MORPHEUS MUSIC REVIEWS

This strong release will be enjoyed by psy-chill lovers looking for something of a dreamy nature yet with sufficient drive for low tempo end of the dancefloor. If you enjoy artists like Chronos or Androcell or Zero Cult then you might well appreciate Catching Zinc.

MORPHEUS MUSIC REVIEWS

Beautiful electronic glitchscapes with various acoustic elements. Field Rotation is a project with a rare sense of elegant beauty. The subtle classical threads that twine through these digital arrangements imbue the music with a dignity and grace that immediately lifts Licht und Schatten above the norm. The melodic content is relatively minimal, yet these sparse soundtracks are highly emotive, heavy with atmosphere and most inviting. Melancholy acoustic guitar hangs over heaving synthetic pads in melodic calm, whilst in other passages tense string swells ebb and flow in dramatic shadow. Plaintive piano and transmission fragments alternate with string snatches upon a bed of sonic breeze, the crunch of footfalls rises and falls behind days-end glow, faint arpeggios morph across rhythmic electronica. Once the understated beats roll in, the music almost sighs at times with a restrained serenity. Click-ridden scratchy rhythms and soft crackle adorn the more regular beats that drive some of the recordings, some pieces have no beat for the most part or none at all.

Fluid Audio have excelled with the packaging of this special edition EP. The disc comes in a four panel tray presented in a hand stitched fabric sleeve. A full colour poster, badge and an additional surprise (I won't spoil it) are all included in the set. A paper slip enwraps the sleeve bearing the title of the album - everything tasteful and with that feel of something special. This might all be a bit suspect if it weren't for the quality of the music - Fluid are not trying to sucker listeners in by means of package overkill - rather this is a fantastic limited edition item that feels special through and through.

MORPHEUS MUSIC REVIEWS

Melodic instrumental synth music with occasional vocal sections. Train in a Rainbow is a collection of bright, electronic music with strong beats and clear themes. Multi-layered tuneful phrases, string sounds and burbling/twinkling sequencer patterns form the backbone of Solar Camel's sound on this release. The chosen sound palette is one of clean, traditional synthesis, voice loops and pianos. Drum beats are primarily composed of programmed grooves built around real drum sounds, yet digital hits and ethnic percussion elements also are employed broadening the mix. On the title track, male and female voices with distinct European accents sing/speak in a style reminiscent of Kraftwerk, in other places strongly effected vocal strains act in a more instrumental manner.

The Solar Camel project consists of Italian Agostino Mascarello on digital piano/synth/vocals and Brazilian born Déia on vocals/arrangements. Currently the duo is based in the south of France - the project takes its name from Agostino's surname in anagram form. There is a second project that goes by the name of Polar Camel focusing more on pop/classical sounds. If you'd like to hear what is on offer, why not check out the Solar Camel Myspace page or alternately their CD Baby page where tracks can be previewed and purchased individually or as an album on CD. Solar Camel acknowledges the influence of such major acts as Jean-Michel Jarre, Ennio Morricone and Vangelis.

MORPHEUS MUSIC REVIEWS

Rhythmic and ambient electronica. Chikatetsu is a subtle album of constantly shifting emphasis - opening with a pattern of high pitched delicate notes and steady drone, the album gets under way with a sense of unhurried class. Building into a restfully throbbing bass groove this initial track features the kind of tuneful, freeform harmony and artfully layered human-artificial structures that dominate the album. Barely discernable station voices and subway sounds occasionally inhabit the somewhat abstract musical forms that run in narrative flow. Some passages have a strongly mechanical rhythm suggestive of fleeting motion - rolling sequencer forms driving light melodic phrases. Other sections reveal a jazz influence, with lustrous vibes and muted chimes dancing among the synth voices. The music features Tim Gerwing on keyboards, guitars, bass, electronics, vocals and drum programming with musicians Besart Hysniu delivering keyboards, programming, remixing, electronics, David Picking ride cymbals and Terry O'Brien guitar, guitar synths. There is often a mesmerising sense of detachment about the music as if the listener were a lonely observer among busy meandering crowds - at rest among the currents of urban activity.

Chikatetsu comes in a sharp card wallet (these really are so much nicer than jewelcases) of saturated colour. The front image is a motion blurred train caught momentarily passing through a station - broad black borders making the night-time hues appear to positively glow. The reverse holds a tube map layered upon a carriage interior - here are a series of evocative, descriptive terms that might help the potential listener to imagine something of the nature of the music. Within, the two panel sleeve holds track details on the left and additional information on the right. Instrumental and technical credits along with thanks and download details.

Born and based currently in Canada Tim Gerwing has been interested in music since early childhood. Having studied classical piano, Tim branched out to explore jazz, electronic, new age, progressive rock/pop, and Middle and Far Eastern styles. He has been releasing music as a solo artist since 2002 when his debut Being To Being was released under his own record label. This current disc contains thirteen tracks that that work around the theme of Japanese subway travel and experience. Promotional material explains Chikatetsu as 'the “underground iron”, the subway system that is the heart of public transportation in the large cities of Japan'. Further wording suggests "ambient textures -> electronic musical maps -> hyper-cultural leitmotifs -> fractal audio perspectives -> psycho-emotional sonic imagery. The beautifully designed website contains sound samples and further information if you'd like to check it out at http://www.lascaux21.com/chikatetsu/

MORPHEUS MUSIC REVIEWS

Dubtronic bass-heavy downtempo. Built largely around Liquid Stranger's trademark gutsy basslines and reggae influenced beats, The Intergalactic Slapstick progresses the project's sound somewhat further into deepest dubstep. Basslines to strain your system pump, throb, warp, zap and bound with provocative intensity. Vocal material is mostly in the form of dance hall shout outs, rasta yells, dj rants, psycho-musings, ethnic chants and relatively brief sung phrases with performances from Brother Culture, Deeyah and Warrior Queen. This approach tends to give the music an instrumental feel despite the abundance of voice content. That said pieces like Mutant (co-written by Warrior Queen) and Hexed and Perplexed allow the bass and vox to pretty much share centre stage. The tempo varies from the relatively upbeat Tantrum to the plodding Dance On The Petals Avoiding The Nettles with its half pace d'n'b flickers. The diverse roots of Liquid Stranger's sound sprawl across electro, ambient, grime, global, breaks and garage - this time, however, a weighty dub-reggae emphasis dominates especially the first half of the disc.

Liquid Stranger delivers The Intergalactic Slapstick as the second album from the project and follow-up to the 2007 debut The Invisible Conquest. Once again Interchill is the chosen label, already home to a cutting edge catalogue of dub and bass albums. Generously there are no less than thirteen tracks on the album all with incredibly impelling rhythms. Tabla grooves and Indian flutes as well as some chanted drum talk soften the tone in the latter half where Lotus winds down with a delicate female Indian vocal and running water; the final track taking the suite full circle back to the almost ambient electronica of the introduction. The label website at Interchill provides listening facilities if you'd like to sample before buying.

MORPHEUS MUSIC REVIEWS

The names David Wenngren and Danny Norbury might well make a familiar connection, the pair having frequently worked together in the past. The Library Tapes project for example has seen Norbury contributing strings to Wenngren's piano work. However, whilst piano arrangements there sometimes formed the main element, here the balance between the instruments is more level. Released via Home Normal Records this CD might well be described as neo-classical by virtue of the cello/piano combination, however, the musical approach is sure to appeal to fans of serious minded melodic ambient or cinematic chillout also. For me this project has the edge over The Library Tapes - very moody, very beautiful, current.