Jupiter 8000 - Twisted Bliss

Avatar Records: 2004

The whole reason I ended up at Avatar Records' Bandcamp page was for a particular album from Electric Universe, Blue Planet. I got it, then figured I may as well splurge on some more psy-trance items while there. It didn't quite turn out that way, Ocelot's One a different beast than I expected, but this one, I felt pretty confident it was psy-trance. I didn't know what kind I was getting, but there's just something about the name 'Jupiter 8000' that screams vintage goa. Vibrant cover art too.

So I'm feelin' good that I'd stumbled upon some unheralded psy-trance project, when soon after I learned that Jupiter 8000 is another alias of Boris Blenn. You might know him mostly for his work as Electric Universe. The same Electric Universe I had already nabbed something from, after which I'd grabbed this because I wanted something else other than more Electric Universe. So it goes.

Actually, I shouldn't be quick to judge. Mr. Blenn started the Jupiter 8000 project as a means of exploring other sounds away from the goa that defined his earlier career. The self-titled debut certainly was a break from that, for more interested in what the realms of techno could offer the domains of psy. Some of it was interesting, but to my ears, it was travelling the same roads that Tristan's Audiotour had already ventured, and would lead to the monotonous psytekk sounds that plagued that Alien Dust compilation. I wonder if Boris realized it was a dead-end, because aside from one track, that stuff is jettisoned for his second (and thus far last) Jupiter 8000 album, Twisted Bliss. Well, I guess it was 2004, the original 'minimal techno-psy' movement already in the rear view in favour of the new hotness, 'minimal prog-psy that techno people can enjoy'. That Israeli full-on thing too.

So is that what Twisted Bliss is, a bandwagon jump on either or that wouldn't fit on an Electric Universe LP? Nah, in a surprising twist that is rather blissed, Mr. Blenn went old-school psy! Okay, about as 'old-school' as you could conceivably get away with in the mid-'00s, but close enough that there were points I thought I was listening to something from 1994 rather than 2004.

Oh yes, there be goa here, captain. For sure that full-on bassline is present in many of the tracks, but it isn't so dominate as most of psy-trance heard it then, and even shows some diversity throughout. Twisted Bliss is mostly dominated by its leads though, running from squiggly acid sounds (101 And Still Alive, Atem (Remix), Break The Law) to spaced out prog-psy trancers (Dust To Dawn, Break The Law, The Memory, New Moon). Throw in nods to other styles ('buttrock' psytekk in Bit Fire, psy-dub in Rubber Dub), and you've a well-rounded album of goa-psy. Not groundbreaking by any means, but enjoyable on its own merits. Throw in the context it was released in, and it suddenly sounds even better!

Amon Amarth - Twilight Of The Thunder God

Metal Blade Records: 2008

Getting into Viking metal by way of bands of Ensiferum and Týr was all well and good, but I was told if I truly wanted more than just a poseur-bluffer's collection, I needed to get some Amon Amarth. Okay, wasn't so much 'told', but generally gleaned from discussions on the subject matter. Makes sense though, the Swedish death metal band having been among the earliest to incorporate Norsemen themes into their lyrics. Not the earliest, mind, which would probably be Bathory, but early enough that they're frequently name-dropped as giving it enough credibility that others could follow. They've also toured with death metal elite (Slayer, Cannibal Corpse ...Goatwhore?), so I feel I'm in good hands checking these guys out.

And according to Sputnikmusic, my always reliable source for metal music discourse, this here Twilight Of The Thunder God is as good a starting point as any. Or the previous album to this, With Oden On Our Side. Heck, may as well get both, but alphabetical stipulation states this one gets reviewed first. Regardless, this period seems to have been peak Amon Amarth, so let's hear what this icon of Viking metal has on tap.

So the titular opener immediately hits with the epic guitar riffs and vicious rhythms, and I'm digging it. Then vocalist Johan Hegg starts up with those guttural death metal growls, to which I can't help but think, “Oh no! Not the Cookie Monster growls.”

I can put up with the falsetto wailing, the raspy shouting, and even some mid-range growling, but the lower the tone goes, the sillier it sounds to me, to such a point it takes me right out of whatever musical vibe I may get out of a given song. I just can't take it seriously! Granted, there are some instances where going full baritone with the death metal growls works – heck, there's examples right here on this album! In the song Tattered Banners And Bloody Flags, when Johan intones “The earth moves under our feet; The great world tree, Yggdriasil; Trembles to its roots”, you really feel that earth-shuddering rumble.

And honestly, it's not like that's the only vocal style heard on this album. Plus, once it's been worked in for a while, my brain acclimatizing to the vocal delivery, so it's no longer a turn-off. I just wish I didn't always have that initial reflexive reaction to hearing it, that I need a few songs before I'm willing to go with the guttural growls.

Vocal deliveries aside, Twilight Of The Thunder God is pretty kick-ass. I've seen Amon Amarth's style described not so much as Viking metal (which is often lumped with Folk metal), but as melodic death metal, or melodeath, just with Norse tales and mythology thrown in. Sure, I'll go with that, with equal measures of melodramatic riffage joining in with aggro-assaults. And sweet, there's even an Apocalyptica guest spot on Live For The Kill. Nothing sells 'epic' like a cello metal band!

Tommy '86 - Transhumanism

Blood Music: 2016

So you're a Finnish death metal label that lucked into a deal with one of the hottest rising stars in one of the hottest rising genres to emerge in the past decade. Never mind it's totally outside your usual fare, this 'synthwave' thing seems to have more than enough buzz such that fans of the stuff will flock to your label regardless, especially if you offer up such retro formats as collector's vinyl and tape editions. It's not enough having that one super-hot name on your roster though. Gotta' start rounding up whoever else this 'Perturbator' chap might be associated with.

So in comes fellow French synthwaver Dan Terminus. Also comes in American GosT, plus adding Dane Dynatron. Hmm, need more French in this retro love-in, is there anyone else? Ah, this here Tommy '86 chap, he'll do. And that Carpenter Brut guy too. Maybe put out feelers for a 'Hollywood Burns' while we're at it.

Actually, Tommy '86 was a shoe-in for the Blood Music bump, running in the same circles as Perturbator for as long as there was a French synthwave scene. Heck, he may have been the one to coin 'outrun' as a stylistic variation on the genre, one of his earliest Bandcamp singles titled as such. I distinctly recall 'Tommy '86' as part of that conversation, for no other reason than seeing a retro dude with “'86” in their handle made complete and cliched sense. Mr. Féret may have realized it too, dropping the “'86” part shortly after this album's release. Now he simply goes by Tommy, or as Lord Discogs calls him, Tommy (76). Huh, doesn't sound as '80s, that.

Tommy wasn't quite as active a producer as his brethren, though certainly ambitious. Prior to this album, he'd self-released a twenty-eight tracker called Outer Space Adventurer, nothing less than a sci-fi soundtrack for a film that would never get made. Surely he could take that narrative prowess into a release with a little more promotional power behind it, especially Perturbator had proven it could be done with Dangerous Days.

There's definitely a theme going on with Transhumanism, of rising machines and their ever-growing dominance over the remnants of humanity, such that we'll all be one, singular cybernetic entity. Or something. And the music on offer doesn't hold back in selling that oppressive vibe, all the while synths grandiose and gross blast forth as only the best darksynth is wont to do. Some are more menacing (L.V.T.H.N. Central Unit, Command And Control, The Shutdown Of Humanity), others are more propulsive and invigorating (Doppelgänger, A.I. Takeover, the titular finale). There's even a couple downtempo cuts, though opener The Rise and semi-closer No Man's Earth makes sense for such moments. Oh, and Perturbator and Dan Terminus lend a musical hand in a couple early tracks, though don't do much to stand out from Tommy's sound.

Honestly, the best thing to say about Transhumanism is that it's more of that top-grade French synthwave, but doesn't exceed much beyond that.

Kriistal Ann - Touched On The Raw

Wave Records: 2018

When I first discovered Kriistal Ann during my Werkstatt Recordings splurge, I sensed a musician on the rise, a talent that would grow into a force to be reckoned with in a larger darkwave scene. Indeed, she'd just come out with this particular album, with a suitable amount of Bandcamp hype behind it. Wave Records was even springing for a limited vinyl roll-out, no small thing unless you happened upon Blood Music. Which she kind of did, via a guest spot on a GosT album. Anyhow, that all seems like a moot point, as she hasn't released any solo work since Touched On The Raw, instead reconvening with Toxik Razor for another Paradox Obscur album. And while I know it hasn't been that long since this album came out, two years does feel like an eternity these days, unlike the rest of the zippy '10s where two years breezed on by.

Kriistal wasn't entirely inactive during the period between Cultural Bleeding and Touched On The Raw, also releasing the collaborative album Muse with fellow Werkstatt alum Aidan Casserly. That one was much different that the cold, ethereal synthwave music she'd been making to that point, a surprising outing of beatnik jazz and occasional operatic dalliances. Extremely arty stuff, is what I'm getting at, but helps provide something of a bridge linking Ms. Ann's last two solo albums. For the production on Touched On The Raw isn't nearly so rough as past records. Heck, there was already quite the leap from Refraction to Delirious Skies, as much as there was from Delirious Skies to Cultural Bleeding. Yet even as the production and songcraft improved, through it all was an unmistakable rawness, harsh synths and brittle rhythms always serving Kriistal's vocals.

I don't get that same feeling with Touched On The Raw, ironic given the album's title. Absolutely there's still the ethereal synth-pop and darkwave overtures, but everything sounds much cleaner and smooth. Machines running in perfect synchronicity instead of struggling to keep pace. Ghostly, rather than ghastly. Not to mention all the overt jazz influences about, ample amounts of saxophone and skittery rhythms meshing with wailing synths and moody pads. And gosh, the titular track could almost be neo-trance? It almost feels like a throwback hearing the brittle textures of Secret Shore, though the saxophone and ...chipmunk Japanese (?) vocals do remind you this is still post-Muse Kriistal we're dealing with here.

A couple bonus tracks round out the CD, a pair of remixes from Marcello Gallo. The second doesn't do much different with Talking To The Beast, basically beefing up the original's spare rhythms and ethereal elements while leaving the structure of the song the same. His go with Black Art was quite a surprise though. Whereas the original is the usual Kriistal Ann minimalist ethereal-wave outing, Mr. Gallo takes that and adds a bumpin' New Beat beat with a ridiculously addictive bassline. More of this in future albums from Ms. Ann, please! The jazzier stuff is okay too, I guess.

Various - Touched By Silence (The Compilation)

Touched: 2019

As I was poking about HIA's extended Discoggian network, I stumbled upon a new entry within their compilation contributions, this here Touched By Silence. B-Theory, is that a new track? I never recalled seeing such a title from ye' olden days. And gosh, look at the killer's row of talent on this twenty-one tracker! The Orb, Lorenzo Montanà, Gabriel Le Mar, Si Matthews, David Morely, Richard H. Kirk... Ooh, Dub Tractor! I remember him from that Ambient Ibiza CD!

Honey, if you think this digi-comp is something, you should see the eleven CD box-set from which this sprung. Full-length outings from FSOL, Autumn Of Communion, Mick Chillage, Scanner, and many more who've been at this ambient techno game for many years. When Touched does a charity drive for Macmillan Cancer Support, they don't mess around.

So the purpose of this compilation is straight-forward enough. Let's get into some musical details then, should the good cause and sweet assortment of artists not be enticing enough. Oh, and in case you feel you're missing out on that aforementioned FSOL action, fret not, for the opening track from Apertures is a collaboration between Brian Dougans and Ross Baker. They apparently have an album in the works, but Lord Discogs has yet to list anything, nor did I spot anything on the FSOL website. It's a moody modern classical piece with echoing pianos and shimmering psychedelics. Tickle me intrigued.

Okay, the acts I do know. HIA is here, and B-Theory... actually sounds like something that might have been released on B12's Firescope print? I mean, both come from a similar heritage, but I'm missing the playful dub of vintage Bobby Bird. The Orb's cut sounds like it could have been on a Youth-contributing album. David Morley's Vertical System does the cascading Berlin-School synth thing. Si Matthews' Nocture does more a chill, pastoral ambient techno thing. Lorenzo does his bleepy, skittery-rhythm thing in Hola Morning. Le Mar goes almost full world beat with Ingo Ito in When The Trees Are Gone. And Dub Tractor's Blo Rlx One is rather Balaeric and dubby, while Mr. H. Kirk's Dereliction is almost experimental, an utterly empty piece with sparse sounds and effects. A weird addition to a compilation filled with mostly pleasant ambient tones, though not unexpected from the Cabaret Voiltaire member.

And if there's anything I have to quibble about Touched By Silence, it's the wild variance in tracks, including how quiet some go compared to others. Yes, even for a supposed assortment of downtempo artists. For instance, The Orb's upbeat dub-house cut is track three, and surrounded by several beatless, blissful ones. Other rhythm-heavy tracks break up the pure ambience along the way, but not in a fashion that seems conducive to a flowing playthrough, rather half-haphazardly sequenced. Heck, many tracks here could be cappers on a regular release.

Again, that's just a quibble, and doesn't really detract from the whole. There's plenty to enjoy from this compilation, even if the Random button seems turned on.

Valanx - Tidelands

Reverse Alignment: 2018

Before I get into this album, a tip of the hat (toast of the beer; solute of the scapula) to Reverse Alignment, as the label has retired. I do this because they were my first tentative forays into the wider world of dark ambient, away from the comforting womb of Cryo Chamber. While it was familiar names like Dronny Darko and SiJ that lured me there, discovering further works from names like Ajna and B°TONG clued me into how much more this genre had to offer. I likely would have discovered other labels regardless, but props to Reverse Alignment for being there when the time was right.

Valanx is Arne Weinberg, a German who spent much of the '00s in the world of techno. Not that fussy, stuffy minimal stuff, but true-blue Detroit-nodding robot music, at a time when doing so wasn't as fashionable. As the decade turned, he moved on from that to start exploring other musical avenues, including a venture into Echocord dub techno as Onmutu Mechanicks (because of course). Valanx appears to have been the most fruitful of these projects though, first appearing with Xenolith in 2012 on diametric., followed by a number of albums and EPs in the following half-decade. Tidelands was released with it being a capper to the Valanx project, and perhaps his musical career for the time being as well, his Discoggian info ending after the album's release. Just like Reverse Alignment!

Unlike some nebulously conceptual dark ambient albums, Tidelands is crystal-clear about its theme: exploration of a waterworld. Only this isn't some adventurous romp in search of dryland while fending off diesel pirates led by a one-eyed Dennis Hopper. No, this is a world devoid of any hope for humanity, the oceans reclaiming the planet for itself, suffocating all land life, to say nothing of wiping out their achievements. Track titles like Drowned, Neverending Waves & Currents, and God Of The Maelstrom paint a remarkably bleak picture indeed.

Oddly, the actual music within, such as it is, doesn't sound terribly aquatic. This is mostly a drone album, with heavy emphasis on minimalist soundscape, but much of Arne's production features distant echoes and reverb on background effects, lending the tracks to a more cavernous aesthetic. If I had no track titles or concept info, I'd swear Tidelands was about spelunking, or maybe journeying to the centre of the Earth. Where you find ancient ruins.

So this is a fairly droning, bleak album, though a couple 'bright' spots do emerge. Neverending Waves & Currents features something of a meditative monk chant as part of its drone cycle. In The Deep, Where He Reigns Almighty is almost blissful and serene in its shimmering dronescape. And finally, the final titular track is surprisingly uplifting, finding a dry respite from the oceanic desolation. Haha, just kidding, this is the creepiest piece on the album, as though venturing into completely alien territory for the first time. Must have been what it felt like for the first air breathers.

Norken & Nyquist - Synchronized Minds

Intellitronic Bubble: 2020

Aha! There was another Lee Norris alias I had yet to cover. (no, Man-Q-Neon doesn't count; nor Nei Lorken) Norken's been around almost as long as Metamatics, emerging about the same time as Nacht Plank. I don't think this one gained quite the cult following as his others though, in that Lee never released Norken records on his own labels. Which makes sense, the Norken material not fitting so tidily on Neo Ouija or ...txt, as this is Mr. Norris' serious techno muzik alias. Okay, not that serious, but from what I sampled of his earlier albums, there's heavier emphasis on deeper, almost minimalist tech-house rhythms. That just wouldn't do for those labels plying more of a continuum of ambient techno IDM, nosiree.

Despite having mostly mothballed the project since the mid-'00s, Lee kept Norken around for sporadic items, eventually dusting it off with more regularity half a decade ago. Somewhere along the way, he became buds with Futuregrapher, and started releasing a whole bunch on his Móatún 7 print. And then, still feeling that proper techno twinge, he teamed up with Futuregrapher to start up another label together, Intellitronic Bubble. Gads, how many labels does Lee have running right now? Seven?

Okay, that's Norken sorted, so how about _Nyquist? Not nearly as much history, and much of it is in conjunction with Lee on Móatún 7. When Intellitronic Bubble started expanding into artist albums, it was decided their combined powers were a perfect kick-off for the throwback techno print. Doesn't hurt when you're part label-runner too. Of course, I knew very little of this, just that there was an interesting new label that Lee Norris was part of, and here's a cool piece of cover art featuring Arctic wastelands. Ooh, might it be experimental tundra drone?

Nah, it's techno, ol' school and stripped down with machine-jackin' rhythms, floaty synth leads, and deeper than thou basslines. Like, holy cow, are these basslines ever low on the low end! Some of these frequencies are in the technobass domain, though the surrounding production keeps things in the realms of crisp 'n' clean techno. If that crisp 'n' clean techno carried with it those heart-melting melodies Mr. Norris' body of work is known for. Sometimes a little acid action is thrown in (Aux Patch, Auxxx Thatched), other tracks opt for a vibe in other genres' realm (tech-house in Mutual 2, electro in Track 11, Detroit funk in The Far Center, ambient techno in Love Simulation), but the general sonic aesthetic of each track remains mostly consisted throughout Synchronized Minds.

And I can't deny, that does lead this album to sounding a little samey when I play it back. Nothing ever slips in quality, but little leaps out as the highlight track, or the intriguing leftfield cut, or the instant earworm. Which is fine, Synchronized Minds clearly not that kind of album. Does feel like this could have been broken up into separate EPs though, giving each track more space to stand out.

Lionel Weets - Stellar Orchestra

Motech: 2014

Well, look at that, another Motech album. How did that slip by? Must have put it in a different 'to review' pile than the 'to review' pile that had all the other Motech releases. Why yes, I have many 'to review' piles going at the same time, is that so weird?

Belgian Lionel Weets started out making thumping techno as MGMX, releasing several singles across several labels. If Lord Discogs is anything to go by (and it usually is), these didn't catch on in any major way. Undeterred, Lionel pursued his musical interests towards a more Detroit-based sound, leading him to a debut album on Motech, this here Stellar Orchestra. His Discoggian info dries up after that, save a lone collaborative single in 2017. Uh, wha' happened? Did this album not meet expectations, causing a crises of musical faith? Not enough bills getting paid to continue on this path? Another case of Lord Discogs missing massive updates on particular artists just because no one's been keeping tabs on Bandcamp pages?

Okay, before I hype this record up more than it probably deserves, I'll say straight up that what Lionel is doing here isn't revolutionary. Indeed, you'll hear plenty of sonic markers that'll have you remembering Detroit techno anthems of yesteryear, Mr. Weets laying his influences naked and bare for all to hear. The Strings Of Life strings, the Plastic Dreams organ licks, the Man With The Red Face saxophone action. Even the... Pump Up The Jam synth stabs? Well, Technotronic was also Belgian, so I guess you had to give some nods there. Come to think of it, Jaydee is Dutch, and Laurent Garnier is French. Are we certain Lionel Weets is doing a strict Detroit thing here?

Yeah, I'm pretty certain. This is definitely tech-house as inspired by the Motor City, and though the rhythms are mostly straight-forward, they have more than enough beef to carry things forward. It's all about whatever melodies Lionel comes up with anyway, and what instrument he uses for a lead in a given track. The first few mostly rely on those archaic string samples we all associate with early Detroit techno, but I'll take Mr. Weets' use of them over hearing Strings Of Life ever again. Elsewhere we get pianos (Don't Follow Me, I Am Lost, Alien Opera), organs (The Night Is Ours), saxophone (Not Today) or synths (Rise Of The Dragons, Different Ways To Paradise). And hey, just to show it's not a total Detroit fest, here's a little garage action with Through The Universe. Oh yeah, that's some shuffle rhythm there!

What amazed me the most about this album is how well it flowed. Yeah, the tracks all abruptly stop, but they also don't waste time when starting up either, getting right into the action again. And once another fun solo breaks out, you're all in for the ride. All solid stuff, and astounding to me that Mr. Weets apparently didn't do much after this.

Solvent - Solvent City

Morr Music/Suction Records: 2001/2012

And so we come to the end of my Suction Records excursion. This... is the last, right? I won't have a Motech or Werkstatt situation where some unexpected record pops up that I totally forgot about? Let me check... Lowfish... RX-101... Skanfrom... Solvent... Yep, I'm pretty sure that's the four I picked up from the label's Bandcamp. No hidden or surprise albums from that bundle, nosiree.

Seems fitting I end this with a Solvent album. The man behind the moniker, Jason Amm, launched the label with Lowfish way back in the '90s, and relaunched it less way back in the '10s. Everything I've said regarding Suction Records can be tied to Solvent, so it's about time to actually dive a little deeper into his discography. And his is an interesting one, to say the least. Like most of the early Suction material, his first couple albums skewed closer to the realms of IDM than the electro he'd be more known for. His big break, if you want to call it that, came with signing on Ghostly International, where he shifted quite dramatically into 'don't call it electroclash' synth-pop. Well, that would certainly explain why Phase 1 of Suction Records petered out: its label runner was off gallivanting with that Ghostly hussy.

Still, comparing the leap from Solvently One Listens to Apples And Synthesizers is drastic, a feeling of something linking them between required. Solvent City is that link, and not just because it was released between the two. Okay, it is part of that, but you can definitely hear the bridge this album creates. The more IDM'y aspects of his older stuff has been sifted out, refining his music into its pure electro-pop essence here. It isn't must of a stretch to start adding a shinier production gloss and robo-singing for the Ghostly International crew.

As such, Solvent City comes off much simpler and quaint compared to its neighbouring albums. Is this why it ended up on Morr Music instead of Suction Records, tunes too off the expectant path of what folks wanted out of Solvent's label? Eh, that's neither here nor there, in that for such a young and relatively unknown print, I can't imagine it'd develop a hard-core, purist following. Mind, stranger, cultish behaviour has happened in the world of techno, even for labels based out of Toronto.

Anyhow, quaint electro-pop vibes permeate Solvent City. Aww, look at all these cute automatons going about daily activities like they're human. I easily imagine various simple animations playing out, drawn in the crude figurines as featured on the cover art, all doing things suitable for the titles. Buying some Frozen Food. Picking up a newspaper That Will Be 49 Cents. Testing out a Built-In Microphone. Looking over billboards, passing by ones that say Not For Sale. Rummaging through products to Sample And Hold. Wait, that's a Neil Young title! Holy cow, is this a cover of his utterly obscure slice of electro Rusty-rock? *listens* Mm, okay, maybe not.

Vector Lovers - Solstice EP

self released: 2015

So this EP's taken on a bit more poignancy, now that I know what Martin Wheeler was going through around the time of its release. When I first spotted all these self-released Bandcamp singles, I just assumed it was a trickle of items while other things ate up his time. Boy was I ever right, just not in a way I ever suspected. Still, game development takes time, especially when essentially doing it all on your own. But if some Vector Lovers folks weren't keeping tabs on Mr. Wheeler's other ventures (*cough*), the occasional Bandcamp EP would do in a pinch. I mean, no sense carrying on with Soma Quality Recordings if an app for personal self-promotion is available.

If the timeline is accurate, this Solstice EP was the first of a yearly run of EPs that's more or less carried on to this day. I can't imagine it gaining any sort of attention at the time of its release, the market on Vector Lovers singles all but dried up by that point. There was a lone vinyl with Soma in 2013 supporting iPhonica, plus an MP3 digi-single, but aside from that, the fruitful year of 2008 was the last time Martin contributed much to the EP market. Folks just weren't looking for Vector Lovers records anymore, is what I'm saying, so it's no surprise to me that this one wasn't even on the Discogs database yet. Excuse me while I do my duty for The Lord That Knows all now.

Okay, that's sorted. So what else can I blag about before getting into this EP? Well, it was apparently made solely on an iPhone, using some softwear called NanoStudio. That's kinda' cool, and fits with the whole 'iPhonica' theme Martin's music was all about prior to those years. I wonder if these were done as a lark during those sessions, ready to be used for b-side consideration, or just on his spare time while getting his game developer muse on. Either wouldn't surprise me.

I'm dallying again, mainly because I feel like I've said just about all I can say regarding Vector Lovers music. Unless there's something truly unique in the release I'm covering, I'll just be reiterating points I've previously covered. Solstice EP sounds about as typical a tiny collection of Vector Lovers tracks as there can be, which is great if you can't get enough of his melancholy electro, which I can't!

So key differences between tracks then. Almost Human does the aforementioned 'melancholy electro', while Glacial treads more the sentimental ambient-pop route, if that's any way to describe a tune. The titular track is more along his tech-house lane, with beats that softly pitter-patter and crispy-crunch along with a heart-tugging melody. Okay, it's a little 8th notey, but at least it's not McProggy in the process. Crestfallen carries on the Almost Human vibe, with a moody lead-in, followed upon a tender melody and electro rhythms. How much more vintage V-L can one get?

Arcturus - Shipwrecked In Oslo

Blood Music: 2014

This crossed my path while browsing about Blood Music's webpage for CD deals. The Ensiferum albums had already intrigued me with their Viking art, so was on the look for anything similar, where Shipwrecked In Oslo popped in. Well gosh, this sure looks spacey and all. Plus, the band's name is that of the third brightest star in the sky? (okay, fourth, if you want to get technical about it) Is it Viking metal though? Oh, what the heck! I'm feeling adventurous, courageous. What a thrill, finding a whole new genre to explore with absolutely no idea who anyone is or if any of them are good!

However, I have no idea if Arcturus actually are any good. They certainly don't appear to be bad, definitely talented musicians at what they do, but man, this is getting into realms of metal I wasn't prepared for. Lord Discogs lists Shipwrecked In Oslo as “Black Metal, Prog Rock”, and “Avantegarde”, and right from the jump, I hear rockers unafraid to go where no metal has gone before.

Apparently Arcturus have been something of an outlier since their inception way back in the emergent Nordic black metal scene of the early '90s. Only two members have been there since the beginning, keyboardist Simen “Sverd” Johnsen, and drummer Jan Axel “Hellhammer” Blomberg - and yes, “Hellhammer” is the most metal name for a metal drummer I've ever seen. Aside from those two though, Arcturus had many rotating members coming and going throughout the '90s, gaining something of a reputation for being the band where black metal musicians would go if they wanted to push the boundaries of what their music could entail. By 2005, they'd settled on their current line-up ...after which they broke up. Then they reconvened half a decade later, and have been stable ever since. This live concert album was recorded in support of their last album before the hiatus.

Actually, I wouldn't even technically call this a live album. Originally Shipwrecked In Oslo was a concert DVD, released on Season Of Mist. I guess when Arcturus reunited, a round of album reissues happened, and somewhere along the way, Blood Music got the music rights to release the audio for this, including limited run CDs and vinyl. This is the only Arcturus item Blood Music has, though to be fair, Arcturus' journey among record labels is almost as convoluted as its rotating band members.

Am I gonna' talk about the music at all in this review? What can I say? There's operatic black metal, with crazy time signatures and key changes, such that a six-minute song can feel triple that length. Groovy solos and blast-beat drumming. Mastering so wonky that it sounds like you can hear everything all at once, but is drowned out at the same time. I want to 'get into' this, but with absolutely no frame of reference guiding my opinion, I feel lost on a black metal sea. Music Entry Difficulty Level: too damn high.

Biosphere - Shenzhou

Touch/Biophone Records: 2002/2017

The ambient techno leanings had slowly been sifted away in Biosphere's body of work, but even as late as Cirque, you could hear trace elements still lingering in the music's DNA. With Shenzhou, such markers are basically gone, marking a turning point of sorts within Geir Jenssen's discography. More experimentation! More minimalism! More abstract sound-scapism! And a whole lot less drum machines, unless by way of sampled jazz loops. That trademark chilly atmosphere though, that can stay, even if it isn't so laser focused on space or tundra clime's.

I admit this period of Biosphere's work is mostly an enigma to me for this reason. Save Dropsonde (picked up because it just happened to be in the used store at the time) and some scattered tracks as found on Compilation 1991-2004, I never bothered to check any of it out, as it was the vintage ambient techno of yore that drew me into the Biosphere fold in the first place. When an artist says 'nuts to my past' in pursuit of creative freedom, I'm all for it, but that doesn't necessarily mean I have to follow their journey too, especially if I was only ever a casual fan in the first place. Or wait, was I? No, I'm pretty sure I was super-keen on Biosphere from the start, I just had little resources to find his stuff in my back-ass corner of Canadaland. Praise be The Internet!

It does make me wonder how I would have reacted to Shenzhou had Geir's music been consistently easier to find for yours truly. Like, coming into this with nearly twenty years of prepared hindsight (yes, I got this as part of his ongoing re-issue campaign), I know it's a different album than Patashnik or Substrata. I didn't know what kind of different it would be – certainly not Dropsonde different – but certainly a change of musical direction. I definitely didn't expect to be so heavily influenced from Wolfgang Voigt's Gas project.

Was this a major thing at the time? For sure Gas got a whole lot of critical praise for his manipulated orchestral-sample drone loops, even as far as Pitchfork recommendations (back when such a thing was the ultimate in hipster cred'). It had to set off some trends, even if in smaller circles. Not that Geir would be a chaser himself, but I'm sure he took a listen to Pop and thought, “Hmm, I have some old orchestral records. I could do something like that, in my own way.”

I suppose that's why Shenzhou falls more into the 'interesting' area of Biosphere's body of work rather than the 'captivating' category I prefer. Yes, it's interesting hearing these orchestral loops ebb and throb, even the aged crackle of the used vinyl becoming as much part of the atmosphere as artifacts of archaic technology. Plus, there's always that omnipresent atmosphere of lurking menace, creeping in the shadowy recesses of your mind. A journey inward then, rather than Biosphere's explorations of the world outward.

Vector Lovers - Separation

self-release: 2020

Doing a video game score seemed inevitable. Lot's of electronic music producers do it, those with sonic similarities to sci-fi, anime, and all that good geeky stuff perfect adepts. So when I heard Vector Lovers had made a soundtrack for a game, it didn't surprise me that much. What did surprise me was the game in question, called Separation, was developed for the Playstation VR system. I've heard of the gear, but hardly seen much buzz around it. Or maybe there's plenty of buzz, but since it's a device I'll never use, it all passes me by.

In any case, I followed the handy link to the game's promotional website, for that all-important context on the subject matter, and it looks interesting enough. Mostly a walking simulator with a desolate world to explore while solving the mysteries of what went so horribly wrong for this civilization to have come to ruin. Gosh, getting some real Atrium Carceri / Sabled Sun vibes here.

I was curious how Vector Lovers came into contact with this project, so poked about the Recluse Industries page some more. Ah, here's an 'About' page, going into the developer's past game-making experiences, mostly done during earlier generations. He took a break from it for a while, then returned to the fold when the death of his father inspired him to make Separation himself. Signed ...Martin Wheeler? Wait, Vector Lovers not only did the soundtrack, but the whole game? Holy cow, I had no idea Martin was an indie game developer too! Seems like information that should be included on his Discogs page. That also explains the long stretch of minimal musical output following iPhonica. He was busy making a VR game in all that time!

Befitting a VR game that's more about immersion and exploration, the music for Separation is mostly on that moody ambient tip. It even occasionally dips its toes into atmospheric synthwave territory (Epic Fail, Outpost), which totally tracks for Vector Lovers. In fact, I'm surprised I didn't hear more of it, as this seems like a prime environment for some vintage retro-future synth pulses.

But nay, Separation's primary sonic domain are subtle droning pads that ebb and swell, likely emerging as you come across some new landscape or ruin in your sojourn through the game's world. Some of it is ominous and mysterious (Ocean Of Nothing, Requiem), others tranquil and relaxing (Into The Air, Unlearn, the titular cut), while a couple could have been the mellower moments in a Vector Lovers album (Foregone, Requiem again). Such distinct markers of Mr. Wheeler's music seem few and far though, Separation a much different outing than the usual Vector Lovers fare. It's fine on its own, but undoubtedly would be enhanced with associated stimuli from the gaming experience.

And the game itself? Oh, I've obviously never played it, but did check out a few reviews. I've seen opinions range from "immersive masterpiece" to "tedious... treasure hunt". Always positive things to say about the music though.

ACE TRACKS: October-November 2020

So I made a Topster.

And you may be wondering, what even is a Topster? Just a simple little chart app that lets you put images of music albums however you want. Most have been doing it to make Favourite Albums collages, which I figured, “When in Rome...” Only, I have no idea what my favourite albums are. For sure there's one's I like quite a bit, but I've never thought about ranking them or paring things down to a Top 40 (or 100, or 1000). There's just so much in my collection, it'd take some serious study to figure it out, and I don't care to rank my albums that much.

Fortunately, there's a handy little place that tracks which albums you listen to the most often, and while not the most accurate of apps, should be representative of what my favourites are. So off to the Last.dot.fm I went, scoped out which were my top scrobbled albums, and selected just the top from each artist that came up (there'd be quite the bunching of FSOL otherwise). The result... wasn't what I expected.

Oh, absolutely many of these albums are favourites, but I can't say they're my absolute favourites from each artist. I'd put Big Men Cry over Maya any day, or Demon Days over Plastic Beach, or Dead Cities over Environments 2, or U.F.Orb over The Dream. Plus, I'm missing whole genres here (house, techno, d'n'b, rap, almost all of rock), which is just ridiculous. What gives?

Methinks this scrobble information is so skewed because this is a lot of stuff that I tend to play at home, on the downswing, sometimes when I'm ready to nod off. I generally don't get scrobble information for music blasting on my main stereo or MP3s on the go. Others likely got high scrobble info because they have so many tracks to scrobble from (I see you, Pete Namlook tribute box-set; you too, Neil Young box-set).

Still, I feel like this is an app that could be toyed around with some more, given the time to do so. Stay tuned for future Topster pics! For now, here's the ACE TRACKS for the past two months of reviews. Seems like enough to make a decent playlist out of now.


Full track list here.


MISSING ALBUMS:
Autumn Of Communion - Reservoir Of Video Souls
Various - Recycle Or Die (Electronic Mind Music)
Skanfrom - Postcards
Vector Lovers - Pale Blue Star EP

Percentage Of Hip-Hop: 0%
Percentage Of Rock: 0%
Most “WTF?” Track: Nope, can't think of one. Even the dark ambient stuff is comparatively tame.

Aw man, I go and say downtempo, ambient, IDM-chill stuff really isn't my only port of call, and here's a playlist that's filled with it! At least there's a little more variety in here though, what with Technical Itch, UNKLE, and, um, Fictivision. Wow, relying on eurotrance to break up monotony. Strange days forever more.