Ron Berry
Sundance
CDR / 7 tracks / 63.11 mins
Play Sample:   56K Dialup   Broadband
Download Sample:   500K   1.5Mb
(Excerpt from track(s) 'Night of the Reptiles')
An absolutely exquisite plucked string melody skips over lovely soft female wordless vocal pads creating an appropriately joyous mood for 'Dance of a New Dawn'. The vocal colouring morphs into a captivating lead line weaving round some sympathetic slow rhythms. The strings and pads keep taking turns at lead duties but whichever is deployed the result is always beautiful. 'Ride the Wind' gets underway with a sequence which starts slowly but then rapidly increases in pace, morphing and becoming more exciting as well as melodic as it goes. Wonderful lead lines come one after another, each as beautiful as the last. In a way this has the feel of early Ian Boddy.

'Swamp Fever' is appropriately rather 'steamy' with faint insect noises in the background. Surprisingly though it's all rather pleasant and dreamy. Odd fluttering noises like a dragonfly darting this way and that pull the direction first one way only for it to be sent in another. A tinkling sequence slowly emerges through strange animal sounds. These sounds almost compete with the sequence creating a very odd effect indeed. The title track takes us back to more conventional realms as a gorgeous melody shines like a silvery moon over an exquisite rhythm and sequence combination which bounce along pleasantly over another wordless vocal lead line. Soothing melodies mix with a plucked string leads (like a guitar- but not quite). Once again, just beautiful.

'Night of the Reptiles' begins with the sound of didgeridoo and night-time insect noises but it isn't long before an excellent sequence and piano (with plenty of reverb) strike up. Flutey synth joins with the piano and the combination is Heavenly. In the third minute we return to the sound of insects. A new sequence and rhythm emerge and the melody that goes along with them is just fantastic- made me feel soooo good! We go from one equally impressive joyous section to the next each separated by the return of those insects. At thirteen minutes this is the longest track on the album but every second is pure bliss.

'Airflow' gets underway with a mean bass line and sequence that really kicks. A triumphant lead adds to the excitement as we belt along at quite a rate. Things change in the fourth minute becoming all rather sparse and moody only to surge forward again in the last couple of minutes. 'Stampede' is a pleasantly rhythmic number with superb virtual guitar melody as well as searing synth solo. It wouldn't have been out of place on a John Dyson album. A highlight that would be a real crowd pleased if played live.

'Pagan Dance' is a great fun jaunty body mover, as always melodically superb but also with a twinkle in its eye. Over the years Ron has turned his hand to many different styles of music, indeed you never know what he is going to come up with next. This album is his most beautiful to date. If you are just looking for something to listen to with your partner (even if they don't usually like Electronic Music) on a relaxed night, glass of wine in hand, this would be ideal. (DL)

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