German Spheric Music recording label creator Lambert Ringlage is a dedicated executive producer and musician who's been devoted to certain types of space music for a long time. His interest, passion and business is not only about other people's music, in fact he also plays under the moniker of Lambert and has been around for ages. "Essential" seems to be a collection of old "essential" material by him (I wish he'd send some additional info/bio when he mails promos!) spanning between 1991 and 2000, but I don't know much more... Two previously unreleased tracks are also included. When listening initially (before reading the booklet's notes) I thought the music was quite "retro'" at times... I thought I was getting sick of too many old fashioned bands still playing the same kind of music after decades. But then fortunately I realized that this was indeed older material and I started listening under a different light, from a different perspective. Respect for pioneers like Lambert who have been making space-music is always great. While ordered chronologically, I must also admit that not all the stuff sounds old, actually some older things sound more modern than younger tracks, but it might be just an impression. Synthetic soundscapes with melodies, sweeps and sweeping analog sounds, bit textures and rhythmical patterns often based more on digital sounds rather than drum(beat) sounds. All this building up and holding suspense in the background of long chords that give it that particular floating, calm and wave-like vibe. The front cover is a picture of a night-sky with stars and a really huge ball reflecting a green daylight environment. It's a nice contrast between day and night and it fits with the label's name and the whole attitude. Good choice (looks like Bruxelles' museum or some other Disney World-like tourist attraction glass sphere).

German label Spheric Music continues its journey through space electronica, circular ambient, spheric experimentalism; and this cd even adds the term "cosmopolitan" to the categories you can file it under. Vangelis, Tangerine Dream and that kind of stuff is probably among the inspirations that drive a person like Christian Shimmoeller (composer/musician/engineer) to create "Empire of Illusions", a well-done, nice sounding and really interesting concept album about dreaming, subconscious, fantasy, meditation, different realms and new worlds. The Palantir (name taken from novelist J.R.R. Tolkien's "The Lord of the Rings" scenario, where a crystal ball called like that gives people telepathy and other special powers) is one of the first bands ever that I receive a binaural recording of. Even though the booklet of this CD describes it as a new recording technique, Binaural recording has been around for many years but has never really been pushed in terms of marketing and only recently big microphone manufactures such as Neumann are starting to market reasonably-priced binaural microphones (usually based around a Jacklin disc or even better shaped like a human head, in whose ears there are two microphones picking up the sound, thus recreating the same delay with which our mind perceives and elaborates acoustical stimuli coming from around us). Given this, "Empire of Illusions" MUST be listened to with headphones (possibly hi quality such as Grado RS-1, or at least cheaper AKG K141 I would say) and you will discover a whole new world made of sounds placed in a three-dimensional environment recreating an acoustic hologram. Binaural recording is most effective when trying to recreate a definite acoustical space people can relate to, but even on an electronic record like this it lets people sink in a quasi-trance like state of mind where new discoveries and surprises are behind every corner and all around you. "Empire of Illusions" is a beautiful and worthful project where soundscapes, layered ethereal backgrounds, various noises such as doors etc, many voices and field recordings and other stuff really create a fantasy land you can only dream or read of. It might be ideal for movies too. The production is achieved with no use of loops, analog and tube instruments, obviously MIDI, mono- and poly-phonic synths, psychoacoustic processors, breath-controllers etc. This record (all texts printed in german and english) came out almost a year ago but since during the last year we were late with all the reviews while preparing the new Chain D.L.K. web portal I wanted to give it a fair shot anyway. You can order this CD online (there might be a special loudspekaer version too) at Spheric Music's website. But now please sit back, relax, dim the lights and start your journey...
PS When you turn the light back on you will notice that Plantir's digipack CD is extremely charming with cool dark blue graphics and no plastic involved at all (it's all smart cardboard).

Second release for Geir Jenssen's label, BLACK SMOKER is a very good ambient record. Remembering me the first Biosphere's records the sound of Opdahl is dark, pulsing , hypnotizing, deep and intense. The fourteen tracks melt one into the other in a perfect way (there's no fade in and fade out) and they seems one the direct consequence of the one before. Discovered by Geri Jenssen himself (he listened a demo tape Tom sent him and immediately he decided to produce his first work), Tom Opdahl released a perfect record which balance rhythmic tracks with spacey ones. Mellow sounds, echoes and synthesizer's pads duel with light bleeps and intriguing atmospheres giving to the tracks a touch of mistery which make me like this CD each time more. Try to get your hands on this record because you won't be disappointed: you bet!

I'm really not sure if Rasal.a'sad are a Ras.Al.Ghul side-project, or if someone else is involved, but besides being issued by their label This.Co, I think this cd does have some link with the typical Ras.Al.Ghul sound. Strangely enough, because along the years RAG have mainly worked with rhythms, skillfully blending kraut-electronica, dub, d'n'b and IDM, while this pleasant cd has no beats at all. What it does have is a true feeling of "cosmic music", in this case stripped of any rhythm and expanded in 4 long tracks reaching 50' of length. "Space.Scape" is a beautiful voyage through gulfs of time-erasing sound movements. Only synthetic layers are used, with slow changes and progressions; no external melody or element comes to break the surface. A really accomplished cd of abstract ambient, in the vein of some '70's cosmic courier or even late Coil.

It could be that I'm wrong but I haven't appreciated this record that much. I'll try to explain. All the compositions are made assembling samples of old jazz or lounge pre 70's records (or presumably this has been the main way) and sometimes there's also some trip hop rhythm. The idea is original but there's a general lack of energy during the fortyfive minutes of the CD and this makes of INVENTION a potential good record. For sure there are tracks that are catchy and all (like "Loded" and "Perchance A Bit"), but at the end of the listening I don't know if I enjoyed it or not and this isn't that good. It could be that you'll instantly fall in love with this record or it could be that I'd need to listen to it more than twice but what the heck, a record should have something to catch my attention instantly. This isn't a bad review because I enjoy the rhythmic tracks and the idea but there's something missing and this is disturbing for me...
p.s. Nice the sung versions of "Quiet Now" and "Pursed Lips Reply" thanks to the collaboration with Busdriver and Sach.