Radio Massacre International Walking on the Sea Play: Lo-Fi   Mid-Fi   Hi-Fi   Download: Lo-Fi   Mid-Fi   Hi-Fi (Excerpt from track 'Part I') £ 13.95

The first four tracks were taken from a concert in Finland at the beginning of 2004. Flute mixes with tinkling atmospherics sounding like a cross between TD's 'Stratosfear' and 'Alfa Centauri'. It's all rather mellow and relaxing with just some slight touches from the guitar providing gentle tones echoing into the distance. Just before the sixth minute the sonic tapestry alters as crystalline note droplets flow in runs. It's as if the cold but atmospheric surroundings they were playing in was having a direct influence on the music. Some faint voices make a fleeting appearance.

Mellotron washes swell as the first sequence, a dense three note one, starts to form. It is low in the mix creating a brooding atmosphere. The voices return, like being heard on the edge of a nightmare. A bell rings out then a superb fast sequence surges forward providing an exquisite release from such a superb atmospheric introduction. Yet another sequence joins it and fans of RMI's more traditional Berlin School style will be in raptures. Some excellent guitar can be heard driving things forward. More sequences are added. Looped guitar provides additional rhythm to accompany more guitar lead lines. It's as if Gary is playing two instruments at once- absolutely awesome! Part Two, in contrast, is initially a more sedate offering.

Sequences are deployed pretty much from the beginning, initially accompanied by delicate percussion then in the fourth minute some lovely organ colouring followed by gorgeous mellotron. Very gradually the sequences become more strident. The energy level is increased still further in the sixth minute with the addition of some lovely guitar licks which add to the atmosphere wonderfully - hardly axe man stuff though. Overall this is a superb moody piece which builds to a climax and subsides again. The Third Part gets underway with tinkling cosmic percussion then a deep, dark, three note motif. Samples of a chanting crowd and an echoing voice can be heard amongst the electronics creating quite an ominous feel. Wonderfully moody stuff! I just wish it could have gone on much longer than its five-minute duration.

The final part is mean and in ye face right from the off. A rumbling sequence provides the base for a more high register one, mellotron adding just the right amount of background colour. The guitar provides melody this time rather than just textures, being very effective against some more traditional synth leads. It seems a shame to break it down into its individual parts however as it is how it all goes together to form one excellent piece of music, which counts most. It starts to break down or should that be, decompose over the last few minutes and brings the concert to a close. This isn't the end of the entertainment however as added on to the end is a track recorded at rehearsals just three days before the gig called 'Jacquesfolded'. And what a playful little ditty it is too as out of a collage of sonic gloop we get the melody of Frere Jacques! Normal service is resumed by the third minute as we slowly descend back into the dronal depths but still with the ghost of that nursery rhyme in the background.