Mundus Subterraneus (Reissue)
Play Sample: 56K Dialup Broadband Download Sample: 500K 1.5Mb
(Excerpt from track(s) 'Sonnensturme')
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Lightwave Mundus Subterraneus (Reissue) Play Sample: 56K Dialup Broadband Download Sample: 500K 1.5Mb |
OK, so let's get the misleading bit out of the way first. For this album Paul Haslinger was a full member of the band. The music is, however, as far away from anything he did with Tangerine Dream as it is possible to get. This album is all about sound collage, both in pure tonal atmospheres and sampled, manipulated and otherwise created sonic effects. If you are into inventive aural experimentation however or were looking for an example of such, it really doesn't get any better than this. Some 'experimentation' I find completely unlistenable to and I suspect is often just an excuse for having no talent but here the music is most decidedly listenable though very abstract, dark and often disturbing. Even though there is no discernable form to the music, it is very organic and flowing, never staying still for a moment. 'De Motu Dendulorum' pretty much sums up what I am going on about. Electronic insectile noises and scraping effects provided me with a vivid picture of some alien planet bountiful in life- but not as we know it. 'Cabinet De Curiosites 1' is much more dronal and dark but still with all sorts of uneasy bubbling, harsh and disturbing effects over the top. There is some unintelligible (to me) sampled text deep in the mix but this just adds to the overall nightmarish quality. Listen with the lights out at your peril!
'Cabinet De Curiosites 2' is even stranger as deep crackling sounds mix with distorted windy screams. 'Nekyomanteia' is a little more tranquil, as if something is trying to communicate with us through our dreams. 'Sonnensturme' really does get well out there cosmic. It is relatively quiet but there is still immense power to it somehow. As we progress mournful sighs and strange twitters become more and more prominent. 'Towards the Abyss' uses uncluttered backing to make the sounds stand out to greater effect. And very odd sounds they are too, often like rapidly plucked or bowed strings with almost playful utterances (not words). As such it comes over very much like a piece of musique concrete or even some of the most abstract bits from Klaus Schulze 'Sebastian im Traum'. 'Glissement D'Ame' again makes use of similar string type sounds but somehow (probably due to Jacques Deregnaucourt's excellent violin playing) in a more mellow melancholy way. The backing becomes increasingly uneasy and dronal as we go. 'Roma Barocca' again sounds extremely cosmic to me, despite its title. Crashing metallic shimmering effects abound punctuated by sounds of ghostly apparitions. 'Ascension' actually seems to have recognisable melodic content (very nice and soothing it is too) and even, initially, a reverberating pulse. The middle section does become increasingly abstract but in a rather pleasant way. By the end, the track has gone full circle back to the melodies. 'Mapping the Earth' comes across as all very cavernous, little dripping effects mixing with both very deep drones and brighter metallic shimmers. I really like this album but it will not be for everyone (see my opening comments). (DL)
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