Paul Haslinger World Without Rules

With his Tangerine Dream days now far behind him, Paul states on the sleevenotes that he feels he's "embarking on a journey once again, but this time on my own boat". Post TD Haslinger releases, including his work with Lightwave, have been more challenging and less immediate than his work with Messrs Froese & Franke. This album is no different. Well over a year in the making, and featuring a number of guest artists, this album is firmly in the World Music category and takes a while to acclimatise to. However, this album rewards those willing to make the adjustment, and rewards them well. The opener for example proves when Haslinger goes ethnic, he goes the whole distance. The tribal rhythms are massive, and are superbly mixed with vocal samples and synth elements including SERIOUS bass. Production is stunning. 'Urban Source Code' introduces a more contemporary rhythm overlaid by soulful trumpet, and it's a real grower. 'Monkey Brain Sushi' is not for the faint hearted and again features some HUGE sounds, while the eastern vocal influences remain strong in subsequent tracks such as 'Asian Blue'. Track 8 'Rainmakers Dream' is the first piece which matches any preconceptions about how a Paul Haslinger solo album might sound. It's a sublime piece of EM with those twangy/breathy synth voices which work so well, and it builds powerfully to become a real highlight. Don't misinterpret this to mean that the more alternative pieces are in any way inferior, because they are most certainly not. This is an album put together with amazing skill and feel for the music. And to top it all, production and sound quality are both state-of-the-art. A winner. (GG)

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