Baltes & Grosskopf & Heilhecker Viermaldrei

So we effectively have half of the current Ashra line up plus Axel Manrico Heilhecker. They open with a barrage of noises all going together to conjure up images of a rather violent area of space or maybe water as the track is curiously titled 'Blue Lake'. A sequence emerges from the depths and the track starts to acquire more structure. The drums then come in and we get into a superb groove. The volume steadily increases building the excitement all the time. Some Gottsching style guitar is added and its pure bliss. The effect is almost hallucinatory. And just listen to those fantastic drums when they get in full flow!

Actually I played this after a couple of beers and it felt more like I had had six. This is a wonderful track, it is impossible to overstate how good it is and it's the closest we get on the album to the Ashra sound (a little like a turbo charged 'Inventions' actually). 'Crazy Snake' is well named as the track does thrash around a little and there is a sort of rattling sound in it. The rhythms and guitar are all rather intense - given the right substances and played under the flashing lights of a club setting it could sound awesome but to most SMD customers I think it would be a little too heavy.

'White Deer Skin Dance' begins with a slow sequence over which a dreamy guitar line is played. Actually they do credit a sample from Manuel on this track - probably from 'E2 E4' . This sample plays a prominent part in the whole track. Another sequence is added and this again could be an Ashra track until the heavy dance beat is introduced. This beat might put some people off who would otherwise have liked the track but others will think that it enhances it. Initially I wasn't too keen but actually after a few plays I hardly seemed to notice it any more. What is certainly unavoidable is the second dance beat that comes in during the last five minutes. Could have sub titled this track 'Boy Racer' as it just reminded me of seventeen year old boys in their hot hatches bombing round the city streets with their car hi-fi's (worth more than the car) pumped up to max. What an old bugger I am!