Cyber Zen Sound Machine
Moonscapes:How Stones Become Enlightened
Soft pads come and go through which a melodic motif shines like a lighthouse periodically cutting through the mist. A sequence then gives some structure and a stuttering rhythm gets the feet moving, its all very hypnotic, captivating and just bloody good. Classifying this CD is very difficult, it seems to be aimed at the ambient market and yet for many of the tracks it is just too upbeat for the traditional market and yet it doesn't have certain production techniques and dance rhythms associated with modern ambient. It is however ideal music for SMD punters who like highly atmospheric music but with enough happening to grab the imagination and carry you off into strange worlds. The music isn't particularly dark but (for the most part) certainly isn't pretty either. It has attitude by the bucket full and a vast brooding power. It's as if, for instance, we are at one minute dodging asteroids then skirting a vast beautiful gaseous planet the next. It might have a tranquil beauty but at the same time it draws all towards it with its vice like gravitational grip to eventually crush whatever falls into its atmospheric maelstrom. OK, a very fanciful description but I hope it conveys how something, like this music can be awesome and powerful as well as being stunningly beautiful and peaceful at the same time.

We drift seamlessly into the third section, a slow rhythm starts up with a piano lead line and mysterious almost questioning melody delicately stroked over the top. The next number features another stuttering rhythm and laser sharp leads. It's all so, well, out there man! Just throw your head back, turn off the lights and chill. It will get you higher than many an illegal substance. This music is so cool! Echoing pulsations are transmitted from the speakers over a brooding atmospheric brew then a rhythm really starts to kick. I should probably have given Graham this one to review but this is so good I'm being selfish and keeping it to myself for the moment, he can have a listen later. The rhythm stays around for precisely the right amount of time then makes way for waves of sound which sort of breath at you before we enter a very tranquil section. It now sounds as if some futuristic machine starts up but the piano returns with a gentle rhythm to nicely contrast the mechanical backdrop. All is silent then bell tones make themselves heard. These are joined by a beautiful melody. This is the start of a softer section of the album and to me it is not as appealing as the rest of the CD. It. even contains some vocal samples for a couple of minutes. A siren can be heard but the attention veers towards the lush synth pads. This almost tender feeling continues through into the next section as well with a rather poignant piano melody. We then get some good chant samples inducing a sort of chilled meditation before completely returning to the music with attitude of the first half hour of this disc as another mean rhythm steps forwards. The last section kicks even more and finishes the album on a real high.

So to sum up, of the thirteen sections of music we have indexed on the CD I completely adore 10 of them (50 minutes of music). It is just the three after the half way mark which are slightly sweet for my tastes but many people might very well argue that they provide necessary contrast. Even if you agree with me however, fifty minutes of class music for this price ain't bad at all! (DL)

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.