Frank van Bogaert One Out of Five Play Sample:   56K Dialup   Broadband   Download Sample:   500K   1.5Mb (Excerpt from track(s) 'Blue')

I often lump albums together under the melodic / rhythmic banner. What I tend to mean by this is music which is accessible, that even your friends might like, without compromising on sound Electronic Music credentials. Frank Van Bogaert fits that description perfectly. This is a 'Best Of' budget priced (at least at the time of writing this) compilation that well showcases this fantastically talented musician / tunesmith and as such is a perfect way of sampling his work. Little wordless vocal touches mix with twangy sequence and foot tapping rhythms on the wonderful opener 'Human' from the album of the same name. A plucked string melody adds an irresistible joyful element. Like everything on this album it is all so tuneful but also easy to get on with.

'Closer' is the title track from his latest album and fairly cracks into life as static laden electronic fizzes mix with multi layered rhythms and melodies which you could actually hum. The pace picks up at just over the half way mark reaching ecstatic proportions. It's all so catchy and just bloody marvellous! 'Deserts' from 'Geographic' is based around a jaunty sequence accompanied by melodies which will stick in your head for a long time after the CD is out of the player. Very uplifting and exuberant music that would make a great theme tune to a sports programme. 'Rorogwela', from 'Closer' is a very gentle piece which slows the pace down a little, the restrained rhythms being of a faintly ethnic variety but with the most stunning piano melody. There is even something of a Scottish sounding flourish at the end! Over all it is fairly romantic I suppose but not overly smulchy. 'Home by the Sea', from 'Docking' starts appropriately with the sound of waves breaking on the shore then various ethnic sounds including flute and tabla type drums are introduced. The overall feel is a combination of East and West. Again, the lead lines are just irresistible. Even the rhythms are so damned catchy. The track builds and builds into quite a frenzy then comes down to a gentle calm conclusion for the last minute. It's just like having a quiet brandy on the veranda at the end of a day of partying. 'Ballet', from 'Human' is a curious title for a track that sounds anything but balletic. It starts relatively slowly but still powerfully. As we progress the pads and melodies begin to swell to epic proportions. I can just see if being used as a backdrop to some African nature programme.

I must admit that 'Falling Leaves' from 'Closer' does rather trip the SMD 'twee filter'. It is just too 'nice' for my tastes being mainly a short piano solo. I suppose people with more mainstream tastes might consider it to be a highlight of the album though. 'Violet', from 'Colours' begins with some ethnic chanting to which is added a beautiful slow melody bringing up images of lazy summer afternoons. Dark undulating drones overlaid by all sorts of effects and swirling sounds get the title track from 'Docking' underway. At just under three minutes a jaunty sequence starts up and we get some brief snippets of heavily vocoded speech. The drums come in at the same time as a gorgeous melody played on plucked strings. The contrast between such beautiful optimistic music and the darkness of the first couple of minutes couldn't be more marked. Those that like a good, almost lyrical, tune will just love this. At six minutes the pace starts to quicken and the whole sound becomes even more powerful but still retaining the melodic quality of before.