“A fantastic album and an essential one for fans of Berlin School hovering in the psybient vintage years”
1 Castlerigg 9:23
2 Citadel 32:03
3 The Presence of Motion 32:34
(CD/DDL 74:00) (V.F.)
(Berlin School)
David Wright's Beyond the Airwaves series gave us some pearls that were forgotten in his vaults. Beyond the Airwaves (Volume 1) was quite impressive, while Beyond the Airwaves (Volume 2) seemed to show that the vaults were rather dry. But our friend David still had things on his mind. In particular recordings with Klaus Hoffmann-Hoock that he carried around quite often with him during his travels. With the help of Code Indigo's guitarist Andy Lobban. David Wright manages to reshape these scattered structures and thus offer a little gem that belongs to the category; David Wright's masterpieces. BEYOND THE AIRWAVES (Volume 3) is mounted on 3 fabulous tracks where the hypnotic Berlin School flirts with a psybient of the vintage years. A pure masterpiece…
This new exploration of his vaults begins with the slow pulsating rhythm of Castlerigg. Clouds of blue smoke brush against the ground. These clouds accommodate undulating lines that the synth releases and which zigzag in a soft texture, while the rhythm accelerates the cadence at the point of 2 minutes. The oscillator makes dancing its texture of rhythm, like a flame waltzing with the winds, in a fluid and attractive flow. Because the absence of one key gives all its charm to the electronic rhythm of Castlerigg. It goes up and down, as do these rhythms of Berlin School, through this mystical density from which rise a combination of bluish breezes and flutes with evasive harmonies. The percussions and a roaring bass line arrive as reinforcement and propel this sibylline air which now belongs to a good progressive rock wrapped by solos and echo effects from Cosmic Hoffmann, and his simply majestic guitar. This structure of EM evolving slowly in order to reach peaceful nirvanas, is at the heart of the two long titles of more than 30 minutes which are jewels of minimalist EM.
Citadel didn't need a long opening before reaching a soft rhythm. A cosmic rhythm whose ethereal sensuality texture is adorned by lamentations of a floating guitar and is clinging to good percussions signed cosmic blues. The mellotron, KH-H was also an excellent player, thrown a challenge to the synth with beautiful flute tunes which the synth collects with equally attractive tunes. The movement overflows from its shroud of serenity to cling to a more lively and also more experimental universe after the 8 minutes. A movement of ascending rhythm attracts Citadel towards a latent progressive rock with organic elements squeaking behind a good flow of Andy Lobban's guitar solos. Almost 90 seconds later, a flute rises alone. And its seraphic chant is haloed by the fixed clicking of cymbals and percussions which stimulate an ambient phase, a phase of bare rhythm which returns a few seconds later before Citadel resumes the ascent on its rhythm for good. A rhythm which has literally became a big and good progressive rock inspired by English folklore with a violin and its lively staccatos which duels with this flute embalming of our senses, and the piercing guitar solos which tugs our emotions in an atmosphere that makes me think of Morpheusz. This is some huge EM that takes full advantage of its 32 minutes.
The Presence of Motion is a canon title. It's the cornerstone of this album that obsesses me and that I don't stop playing since I discovered this BEYOND THE AIRWAVES (Volume 3). Its introduction is woven in mystery with guitar and synth blades which light up an organic fauna sparkling with its croaking tones. The movement is slow with electronic arrangements which make live a slow cosmic waltz in a psybient universe. This vaporous intro stretches its sleepy charms over a period of 10 minutes where slyly a deaf implosion secretly moves the birth of a rhythm by deaf knocks. The Presence of Motion then deploys its pervasive rhythm structure. A minimalist structure where the panoramas of Mind Over Matter occupy the whole dimension of this fabulously hypnotic title, even with these percussions which add weight to its structure while giving it a second rhythmic breath. For me, what goes on between my ears is majestic. In a universe always infiltrated by psybient, The Presence of Motion advances in a hymn of rock hovering with pulsations vibrating with an organic aspect which reminds me of the curt and whirring rhythm of How Soon is Now from The Smiths, especially in the last quarter. Klaus Hoffmann-Hoock's guitar is exceptionally captivating here. And inserted into David Wright's arrangements, it takes on unique proportions where the feeling of being doped, of having ether in the eyes and ears, is simply attractive. We are back in the 70's when rock hovering in hallucinogenic substances gave a whole dimension to our ears. Fabulous, I never felt the past 32 minutes. A great title in an exceptional album which initiates my Top 5 of 2020. An essential album for fans of Berlin School hovering in the psybient vintage years.
Sylvain Lupari (April 25th, 2020) *****
Available at AD Music