Various Artists The Mars Project Volume 2

I'm glad CUE Records have released Part 2 of 'The Mars Project', because it gives me a chance to re-enforce the positive views I aired about Part 1 'Searching for Life'. Since I reviewed the album in issue 8 my admiration has grown even more. It really is one of the best EM compilation albums to hit the streets for some time. If you ain't got it yet - then buy it quickly! Anyway, onto the latest release and again I'm bound to say that this is another fine compilation. Michael Garrison opens proceedings with 'Point of No Return'. Cold and desolate effects leads into a trademark wall of sequences. Not the best I've heard him produce, but still a piece of some merit. Next up is Peter Mergener's 'So Far Away'. A dramatic and rather spooky opening leads into a superb sequencer riff into which is woven some delicious synth work. More sequential layers are added, but it's a testament to the quality of the piece that despite the complexity it remains cohesive and focussed. Just as it seems all the layers have been revealed, another is peeled back and exposed. It's impressive indeed, seeming much shorter than its 8½ minutes length. Mark Dwane explores the 'Martian Dust' on track 3. A deep bass throb is decorated by foreboding synth layers. Heavyweight drums also punctuate the track, which gathers pace slightly at the midpoint accompanied by staccato style synth work, though the wispy elements do remain and the opening refrains are revisited to bring the track to a close. It's a welcome surprise to see a John Dyson track included in this compilation. Whether this is a new piece, or one which John has had up his sleeve for some while, I don't know. 'To See Two Moons' opens with some great analogue effects, then introduces fanfare style synth work. These develop into lush orchestrations on a grand scale, creating a dramatic atmosphere and finishing with characteristic flourish. Next, Mario Schönwälder and Detlef Keller serve up 'Zu neuen Ufern lockt ein neuer Tag' which at nearly 10 minutes is the longest piece. It's another atmospheric outing which constantly threatens to unleash something special, but in the end it never happens. After a trio of pieces largely bereft of sequencing, Ron Boots' 'Flightlog' storms onto the scene in dramatic fashion. NASA style samples punctuate sumptuous polyrhythmic sections. Another corking track, and lately it seems that whenever Ron Boots is involved you can expect nothing less. P.C.M.'s offering 'Out There' is a beautiful collage of silken synth pads which constantly ebb and flow creating a very relaxing air. At the four minute mark background sequences are introduced which mutate into white noise pincers, contrasting well with the synth layers which still dominate. A fine piece which perhaps deserved more than 6 minutes to develop. Rüdiger Lorenz's 'Marsiana' combines frantic, almost tribal, rhythmics with synth soundscapes for the first half of the track, then closes with fine atmospherics. Frank Klare closes the album with 'Sunshine'. Careful rhythmics and rather simplistic sequencing is used as the basis for improvised synth riffs. Plenty of "slam" but a bit repetitive. This is another fine compilation which, though perhaps not quite up to the same consistency as Part 1, still contains four or five great tracks that do more than enough to earn a place in the EM collection. (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.