Cerulean This Level Earth Play: Lo-Fi   Mid-Fi   Hi-Fi   Download: Lo-Fi   Mid-Fi   Hi-Fi (Excerpt from track 'Dhama')

The title track opens with a fantastic collage of samples and extended synth washes. Subliminal packets of the impending rhythm are released then drawn back in. Then the full thrust of the rhythm is unleashed, only to be curtailed again instantaneously. The track continues to toy with the listener in sensational fashion until finally the groove is fully established - and what a rhythm this is. It nails your ear lobes to the wall, the sort of dance floor stomper which the Orb, Orbital and Banco have served up so successfully to the masses. The bass beat is offset by ever present sequences which offer the merest hint of the artists’ roots - but it is only fleeting familiarity which is washed away under a torrent of new angles and approaches. At 7 minutes a drifting interlude breaks the rhythm before the track is re-established afresh. It’s a great opener.

‘Lunar’ very much continues the style and approach with rhythmic snatches giving a tantalising glimpse of things to come. This time the synth pads adopt a higher profile producing a lusher but no less rhythmic sound. An infectious riff is infused through the piece and overall this starts to nod more towards EM territory. This is underlined by track 3 ‘Humalien’ which opens with classic Asana style filter swept sequencing. Rasping accompaniments build up the rhythmic wall and again the introduction of a solid back beat nails this firmly to the ambient/dance mast-head. ‘Above the Lower Sky’ mixes a weirder brew and serves up an edgier and more radical rhythmic feast.

‘Where the Floating Dust Falls’ again opens with traditional EM sequencing but the dance beat then emerges to dominate. It’s a storming rhythm, as good as anything you’ll find on club dance floors and it really does kick in all the right places. ‘The Invisible Tide’ presents a marvellous collage of synth textures before a mammoth hip-hop beat emerges. Bass lines then flesh out the sound even further. ‘The Becoming’ is the longest track at 15:17. It emerges from a complex array of synth pulsations to form into an endless collection of riffs and bass beats. Despite the lengthy nature of the piece the tapestry is ever shifting and keeps interest focussed.

‘Dharma’ ends the piece and this is a very different offering from the previous tracks. The approach so far has undoubtedly been dance-floor oriented. One other feature has been the relative lack of melody, and the absence of chord changes throughout the pieces. This gives the music a rawer and uncompromising edge which had me craving for melody by the end of the album. ‘Dharma’ has been designed to fill this slot. It opens with delightful sequences and delicious synth pads which then make way for the lead melody which, when I first heard it, pressed all the right buttons. Heartfelt and memorable it filled the gap superbly. However, I’ve a feeling many smd fans will find it rather on the sugary side. It’s certainly an impression which has increased with many plays.