Polski opis

Wytwórnia :	Hypnotic / Cleopatra [CLEO9637-2]
Gatunek :	Electronic, Tribal, Ambient
Rok Wydania :	1995
Jakość :	APE
Okładki :	Tak
Ripper :	a-one

Opis:
Synaesthesia to kolejny projekt Billa Leeba i Rhysa Fulbera, w którym rozwijają swoje ambientowe pomysły. Dźwięki, które tworzą, są pełne różnych cudownych smaczków w postaci niesamowitych odgłosów strun czy też plemiennych śpiewów. Muzyka Synaesthesi jest w gruncie rzeczy kontynuacją tego, co prezentowało Delerium, zanim zaczęło grać bardziej popową muzykę – czyli tak do czasu płyty „Semantic Spaces”. Co bardziej dociekliwi mogą zwrócić uwagę, że jako autora na wszystkich płytach wymienia się wyłącznie niejakiego R. Deckarda. Ta tajemnicza postać, wbrew temu co głoszą Leeb i Fuulber, to tylko ich wspólny pseudonim, który musieli sobie nadać zapewne z powodu jakiejś klauzuli w którymś z kontraktów podpisanych z inną wytwórnią. Ale jakby nie nazwać autora, ważna jest sama muzyka, a ta jest wspaniała, i tylko to się liczy. Synaesthesia ma na swoim koncie trzy albumy: „Embody” z 1994 roku, podwójną „Desideratum” z 1995 oraz wydaną dwa lata później „Ephemeral”.

 English description

Label :	Hypnotic / Cleopatra [CLEO9637-2]
Genre :	Electronic, Tribal, Ambient
Year :	1995
Quality :	APE
Covers :	Yes
Ripper :	a-one

Description:
Synaesthesia was another project for Leeb and Fulber to explore their ambient ideas. Lush strings and tribal chants all flavouring the overall sound. The sound of Synaesthesia is basically the continuation of what Delerium was all about before turning into pop-music, the same ambient music that was released under the Delerium moniker prior to "Semantic Spaces". But wait, the credits say "all songs by R. Deckard". Now who the fuck is...? Both Bill and Rhys always maintain that the songs were written by the mysterious Mr Deckard, but the albums are so clearly like their other material that this can't be true. More likely is that contractual agreements with other labels meant that a pseudonymous individual had to be created, and being that Bill is a big fan of Bladerunner why not call him R. Deckard! Synaesthesia released 3 albums, Embody (1994), Desideratum, a double CD (1995) and Ephemeral (1997) which was written by Leeb and Fulber, and mixed by Peterson. The compilation "The Collection" came out in 2001.

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The second Synaesthesia album doesn't have alot to do with the first one, which sounded admittedly like Delerium outtakes from 'Semantic Spaces.' As Al Crawford states below, the sound this time is very much like the 'Spheres' albums from the same project, conjuring Tangerine Dream and Jen-Michael Jarre with *long* track durations that build and build. Less than a Delerium-material dumping ground than a project to continue exploring styles that an ever-changing beast like Delerium can afford to stay hooked on, this album (mostly) continues the 'Spheres' space-music sound much further, although retaining a definite sense of calm and melody, even in its darker moments.

Disc 1: 1. Andromeda (8:10)

Very atypical track to the rest of the album to come. Starts with a building stringline, slow undulating tribal rhthms and fluttery chords, a steady 4x4 beat kicks in along with a building, thick bassline. Very lush track, and by far the most energetic on the album. This could have fit right in on Intermix's 'Future Primitives.' It sticks out on this album because of this, but the mood is very flowing and spacey, which makes up for it. Various string breaks, tom toms, and pitch changes round everything out. Lovely track.

2. Orion Nebula (11:28)

And from that peaceful affair the tone immediately gets ALOT darker. Oh yeah, break out the astronomical monikers, this is total sci-fi soundtrack music. Low drones and sweeping noises fade in, and if the scene of one of the big spaceships from Aliens floating by doesn't enter your head, then you've gone deaf. Echoy 303 synths loop on and on on top of cascading twinkly noises until almost halfway in a simple one-note bassline fades in, and then 3/4 of the way in more chords push everything to a slow fading ending.

3. Conciousness (6:59)

The shortest track on the album, which is saying something. Desolate noises open up to a very tribal yet soft and understated beat. A bell-type chime melody carry the track on top of a deep, Delerium-ish bassline and distant strings. The quirky beat and squelchy noises laid on top of it give it a very intellectual feel, if you know what I mean, so the title is justified. Desolate, but pretty.

4. Umbra (9:05)

More space drones, long drawn out synth washes and strings constitute the majority of this track. Somewhat reminiscent of the ending of Delerium's "In Four Dimensions", only without a beat. Ever-changing high and brilliant strings give way to a slow appegiated bassline and eventually some not-so-slow appegiated chords. Not as remarkable, but very listenable.

5. Barred Spirals (9:49)

The bassline starts right away with this track, carrying it for the most part with a great melody. Drones eventually fade in, as do some typical Rhys chords. Then halfway through a total 4x4 808 beat (complete with the mini-toms and clicks) rises up from the darkness as the bassline fades, only to come back again near the end with some underwater-type noises and round everything out to its conclusion. Very biological in feel.

6. DNA Barcode (10:43)

Distant rattling noises start off before a very IDM-ish rhythm emerges of mainly hi-hats and wierd machine noises. Deep synthetic bass notes and strings give this track a more adventurous, cinematic feel. Darker than the ones before it, but not menacing. Could be an intro to a movie in fact. Still very other-worldly though, make no mistake. The rhthms end early, leaving an extended string and drone fadeout.

7. Surface System (11:20)

One of the darkest tracks on the album, we return to the space station again as in the 2nd track. Epic choral strings like the intro to FLA's "Neologic Spasm" rise up with various nervous whining noises. A shifting stuttering bassline carries things along with the feeling of drifting by a black hole in space. Extremely sci-fi, it's spacey yet very ominous. Various string-lines and sharp washes accentuate the ominous feeling.


Disc 2: 8. Dark Core (8:13)

A dark synth wash yeilds a distorted slow bongo rhythm and background drones. Eventually a lighter deep bassline and soft faded breakbeat kick in as the washes cascade in the background. Various noise samples help fill everything out along with a quasi-chorus of strings that come and go.

9. Subversion (8:26)

Lots of atmospheric echoes populate the begining of this track along with some quirkly, blippy loops of beeps and tiny hits. A very wet-sounding, liquidy loop laces in on top of this, as do very ethereal reverbed strings. Simple, deep bass notes round out the rhthm with steam washes building up as the track progresses. A simple track.

10. Lumia (10:32)

Lumina, supposedly? Anyway, the deep, chanting throat noises that featured in Delerium's "Consensual Worlds" return here, droning along with some tinkly pianos. Organic tribal drumming loops over and over, building and changing as it goes along. More drones and simple 4 note string patterns come in later. The echoing piano hits and drones give this a very old-school Delerium/FLA instrumental feel in places.

11. Hallucinations (9:07)

Starting with a warbling, falling drone, this track is all atmospheric. Punctuated by random synth effects and startling swoops, over halfway-in a meandering bass synth melody chimes in peppered with more high, shaky sounding string noises. The overall track is very queasy and uneven, living up to it's title. Almost but not quite atonal, while not as dark as some of the other tracks, it's more disturbing.

12. Mosaic (7:34)

All simple string patterns and distant washes and effects, this track give the most distinct feeling of weightlessness and drifting along through brilliant colors. Spacey beeps, tinkling sounds, and shining effects cover the track with a brilliant sheen. The melody shifts many times but always retains this wonderous quality to it that I love.

13. Lifeless (15:45)

Quite possibly the longest track the guys have ever done. This track is split up into 2 disctinct parts. The first half is another sweeping, drone-laden affair, with dark chrous effects and harsh background wind, along with more spacey bleeps. This carries on until halfway through, when the second part starts with another simple stabbing bassline. A moving chord-melody joins in, followed closely by a slow marching 808 beat. Squeeky synth effects flutter around as the melody changes here and there in another type of quasi-chorus. Very melodic and uplifting, another really good one.

14. Tubastrea Aurea (10:16)

Light and shimmery, this is a very bright and moving track with a very pretty lead melody and soaring effects. Later on a set of meandering bass and chord melodies fade in, off-kilter but still very melodic. Not much else to say, other than the overall feeling is very euphoric and wondrous and it ends the album on a very high note.

Overall this is great background music. There's lots to pay attention to, for sure, but it's basically meant for you to turn on, turn your brain off, and sink into each of the different world's each track presents. It can get a bit samey in some places, esp. if you listen to both discs in one sitting, but there's enough variety in both sound and mood overall to warrant this in your collection.

Review by Doug Sudia (recoil)