the
debut album from The Peaking Goddess Collective. The band
has contributed to a number of compilations and have self-released
several of their live performances. Obviously released via
Peak records - Organika benefits from the mixing skills
of Master Margherita. The collective is described as a "four-piece
live digital & organic band known for its outstanding
and longstanding performances" comprised of guitarist
Ajja S.F. Leu, bass-player Master Margherita and percussionist
Dymons joined most recently by flutist Flooting Grooves.
Like minded musicians bring digeridoo and tabla, dholak,
dhol sounds to the mix as well as the afore mentioned poetic
lines.
|
| |
| WHO
WILL LIKE THIS ALBUM |
|
Organika
will doubtless delight the band's fans gathered via their
live shows - maintaining something of the feel of improvisational
performance whilst building in a carefully crafted studio
sound. Organika is for chill lovers that enjoy some powerful
rhythms and 'real' instruments against imaginative synth programming. |
| |
|
 |
|
------Artemis
- Gravity |
| STYLE |
|
Female
vocals and cool beat driven electronic soundscaping. Artemis
employs a range of synthetic instrumentation along with
live performance - arpeggios and sequences ripple across
softer washes and plenty of melodic synth lines - flute,
cello and harmonium are among the more organic sounds -
spoken voices, processed utterances and layered singing
further broaden the sonic spectrum. The beats here are varied
and inventive - sometimes gritty affairs plugging along
at a medium pace, sometimes prowling downbeat trip hop grooves
- tonal shifts and structural variations constantly renewing
the rhythmic palette. Artemis, however, is centred on the
distinctive vocal lines - frequently understated, the singing
drops down at times to an angelic whisper or an ethereal
silk, but then rises comfortably to an anthemic soaring.
Creatively executed and delivered with confident panache,
Artemis makes full use of her vocal range, delivering absorbing
lyrics in emotive arrangements. |
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| ARTWORK |
|
Gravity
is well packaged featuring a front cover image of the artist
suspended in black space over-haloed by burst of blue that
seemingly centres on a vivid red orb held out at arms length.
A small bird perched on one toe completes the layout. This
front cover actually opens out into a six panel fold-out sheet
where montaged photo-imagery steeped in deep shades of red,
yellow and blue attract the eye. One set of three panels forms
a luminous panorama that is footed by a list of credits for
each track along with design and artwork acknowledgements.
One open fully the innermost six panels present an enlarged
version of the main cover design. There is a tracklist both
inside and on the rear of the jewelcase. Behind the CD is
a dedication and a generous list of thanks. |
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| OVERALL |
|
Gravity
is the follow up to Artemis' 2001 debut album Undone. Released
through rtfm Records, this album has been followed recently
by a strong remix collection entitled Orbits. Comparisons
might be made to Lamb or to a more lounge oriented Delerium,
but in reality Artemis has a unique sound that has plenty
of its own strength. For the most part there is an attractive
intimacy to the voice quality of Gravity matching the warm
romantic side of the music. From fairy tale dreams and blissful,
nocturnal moods to rolling, urban drum and bass laziness this
is a solid, well produced CD that will appeal to a wide audience. |
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