Pete Namlook & Klaus Schulze Dark Side of the Moog 6 (AW)

Nice thick electronic tones mix with mainly unintelligible spooky vocal samples to get the first part of 'The Final DAT' underway. It's like hearing muffled activity from the edge of a coma. The second part is very different as really nice melodies meander round an infectious rhythm. The addition of electric guitar (virtual I assume) in the last couple of minutes made an already excellent track even better. It's all extremely accessible and pleasant.

We continue straight into part three. The rhythm becomes even more insistent. A superb sequence is added to it which morphs beautifully as the track progresses- absolutely fantastic! Melodic lead lines are introduced: they are OK but it is the rhythms and sequences I enjoyed most. Another equally good sequence enters in the third minute taking us to the end. Part 4 has a rather slow brooding beginning until a bright high hat line comes in followed by snare drum and synthesised animal noises- all rather strange indeed. Various different drum sounds and beats are used as we progress, sometimes in a sparse setting and at others with a more complex backing .It remains rather curious, augmented by a radio discussion about Iraq and missiles until well into the fifth minute when a more conventional loop and modern ambient drum sounds come to the fore. A gentle electric guitar lead takes centre stage bringing us to an extremely pleasant finale.

Part five is the longest piece at twenty-four minutes. This is pretty much the centrepiece of the album and my favourite track here. Immediately sequences bubble from the speakers. Their pace is rapid and exciting. A high hat line is added along with additional percussion and nice slow pads. It's the most Schulze sounding piece on the CD. The pulsations start to subside in the sixth minute taking us to a lovely but brief state of float before the sequences return twisting beautifully this way and that- heaven. Crashing drums come in increasing the excitement. With ten minutes to go mellow pads are placed over the top providing a gentle calm though the pulsations still bubble away underneath increasing and decreasing in prominence almost until the end.