Brainchips, the latest release by German sound artist Robert Schroeder, is a collection of accessible synth music that ranges from quirky instrumentals to R’n'B influenced vocal tracks.

Schroeder was discovered in the seventies by Klaus Schulze, and had a successful first album, Harmonic Ascendant. Since then, he’s released both solo CDs and work as Double Fantasy.

Brainchips has five vocal tracks, and the remaining tracks are new-age and synth music instrumentals. Rahal Brimil contributes the vocals, which take the music into more of a synth pop territory.

The CD is full of interesting synth work. Highlights of the CD include Space Track, a drone-based track that has more of a symphonic electronica feel; Froggy, a humorous instrumental built around samples of a vocalist singing “do”; and Hotspot Zone, a spacey instrumental.

The combination of vocal tracks and instrumental synth work is a bit uneasy. Schroeder appears to understand this - an instrumental version of Brainchips is also available which may appeal more to fans of pure electronic music.

Tracks:

• Doo Doo
• Wafer
• Electron
• Heaven
• Space-Track
• Froggy
• Serenade
• Long
• Hotspot Zone
• So Check Me
• Passing Streams
• Shallala