Waveshape
Vestige - The Next Steps
OK, what the hell’s going on?! Here we have tracks ‘Vestige 4 through to 9’. The first three parts in this series appeared on the ‘69:30 - Live 96/97’ album and were in a faintly 90s Ambient Trance style (though not as blatantly as the other tracks on that album). If someone had played me this CD without telling me who it was there is no way I would have guessed “Waveshape”. I expected their next album to have continued in the trance mode in which they seemed to be moving of late but oh no, this is nothing of the kind. They haven’t returned to the retro style of ‘Sigma’ or ‘Polychrome’ either. This is a completely new and to me unexpected adventure for them. The sound of waves crashing on the shore and easy on the ear drums herald ‘Vestige 4’. The melodies are suitably relaxing fitting in with the tranquil scene already set. This is certainly a track the like of which I haven’t heard Waveshape remotely touch before. ‘Vestige 5’ is again highly melodic with a number of repeated lead lines layered over the top of one another. At just under two minutes a bass line is added giving the track great depth.

More water effects introduce ‘Vestige 6’ and its here that the first sequence on the album emerges but the melodic theme set earlier continues in every department. ‘Vestige 7’ uses familiar NASA samples from the Apollo 11 Lunar Landing. Musically it reminded me very much of Software. In fact this album would have fitted into the IC label’s roster with great ease. This is a lovely track though I could have done without the samples. ‘Vestige 8’ is a gentle drifter but full of longing and atmosphere. A slow sequence does provide some structure but it is the stunning synth pads that do it for me, the sounds picked being exquisite.The track finishes with the sound of a young child. ‘Vestige 8’ again begins with the sound of waves gently breaking on the shore but as the subtitle of this piece ‘Cold Grave’ indicates, this is a much darker track than what has preceded it. You can just imagine the gruesome secrets that can be hidden beneath the sea’s surface and the atmospherics used bring many of such pictures to mind. This track would have fitted in well on the Fathom label.

So, to sum up, if you like both the more melodic side of the IC label combined with some Software then you should enjoy tracks one to five very much. If in addition you like more sinister realms then you should also like the final number. Completely forget all pre conceptions of Waveshape and the direction you thought they were moving. This is more than a U turn it is a shift to a completely new dimension. (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.