Software Fireworks

After the appalling ‘Sky Dive’ I approached this album with less enthusiasm than I usually greet a Software release. With 13 tracks available there’s certainly enough to get your teeth into, and the opener ‘Salut’ initially gives the impression that it’s going to be a “feelgood” US based fanfare album in the vein of Arkenstone’s ‘Olympia’. However, the next piece ‘Lightning Bugs’ realigns proceedings towards the classic Software sound of lush synth symphonics and choral washes. The rhythmics and sequences then hit home and a superb piece results. Next we have ‘Red Comets’ and this is the sort of form I’ve not heard from Software since the heady heights of ‘Fragrance’. It is quite simply a breathtaking piece of floating choral synths which implores you to hit the repeat button time and time again. The good news is that this is not an isolated case of brilliance. ‘Fireballs’ is an uptempo piece which makes clever use of samples, ‘Fireworks Tattoo’ develops restrained sequencing into infectious melodics and sound effects, while ‘Colourful Sphere’ serves up another helping of those beguiling choral symphonics. It’s not all plain sailing though. The Enigma card is occasionally played with only partial success, and there are choirboy and operatic sections which do little for me (especially on ‘Flash Report’ where some great electronics are swamped by ludicrous opera singing). However, for me the good far outweighs the bad and those yearning for the Software quality of old will find plenty to entertain here. (GG)

This page is part of a frame set. If you can't see the information strip to the left of the screen then click on the smd logo above.