“A progressive and cosmic New Age, New Horizon is a short and timid invitation from a band well structured with great composers”
1 The Dragons Flight 1:25
2 Ocean in Space 4:20
3 Written in the Sand 3:35
4 Three Days Winter 8:45
5 Evolution 21:04
(CD 39:21) (V.F.)
(Mix of Prog & Cosmic Rock, ambient EM)
With the very recent realease of Evolution (Parts 1-4), I must tell you about its genesis, the NEW HORIZON album. This first album of Art Of Infinity places the band of Thorsten Sudler-Manz and Thorsten Rentsch at the borders of an EM which still bathes in its very Floydian progressive envelope. The album starts slowly with a vaporous synth which crosses the very melancholic breezes of a wandering saxophone. Moreover, this union between synth and saxophone is the cornerstone of the harmonies of AOI which succeeds quite well in fusing these two sonic antagonists under the same musical sky without altering in any way the final result.
The Dragon Flight is a short ambient track that sets the table for an album which oscillates between gentle harmonies and more ambiguous movements. Ocean in Space floats on the mists of a nebulous mellotron and vocals as strange as sensual. A Vangelis-style percussions roll surprises the bewitching slowness of the movement which intensifies and comes alive with a good duel synth/guitar. Written in the Sand immerses you in the ambient and mysterious universe of AOI. Thorsten Sudler-Mainz narrates a poem about love while the ethereal mists of a poetic synth and the breaths of a nostalgic saxophone float on arpeggios struck like chords of xylophones. The rhythm becomes heavier with hypnotic percussions at the opening of Three Days Winter where a semi-sung voice haunts the ambiences. The tempo suddenly breaks to allow an ambient structure with heterogeneous tones to hatch. A strange ambience settles down with the syncopated jolts from a keyboard and a howler sax on a movement torn between its rhythm and its non-rhythm where a kind of sensuality always finds its place. Evolution is a superb title where spirituality and harmonies coexist on structures as melodious as heterogeneous. The breaths of a wandering saxophone cross a melancholy piano and a synth with plaintive twisted lines at the opening of this epic title. Although melodious, its universe rests on an emotional fragility. Chords from a lost guitar crisscross this intro which explodes on good percussions and choirs as sensitive as enchanting. Evolution beats a renewed sensuality on a heavy rhythm which is lost in variegated mists around the 8th minute. Composite universe with intriguing sound effects, the second part of the title is divided between tribal tempos with wild movements and atmospheric passages at the roots of a sweet growing madness, like the whole of this album.
NEW HORIZON is a short and shy invitation to the universe of Art Of Infinity. A universe which shows a new face in EM by taking paths of much diversified of music, going from Easy Listening sung to progressive rock easier to tame. A progressive and cosmic New Age if it's possible! It's also a bit the strength of this album because of Evolution which is truly the gateway to a universe that will charm even more with Dimension Universe.
Sylvain Lupari (27/03/08) ***¾**
Available at Art Of Infinity Music