“A nice EM easy to tame with good rhythms and nice melodies draped in a comfortable cushion of sounds and cosmic ambiances, Skyrider is within the reach of everyone”
1 StarFlight One 8:44 2 Fractions of Light 4:54 3 A Fading Star 3:38 4 Taros One 8:16 5 Return to Saurus 6:42 6 Skyrider 5:08 7 Echoes from a Distant Shore 3:37 8 The Ring of Saturn 4:21 9 Preparation 4:46 10 The Last Frontier 9:00 11 Intermezzo 4:04 Jesper Sørensen Music
(DDL 63:12) (V.F.) (Nice and catchy melodious EM)
If you like a rhythmic and melodious EM that is animated by electronic percussions and juicy sequences in a Jean-Michel Jarre's cosmic universe, Jesper Sørensen is certainly one of the emerging artists to put you in the ears. Growing in popularity with a wider fan base, this Swedish musician living now in York in the north of England wondered about the mastering quality of his first albums, Synthology and this SKYRIDER. Since the release of these albums, Jesper has spent a lot of time learning the mastering techniques. And not being completely satisfied with the result of these two albums, he decided to make a new mastering of both this summer. SKYRIDER is the first album to have this sonic aesthetic surgery.
A roaring wave rising from the West lights the introduction of StarFlight One. As soon as this light cloud of moods is lifted, a line of bass pulsations bangs at the door of our eardrums. Another line of more active and luminous sequences twirls around this movement of which the weak ghostly harmonies resist a flurry of foggy cloud where hides thin lines of celestial voices. Gradually the pace intensifies its presence with more active sequences. The flow is semi slow with effects of hands slamming like shots of metallic percussions. The synth accentuates its presence with splendid, and very catchy, melodious solos whereas StarFlight One becomes a very good electronic rock impregnated by the influences of the French synthesist. Fractions of Light is more in electronic ballad mode with a good up-tempo which is not too fast. The sequencer game weaves a futuristic rhythm approach in a sometimes-melancholy structure. Return to Saurus, with its heavy, slow rhythm and its piano chords falling like a grave reproach, it's quite theatrical, as well as Preparation, are two other sweet and catchy down-tempos which are encircled by stroboscopic filaments and by lunar elements are great tracks and never put aside the still very melodious signature of Jesper Sørensen.
Taros One is another splendid title with Berber songs which get blend in surprising chants from the synth. The rhythm is floppy, but catchy. A little less rock, but faster than a down-tempo, it loosens a spasmodic structure with elements of Arabic melodies which gave me the chills. And speaking of melancholy, A Fading Star is a very nice melancholic piece of music with its effects of acoustic guitar chords which intertwine in an acoustic ballad, even if star dusts are floating there, for lonely souls. If we like more melancholic electronic ballads, Echoes from a Distant Shore is a delight. The title-track is a nice electronic rock with good percussions which hammer a living rhythm. Here again, the piano takes care of a melodious portion a bit nostalgic while a harmonious sequence makes spinning its effects of hypnotic loops from the beginning of the title. The Last Frontier is another highlight in this album. An electronic ballad well installed on a soft rhythm and its celestial mist which at times sings. Slamming percussions and bouncy sequences with a harmonic filament in the rhythm are also effects of charms which add depth to this title which draws a bit of its fragrance in Enigma's influences. Very easy to tame, as well as the lively rhythm of Intermezzo which undeniably recalls the influences of Jarre in the structures of Jesper Sørensen.
Good rhythms and nice melodies draped in a comfortable cushion of sounds and cosmic ambiances, SKYRIDER is a good album that gets tame easily. There are many catchy moments in a sonic elegance which deserves its place on a real manufactured CD. In the meantime, it's available for download with 2 long titles, 1 to 5 for Face A and 6 to 11 for Face B, which offer 2 mosaic of EM without interruptions.
Sylvain Lupari (August 12th, 2018) ***¾**
Available at Jesper Sorensen Bandcamp