N:L:E - Ecovillage

Liquid Frog Records: 2022

Not very often we get an album focusing so specifically on the achievements of mankind from N:L:E. Juan Pablo tends to prefer exploring our naturalistic surroundings, from the micro to the macro, realms unconcerned with humanity's presence. Even Yahgan, a direct reference to a people living in the remote ends of Argentina, is more an homage to their nearly lost culture than an exploration of our species' presence in even the most inhospitable clime's.

And maybe its that concern for the often destructive nature of our adaptive abilities that got Mr. Giacovino feeling inspired by something a little more sustainable in co-existing within our environments. Make no mistake: for as remarkable as its been that we've bent mother nature to our will in service of our survival, its come with many fallouts too. No other animal has so radically altered its living spaces for its own benefit to such a degree as humans have. Even the engineering feats of the mighty beaver pale compared to our concrete fortifications. Heck, given how much Earth's atmosphere has changed during the Holocene Epoch, we just might give even cyanobacteria a run for its money! Okay, maybe not. They had a few hundred million years to do what they did, and we'll be lucky to make it to our first million years of existence.

Where was I? Oh, right, ecovillages. Yeah, that's one way we might stave off our inevitable doom. Dwellings making use of natural energy sources like solar power and windmills and rain floods. All good for small scale communities, absolutely, though you'd really have to dig that isolated trad life while you're at it. And hey, given the ever-increasing stresses put upon us by over-stimulation from ongoing world events, unplugging and retreating to the ass-ends of some corner of Earth does sound tempting. Still, take it from someone who did spend a spell living in one of those ass-ends of the Earth: shit gets real boring real fast. You gotta' be quite content with the humdrum life, because there ain't much else that'll get your jimmies rustled. Not for the ADHD inclined, is what I'm sayin'.

Anyhow, Ecovillage. As this is something of a more 'earthly' concept from Natural Life Essence, the music on hand gets quite groovy and dubby for much of its runtime. Saving Water even whips out the melodica for a jam over its ultra-lazy rhythms, while Chant adds some simulated throat singing (I assume, since it doesn't sound much like a sample). Elsewhere, Fire Storm Ritual ups the tempo to prog-psy levels, though retains rather mostly broken beats for its duration, all the while reminding me of AstroPilot in the process (whoo, acid!).

Overall, a generally uplifting, positive vibe is maintained, as though we're bearing witness to a community in high spirits going about their daily activities. Hey, you didn't have to sell the idea of an Ecovillage that hard, Juan Pablo. You had me at 'environmentally sustainable arable society' alone. How's the internet connection though?

Nacht Plank - Echo Ark

...txt: 2014/2022

For as much as I've talked about his labels, his collaborations, and his influence upon modern ambient techno circles in general, I sure haven't covered much of Lee Norris' solo work. Indeed, of the twenty-seven items I have tagged with his name within this blog's archives, only four are of Lee on his own. And most of those tend to be Nacht Plank items, though that's not terribly surprising as it's the alias he's most often released under. Yeah, Metamatics and Norken may have given him more early momentum, but Nacht Plank seems to be where he feels most free in his musical journeys.

And that may also be why I haven't come back to it often. Alien was an interesting album with analogue '70s weirdness going for it, but boy do I need to be in a particular mood to enjoy it. Which is more than could be said for the raw experimentation I heard on Broad Tape Band. And as for Third Sacraments Council, well, it's certainly a solid slice of hour-long ambient drone, but again, only good for particular moods (chiefly, 'sweepy beddy-bye time'). All this is to say I needed something rather particular for me to indulge in a Nacht Plank release again.

And this Echo Ark album, that certainly looked to fit the bill. Just the cover art alone, EPCOT Center as viewed through some alternate lens, already sparks so many creative possibilities. The near-naive optimism of Disneyfied retro-futurism, twisted into some abstract tonal counterpoint, a lasting legacy of human hubris in the face of a society deformed from its former glory. I'm not saying Echo Ark is all that – indeed, maybe Lee presents this album with just as much Utopian idealism as Tomorrowland always envision. Given these colour tones though, I suspect not.

Opening Shepherd Satelite is a rather tranquil start though, the analogue bleeps and bloops kept mostly to a steadying heartbeat while synth pads gently slide and glide throughout- Oh, wait, things just took a tonal shift. Now we're in weirdly ominous territory, with additional transistor chatter. Did... did something happen? Has the grand plan fallen upon hard times? Well, whatever the case, following that is a near twenty-six minute long excursion of tranquil field recording manipulations, melancholy synths, and even a little pitter-patter of rhythm burbling to the surface now and then. Aminita, the piece is called, and if it don't conjure primordial vistas as seen through some viewscreen on the Prometheus (the one orbiting Solaris, I mean), I don't know what will.

The rest of Echo Ark (three tracks averaging a dozen minutes each) play out in similar fashion: field recordings, wistful synth pad melodies, light use of experimental sounds and effects. Overall a rather pleasant outing, especially considering the more foreboding tone the second half of Shapherd Satelite suggested. I guess even Lee couldn't get quite as cynical as some do whenever talking about the overtly celebratory nature of EPCOT's future vision for mankind.

Ra - Earthcall

Suntrip Records: 2016

Nope, still not used to Ra having such a small discography. Forget having a brainfart over their 9th album only being their second, I just can't help but assume they have a far more robust catalogue than what Lord Discogs claims. Again, it's all those compilation contributions. Whether offering up tracks to Suntrip, other tunes to Altar Records, or even getting a few nods on the memorable Goa-Head series, they certainly have enough material for at least a double-LP of assorted musics. Mainline records though? Can you believe this here Earthcall, released eight years ago, is just their fourth album?

Heck, it's just their second for Suntrip, a surprise in of itself considering how much folks often pointed to 9th as one of the label's definitive early releases. Surely pressure was high for a quick follow-up, but instead they spent some time on the downswing, putting out a mostly chill affair on Altar between 9th and this. Then after Earthcall, barely a peep beyond the compilation market again, a lone EP on Altar the only thing since, and released just last year at that. Seems Ra really aren't in a hurry to flood the market with trance, content letting all the hep new cats on the scene grab all the goa glory.

That's what I find rather fascinating about Earthcall. Given how gung-ho the goa and psy goes from most of the artists I've heard on Suntrip thus far, it's quite refreshing having an album that plays things relatively smooth, easy, and dare I say, chill. Yeah, the beats are still at a brisk pace, and there's plenty of momentum in Ra's use of synth leads, all building to solid peaks as any other nu-goa trance you'll hear. It's all just really mellow about it too. Music that realizes there must be times for those build-up and lead-down moments within a set (or heck, a twenty-four hour bender), and Ra are completely content playing that roll.

You can vibe, you can sway, you can flail, but there's no tear-out climax to these tracks – let some of the younger lads on the Suntrip roster fill those slots. Christer and Lars are old hats at this game, after all, doing their thing since the early '90s. They'd like to retire to their tents at the festival early, I wager. Or maybe they've become early birds as all old people do. So here's a set for the wee morning hours while being served at the Vegan Rasoi Smorgasbord.

Six tracks make up the bulk of Earthcall, plus one collaboration with Menkalian dragging Ra closer to where most folks would expect of modern goa to go (tear out peak!), plus an obligatory downtempo closer. As with 9th, I can't say much of this stuck with me afterwards, but for some reason, I came away from Earthcall with an overall better experience. Just more pleasant listening compared to how bricked and full throttle some of Suntrip's trance can get. Gettin' old, I guess.

N:L:E - Dune

Liquid Frog Records: 2021

Man, everyone gettin' their Dune on d'eez days, eh? Film makers, musicians, video essayists, and the whole lot. I'd like to say I've been getting down with the Dune just as much, but I can't quite make that leap. Like, the first movie from a few years back, I was a little intrigued, but already knowing the bulk of the story, wasn't that hyped for it either. And to be perfectly blunt, Denis' take on the source material looked almost too reverential, really focusing on the world building to an almost fetishistic degree. Say what you will about the Lynch version, but that movie had some real balls in going so gonzo with set design. David firmly putting his signature on it, catch my drift? Does Villeneuve's Dune have any scene as glorious as Patrick Stewart leading a charge into battle with pug in arms? I think not!

Still, that second movie, that would be the stuff. Those story beats got massively butchered in the Lynch version due to a truncated script, but surely Denis would flesh everything out with all the extra time afforded. Wait, it doesn't feature a creepy little girl murdering the Baron? Well, geez, what's the point, then? One of the best aspects of Dune is just how fucked up the source material really is.

Admittedly, I haven't read the books, mostly digesting the lore through video essays and dense fan wikis. My hesitation comes from being unsure whether Herbert's prose can live up to the premise. I sense Dune is one of those novels that's more fascinating in its ideas and world building than it is in actual execution, and perhaps why its long been regarded as unfilmable. Well, whatever the case, I can at least rest easy understanding every Duncan Idaho meme on the internet.

Oh, wait, I'm supposed to be talking about Juan Pablo Giacovino's take with Dune, aren't I? This almost feels unfair, in that a lot of musicians have taken inspiration from Dune, and how can I possibly compare his to them all? It doesn't sound like Toto. It doesn't sound like Brian Eno. It doesn't sound like Hans Zimmer. And doesn't sound like EON. It sounds like... well, it sounds like one of his Caravan sessions, if I'm honest.

Which is fine in of itself, but doesn't really capture the inhospitable nature of Arrakis, does it? So calm, flowing, and soothing, little of the mystery and ominous feeling of wandering a dry wasteland dominated by impossibly large worms, all the while tripping your dimensional space off to spice. No, this feels more like traversing the gentle waves of fine particulate grains gracefully moving across an arid surface of a mild wind, existing between the two extremes of torturous heat and deathly cold. There is still a sense of the grand in N:L:E's ambient excursions, but more like gazing upon the environment from afar, unaware and unconcerned with the turmoil that lurks within its unique surface.

Dance With The Dead - Driven To Madness

self-release: 2022

And thus we've come to the end of yet another of my Bandcamp catalogue bulk buys, that of the dynamic duo of Dance With The Dead. What I find remarkable about this one is, unlike so many other artists I did the deed with, these chaps haven't released anything since. No continued unearthing of archival material or relentlessly releasing new stuff, just sitting pat for the past two years. Okay, a tenth anniversary remastering of their debut album Out Of Body, but I don't count that. All I'm getting at is it's rather satisfying completing one of these discography dives and not having my OCD triggered by some unexpected unfinished business at its conclusion.

Is that the bigger question here, whether I'll carry on getting Dance With The Dead albums after this? For sure I like their stuff, but Driven To Madness kinda' shows they haven't evolved much either. You generally know what you're gonna' get with each record – driving synthwave action with epic guitar riffage – and that's fine for a fix every now and then. Yet I can't help but feel completely sated on their style now, this album not quite hitting the highs I've come to expect from them. Maybe it's just the record itself, Tony and Justin trying to find their mojo again after a four-year gap between LPs (not to mention a pandemic).

They're certainly shooting for something far grander in scope, even getting some dialog from John Carprenter in the opening intro. Finally, a feature from the man that inspired so much of their sound! What turned my head even quicker, however, was the opening riff of follow-up Firebird, reminding me of Stone Temple Pilots' Sex Type Thing. Grunge is not a genre of music I make many connective tissues with, especially when dealing with anything involving synths. Firebird is pretty darn epic though, even dropping some choir pads at its climax. Ah, hmm, maybe overselling things a little there, lads. And something about the chugging synths in Hex has me feeling a track more suited for some festival set than a pair of dudes jamming on stage. It is a different direction than what I'm used to hearing from them, but not really sustained for the rest of Driven To Madness.

And I think that's where my disconnect comes in. While I can't say I would have looked forward to a whole album of just festival bangers (even from these guys), at least it would have been something different. Instead, we're back in familiar territory with the outrun cuts (Sledge, Wyrm Of Doom), the heavier rockers (I'm Your Passenger, A New Fear), the synth poppers (Kiss Of The Creature, Nebula), and the ballad (Start The Thaw). I do appreciate hearing more regular drums over digital ones (sampled or not, I'm not sure, there isn't a drummer credit included), but beyond that, yeah, it's Dance With The Dead doing their thing. Think I'll need a little more than that should I get any future albums.

N:L:E - Docking To The New Space Station

Liquid Frog Records: 2020

Hey, remember Natural Life Essence? Boy, sure has been a while since I last talked about an album specific to this alias of Juan Pablo Giacovino. According to my stats, the last was Botanical Adventures way back in December, which, okay, maybe not that long ago, what with a month off between and all. Still, it feels like I've been focusing more on Juan Pablo's other projects than this one as of late. Except Yahgan, that one's been left out on a limb for a while now.

Oh, and I'm kinda' fibbing on dealing with a regular ol' album from N:L:E in this case, even if the title doesn't imply as such. Way back when Juan Pablo started out, he released a three-part series called Space Caravan (chap loves his caravans), which I assume helped him stand out from an overstuffed ambient market. Nothing gets fans of droning synth tones more amped than adding a little conceptualization of the cosmic grande. Wrapped, he moved onto other sonic pursuits like bio-diversity and adventures of polar peoples, generally leaving the space stuff behind. That didn't last long though, returning to Space Caravan with Docking To The New Space Station, a spiritual sequel in concept if not in title. Not much longer after that, he started an entirely new alias for any and all space ambient music on his mind, H:U:M. But that's getting ahead of things. Or reiterating points I've already made. I'm honestly losing track of all this ten months on.

Calling this an album also may be a slight fib, in that three of the five tracks are billed as remixes of the titular opener. I'm not sure how much of a difference that makes overall, but as I've heard in other releases from Juan Pablo, he isn't afraid of exploring different facets of similar themes over genre variations. Just usually those are distinguished as 'Part's or '[Alias] Remix's, not independently titled remixes in of themselves. Well, I guess he was still sussing all these things out – when one has as relentless a work rate has Mr. Giacovino has shown, things like titling conventions tend to be a little fluid.

As for the main near-fifteen minute track, it's got much of what I've come to expect out of an N:L:E Caravan session: flowing, whispery synth pads, some spritely effects sprinkled about, a little arp action building rhythmic momentum in the back-end. And I swear there's a distant woodwind sample that rather reminds me of the opening refrains you hear on many an Enigma album. The Sounds Of New Sun Mix is much the same, but features bell tones rather than arps, the Error Data Solved Mix brings in some simple rhythms, and the Short Transmission Mix is basically the Original Mix at half the length. There's also a final cut of Ending Transmission which really gets on some proper planetarium ambient vibes, just in case you were feeling well sated on all the layered whispery pad work that preceded it.

Kiphi - Divine Flux

Liquid Frog Records: 2021

Small point of order, an additional bit of info regarding this Kiphi project I've thus far neglected detailing. For you see, this is not just another alias of Juan Pablo Giacovino, one where he indulges in more melodic arps over his other projects. For sure that is an element of it, but there's another crucial tidbit of data that needs illuminating. A second gunman- erm, I mean, contributor to these electronic music pieces.

He's always been there, but for some reason slipped through my name-drops, assuming Kiphi was the same as Natural Life Essence, H:U:M, Spiritual Fields, Yaghan, and so on. Indeed, this particular person could very well be the primary creative force behind Kiphi, with Juan Pablo just hanging out in the same studio as sonic support. I certainly haven't seen the individual's name crop up elsewhere beyond some art and 'thanks' credits, but with a primary producer's role along side Juan Pablo, I have to assume as such. And this entity's name? Jose Carlos Giacovino. Brother? Father? Son? Spouse? Cousin? I haven't a clue, and haven't been able to find any more info. Not that it matters much, but y'know, gotta' be as thorough as one can be with these things. Lord Discogs gets mighty stingy if you submit releases to their database if you're not crossing all the 'T's and accenting all the 'É's.

I guess another reason I felt compelled to clarify the air over how many Giacovinos are contributing to these projects is because this is the first 'solo' Kiphi release I'm finally reviewing. I could kinda'-sorta' get away with assuming this was still all Juan Pablo when it was N:L:E & Kiphi, and such as, but no more! Unless Roberto Giacovino gets in on the act as well. So many Giacovinos running around Argentina. Just... so many.

Anyhow, you can throw that assumption on my part that Kiphi is strictly the 'N:L:E with arps' project, because there's a fair bit of diversity of style even with it serving as something of a rudder. Indeed, opener Ancient Mandala has them in a subtle fashion, but it's as much an ultra-chill ambient dub session with world beat overtones as anything synthy. Ooh, wouldn't that make this a Spiritual Fields jam instead? After World goes more psy-chill, while the titular cut settles into a layered ambient outing with dense, droning pads.

From there, the pace gets a significant boost, the arp work in Civilization far more propulsive than what's come before, while Prana gets into proper prog-psy territory, though is a little herky-jerky in execution. And what N:L:E record (adjacent or otherwise) would be complete without a two-part dub session? Incomplete, says I, so here's Antartica Interstellar 1 and 2, the first half the long ambient build, the second going full on into psy-dub territory. And wow, I've thus far heard plenty finesse with Juan Pablo's basslines, but does this one ever add some tasty stank throughout. I wonder if Jose Carlos was responsible for that?

Synaptic Voyager - Disconnect To Reconnect

Frame Of Mind: 2024

So I got into Gerd. Okay, 'got into' is maybe a stretch at this early stage, having only sampled a bunch of his releases thus far. I liked what I heard though, so sprung for a bunch of his stuff from back in the day. During that bout of Bandcamp digging, I came into contact with his Frame Of Mind print. A newish label that started out as a means of re-issuing his back catalogue, it's expanded to include other artists with rare material from the '90s, some of which never saw the light of day.

This here Synaptic Voyager seems to be one such act. I can't find much info about them, simply credited to Paul Baines and M. White (7), neither of whom have much Discoggian presence. A lone Discogs comments claims this comes from Sheffield, material recorded to DATs and sat in limbo for decades. I can believe it, as the techno on here is about as retro as you'll ever hear inspired from the Detroit Holy Lands. However, that scene was already moving onto its minimal phase, so this stuff would have come off rather dated all too quickly. Yes, even retro futuristic electro-jams were old hat as the '90s took form. Unless you were one of the O.G.s or Belleville Three, you had to evolve or be left in the dust.

Fortunately, three decades is plenty of time removed from all that scene pressure, letting folks who made some techno jams back in the day have their efforts re-emerge from the ether without preconceived judgment. Or heck, they maybe could have at any point, but it's nice having an established veteran like Gert-Jan Bilj give you that all-important seal of approval, hitching to his wagon and all. The first Synaptic Voyager record, State Of Play, came out a couple years ago to good response, and now we have Disconnect To Reconnect, coming out to... Well, I assume good response also, but this is so new (one month old as of this writing!), maybe the underground buzz is still burbling to the surface.

And yeah, this is techno as heard straight from the source, many years removed from its creation, with just a token amount of modern mastering. Second track Ne Plus Ultra will definitely get your Rhythim Is Rhythim triggers flaring (not to mention a little Frankie Knuckles), right down to those choppy strings. I'll give it this though, they certainly sound better here than they ever did on Derrick May's 'classic' single.

Oh, what the heck: this album's all kinds of awesome for the nostalgia feels. There's just no denying vintage Detroit techno continues to hit a sweet spot of basic body movin' goodness and earwormy bleeps, bloops, acid, and basslines. These tracks truly shine, however, when they're allowed to stretch to double-digit jam session lengths, just free-flowing over ever-shifting loop layering and knob twiddling. Eh, what's that, you didn't get the awesome extended versions with your black crack? 'Tis a shame, that.

Cymphonic - Dimensionata

Databloem: 2013

Diving deep into Databloem can seem daunting. Yeah, plenty recognizable names have passed through the label's doors over the decades, but I'm talking about all the other names that have come and gone. Your Danny Kreutzfeldts, your Krzysztof Orluks, your Beta Two Agonists, and so on. Of course, you never know who might make it far in this niche business – I doubt anyone had a clue that Daniel Pemberton kid would become a player in Hollywood when he debuted on Fax+ as a teen. Still, its understandable why some artists get bypassed, never gaining the name recognition that comes with a fruitful career. Only to be rediscovered long down the road when folks start truly digging into a long-lasting label in a flurry of “How did we miss this?” excitement.

I'm not saying Stanley Swinkel's Cymphonic project is one such example, but man, listening to his final record Dimensionata, I could see it happening. He didn't release much, just a handful of items on Databloem, but if they're as interesting as this one, they gotta' be worth scoping out.

It isn't even like he's doing something revolutionary or unique with his ambient excursion here, but it's somehow quite captivating for the hour-plus time it plays through. That's not such an easy feat as you'd believe, always those moments in LP-length ambient sessions that will have your attention drifting this way or that. Does it sound like I'm praising a singular track? Yes, because that's what Dimensionata is, even though it's not.

There are separate tracks on here, eleven ranging from three to fifteen minutes in length (mostly on the shorter end). You can hear when each track starts and ends, as there will be a distinct tonal shift between them. Yet everything flows so seamlessly together, you'll swear it's all the same piece with different segments. I know the easiest comparison would be something like an old, lengthy Berlin-School jam, but even those would be structured around a singular concept. Dimensionata is somehow like that, but each segment stands unique from the other, as a skipping session clearly illustrates.

Primavera features ethereal harps and meditative chants, Weaving makes use of distant operatic voices over minimalist pads, Alignment Of Realities grows ominous with dark ambience, Dancing In Purple Light brings tranquil levity with spritely arps, and so on and so on. As described, each piece sounds perfectly fine on their own, yet I can't imagine listening to any of them outside the context of this album as a whole. Yes, that makes Dimensionata the Ace Track of this review, even though it's not a singular track in of itself.

But is it any good though? Well, if you like your ambient music subtle and full of humble grace, absolutely. Whether its a true Hidden Gem of Databloem, you'd have to ask someone who's consumed the label's entire catalogue. From what I've heard out of the print, however, it's definitely one of the more fascinating listening experiences I've had.

Masterboy - Different Dreams

Polytel: 1994

Can't have a credible eurodance collection without at least one Masterboy album in it. And if there's any worth having, it's definitely this one. It's got their most recognizable hits, it came out during that scene's best year, the original line-up with Trixi Delgado is still intact, and... um... it's got the most comments on Lord Discogs? Heh, that's funny, in that the follow-up album, Generation Of Love, has none. Even their generic house debut, The Masterboy Family, has at least one review.

Let me backtrack. Was Masterboy that big a deal back in the day? For sure I remember seeing that iconic logo – how could you not miss such a vicious grin among all the Dance Mix collections? Yet what were their big singles? Everybody Needs Somebody, I Got To Give It Up and Generation Of Love seem like the obvious contenders, but they were just marginally successful on most charts, only once cracking the Top 10 in their native Germany (with Feel The Heat Of The Night).

Eurodance was massively spoiled for options when Masterboy was active, and some acts had to fall by the wayside when talk of the most noteworthy names carried on. I feel like the group Tommy Schleh and Enrico Zabler built turned into one such act, as the utter lack of Shuffle Dance videos featuring their tunes attests to. But hey, it's three decades later (!!), surely enough time to dust off some of their music to see if its gained overlooked gem status.

And the titular second track (first's an intro) bodes well: strong punchy riffs in that vintage buzzy, sawwave synth style, propulsive rhythms that get you hyped doing aerobic exercises, Trixi belting out an earwormy chorus and... Tommy just adequately doing the rap. Whoof, I know eurodance was never known for its brilliant lyrical wordplay, but even this stuff is some of the most basic material you'll ever hear. Gander: “If you wanna be in the galaxy; If you wanna take a trip inside a starship; If you wanna be President; If you wanna be from heaven sent; If you wanna be the guide of all; If you wanna be ten feet tall;” Okay, yeah, believe in your dreams and all that, but Mr. Schleh delivers such lines with all the enthusiasm of reading copy for a life insurance commercial, like he's afraid of tripping over every syllable.

It's far from a deal breaker, mind you, as all the other elements in play are peak-era eurodance, production as solid as anything you'll hear from '94. Those choruses from Trixi in Is This The Love and Do You Wanna Dance are just to die for, in that they'll get your heart rate soaring! I get the need for rap verses – it's was the successful formula everyone had to copy. When they don't even have a ragga gimmick going for them though, it's little surprise Masterboy isn't remembered quite so readily as other acts of the day.