In this message:
Gate/Sol- Gate/Sol
Namlook IV- Power Supply
Gate/Sol- Gate/Sol PS 08/47
1 Red 28.28
2 Blue 28.48
All Tracks written by Charles Gate and Victor Sol.
I've never heard of either of these guys before, but apparently Victor
has a new one out with Atom Heart called +N something or other. Anyways,
this is one of those ambient CDs that come dangerously close to the
line between ambient and new age. Red starts out pretty ambient, but
eventually develops some big analog string, and what sounds like a synth
equivalent of either a harp or a guitar, I'm not sure. The guitar-thingie
spouts out beautiful melodies, but half an hour is a little too long.
Blue runs mainly along the same lines, but is done with a piano. Very
reminiscent of the piano tracks on "thinking about myself" by cosmic baby,
but with more of an ambient feel. Like I said before, it comes very close
to new age melodic stuff, but still retains the FAX brand of ambience.
If you're not into it, it would probably be annoying, but it is a refreshing
change in the FAX agenda. Perhaps comprable to Baked Beans on Recycle or
Die and sometimes almost like a less-grand In the Nursery.
Namlook IV (PK 08/89)
Power Supply 46.44
There's already been a good review of this one so i'll keep it short.
Namlook is getting better and better at his solo live stuff. Astrogator
and The Dutch Side of the Milky Way were rather bland, and that's exactly
how this one starts out, sounding exactly the same as his previous live
CDs. He even does that distorted talking this where he says "This is San
Francisco". I don't really like it, but it's not as bad as when Dr. Atmo
says his own name in "Live at XS". It kind of build up with a bassline
and slow pound like you would expect of an ambient dub track. Then out of
nowhere comes an *amazing* slow chugging break beat that makes you want
to hop right out of your egg chair (remember those?) and boogie. A totally
new direction for Namlook-- almost funky. Melodies and knob twiddling and
an "each day affects the next" voice sample wind around the beat which
builds and decreases. Absolutely amazing. I'm so jealous of the people
who got to see this live. Anyways, one of the best things I've heard on
FAX for a while.
Totally unrelated:
I spoke of Ambient Dub earlier. If anyone gets the one A.D. beyond sampler
on Waveform, what do you think? We got a radio promo one and it came with
this insert that makes me think that beyond in america is a bad idea. It
tries to market the ambient dub series as a successor to Deep Forest or
Enigma or something. They even offer you radio edits of the song they're
trying to push if 6 minutes is too long for you. And then they claim they're
trying to create new and exciting radio above and beyond the trash on the
airwaves. Granted this music is good (most of it), but this is no way to go
about marketing it. Totally turns me off.
jonathan
eabu751@orion.oac.uci.edu
thanks to WILL-E for the info!