Gert Emmens Obscure Movements in Twilight Shades Play Sample:   56K Dialup   Broadband   Download Sample:   500K   1.5Mb (Excerpt from track(s) 'Voices From the Past')

CD / 4 tracks / 69.41 mins

Metallic shimmers abound as the opener 'The Day the Wind blew out the Light' warbles into life. A superb melodic sequence soon surges forward along with a little tuneful motif. Drums come in, hitting the spot perfectly as this already superb track just gets better. More melody is added in the form of slow sighing pads. Simply beautiful. We get a whooshing / splashing interlude in the eighth minute then things take a rather dark, windy, sinister turn. Out of this a fantastic mid seventies (think 'Rubycon'ish) sequence emerges. It morphs this way and that as a second sequence falls into formation. There is lead detail but it plays the supporting role.

The title track is initially full of bright glistening pads, creating quite a magical atmosphere. The sequence starts very low in the mix disguised by slow melodic note droplets. It gradually begins to make its presence felt whilst ethereal, sighing backing gives soft contrast. It's all very pleasant, relaxing and rather easy on the ear. We get a moody mellotron interlude from which another sequence emerges. This one is much more urgent than in the first half and when a foot tapping rhythm joins it the whole track starts to motor. I suppose the sounds at the beginning of 'Entering the dark Depth' could very well conjure up images of being far underwater but they also sound very cosmic to me. Whatever there are some lovely breathy pads and sonic shimmers. An excellent sequence fairly bounces to life and proceeds to get better and better, the addition of drums giving even greater oomph. An optimistic lead line blazes out but soon subsides again to be replaced by a slow tuneful relaxing melody. Two new sequences momentarily replace the old then its back to the atmospheric depths. Gradually layer after layer of sequence return and within no time at all a real body-moving groove is created. We return to the deep ocean to finish. 'Voice from the Past' seems to start off right where the previous track finishes. We then get tranquil flutey synth with tron backing. When the sequence emerges it is a superb one, reminding me of something of a cross between TD's 'Stratosfear' and 'Tangram'. A lead line comes in, and very pleasant it is too, but my attention was still locked into that excellent sequence. Another sequence joins the first and if anything it is even better! Steam starts hissing out between the pulsations as we enter new heights of brilliance with even a moody twist or two along the way. This really is a superb track and a stunning way to finish the album. (DL)

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