Waveshape Wellenformen

Waveshape return with the digital resurrection of a "live tape" recorded back in 1991. Based purely on improvisations, the sleevenotes proclaim the "simple tools" used such as Moog, Farfisa Organ and Eminent String Ensemble. The sleeve also warns of "poor tape material" intentionally kept for authenticity, but the sound quality is largely very acceptable. The opener 'Triangular' is the longest piece clocking in at just under the 20 minute mark. Some great analogue effects are followed by a simple rising scale sequence which acts as the basis of some dense layers of synthesised sound. A rasping synth line pierces the collage, bringing to mind Tim Blake as it constantly shifts and bends. The base ingredients are constantly reordered to maintain interest, but alas 20 minutes is a hell of a period to fill and after the half way mark it's tempting to hit the skip button. This track cries out for the sequence lines to be beefed up. They really do not do the rest of the piece justice. 'Spektral Eins' is five minutes of spaced out effects with no structure or direction. Interesting bleeps and bloops by the bucket full, but in the end it just sounds like a tune up exercise. This would have worked much better had it followed a polyrhythmic masterpiece, but as it is it simply prolongs the expectation. 'Spektral Zwei' reintroduces harmony to the fray, followed by another simple rising scale sequence. It's picked out by a beefy Moog synth though and does sound rather good. A high lead weaves around the piece and the result is by far the most pleasing section so far. Though improvised the melody is strong and has meaning, and the whole thing hangs together well. During the latter few minutes the sequence is altered slightly to increase its complexity, but again somehow I think more could have been done in this department. Turn up the volume slightly for 'Quadral' because it's noticeably quieter than the previous track. Once you can hear it properly you'll hear some very characteristic Tangerine Dream touches from the 'Encore' period. It's fair to say that it's a far cry from the sequenced walls of sound presented by TD during that period, but it still stirs the imagination. At around the half way point some heavyweight bass thumps are introduced which perhaps explains the initial low volume - sounds like they had to treat these with respect when mastering the album. At 8 minutes the sequence at last hits a syncopating rhythm to give it a decent groove, but it's a brief section which is swathed in loud white noise sweeps. Yet another carefully laid sequenced forms the backbone of 'Sinusoidal'. Enter dense synthesised collages and we're really back where we started. Good for a few minutes but the track elongates the idea for 11. 'Triangular Ende' is actually not bad at all, with some well judged sequencing and well controlled leads to end the set. If I only considered the individual elements which make up this album, I'd be tempted to sing its praises. Lots of analogue sounds and heavy bass laden rhythms improvised together in a very freeform way. When judged as a whole though it could have been so much more. The main problem for me is the sequencing. On this album there's far too many plodding, pedestrian rhythms. It's interesting to hear some of Waveshape's early experimentations, but I'm not convinced they warranted a dedicated album. I mean, we're not talking about TD here. (Relatively) Waveshape are just starting out - it's far too early to be looking back, especially on this form. (GG)

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