Pyramid Peak
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Well, David meant to keep this to review for himself, but I'm awfully glad he accidentally mailed his pre-release copy to me with some other discs, because it is fantastic! I enjoyed their 'Ocean Drive' CD, but this is an even stronger release. Things start in fine form with 'Gruga Park,' a typical slugfest of sequencers galore with wonderful synth lead lines. I also really like the percussion which, along with the sequencers, really moves things along extremely well. There is energy aplenty here. After a great first movement for the first nine minutes, a totally separate, and equally good sequence, finishes off the last third of the track. Beautiful, clean choirs herald this last passage, along with sweeping majestic electronics. Then a classic Berlin school bass pulse propels exquisite sequencers and some cool astronaut-like vocal samples. This is just brilliant, it gives me chills every time, very powerful electronic music. An absolute grabber of a track, I can't say enough about it.

'Secret' switches the mood to dark and cool, suitable for skulking about in a flashy spy movie. The sinister tone and style of sequencing actually reminds me of Synasthesia's 'Desideratum' CD, one of my all-time favourites. As Pyramid Peak's music is usually lighter and brighter, I was really pleasantly surprised at their ability to pull this track off. Excellent change of pace. 'Flow' is just as good as the first two, and – well, you get the idea, just go buy it already! The bright piano over the top of the pads and sequencing at the end of 'Flow' is especially good. 'Distance' turns more melancholy, with sad synth strings sounding very Schulze-like. Yet another great sequence emerges out of this one, and again the drumming is very good here, much better than most electronic drumming. The Schulzian signature touches includes the obligatory key change and male choirs toward the end.

'Dreams' is more like prior Pyramid Peak material, lighter in tone. This one doesn't do a lot for me at the beginning, but strong sequencing rescues it partway through, including a great finish in the last minute where a stellar sequence is allowed to solo until the end. Two more strong, classic Teutonic tracks finish things off. In short, a great CD. Berlin school fans will not be disappointed. (PD)

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