Description
The sound of a windswept coastline backed by undulating drones provides a rather ‘visual’ but also impressive start to ‘Sun Radiating’. Things become more majestic with the introduction of an Organ. It’s as if a fantastic landscape is being revealed before us as the dawn breaks. A superb sequence surges forwards contrasted by ethereal mellotron and all of a sudden the whole track explodes from its tranquil beginnings. Nice thick lead lines add that little menace then another sequence, a little more melodic than the first, is brought into play. It acts more like another lead line actually giving extra dynamics to the piece as it rises and falls in the mix. There is so much going on now that it is hard to keep track of it all but by ek, its devastating stuff! It even has its Node like moments! Unbelievably things become even more intense with five minutes to go as just the right amount of rhythm (actually more like another sequence line) in added as well as yet more excellent leads. This really must be one of the best sequencer driven tracks I have heard all year. Never has twenty minutes flown by so quickly. ‘North of Circle’ uses magnificent metallic, but still rather delicate, shimmering drones to create a feeling of cold desolation. These are then complemented by mellotron choir effects on which another superb sequence rides as if surfing a wave. Javi knows how to wield those note patterns like a seasoned Berlin School veteran which as far as I know he certainly ain’t. This really is very impressive stuff. The sequence morphs this way and that, then as in the first track another is brought into play heralding the entrance of more excellent pitch bending leads. If anything this track is even more sequence dominated than the first, even approaching Head Space Technology levels but maybe not quite as OTT. Played loud this level of sequencing must surely give the whole body repetitive vibration disorder, keeping you shaking well after the music is finished! ‘Zenith’ has a dark brooding beginning, again Node or even Redshift came to mind but this time representing their more sinister atmospheric sides. We get five minutes of this then in rumbles the inevitable sequence. Yet again it’s another stonking one that just seems to get better with each surge of pulsations. The mellotron can again be heard. Some would say that the track is just following a tried and trusted formula, and I suppose it is but it is done so wonderfully well. The thing is that the sequences are pure class and with music such as this that is what everything else hangs on. What is more those ‘everything elses’ that are hanging on it are pretty damned good as well. If you are into sequencer driven Berlin School music you really have to give this a try. (DL) ;\ ‘\’
