Erasure: Always

As the first single from the Band's 'I Say I Say I Say' album, the pop duo Erasure released 'Always' in 1994. Unsurprisingly, the song quickly added to the act's other top-10 achievements written in their distinctive synthpop style which since their 1985 debut has seen notable aesthetic refinements.

Erasure: Always

The song begins with a melancholy combination of background vocals, guitar an various synthetic elements, shortly giving way to a more positive feel as the instrumentation develops to synthetic chords, sequenced bassline, vocals and percussive elements. This limited set of instrumentation later expands in the second verse in order to create a varied arrangement to the piece. While on the topic of musical structure, the duo's use of a short section preceding the chorus further adds to an interesting form, this itself being a device common to the synthpop aesthetic which informs the duo's creative practice.

The song is largely concerned with notions of love and harmony:

Always 

I wanna be with you  

And make believe with you 

And live in Harmony ...

This however is possibly considered to be an antiquated concept given the musical writing which subverts any optimism seen in the lyrical content.

The song comes at a prolific point in the artists' careers built on earlier successes. This previous experience is clearly shown in the song, exhibited by clever harmonic writing and commendable attention to instrumentation. One of the song's successes lies within the clever use of layers and variety therein. The music also benefits from strong production, the clarity of mix contributing to the song's overall charm. Certainly a strong release for the duo.

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Imogen Heap: Propeller Seeds

To date, the English artist Imogen Heap has released just three albums in a career spanning 14 years but with every release featuring a distinctive take on the Singer Songwriter style of composition which utilises at points highly advanced application of electronics. In 'Propeller Seeds,' the first single form her highly anticipated sequel to 2009's 'Ellipse' album, the entire track has been written and mixed binaurally in collaboration with Nick Ryan, an audio specialist, to create an immersive 3D soundscape, placing the listener in the shoes of the performer.

Imogen Heap - Propeller Seeds from Imogen Heap on Vimeo.

Listeners are advised that the 3D effect can only be perceived when listening on headphones.

As is typical for Heap, the instrumentation is purposefully limited to a small number of instruments to let the singer's voice shine through. The piece begins with sampled tuned metallic strikes before Heap enters alongside a number of background voices which create the impression of an audience providing a commentary of the music as it slowly unfolds. As the piece develops, instrumentation thickens to include various percussive elements and a bass line, mixed to create a pleasing character to the music.

As with much of Heap's work, the music takes on a complicated structure rather than the typical verse-chorus structure used by many of her counterparts. The artist does however choose to add extra emphasis to the lines

"What’s happening here? 

I’m growing roots through my toes 

And leaves from my fingertips"

                   as they are the only lines to be repeated in the music, giving it otherwise a free-verse impression. While this could be considered to be a naive subversion of commonplace musical form, it is a technique central to the artist's aesthetic and is accomplished in a truly laudable way. Through the complicated musical structure, Heap creates a very interesting narrative arc which draws the listener in and sustains their interest until the piece's ultimate conclusion.

With the release of this single, fans are undoubtedly highly excited for the next Imogen Heap album and based on the quality of this single, rightly so.

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Kimberly Glover: Rachel Corrie

The Sonic Music Review has on many occasions featured a variety of works by less established artists alongside their better known counterparts and contemporaries. For Kimberly Glover, a musician and composer with a wide ranging portfolio of material, political motivation drives much of her creative practice, as in the case of 'Rachel Corrie' featured here.

Rachel Corrie by Kim Glover

The track principally draws upon the aesthetics of sound poetry and traditional string writing, the instrumentation largely consisting of a synthesised string quartet and spoken word, later developing to include a notable trip-hop influenced breakbeat section. The spoken word element is derived from 'My Name Is Rachael Corrie,' a theatrical work which contains primarily excerpts of Corrie's own personal diary. For those unfamiliar with the subject, Rachel Corrie was an American member of the International Solidarity Movement who tragically died while attempting to prevent the demolition of a local Palestinian's home.

The string writing in this piece follows a musical structure known as Sonata Form, an interesting decision which by virtue of a variety of thematic material evokes a wide range of emotions, several areas of the work proving particularly effective due to a discontinuity between the sobering nature of the spoken word and overly optimistic musical writing. As the piece develops, the vocal elements are subjected to electronic processing in a manner comparable to early AustraLYSIS works, such as 'Nuraghic Echoes' which is reviewed here.

The concluding section of the work introduces heavy percussion elements and background samples, while the vocal elements are purposefully removed from the mix, giving the final words which note Corrie's death greater prominence as the work ends. This section is overt in aesthetic references to trip-hop acts such as Massive Attack and adds great interest through such a contrasting style of writing compared to the work's beginnings. While the track's production could be refined further, the work shows both great promise and skill from this highly unique composer. The Sonic Music Review would like to take the chance to wish Kimberly Glover every success in the future.

If you are an independent artist and wish to submit your own original electronic musical works to The Sonic Music Review, please get in contact, we'd love to hear from you.

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Dodgy Lettuce: Scrambled Megs (I Can Feel It), Citizen (Spy)

An overarching aim of The Sonic Music Review has been to provide independent artists with critical publicity and feedback for their works, championing independent electronic works alongside established artists, many of whom greatly influenced the diverse variety of genres seen today. We are today proud to introduce an Irish electronic artist, Dodgy Lettuce, featuring two compositions available from the artist's Soundcloud page here.

  Scrambled Megs (I Can Feel It) by Dodgy Lettuce

'Scrambled Megs (I Can Feel It)' opens with clear brass elements referencing the funk genre, quickly employing skilled use of sampling. The initial brass loops constitute the vast majority of harmonic material to be found within this track. A convergence of glitch and noise aesthetics soon govern the development of the piece as it becomes led by the well constructed rhythmic bursts of noise and other percussive elements, underpinned by bass drones and embellished with processed vocal samples.

For a piece of this type which forgoes tonal convention, giving rhythm and timbre the major focus (a characteristic seen in the glitch and noise productions of artists such as Alva Noto and Merzbow respectively who prescribe to the aesthetics which influence this piece), the well constructed arrangement pays great dividends. The conscious progression of musical textures and timbral elements throughout the piece illustrate a commendable approach to musical form.

  Citizen (Spy) by Dodgy Lettuce

The musical textures of 'Citizen (Spy)' to a large extent echo the previous track. The predominance of the bass line in this track however provides a greater sense of a tonal centre to the piece. The interaction of sampled vocals and well programmed electro drum sequences atop the bass line gives the piece a notable similarity to much of the dance-punk output of the duo Soulwax, whose 2006 'Part Of The Weekend Never Dies' album is reviewed here.

Once again, the 'flow' of the track is commendable, an attribute often hard to achieve within this musical context. These tracks kindly provided by Dodgy Lettuce are a great addition to the music covered by The Sonic Music Review and we wish this highly original artist great success in the future and thank him once more for this submission.

If you are an independent artist and wish to submit your own original electronic musical works to The Sonic Music Review, please get in contact, we'd love to hear from you.

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Karl Bartos: Communication

Following up from a previous feature by The Sonic Music Review of 'Lifestyle' by Karl Bartos, available here, the field of focus turns to the artist's most recent release, the 2003 release 'Communication.' Bartos' following will undoubtedly be aware of his prior involvement with the highly influential German band Kraftwerk, a quality which is audible, but this album shines as a great example of music with character, a credit to the talented composer.

Karl Bartos: Communication

The album opens with 'The Camera,' an initial illustration of Bartos' inimitable writing style which has been constantly refined over a number of years. The track in question uses purely electronic instrumentation, a feature throughout the album, underpinned by strong rhythmic percussive elements and a particularly interesting synthesiser sequence. As with many other tracks, the song is led by synthesised speech, an uncommon production choice in much contemporary music.

Much of the material is centred around major themes of celebrity and everyday lifestyle, ides which in the past have also given an ideological foundation to Bartos' music. Of the 10 tracks which make up the 45 minute album, 'Electronic Apeman' stands out as a highlight. The track seeks to combine a live sung voice and synthesised vocal elements to great effect, complemented with fine harmonic sequences and very interesting interaction between harmony and bassline. Being a percussionist, the percussive elements are very well programmed throughout. The track 'I'm The Message' embellishes this rhythmic interest with a discontinuity of pulse between the introduction and main material.

The album concludes with 'Another Reality,' a fitting title for this concluding track which sees a much more peaceful feel, a quality provided through the sustained chords and wavering synthetic lines. The speech synthesis in this piece also serves as one of the best recent examples of the technique, unsurprisingly perhaps given the artist's prior ability demonstrated the previous decade in 'Lifestyle' as one example. The final seconds inevitably fade, drawing some of Karl Bartos' finest material to a close.

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ElectroCelt: Ocean Reef

As part of The Sonic Music Review's ongoing championing of original electronic music talent, it is with great pleasure that we feature 'Ocean Reef,' a 2011 EP by the electronic artist Geoff Keogh, better known by his recording name ElectroCelt. The artist's career began with the release of the 2008 album 'Digital Fields' which led to the subsequent release of further material. Having signed to Bubblectro Records the artist released the 'Ocean Reef' EP, featuring material from the upcoming release 'Strange Elements.'

ElectroCelt: 'Ocean Reef'

The artist in their biography, available here, contextualises their creative practice within the aesthetics of acts such as Tangerine Dream. These acts themselves have frequently featured on The Sonic Music Review, setting a fearsome standard for artists influenced by them to achieve. The first track, 'Emerald Sand' even goes as far as to reference Tangerine Dream tracks, for one with an introductory sample highly reminiscent of the imitative birdsong in Tangerine Dream's 'White Clouds' and later with an overt reference to 'Stratosfear' as the track approaches its conclusion.

Much of the material on offer fuses sequenced synthetic elements with well programmed percussion and a large number of complementary musical textures which combine to give a highly cinematic quality to the work, at times informed by the aesthetics of ambient music and at other points the music takes on several core characteristics of european music, creating a great degree of excitement and dynamism which captures and sustains the listener's avid interest.

Timbrally, much of the work boasts great sophistication, a production value inherited from the various acts which influence ElectroCelt. Considering the quality of mixing, an area often complicated greatly with the interaction of multiple musical layers, the artist once more deserves praise for the clarity of the material on offer.

ElectroCelt during a 2010 live performance

As the album draws to a close in the final track, 'Subzero Limits,' the artist displays commendable consideration for the narrative arc, shaping the album through the evolution and development of musical moods. This particular track largely consists of synthetic pads and electric guitar, underpinned by the soft movements of a sequenced bassline. This combination is brought together to create a very soothing work which functions well as ambient music.

Overall, the 'Ocean Reef' EP displays a great talent from the artist, with a sophisticated and conscious approach to composition that many artists would do well to note. It has been a great pleasure to feature on The Sonic Music Review and we wish ElectroCelt every success with their future endeavours. To find out more, their Reverbnation page can be found here.

If you represent original Electronic music talent and wish to submit your music to The Sonic Music Review, please get in touch, we'd love to hear from you.

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Karl Bartos: Lifestyle

To precede a full review of the 2003 album Communication, The Sonic Music Review completed the following feature of an earlier track, 'Lifestyle' from the 1993 album Esperanto. The artist Karl Bartos first  found fame as a long-time member of the highly influential German band Kraftwerk, widely acknowledged as driving the synthpop movement of the 80's and developing early techno material. Since departing from the band between the releases of Techno Pop and The Mix, the artist has found success releasing new material under his own name and under the alias of Elektric Music.

Karl Bartos: 'Lifestyle' from Esperanto

When comparing the production styles, Bartos' own work exhibits a more energetic style which separates his own work from that of his former band. 'Lifestyle' is audibly influenced by the high-octane synthpop of years previous, a movement that was largely informed by work for which Bartos is widely credited. In terms of production, the mixing is highly accomplished, possibly due to embracing digital studio technology despite its infancy, a production value garnered from previous work with Kraftwerk.

The piece begins with the main hook, accompanied by a synthetic bass timbre, an early exposition of the main harmonic progression within the piece. Throughout, the artist displays an awareness of the frequency bands occupied by the varying textures, balancing each layer effectively. Considering the age of the work, the resampled vocal textures, the lines "just another headline" and "stealing your time," is very impressive and separates the work from much of the popular music repertoire even today. Phoneme sampling later occupies an entire solo section at the piece's midpoint.

The entire piece is pulled together by the pulsing rhythms derived from audibly electronic percussive elements, unsurprising given that Bartos is a skilled percussionist. Of note also is the well programmed bassline and the interaction between these two rhythmic devices to give a firm foundation to the piece. Overall, this remains a highlight of the composer's output and is well worth a listen to the fan of electronic music, succeeding in far wider appeal than his previous output with Kraftwerk.

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Neu! - Neu!

Following the second world war, Germany saw a great rise in the production and popularity of avant grade and experimental music. In this era the early Kraftwerk lineup was formed, as was the first iteration of 
Tangerine Dream, both of whom have been featured on numerous pages across The Sonic Music Review. This era also gave birth to Neu!, the experimental krautrock group who are retrospectively credited as being one of the most influential bands of their type from that era.

Neu! - Neu!

The album opens with 'Hallogallo,' an initial exposition of the pulsing repetitive beats which defined the psychedelic movement from which the band found a significant influence. This is adorned by overtones from processed electric guitar which form the basis of the piece melodically and harmonically. This then gives way to 'Sonderangebot' which is led by the processed metallic scratches of cymbals and gongs yet nonetheless rewards the carful listener with what is in fact a carefully structured piece.

While 'Hallogallo' relies strongly on beat based composition, the later track 'Weissensee' gives an altogether different musical atmosphere from the use of electronic drones which take the main focus in spite of being a 'background' texture. This method of composition likens it to an unformed genre of pseudo-ambient music, a term not coined until Brain Eno's seminal 'Music For Airports' release, reviewed here.

When listening to 'Negativland,' also the name of an unrelated plunderphonics act, the audible ties to progressive rock are clear, while the band embellish the form and instrumentation with experimentalism which would later define Krautrock as a genre in its own right. Given the widespread influence this initial release has given, this is certainly a must-hear for any fans of the early fusion of electronics within a rock context. In spite of commercial non-success, this album is a very proud addition to any musical library.

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Ex Machina: Line Of Time

The Sonic Music Review is always delighted to receive music submissions. Following a recent email from Claudio Chiriatti and Tobias Schwerdt, better known under their recording name Ex Machina, we are delighted to feature their latest work, 'Line Of Time' on the site. This album is the fourth studio work by Ex Machina to be released digitally on the German Fuego label, a detail the act made clear, noting that since their 1999 debut digital distribution and promotion has been their major outlet.

Ex Machina: Line Of Time

For Ex Machina, 'Line Of Time' is the first release to feature vocals alongside the thick electronic textures which constitute much of the act's output. The album begins with 'Head Up (In The Sky),' utilising a somewhat peaceful piano led introduction before introducing various electronic lines alongside the lead vocal line. This piece displays a notable influence from new wave acts and opens the album well, subsequently segueing into 'Dreamer' which features a less imposing sound world, again with a noticeable influence from 80's musical styles.

The album proves an intriguing listen and the stylistic differences between tracks such as 'Garage CLZ' and the softer setting of 'In Grief' which is reminiscent of Tangerine Dream's collaboration with Joycelyn Bernadette Smith for the track 'Tyger' from their album of the same name. The track here combines various synthetic elements with electric piano lines in place of the harsher distorted tones seen in other tracks. Considering 'Glorious,' a more sequenced approach is seen, making this track most comparable to the synthpop movement of the 80's, again, contributing a welcome sense of variety to the release.

"line of time" full length album preview by ex_machina

The album concludes with four instrumental versions of some of the albums best material in the vein of the act's previous work. Under careful listening in isolation from vocals, one appreciates even more the variety in the arrangements and some may prefer these mixes. This inclusion once more adds an additional dimension to the release. For fans of electronic music, Ex Machina's latest offering proves highly intriguing and the recent addition of vocals is a welcome development of the band's sound.

For more information about the band, including previous releases, visit the official website at machina-online.de. If you represent electronic music talent and would like to submit music to The Sonic Music Review, please get in touch here. We would like to take this opportunity to wish Ex Machina great success in their career and thank them for their submission.

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Kraftwerk: Computer World

Kraftwerk, the highly influential German electronic music outfit, are well known for their extensive use of sequencing and other devices which gave their music a distinctive robotic quality later echoed in part from the 80's synthpop aesthetic. 'Computer World' is the band's eighth studio album, released in 1981 following their most prolific output in the 1970's, crystallising the bands creative practice while refining further timbral elements and production methods. This album is widely credited as an early influence on techno music.

Kraftwerk: Computer World

As with most Kraftwerk albums, the entire track listing is constructed around an overarching theme, computing and the modernisation of society being the central themes in this case. From the title track, 'Computer World' which opens the album, the lyrics meander around some of the high-tech institutions of the time, making reference to "Interpol and Deutsche Bank, FBI and Scotland Yard" while the insistent electronic percussion gives the piece a sense of momentum and pace. To further illustrate the precision of their craft, the band marry a somewhat uncertain and foreboding musical atmosphere with the lyrical content referring to the biggest investigative bodies at the time.

Following a comparably dark introduction, the track listing soon turns to the following track, 'Pocket Calculator;' which juxtaposes the mood of its predecessor with a more lighthearted feel while retaining heavily sequenced instrumentation. This track would later go on to be released as a major single from the album, reinterpreted into three different languages, as well as giving the band their chance to perform live with the use of Casio musical calculators which were also sampled throughout this track.

For the sake of word limits, a complete feature of every track on the album is not possible but a passing note on the band's inclusion of 'Computer World .. 2' referencing an earlier track is pertinent as it speaks volumes about their aesthetic. This is swiftly followed by 'Computer Love,' a later live performance of which is reviewed here. This track is certainly some of the finest material written by the band in this era, paradoxically combining typical Kraftwerk mechanism of sound with heart-rendering musical writing, one of the saddest examples of music in the 80's repertoire. Given that the band Coldplay use (with permission) the opening riff of 'Computer Love' in their track 'Talk,' Kraftwerk's influence into popular contemporary music is overtly exemplified.

The album concludes with 'Home Computer' and 'It's More Fun To Compute,' two tracks later combined into a singular arrangement for the band's more recent tours. Ultimately these tracks bring the album to a conclusion with a similar dark mood to its beginning. From any angle one looks upon this album, it is undoubtedly a fine collection of work and some of the band's greatest output.

For The Sonic Music Review's feature of 'Minimum-Maximum,' a live album featuring several tracks from 'Computer World,' click here.

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Enigma: Le Roi Est Mort, Vive Le Roi!

Having previously covered the debut release by the electronica musical project Enigma 'MXMXC A.D' in an article here, the topic of this feature turns to their third commercial release 'Le Roi Est Mort, Vive Le Roi!' which was released in 1996, six years after the highly successful release of 'MCMXC A.D. .' This album built upon the success of its predecessors, quickly garnering critical acclaim alongside commercial success, obtaining platinum status in four territories.

Enigma: Le Roi Est Mort, Vive Le Roi!

As alluded to in the track 'Third Of Its Kind,' this album is considered a child of the first two major Enigma projects, with 'MCMXC A.D.' being the father and 'The Cross Of Changes' the mother. Stylistically this is true also, with similar production techniques common to both albums but greater refinement of some aspects, responsible for a more sophisticated sound.

The album begins with a two minute title-track introduction. At this point in their career, Enigma clearly show great ability to create a highly effective introduction to their work, instantly establishing a context within which the remaining tracks are placed in terms of sound world and greater meaning. Comparing the introduction of this album with 'Hello And Welcome,' the corresponding introduction track on 'MCMXC A.D.,' the more sophisticated and futuristic approach mentioned earlier is clear. With that in mind, Enigma's development of their compositional aesthetic displays great awareness of their previous work, giving their output a remarkable sense of continuity.

Interestingly, tracks including 'Beyond The Invisible' and 'The Roundabout' favour ethnic chants rather than the gregorian chants which were commonplace throughout the musical project's early output. This makes it particularly comparable to 'Ile Aye,' a track from a 2008 Schiller album 'Desire,' reviewed here. The similarity is evidentiary of the great influence Enigma, particularly their 1990's output, possesses upon this field of music still today.

This album marks a turning point for Enigma, with many considering this to be their finest release. It certainly contains some notable material, 'The Roundabout,' 'TNT For The Brain,' 'Why!' and 'Beyond The Invisible' each a highlight of the album. The music on offer presents a highly appealing development of ambient music within a popular music context.

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Tangerine Dream: The Island Of The Fay

With the 2011 release of ‘The Endless Season,’ reviewed here, the end of Tangerine Dream’s long running Five Atomic Seasons series was marked. Invigorated by the success and popularity of this programmatic series, the band quickly released ‘The Island Of The Fay,’ the first in a new series, the Eastgate Sonic Poems series, setting to poetry to music. This particular release takes as its basis ‘The Island Of The Fay’ by Edgar Allan Poe, published in 1841.

Tangerine Dream: The Island Of The Fay

The poem itself revolves around a fantasy setting of an island occupied by fairies, ultimately leading to the conclusion in which the narrator compares the death of a fairy with the fading sight of a tree in darkening water. The work ends by depicting the fade into complete darkness.

The album begins with ‘Beauty Of Magic Antagonism,’ which sets the tone for the entire release, one of melancholic optimism. Sonically, the release clearly occupies a similar soundworld seen in the Five Atomic Seasons series, comparable best with the concluding work in the series, ‘The Endless Season.’ The band combine their trademark harpsichord timbres with various electronic overtones and background sequenced elements, presenting a very well rounded and precise sonic palette which is further enhanced by the releases commendable clarity of production.

The band’s output can often be characterised by large anthemic writing using a thick multitude of textures or as more ambient writing with a calculated thinner number of textures. ‘Breath Kissing Matter’s Mouth’ falls into the latter category and is remarkable in the way in which despite being led largely by a long running sequence, the music retains a fascinating element which draws the listener in and retains their attention throughout the nine-minute duration.

The concluding track, ‘Moment Of Floating Into The Light’ finally realises the allusions to optimism which occur as brief references throughout the album. Ultimately however the piece descends into a tone of mystery as the sound finally fades into the darkness Poe so suggested. As the first in a new series, it would be premature to base great assumptions based upon a single work, but this release lays a firm foundation for a number of eagerly anticipated sequels.

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Schiller: Desire

The Sonic Music Review recently featured a review of 'Let Me Love You' here, the first song on Schiller's 2008 album 'Desire.' At this point we are pleased to offer a full feature which covers the rest of this remarkable album. For those unfamiliar with Schiller, the German artist typically writes in an uncommon methodology which combines elements of post-trance with ambient music. This form of writing, which is comparable to Enigma who rose to fame during the 1990's, is typically mislabeled as 'New Age Music' largely due to the sound world such releases typically create, a label not endorsed by the artist. This album features some of Schiller's finest work to date, featuring several collaborations with other artists and singers.

Schiller: Desire

The album opens with the beautiful rendition of 'Let Me Love You,' previously featured here, before moving on to the first of the instrumental works on the album, 'Heartbeat,' which reader's could be forgiven for confusing with instrumental Enigma or even Tangerine Dream output. This track illustrates well the ability of Schiller to combine rich synthetic textures with subtle moving sequences to create a commendable ambient inspired work. The musical references to ambient composers later turn to proponents of dance/chillout music - the track 'Breathe' for instance, which features the singer September, is highly reminiscent of Chicane's output, particularly 'Offshore' which appears on their 'Best Of' album reviewed here. 

Moving to a later track 'Ile Aye,' the ties to the Enigma musical project are revealed most clearly, even going as far as to include elements of foreign chant which typified Engima's output which combined this with a very similar sound world exhibited here. Of all the material on offer here however, 'Lonely,' which like 'Ile Aye' features the female singer Stephenie Coker, shines as one of the album's highlights. To some listeners, the slight cliched writing which audibly panders to the pop music aesthetic may detract from the song, but it remains a well executed example of Schiller's most commercial output. 

It is curious that Klaus Schultze, best known as a prolific electronic artist and, for a time, member of the German band Tangerine Dream whose releases have frequently adorned the pages of The Sonic Music Review, features as a collaborator with Schiller on the track 'Zenith.' This track exemplifies a convergence of the two artist's already comparable styles in a manner that many fans of ambient electronica will highly appreciate.

From the highlights of Schiller's collaborative songwriting with Kim Sanders, Stephenie Coker et al. to the instrumental works such as the hauntingly nostalgic 'Wunschtraum,' this album contributes greatly to the ever expanding repertoire in the burgeoning Ambient Post-Trance musical tradition and is well worth a listen.

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Schiller Feat. Kim Sanders: Let Me Love You

Ahead of an upcoming review of the 2008 'Desire' album by Schiller, The Sonic Music Review is pleased to feature the first track from the album, 'Let Me Love You,' in a deservedly separate article. Like most Schiller output, this track stylistically comes from a convergence of post-trance and ambient music which is best compared to the Enigma Musical Project whose greatest hits album, 'Love Sensuality Devotion,' is reviewed here.

Schiller featuring Kim Sanders: 'Let Me Love You' from 'Desire'

The track begins with a brooding introduction, led by ethnic flute drones which lead to the first exposition of a synthetic riff which underpins much of the music. This is followed soon after by the pulsing bass ostinato which gives the piece a firm initial rhythmic grounding. As the vocals enter, sung brilliantly by Kim Sanders, the African American singer based in Germany, the contour of the musical textures become crystallised, establishing her smooth voice reminiscent of Madonna as the leading timbre in this track.

Instrumentation varies throughout in order to create an interesting and varied arrangement which at its most complex consists of Electronica beats reminiscent of the French duo Air coupled with bass ostinatos, vocal melodies and rich synthetic pad backgrounds which generally typify ambient music. The style of writing is largely dependant on the hypnotic repetition of carefully contoured melodic phrases. The harmonic interplay between the melody and lush harmonic accompaniment adds to the timbral interest, particularly at the chorus sections where Sanders' powerful voice truly shines on a repeated musical theme which interacts in an audibly pleasing manner with the accompanying musical layers.

The song concludes with an extended outro, combining synthetic writing with shuffle electronic drum beats, again similar to Enigma writing. As the song concludes, a fitting sonic basis for the rest of the 'Desire' album is formed. This song is certainly a highlight of the album and a welcome addition to this reviewer's musical library.

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Scenic: The Ones

The outcome of more Twitter prowling - it is a great pleasure to feature the debut composition by Scenic, a DJ and progressive electro artist from Los Angeles. 'The Ones' as the artist notes from their various Twitter updates (@iamscenic) that this is their first original release which, when one considers the accomplished compositional and production talent which is clear on this track, seems remarkable. The polish seen throughout this track is clearly the result of many hours' work and a wealth of experience within the field.

Scenic - The Ones (Original Mix) by scenic

Taking into account the stylistic origins of this track which lie within progressive electro/house aesthetics and the artist's work as a DJ, the inclusion of an extended introduction is not unexpected. Given that this is not an edited version of the track, it seems only fitting. The craft seen in the construction of the introduction is worth note, given that a large number of Scenic's contemporaries often neglect this section, much to the detriment of their own work. The inclusion of a recurring melodic melodic idea which transitions from the background throughout this section gives clear shape and avoids the cliche of using a solitary looped drum pattern to constitute an introduction.

This track runs at over ten minutes, with enough material to possibly even construct a short EP from. This inevitably creates an interesting musical structure throughout which Scenic weaves musical references to the thematic material of previous sections. The writing is typified with the use of thick synthetic instrumentation reminiscent of Deadmau5 and other House music writing. The whole structure plays upon two clear soundworlds which later reconcile, those being the clear House/Electro sections seen at the beginning and the softer excerpts which borrow stylistically from trance music such as the fall at 2:02 ("We are...").

Scenic during a 2010 DJ performance

Following the build up led by the vocoded vocal samples enters a very professional patchwork of material forming a further section which is reminiscent of both Daft Punk and Pendulum, a highlight of the track. This is echoed later having created and resolved various [musical] structural tensions, drawing attention to the calculated approach to instrumentation which varies throughout to add interest. At this point it is worth noting the commendable regard for mixing seen throughout this track, a credit to Scenic as a producer.

 From its conception, The Sonic Music Review has always been intended to act as an outlet where original works by upcoming artists can feature and get the recognition they deserve. It is a great pleasure to feature today a remarkable first original work by Scenic and we wish the artist the greatest of success.

If you represent an electronic music act and would like to submit your music, please get in touch here or find us on Twitter @SubsonicWinter.

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Jean Michel Jarre/The City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra: The Symphonic Jean Michel Jarre

Jean Michel Jarre is well known as an early proponent of 'pop' electronica and has featured several times on The Sonic Music Review, which has featured his debut 'Oxygene', the followup 'Equinoxe', the 90's sequel to Oxygene 'Oxygene 7-13' and the ambient influenced 'Geometry Of Love' albums. This release is a rather interesting curio which sets to orchestral music, brilliantly performed by the City Of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra, various works by the French artist which by association makes a comparison with Jarre's father Maurice Jarre, a film composer of many exclusive credits to his name, audible.

Jean Michel Jarre/The City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra: The Symphonic Jean Michel Jarre

This release opens with the first three parts of Jean Michel Jarre's 1993 release 'Chronologie' and later introduces acoustic reinterpretations of tracks from a total of nine major releases from Jarre's back catalogue. Interestingly, the album even includes a rendition 'Gloria, Lonely Boy' from the 2000 dance-influenced album 'Metamorphoses.' Where deemed necessary, the orchestrators have included some sparse electronic textures, such as a sequenced synthesiser pattern near the end of 'Chronologie Part 1.'

Having listened to all the material on offer, it becomes obvious how well the work of Jean Michel Jarre lends itself to an orchestral performance. 'Equinoxe Part 4' and many other upbeat tracks work particularly well in this setting, breathing new life into the music which this reviewer has loved for many years. The three excerpts from 'Industrial Revolution' unsurprisingly work well in this context, if not better by virtue of having authentic human performers (the excerpts in question make extensive use of imitative orchestral synthesis on the original release). The orchestra throughout the album illustrate an incredible variety of tone and timbre which add complexity in some cases beyond previous renderings of Jarre's work.

Considering the track listing, which contains over twenty items running a total of over an hour-and-a-half, 'Oxygene Part 2' and 'Equinoxe Part 5' are conspicuous by their absence, given the great scope for an orchestral performance within those particular tracks. While considering the shortcomings, which by no means detract from the album greatly, the rendition of 'Oxygene Part 4' proves unconvincing, largely because the material is not as well suited to an orchestral performance as some, however being Jarre's first hit track, its absence would be inappropriate for many fans.

All things considered, this release is a highly interesting take on the varied and accomplished work by Jean Michel Jarre which thrives in this setting, performed brilliantly by the City Of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra.  

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The Haxen Cloak: Hounfour (Temple)

For The Haxen Cloak, an ambient electronica artist, sonic imagery is everything. A response to the question of how the artist's name came about is testament to the value which is placed by the artist in this respect:

"I am sort of obsessed with pre-1900s imagery and text. I was heavily into reading about the Salem witch trials for a time. Haxan is an old German word for witch, which I always found sounded and looked intriguing and somehow beautiful."

 Contained within this interview are further biographical details regarding the artist, who notes an unconventional approach to composition which he fostered throughout a university degree in Sound Art. The artist also notes his extended experience, having composed for over 10 years.

The Haxen Cloak: 'Hounfour (Temple)' from 'ABX053'

Taken from the 2011 release 'ABX053,' 'Hounfour (Temple)' illustrates highly calculated ambient writing and some of the finest that can be found. Many fans of electronic music will be familiar with artists such as Brian Eno or Global Communication, the output from such artists constituting the most popular works within the field. The Haxen Cloak is clearly influenced by an alternative ambient scene, 'Hounfour (Temple)' for instance does not prescribe to the traditional timbral selections for ambient music, rather a Cagean aesthetic governs this track's sonic palette, which features several unexpected, but not to say inappropriate, timbres. This refreshingly alternative approach gives a notable joie de vivre to the track.

The track is in part informed by the creative practices of La Monte Young, expressed in the extended form which focuses on drone based composition. The powerful writing also features highly suggestive melodic components which do not constitute a complete melody, instead the listener forms an impression of a melody from the various resonances and textural elements which construct the track. This technique frequently eludes artists of electronic music, ambient composers to a lesser extent given the nature of their work, and so such an accomplished use is remarkable.

A superficial study of the piece's structure might brand it as a continuous ambient 'wash' of sound. More careful listening reveals clear sectional writing within the flow of sound and further analysis provokes a consideration of the purposeful and commendable construction of the musical layers within this piece. This track is a fine ambient work and it is a pleasure to feature on The Sonic Music Review.

More information can be found on the artist's website here.

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Kraftwerk: Computer Love (2009 Version)

Kraftwerk are undisputedly one of the most influential acts of contemporary music, having famously inspired a wealth of synthpop music and influenced OMD among others to take up synthpop. Having been in the business since the late 60's, the fact that they still perform today is almost as remarkable as their adept reinvention to always remain on the edge of new performance technology. This video, an excerpt of a live performance by the group in 2009 shows the band performing their classic 'Computer Love,' best known by some for the riff which featured in Coldplay's 'Talk' many years after its debut.

Perhaps one of the most interesting features of this video, captured by DigitalDosage (see here), is genuine interaction with the crowd from Ralf Hutter, while Kraftwerk's typical method of working a crowd rarely constitutes more than a cursory glance at the audience. The video begins with Hutter joking in typical Kraftwerkian fashion "Next time, we'll bring our bikes."

As the music opens, even on this lo-fi recording, the virtues of laptop performance are clear, with far improved sound quality and crucially vastly increased sampling and processing dexterity. The arrangement itself has been noticeably altered from the original, as has the instrumentation. The visual accompaniment is also highly refined to give a purposefully minimal, polished commentary on the music, as seen throughout the bands live album 'Minimum-Maximum,' reviewed here.

Musically, the highlights appear in the form of the extended introduction and in particular the vocoded "computer love" harmony which features briefly within the arrangement on occasion, to an audible reception from the audience. The pseudo-improvised instrumental bridge adds variety but this is undoubtedly a fine rendering of the Kraftwerk classic. One can only hope their longevity continues deservedly.

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The Human league: Credo

Just when everyone assumed that The Human League had called it quits in the studio with their waning relevance to popular music, 2011 marked the release of ‘Credo,’ their first studio album in ten years, following 2001’s ‘Secrets’ album. As a point of interest, this album comes an incredible three decades after their storming debut ‘Dare.’ This album presents further refinement to the band’s output, both compositionally and in terms of production.

The Human League: Credo

This album reconciles a refined take on 80’s synthpop in terms of soundworld with a partially reinvented style which on the surface would appear to combine Kraftwerk with latter day Pet Shop Boys aesthetics. That said, the album remains quintessentially Human League by nature through the minimal yet accomplished synth writing accompanied by Philip Oakey’s unsubtle yet smooth vocals leading several tracks but frequently employing the vocal talents of Susan Ann and Joanne Catherall who complete the trio’s lineup.

The album opens with ‘Never Let Me Go,’ decadent in references to the band’s early days in terms of timbres chosen but further adorned with contemporary techniques such as auto-tuning. ‘Never Let Me Go’ is the second single to be released from the album and is quickly followed by the premiere single ‘Night People,’ released several months prior to the album, largely as a call to fans that “The Human League lives!” The 5:30 runtime of ‘Night People’ draws attention to the way in which the band have accomplished an extended form to the majority of the tracks on this release while maintaining heightened anticipation by the listener, avoiding the typical boring cliche of 8 bar loops rising and falling.

Some tracks, such as ‘Egomaniac’ are particularly notable for their ability to evoke new moods alongside the generally [purposefully] disjointed quality of several pieces, for which the band first found fame. In this track for example the key vocal harmony is interspersed between dark synthetic writing and urgent electronic percussion. The chorus of this song also proves to be particularly effective, enforcing the maintained dark theme.

While much of the album veers toward the heavily sequenced, mechanical musical style pioneered by Kraftwerk many years previous, brief instances exist such as ‘Breaking The Chains’ which exhibit a greater reliance on strong grooves, a mainstay of earlier Human League output. In this particular track, the brief uses of stuttering and other common modern day effects add to the listeners interest. This album certainly marks a welcome return to the studio for the band.


View Tracklisting

Tracklisting:

1. Never Let Me Go
2. Night People
3. Sky
4. Into The Night
5. Egomaniac
6. Single Minded
7. Electric Shock
8. Get Together
9. Privilege
10. Breaking The Chains
12. When The Stars Start To Shine

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AustraLYSIS: Nuraghic Echoes

AustraLYSIS are a little known Australian musical project, specialising in laptop composition and processing of typically spoken word by poet Hazel Smith. This reviewer first encountered the band following a workshop given by the trio in 2011 and subsequent performance where a recording of 'Nuraghic Echoes' was purchased. This particular release tells the story of the Nuraghe, constructions by the Nuraghic civilisation during the bronze age.

AustraLYSIS: Nurachic Echoes

Firstly, it is important to note that the music reviewed here is of a style that may be unfamiliar to some readers of The Sonic Music Review, consisting of processing of live spoken word, accompanied by various elements of Acousmatic composition. In this regard, this release is perhaps comparable to the better known collaborative works between Alva Noto and Ryuichi Sakamoto, such as 'Summvs,' reviewed here.
In this setting however, the use of spoken word introduces deeper meaning to the music. Interestingly Smith's creative exploration of vocal timbre to produce unusual constructions, such as percussive and comic elements as first explored performers such as Cathy Berberian's 'Stripsody.'

The release itself consists of two tracks, dominated by the first, the title track 'Nuraghic Echoes.' Throughout this track, the performers explore various surrounding the Nuraghi and their origins, the early emigration to Australia and life thereafter. This is accompanied by sparse electronic elements, produced from synthesis, sound processing of Smith's performance and processing of additional sound samples. As the piece develops, a wide variety of processing is evident on Smith's performance, becoming increasingly processed using varying techniques which highlight a remarkable use of technology which by today's standards would be considered highly limited.

Moving onto 'The Riting Of The Runda,' the style moves to a more experimental form of spoken word, with a lessened emphasis on digital processing, at least at first. This again proves to be a highly engaging work, in no small part due to the brooding and disturbing setting of poetry. Considering the release as a whole, this is a highly interesting work, building upon the strong Australian tradition of sound poetry in a highly innovative and original way.

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