Dave Thompson
Beyond the Unknown Territory
This review concentrates on the standard issue of this CD but the first 30 copies are a signed and numbered limited edition containing an extra track. If you order from SMD within the first few weeks of this review coming out you might be lucky enough to get one of these rare items.

We begin with the 24 minute title track. A rumbling drone slowly gets louder then a beautiful slow melody floats to the surface using soft symphonic pads. A rhythm is added and then yet more melodic, angelic synth pads. Its all at a rather stately pace giving plenty of time for such gorgeous music to works its way into your soul. The rhythm then picks up pace. The emphasis is now more on energy but happy melodies keep flowing from the speakers one after the other using a variety of different sounds each more euphoric than the last. Things become tranquil again around the nine minute mark and a melodic sequence acts as the main focus of attention. Dave Thompson manages to keep the optimistic mood going through the many twists and turns the track takes. By the half way mark we move forwards on the back of a relatively heavy rhythm, more lovely lead lines accompanying it. Its in the melodic and 'textural' departments where Dave is so strong. Those that like the lighter side of Electronic Music should love this. Right from the first second 'Dance of The Flames' is an upbeat body moving number. Again the melodies are bright and joyous- just be happy to be alive! The piano line that comes in at the half way mark is particularly impressive. A brass melody is played over the top. I would have preferred the piano to be higher in the mix and the brass lower but that is only a minor quibble.

'A Long Way From Home' begins with an insistent sequence then the drums and lead line is added. I was expecting this to be a bit of a moody track given the title but no, again we have a bright and cheerful number. It appears that Dave is a happy chappy never mind where he is. 'Across the Endless Landscape' is the second track on this album that clocks in at over twenty minutes. It begins with the sound of the rain then thunder- must be a typical English summers day. An ominous drone starts to appear from the storm with bright shimmers sparkling over the top. The drone gets fuller and louder by the second. This is all rather cosmic and in complete contrast to what has gone before it. A lonesome lead line soars over the top- this is cracking stuff, showing that Dave is a dab hand at producing first rate atmospherics as well as melodies. We are at five minutes and the track continues to become more intense. A swirling sequence can just be heard in the background then a rhythmic throb takes over.

The vast array of pads subside and the first melody comes in. All rather good it is too, somewhat more curious and searching in nature than on previous tracks. There is an uneasy feeling about it- a bit of a chill in the bones. At eight and a half minutes another superb lead line is added which lifts us above the dark landscape but doesn't lighten the mood. With ten minutes to go the track is stripped down and we are left to float for a few seconds but it isn't long before a sequence comes to take us on our journey again. The pace begins to quicken , the sequence changes and becomes higher in the mix. A new lead line comes in after a couple of minutes and takes us to the end. This is a brilliant track - quite the best I have ever heard from Dave. 'Somewhere There's a Place' returns us to the brighter tracks of before. Everything about it is jolly from the playful bouncy sequence to the silken pads and various leads played on sounds ranging from bells to some sort of whistle or recorder. It is full of whimsy and starry eyed innocence and just for a change, what's wrong with that? (DL)

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