Ron Boots & Bas B Broekhuis Hydrythmix

This is a CD release of an early Ron Boots/Bas Broekhuis cassette album which has spawned tracks on CDs such as 'Dreamscape' and 'The Escher Drawings'. In effect this is a similar project to Ron Boots' 'Backgrounds' CD which gave a forum for early cassette releases - in fact one of the tracks here, 'Meadow', actually appears on that CD. 'Backgrounds' is, unsurprisingly, not Ron Boots' best release and would probably appeal to loyal fans only. 'Hydrythmix' however fairs rather better, possible because it is a bona-fide album rather than a hotch potch of tracks from separate projects. Highpoints include the opener 'Rising Sun' which, after 1½ minutes of moody atmospherics, bursts into sequential life creating some pleasing rhythms which have all the hallmarks of Ron Boots' laid back style. Klaus Schulze fans will delight at the 10½ minute 'The Escher Drawing'. The sequences and overall feel is very similar to 'Bayreuth Return' from 'Timewind', in fact it could almost be spliced into the middle and not noticed! The other tracks tend to be be drifty, moody affairs which feature sequences but they are mainly used for atmospheric rather than rhythmic duties. At times an itchy finger prodded the skip button, an indication that rather too much padding has been used in places, but overall this is an interesting album which Ron Boots fans may well want to investigate, and 'Timewind' fans may want to give it a try out of sheer curiosity! (GG)

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