Redshift I (Redshift) Reissue Play Sample:   56K Dialup   Broadband   Download Sample:   500K   1.5Mb (Excerpt from track(s) 'Blueshift') Please go to the Store to buy this item.

Long awaited by many fans that had missed it first time round, here is the magnificent first Redshift album reissued in identical artwork (including the CD graphics) and featuring remastered sound. And before anyone gets excited about there being 5 tracks instead of 4 - don't. Because there isn't actually any additional music over the original.

Newcomers who know and love Redshift's powerhouse, mesmeric, sequential style will certainly not be disappointed by this album. What may surprise them is how much the eponymous opener delves into the sonic pallete of 'Rubycon'. It's as if Mark Shreeve, delighted my his recently acquired Moog IIIC, had to get this one out of his system. There's only one machine that can create this sort of sound, and in skilled hands it creates EM of unparalleled majesty. This is a great track in every sense, a true 'Rubycon Part 3'. Sequences pulverise the soundstage, atmospherics take you to the depths of imagery, and the awesome choral ending is a sensational summit.

If the first track acknowledges TDs influence on Mark's music, 'Spin' perhaps is a similar nod in the direction of Node. Node's infamous EMMA appearance in 1994 did much to galvanise the re-emerging "retro movement" and the sheer purity of seeing guys grappling with massive modular beasts again may well be part of the catalyst for Redshift being born in the first place. Certainly 'Spin' displays an edginess and restrained purity which is a trademark of much of Ed Buller's sequence work. At only 4 mins long 'Shine' wastes no time in presenting a bass sequence which will challenge even the most capable subwoofers. This track really is a "pocket battleship" laying waste to all which challenge its diminutive stature. The melodic refrains add lustre to an amazing piece.

Arguably the jewel in the crown, and the pointer to the magnificent crop of albums Redshift were to subsequently release, comes with the epic final piece 'Blueshift'. This could have been released 10 years or 10 mins ago. It would sit comfortably on any Redshift album, and displays the very essence of what the band strive for - energy, power, raw emotion really. The sequences provide the sonic framework, atmospherics toy with the ear, and synth lines cut through the soundstage portraying a range of emotions from spiteful to whimsical.

The "sting in the tail" of this album was, and perhaps still is, rather strange and a bit controversial. Though 'Blueshift' clocks in at over 30 minutes, the main meat of the track is only 20 minutes. What follows is just over 10 minutes of a throbbing heart-beat type sound, followed by a short "wake up" ending. On the reissue this ending is indexed as a separate track, hence why there are 5 tracks not 4. This rather strange ending has been the topic of some debate, and some people even returned the CD first time round thinking it was a mispress! Anyway, just in case you don't know, it's designed to mimic a situation perhaps familiar to many. Falling asleep while listening to something at "full tilt" volume, then being jolted awake some time later as (for example) the tape rewound to the beginning again hitting you with a fulsome crescendo!

In terms of the remastered aspect, other than the extra index point, the most notable difference is the volume has been normalised higher for the reissue. I suspect there has been some digital noise removal employed too. Either way it sounds fantastic, as did the original. If you haven't got it, buy it. Simple as that.