Frank Klare
Digitalic
CD / 6 tracks / 70.57 mins
Play Sample:   56K Dialup   Broadband
Download Sample:   500K   1.5Mb
(Excerpt from track(s) 'Digitalic One')
Now this is a seriously impressive start! The two sequences that bound forward at the beginning of 'Digitalic One' are simply awesome- melodic, beefy and at just the right pace. For a couple of minutes they are left in isolation, giving enough time to be taken in, in all their majesty. The rhythms then make an entrance one after another, fitting in perfectly, taking the excitement level soaring. I turned up the amp and really let rip! Frank has not finished yet though. With the philosophy that more is most certainly more yet another melodic sequence / lead is introduced and it's just soooooooo good! In the seventh minute things start to be stripped down slightly but still with the original brace of sequences doing their wonderful thing. Silken pads add a soothing element but even these have a twist in the tail as they become slightly discordant giving a rather sinister edge.

The Second Part is just as urgent as the first and the sequences equally as impressive. One sequence remains fairly constant whilst the other seems to go through various filters as it rises and falls through the pulsations. An insistent rhythm cuts through the mix and in no time an avalanche of notes and beats are being spat from the speakers like rocks hurled from a volcano. In comparison the Third Part is quite slow in bringing forth the sequence (about ten seconds I think) but when it does arrive it has a decidedly hypnotic Schulzian flavour. It's the lead flourishes however which provide the most excitement as they flash, bitch bending as they go. All a bit 'Drive Inn' like.

Things calm down for the Fourth Part as we get lots of little bleeps and twitters with a vast ominous reverberating drone underpinning everything. It's all rather malevolent. The mood lightens, as a rapid high register sequence becomes the main focus. It's the subtlest track on the album. There is more going on here than is initially apparent. Ron Boots joins Frank for Parts Five and Six. The first of these is very different to the rest of the album as it is formed around an almost tribal rhythm. A nice tuneful sequence skips along in the background whilst a mournful lead line gently caresses the heart. The bass sequence on the final part is so low it's more of a rumble. Its partner on the other hand is bright, rapid and joyful. More wonderful lines of pulsations join the party as we finish the album in quite energetic mode.

This is a very good album, the first two tracks especially being superb. (DL)

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