Lambert Pearls Please go to the Store to buy this item.

'Pearls' was first released on cassette in 1990 but the sound has been cleaned up extremely well and sounds fine on CD. I hope Lambert doesn't mind me saying this but this is much more my sort of thing than his other solo albums and is by far my favourite of his releases except possibly for his collaboration with Stephen Parsick on 'Trancesession'- an album I have a real soft spot for. This is basically an out and out sequencer album. The first one, a belter, starts up with the track 'Far away' being just seconds old. It rings out loud and proud initially with very little backing but then cosmic effects and melodic pads as would have been found on Klaus Schulze's 'Body Love' albums make an entrance. The drums enter at five minutes as does a bass melody but they settle into the mix well, to some extent losing their identity and becoming one with the vast pulsating whole. Twelve minutes in the sequences die away momentarily just leaving the rhythm but it isn't long before they return again. A couple of minutes from the end another laser sharp lead line is used and it finishes the track on something of a high. 'Rainbow' begins with a melody played over gentle synth pads but again it takes less than a minute for the sequence to get going, gradually building into a very late 70's / 80's influenced TD sound.

A high register melody sort of whistles over the top and in no time at all we have a very infectious foot tapping number- just wonderful! It just gets better and better. For those people who like their sequences with a lot of power but also accompanied by strong melodies this is for you. I found it irresistible despite the rather wet title (actually I don't like any of the titles of these tracks, but so what). Half way in we get a rather atmospheric section sounding like a nightmare set at a zoo! A minute later a sequence surges forward again and a drum pattern which is just perfect joins it. Then again more great lead lines, sounding even better having been given a short break bounce over the top. The title track begins with some heavily distorted vocal effects and a slow 'ping pong' type sequence which within about thirty seconds in completely swamped by a million mile an hour one. Things calm down four minutes in to give us something of a breather and a slower melodic 'plucked' sounding sequence emerges. Its all rather tuneful if a bit slow for my tastes but no fear the next sequence storms in settling into position besides the previous sequence perfectly as we start to hurtle on. Five minutes from the end a really nice understated lead line comes in adding a bit of subtlety.

Things continue to build and build and a much more intense lead now surges forth, great air keyboard stuff. 'Mysterious Flag' initially sounds like some turbine hissing out steam and the accompanying sequence is rather dark making for quite a sinister atmosphere. A staccato melody can be heard and a first rate high speed sequence emerges. Its all rather powerful stuff as if some futuristic tank is hurtling across a rugged landscape. A third of the way in the sequence takes a short breather leaving the machine space to be heard. On its return the sequence is accompanied by a dark lead line. I'm rather reminded of Peter Baumann's 'Trans Harmonic Nights' but a bit more sinister. The final track 'Dreamland' was from one of Lambert's other cassette albums 'Dreaming'. Weird noises with a high hat accompaniment start proceedings but as usual it is just a few seconds before a slowish sequence starts up which is then added to by another bass one. Nice thick pads provide the melody then a rhythm adds to the power still further. The lead line does seem to falter on a couple of occasions but overall another fine sequencer track which will please all retro fans. (DL)

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