The Berlin school of electronic music lives on….in Poland! The latest CD from E=Motion showcases the interlocking sequences originally made popular by artists like Tangerine Dream and Klaus Schulze. While the Berlin style originated years ago, E=Motion keeps it relevant with new sounds and by incorporating elements of trance and other more recent styles.
Electro, the latest CD from Aalacho, re-examines the sounds of new wave and electro-pop, mixing synths, rock guitars and vocals. Aalacho is made up of Nathan Scott, who handles synths, guitars, vocals and programming. He’s joined on this CD by guitarists Sam McIlvain, Chris “Reemus” Brown & Derek Armstrong; and vocalists Joe Randazzo, Trevor Hesse… Read More Aalacho – Electro
Reworking the classics with synthesizers has a long tradition, extending from Wendy Carlos’ Switched-On Bach to the Ferry Corsten/William Orbit take on Barber’s Adagio for Strings. Reinterpreting the classics is tough, though, and few electronic reinterpretations have proven to have much lasting interest. Classics Regrooved is new compilation that features electronica arrangements of 15 themes… Read More Various – Classics Regrooved
EAM collects tracks from the last 15 years or so by electro-acoustic pioneer Barry Schrader. Most of the work that Schrader presents here is entirely electronic. One piece, Dance from the Outside, combines electronic timbres with music concrete sound manipulation. Schrader does not discuss his techniques or tools, suggesting that the tracks should speak for… Read More Barry Schrader – EAM
Jean-Michel Jarre was one of the early pioneers of popular electronic music. Along with artists like Tangerine Dream and Vangelis, Jarre brought electronic music and popular music together, making music that was artistic but fairly accessible. Les Chants Magnetiques, Magnetic Fields, is a set of 5 synth tracks that capture Jarre at his peak. For… Read More Jean-Michel Jarre – Magnetic Fields – Les Chants Magnetiques
Oceanic is a collection of tone poems with Ocean themes. On this 1996 release, Vangelis creates a soothing 50 minute journey through deep oceanic spaces, sounding a bit like a Hearts of Space show. The new age music showcases his wonderful ear for melodies and lush synthetic orchestration, but does not have the edge or… Read More Vangelis – Oceanic
Peter Gabriel has been tremendously influential in promoting musicians from around the world. His work with WOMAD and Real World Music has brought sounds of the world to millions of listeners, and even more significantly, to the ears of the world’s musicians. His music for The Last Temptation of Christ, a film by Martin Scorsese,… Read More Peter Gabriel – Passion
DJ Sandra Collins handles the mixing duties on the third incarnation of the excellent Tranceport series. Previous disks, mixed by Paul Oakenfold and DJ Dave Ralph, effectively established the Tranceport identity – interesting trance mixes for dancing or listening. Collins delivers another winner with this smooth collection of trance and techno sounds. Tranceport 3 is… Read More DJ Sandra Collins – Tranceport 3
Beaucoup Fish is not the ultimate Underworld album that fans may dream of. Instead, it is a challenging, sometimes messy album that seems richer with each listening. The uncompromising approach Underworld takes on Beaucoup Fish keeps the music a little edgy, and makes it a treat for electronica fans. The music is a combination of… Read More Underworld – Beaucoup Fish
This beautifully packaged compilation brings together some of the best chill out tracks from some popular names, like Moby and Fila Brazillia, and some unfamiliar names, like Nitin Sawhney and Phobos. Pure Chill Out is a good introduction to the chill out genre, a pleasant compilation and a overview of many interesting artists. The compilation… Read More Various – Pure Chill Out
