Minds in Motion
Horizonte II
‘Megaherz’ abounds with all sorts of cosmic whooshes and shimmers but after a very short time the first sequence arrives. People who enjoyed ‘Horizonte Reflektion’ will certainly not be disappointed. It sounds a bit like a cross between Peter Baumann’s ‘Trans Harmonic Nights’ and Edgar Froese’s ‘Stuntman’ albums. It almost goes without saying that the melodies are also fantastic, pin sharp and not remotely meandering. The sound is also very clean.

I would certainly class this as retro and as I have already pointed out comparisons with other artists can be made but there is also much here that is distinctly their own style and rather wonderful it is as well. The sequence on ‘Vier Jahreszeiten’ is of course superb but its the lead lines that get me. One is like meteors bouncing of the Earth’s atmosphere leaving a fluorescent trail. The other is extremely melodic, even Vangelis like. A very infectious track that keeps you riveted as every one of the elements is constantly changing and yet each twist and turn brings fresh delights.

Little melodic motifs weave in and out of the bass sequence on ‘Wolkenjagd’. Nothing dark about this piece however, the mood being more one of joy and celebration. ‘Zeitraffer’ builds slowly with layer after layer of sequence being added to the cosmic effects. When the melody arrives it brings up images of an army gradually appearing as it marches over the brow of a hill. This picture dissipates and the mood keeps shifting to form one scene and then the next. ‘Traumvisionen’ also takes time to build but it is more subtle than the previous track. The sequence really gets under your skin. Deceptively simple but very effective. Beautifully done.

Vangelis very much comes to mind on ‘Sehnsucht’. Its probably the piano melody but the underlying synth pads could also have come straight off one of his albums. This is the most melodic track on the album but just when you think that it is going to be the only non sequential number in one comes but it takes six minutes (rather than six seconds) to make an appearance. It is slow but rather heavy and makes a marked change from the first half of the track. The piano does come back however to finish. (DL)

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