FRANK AYERS: Heart of the Sun (2016)

“ Heart of the Sun is a splendid album where the essences of EM made in France in the 70's go alongside those delicious perfumes of Vangelis and Tangerine Dream”

1 Heart of the Sun 5:40 2 Jupiter Lane 5:22 3 Way of Shen Dao 6:00 4 Planck’s Parabole 5:53 5 Lost Spirit 2:21 6 Biogenesis I to IV 23:46

Frank Ayers Music (CD/DDL 49:03)

(Soft sequenced melodious EM)

The sequences jump from an ear to the other one, weaving a cosmic rock which feeds of a continuous line of sequences to which are jumping other keys which cavort in parallel. "Heart of the Sun" gets straight to the point; some very good energetic cosmic rock interrupted by beautiful ambiospherical passages matured in the broth of the cosmos, HEART OF THE SUN is going to blow your mind away! Frank Ayers decided to pursue his electronic adventure begun with the superb Different Skies. Except that here, and I know that that can sound strange because he has quite a background in music, the Breton synth magician shows more boldness and maturity by sharpening his equipment to offer us a magnificent album which flirts with these small jewels of the French EM of the 70's. And this, even if this Frank Ayers' 2nd album in the universe of the EM inhales largely the influences of Vangelis and Tangerine Dream with a zest of Jean Michel Jarre. It shows it throughout the 6 minutes of the title-track. Electronic and cosmic effects, murmurs of astral voices as well as riffs of keyboard to tints of Tangerine Dream's evanescent harmonies are decorating this structure of lively rhythm that Frank Ayers peppers with good solos as much airy than melodious. The keys throw themselves into the long sighs of an intersidereal orchestra which stretches the tears of their stringed instruments misted of crepuscular mist. Certainly, there are some chords which are dragging here and there, like there are also these songs of a very serene synth which trace fine evasive harmonies in the dusts of intergalactic stars. There is a beautiful tint of East here which reminds so much of Vangelis in China, as well as Jean Michel Jarre for the electroni-cosmic effects. After this very relaxing small bridge of "Jupiter Lane", "Way of Shen Dao" takes back the road of cosmic rhythm with keys which skip strongly and throw a magnetizing halo. This cosmic rhythm is adorned of its interstellar elements while the synth throws fragments of harmonies which remain anchored between our ears. That does very EM from France back in the 70's. "Planck’s Parabole" continues with a more delicate structure of rhythm. The keys cavort quietly on the vapors of synth layers with those scents always so oriental which inhale the influences of Vangelis, while that some chords weave an evasive melody which is joined by a synth always also dreamer and wandering whose harmonious solos coo with some scents of Tangerine Dream. Melancholic, "Lost Spirit" closes this first part of HEART OF THE SUN with a sad piano which scatters its fragile notes over a carpet of cosmic mist.

Exploiting aptly this transfer between the atmospheres and the rhythms of cosmic rock, "Biogenesis I to IV" is the jewel of HEART OF THE SUN. The sonic vessel starts slowly with the very ambient "Biogenesis Part I". Here, it's the wealth of the tonal elements that seduces. The lines of synth float like these clouds which roam in the sky in search of humidity, while the electronic effects plunges us between a cosmic universe and some nice reminders of Blade Runner. The rhythm wakes up in these atmospheres at the very end, beginning the bending of "Biogenesis I to IV" towards a structure of cosmic rhythm of which the delicious nuances in the minimalist approach tickle a synth which draws beautiful aerial solos. This solos sing and moan in beautiful sonic acrobatics which rest on a shroud of astral ambiences. Quiet rhythm full of charms! These solos escape towards Part 3 which proposes an ambient structure where explode electronic effects on a wall of woosh and hummings. Our walls, as well as our ears, ooze from the reverberations which are as much intense as the incomplete singing of a spatial ship. Lovers of cosmic music? You are in the good place with HEART OF THE SUN! Especially with the fiery "Biogenesis IV" which ends “Heart of the Sun” with an approach as incisive as Jean Michel Jarre's in Magnetic Fields. The keys tumble in a vertiginous speed, supporting the fruit of their power in haloes of resonances in crisscrossed patterns of rhythms which hide the charms of synths always so adorned by these movements of EM from France in the 70's.

EM made in France will never has been so in the foreground that this Frank Ayers' 2nd album. HEART OF THE SUN is this kind of album of which the fragrances were borrowed in time just to serve as spices in a dish of sounds which unfolds into a wonderful musical tale. The strength of this album lives not only in these delicious electronic rhythms which are always difficult to describe, but in these delicious harmonies very Jarre which stick to our eardrums soaked with a cosmic envelope which always makes its effect. Hat to you Frank for this splendid album!

Sylvain Lupari (July 2nd, 2016) ****½*

Available at Frank Ayers Bandcamp