Hemisphere
Beast in the heat
CD / 11 tracks / 76.37 mins
Play Sample:   56K Dialup   Broadband
Download Sample:   500K   1.5Mb
(Excerpt from track(s) 'Energy Brand')

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Spooky or cosmic starts to albums or tracks are really fairly standard Electronic Music practice but the tapestry of dark sounds we have at the beginning of 'Starlight Casino' really are of the very highest order. On one hand there is a warmth to them and on the other an uneasy edginess. A really deep melodic bass line becomes the main feature along with a percussive rhythm. Delicate bright timpani and soft wordless female vocal colouring (a major feature of the track) completes a quite gorgeous picture. Gentle tinkling piano is used sparingly taking us forward, reminding me a little of Code Indigo. This is highly melodic, gently rhythmic but above all beautiful stuff. There is a sort of dreamy softness to 'Chroma'. Sighing pads waft across the ether with, again, just the faintest touch of piano. It's a bit like 'Planetary Chronicles' Jonn Serrie I suppose but with also a touch of Michael Neil.

The mood becomes a lot darker for 'The Frogs'. A squelchy rhythm strikes up. At around the four-minute mark an ethnic flute joins proceedings, giving things a rather mysterious 'Eastern' feel. Yet another excellent composition. You would expect 'Shadows in the Basement' to be rather creepy and indeed that is what you get. It would have gone well with a Sci Fi horror film such as 'Alien'. 'Hydra' really picks up the pace again as a blistering rhythm provides quite a heavy frame around which delicate pads swirl like an autumn mist. The main drums subside from time to time so that percussive loops can shine thorough, the change in pace and 'feel' maintaining interest. Solar winds blow as 'M8812' takes us to the depths of space. A similar sound palette is used to the earlier 'Shadows....' so again it's all rather spooky.

This uneasiness continues through to 'Energy Brand' with the addition of all sorts of other effects including crashing metal and various sounds from Hell. A pulse arrives in the second minute and the pads soften a little. A rapid sequence breaks through which completely transforms the track into an ideal piece of music for driving far too fast to. I felt like I needed a bit of a breather after such a stormer and 'Alpha Order' was just perfect. Lie back and relax on the back of some gentle pads, almost like the sea breaking on the shore. 'Pallas' is gently rhythmic with a nice bass line and dreamy little melodic touches including some lovely subtle guitar licks.

'Mura' is all rather angelic and soothing. From the artwork it looked like it was the final track but no, there is an extra piece of music not listed (so I don't know the title). It does however have a very similar mood and feel to the previous track. This is an album covering quite a few styles, each wonderfully done. (DL)

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