Michael Neil
Towards the Unknown Region
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(Excerpt from track 'Scipsteorra')
Its great to be able to review another CD by Michael Neil after his stunning 'Cornubia'. What we have here is Michael's most cosmic offering to date, in fact at times it is "well out there, man"'. Both of these discs are extremely relaxing and could be used just to float away to but at the same time they have great depth and reward very careful listening. The first disc is made up of seven tracks with the second containing just one long number. Interestingly there are quite long gaps between the tracks on the first disc allowing a few seconds silence to reflect on what has gone before. This is exactly what Derek Miles suggested in a recent letter to SMD.

Cosmic shimmers and beautiful soft relaxing pads bring up images of gently floating by awesome nebulas. Half way into 'Exhale' however the mood becomes slightly more reflective almost as if we are leaving heavenly phenomenon behind and in the silence of deep space starting to meditate and explore inner areas of our own consciousness. 'Coma Berenices' is somewhat more melodic than its predecessor with occasional note droplet detail shimmering above the drift. The sound of solar winds bring in the next number 'Scipsteorra'. The pads are deeper and slightly darker without being menacing. A melancholy feeling is generated that continues until the end of the track. 'In the Silence of Space' contains a simple but stunningly effective melodic motif with just the right sound chosen. It is low but perfectly placed in the mix. 'Corona' subtitled 'Eclipse: Cornwall 11:11 - 11/8/99' has a dark brooding but very delicate beginning with pads played and left to fade away before the next joins with slight detail over the top. By the four minute mark the track has really started to build and become more intense. There is a feeling of great power. At the half way mark all suddenly subsides to silence like an intake of breath caused by wonder at the moment of totality. The track starts to develop again and we return to a state of tranquil cosmic drift. 'Neptune Blue' starts delicately and is initially very quiet, a real deep spacer. At times we settle to silence to be gently stirred again as the most subtle but melodic synth pads come and go like the smallest of waves just lapping on the shore with moments of complete stillness between. 'Embrace' initially uses a similar technique to the previous track with sounds coming and then disappearing completely but this time the track solidifies as we move further into it finishing on a beautiful note which hangs in the air then gently fades away.

Disc two is taken up by the title track and gets underway with deep bass drones. This is much darker stuff than anything found on the first CD, sounding like some enormous power sauce that is drawing everything towards it. At seven minutes we are left with a rumbling sound, it is as if the power has been switched off or that we have passed through some sort of portal. The mood is now rather eerie. There are some very deep beats / rumbles that are just on the edge of hearing with ominous waves of sound flowing over the top. There is a feeling of expectancy as if we are waiting for something dramatic to happen but instead the mood lightens again slightly and we continue to float towards new uncharted regions. Ominous stabs of sound enter over the deep sonic backdrop like solar flares erupting from a nearby sun and flying in our direction. We soon pass by however and return to fairly tranquil realms. (DL)

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