Harald Grosskopf Digital Nomad Play: Lo-Fi   Mid-Fi   Hi-Fi   Download: Lo-Fi   Mid-Fi   Hi-Fi (Excerpt from track 'Urban Glamour Zone')

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Harald Grosskopf has been around in the world of EM longer than most but usually it has been in collaboration with other people such as Klaus Schulze, Manuel Gottsching, Bernd Kistenmacher and many others. His solo albums have been rare events however. If my recollection is correct this is his fourth in over 25 years. They have always been interesting but for me this CD contains some of my favourite tracks by him so far. 'Gamma Knife' is a good choice for opener. Sawing strings, an infectious rhythm and lovely echoing melodic lead line combine together to form an extremely appealing and easy to get on with groove. Its obvious right from the outset that Harald has been very careful and inventive with his sound palette. I don't recognise any pre-set, everything sounds fresh and new and yet at the same time not at all alien or weird. 'Sea of Tranquility' is a more relaxed number. Strange alien half vocals can be heard over lovely thick ominous pads. A sequence and slow rhythm combine to develop real attitude and menace. Distorted vocal samples (about the moon landing I think) though rather cliched do fit well in this setting but are replaced by alien growlings for an atmospheric finish. 'Cryonic Suspension' has a moody but rather beautiful beginning.

A little melodic motif hangs in the air repeatedly being allowed to echo and fade into oblivion. Wordless vocal colouring and excellent slow rhythms pull at the heart still further. Half way in the pace quickens as the rhythm changes completely. There is nothing delicate now as we storm forwards. The echoing melodic motif and vocal colouring are still there but in this new setting the mood becomes positive, euphoric even. 'Come Pass the Gate' is a short rather strange track. I would even say experimental. Stuttering bass rhythms mix with shuffling sounds and vocal / vocoded effects (touches of the CEP album 'Breakfast in the Ruins' perhaps).

'Diving at the Reichstag' is another highly syncopated number with bouncing little melodies and processed vocal samples. More of which are deployed on 'Urban Glamour Zone' but this time giving a rather Eastern feel. We quickly get into an infectious groove which keeps starting and stopping for more vocal colouring. A lovely slow lead line hangs over everything giving an ethereal quality to the pulsations below. Half way in a sequence starts up and the rhythm changes- this is fantastic- just let yourself go with the beat. From atmospheric beginnings the addition of a gentle rhythmic loop gives 'Alien Inspectors' a rather sinister edge. In the seventh minute more rhythms are added and things become much more urgent. A little later a melody enters momentarily lightening the proceedings only for the feeling of forbidding to re-appear as ominous vocal samples return and the album comes to a close. (DL) t2 Harald Grosskopf vertoefd al langer in de EM-wereld dan de meesten, maar meestal werkte hij in samenwerking met anderen zoals Klaus Schulze, Manuel Gottsching, Bernd Kistenmacher en vele anderen. Zijn solo albums waren eerder vreemd en als mijn herinnering juist is, is dit het vierde in 25 jaar tijd. Voor mij golden ze altijd als interessant, doch deze bevat volgens mij het beste wat hij ooit gedaan heeft. "Gamma Knife" is een goede openingstrack. Mooie strings, een aanstekelijk ritme en een mooie echoënde sololijn maken een aantrekkelijke combinatie die eenvoudig te vatten is. Harald is hier voorzichtig en doordacht bezig met de klankkleuren. Dit zijn zeker geen presets, het klinkt nieuw en fris en zeker niet onaards of vreemd. "Sea of Tranquility" is een meer relaxerend nummer. Vreemde onaardse stemmen worden gehoord over een dik en geweldig klanktapijt. Een trage ritme/sequence combinatie ontwikkelt zich sterk. Vervormde stemmen (betreffende een maanlanding denk ik), vrij cliché, passen perfect in dit geheel en worden later vervangen door buitenaards gegrom, wat een bijna atmosferisch einde geeft.