Lightwave Tycho Brahe

Anyone who has already heard the amazingly atmospheric 'Nachtmusik' (1990) will know Lightwave as vast aural sculptors. Here the French duo of Christoph Harbonniers and Christian Wittman are joined by, among others, Paul Haslinger (his first collaboration after leaving TD). The album is based upon the Danish astronomer Tycho Brahé who, during the 16th century, carried out systematic observations which enabled Kepler to work out his planetary laws (history lesson over!). Opening with the marvellously drifting 'Uraniborg', the trademark Lightwave sound is instantly present; brooding full bodied bass swathes overlaid by wind/string voiced ambience which ebbs and flows slowly throughout. Guest musician Jaques Derégnan-court's violin is played more ála Tiepold's cello on the 70's Schulze albums i.e. classical/freeform and maudlin, tending to wander in and out of the piece at will as strange electronic/concrete sounds drift past the observatory. A superb piece to sit back with headphones on (and better still under a night sky?!) and savour. Space the Final Frontier! Track 2 'Mapping the Sky', Haslinger's first, is a simple piano piece over an ambient wash. It captures a slow "mapping" perfectly. 'Cathedral' is a much more saddening, sinister piece. Slowly bowed violin over a generated hum and dark choral voices. A plucked violin adds to the discomfort. From here on the scene is set, each piece creating an extension of the journey; a palpable feeling, the desolation of vast void. All in all an amazingly "cerebral" album. NOT for lovers of tight sequenced passages with verse/ chorus/lead line arrangements. More like one to "switch on, lights off, space out"!. Patrick Moore should love it! (Stuart J Harris)

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