Dreaming the Seed Liquid Vision Play:   56K Dialup   Broadband   Download:   500K   1.5Mb (Excerpt from track 'Leviathan')

This is another Dataobscura (The CDR 'arm' of Databloem) release, so I expected high quality but perhaps challenging modern ambient/electronica. I sort of got this – read on.

An acoustic guitar fills the left hand side of the soundfield as 'Catacoustic' opens proceedings. It gradually moves to the right hand side of the stereo image and is replaced by a single euphoric analogue pad. 'It's over, and a low, growling drone rises and smothers the mix. 'Subharmonic Aviation' has arrived. It's subtle and dramatic stuff. Things calm and metallic digital clangs add detail as the drone starts to weave a subtle melody. A high-register sequence opens very low in the mix, as analogue burbles rise and fall behind – it slowly fades, all too soon for me! A mournful lead is heard in the distant, it's beautiful but, again, fleeting.

'Leviathan' opens quietly with a faint sequence and an ethnic sounding synth voice playing a very evocative melody. Symphonic pads rise. I felt we were in film soundtrack territory here, perhaps a haunting theme as the camera pans across a vast landscape or bloody battlefield. Deep sonar-type sounds signal 'Evasive Manouvres'. A 'crunching', methodical rhythm builds; it sounds industrial but not over-powering. As with many of the Datobloem artists I am very impressed by the level of sound design - the sounds chosen/programmed are clearly a long way from factory presets. There is a lot of stuff to listen to in every track, more than I can possibly comment on. 'Systaltic Soul' is a real change, opening in jaunty fashion with a rapid, bell-like sequence and 'blooping' bass line. Vaguely choral pads rise in the background reminding me a little of 'Otarion'. It's infectious and shows that Mick Deakin (the musician behind 'Dreaming the Seed') can produce straight-ahead melodic EM as well as the more challenging stuff. I'd love to hear more of this.

'Fresh from the Void' takes us back to the contemporary and more challenging end of the EM spectrum. From a very dark and abstract place a church organ rises and does battle with a swirling drone. Things become gradually more symphonic and again Deakin's ear for melody and harmony is shown. I'm beginning to wish that he'd give us more of this aspect of his style – it's fantastic, but we only get tantalising glimpses of it. 'A Morsel of Sanity' is a short, melancholy piece with some beautiful analogue synth work. 'Ominous' continues the themes begun in 'A morsel of Sanity', but eventually descends into abstract sounds and effects. A pulsing, Philip Glass-like sequence and rising pads form the backbone of 'Compos Mentis'. Again the melodic content is excellent and the sonic design faultless – we want more of this please!

'Jovia and Galileo' opens quietly with an atmospheric organ and drone ensemble. At times a 'crashing', growling synth flashes across the mix creating a really dramatic atmosphere.

A distinctly Ian Boddy-like soundscape opens 'Trilogy', it's all swirling drones and abstract digital pads, summoning up visions of alien landscapes or desolate factories. A 'ghost' of a melody hovers in the background – I loved this one. 'Testimony' opens with grand piano and synth pads swathed in a dramatic reverb. A distant, repetitive rhythm builds in the background. Gradually more abstract sounds enter and smother this rather beautiful opening – a shame I think. Echoing notes signal the beginning of 'Epitaph', they slowly speed up and form a sparse melody. A 'reed'-like synth picks out a counter melody. It's gorgeous and again I want it to go on for a long time, and this time Deakin avoids the temptation to bury his melodic talents.