Peter Mergener & Klaus Hoffmann-Hoock
Visions of Asia
CD / 7 tracks / 52:36
Play Sample:   56K Dialup   Broadband   Download Sample:   500K   1.5Mb
(Excerpt from track(s) 'Cinnamon')
I have to confess that although I had heard of both musicians, I hadn't heard any of their music, so I didn't really know what to expect. The CD's title might have you thinking that is some sort of New Age stuff, but what I heard was an excellent collage of electronic sounds that were as far removed from the "New Age" tag as can be possible. To coin a completely new phrase, I'd be inclined to call it "muscular Ambient"!!

Cinnamon is a great start. With a much fuller sound than I had expected this has great synth work, percussive effects and some electronically treated guitar, to produce a starter that will have you literally gasping for more. Fantastic.

Next up is Waterchimes, and somehow, and if anything, this is even better. Bird sounds, and what appears to be a glockenspiel had me initially thinking of Kitaro, before a wonderful sequencer pattern kicks in, and I was in seventh heaven. Brilliant stuff.

The Road to Mandalay starts off promisingly with some drone like effects, so quiet they can barely be heard. Some wordless vocals are then being sung around a percussive beat, before a guitar kicks in, and whilst I am not keen on guitar driven EM, the rhythm keeps things moving so at that point its not too distracting. The pace then picks up and the guitar becomes more prominent, and a long wailing solo takes us to the end. Not my cup of tea unfortunately, but it is well done, and I can see that for some this is going to be their favourite track.

For me, Dreams of Tibet is much better. A deep bass drone gets us underway, with electronic effects before a processed "gamelan" like sound creates a rhythm of sorts, around which more electronic effects and occasional washes of Kitaro - like synths intervene and this is really great stuff. The length of the track – at almost 10 minutes – gives it time to breathe and develop, and I am mightily impressed.

Deuda is next. Sounds of water, more electronic effects and a very Roach like synth give way initially to a piano. There is someone talking too, very high in the mix but I cannot make out the words, and an occasional sitar. Strange.

Shakti is more orthodox, and couldn't be more different. A very jaunty Peter Bauman – like rhythm (think of Biking Up The Strand from Trans Harmonic Nights), dominates the piece, with some excellent sequencer work kicking in around the three minute mark, and whilst it sounds vaguely technoish, it don't half get those feet tapping!

Last up is Visions of China. More piano coming out of an electronic fog, before it settles down into a nice rhythmic piece that I thought sounded for all the world like something by Johannes Schmoelling. I could have done with this track being a few minutes longer.

I like this CD a great deal and I am sure that it will be a big seller for SMD. (SJS)

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