“Clubbed by heavy and mad percussions, Zero Gravity is an inescapable for those who like a heavy and very lively electronic cosmic rock”
1 Dark Matter 4:02 2 Ascending 11:26 3 Navigating 6:05 4 Into Space 6:48 5 Breaking Through 7:54 6 Zero Gravity 9:46 7 Finally Falling 9:20 8 Beyond Time 9:53 Bonus Track 9 Dark Matter Breaking Through 11:03 10 Ascending (Short Edition) 6:24 Jesper Sorensen Music
(DDL 82:42) (V.F.)
(Melodious and very lively EM)
I have to say that it's pretty hard not to fall in love with Jesper Sorensen's last opus. The demolishing of our eardrums activated by heavy, incisive and wild percussions is as much effective at the level of the hearing pleasure as these synth solos which travel between Jean-Michel Jarre's harmonies in the land of Michael Garisson. Heavy, slow, lively and floating, the multiple patterns of rhythm in ZERO GRAVITY entail us in an electronic fable of more than 80 minutes of which the incredible violence of the percussions redefined the genre.
Dark Matter opens in ambiences this 2nd opus of the Danish musician who lives now in York, England. A shrill sound signal and waves of white noises switch on these ambiences while a synth line spreads a foggy shadow. A delicate movement of the sequencer frees a harmonious line which pods its keys in a good circular hypnotic structure. Other sequences join this musical rhythm. Their greasy tones wrap them with a crunchy wool which will make resound another rhythmic aspect of ZERO GRAVITY throughout its 10 titles, among which two in bonus. The opening of Ascending follows the noisy curve of Dark Matter. But for the rest, it's another story. Heavy percussions knock out these atmospheres, sculpting a rhythm of lead which bangs into us charmingly. Sequences and percussions, as well as percussive effects, reveal a rhythmic fauna which will amaze, by the violence, and will charm, for the precision, throughout this album. The feeling to float between the universes of Zoolook and Revolutions is insurmountable in my mind. Set apart the percussions and the sequences, Jesper Sorensen takes all the latitude to insert very good harmonious solos, that we can whistle easily, and electronic effects very in the tone of an album without gravity. Navigating proposes a waving rotary motion which derives with a stroboscopic effect in the series of sequences. The percussions hammer heavy lead in this attractive structure of sequences which waddle in a spheroidal way. They are incisive and their strikes divide the rhythmic reach which pitches between a usual electronic movement and a big jerky up-beat. The synth weaves good areal solos while blowing nice melodious layers which grip onto our eardrums. These melodies return with more swiftness into the furious rhythm of Finally Falling. Another strong title which is blasted by monstrous percussions.
Into Space follows with a structure of rhythm, always clubbed well by violent percussions, which goes adrift with these sequences of which the tones full of juices and of gurglings charm our ears since Dark Matter. The synth multiplies good solos, abandoning any imprint of melodies in this structure of floating beat. The percussions collide again the movement of the sequencer languishingly circular of Breaking Through and its floating and charming solos for the eardrums. Divided between the rondnesses of sequences starved for good cosmic Groove and the bombardment of the percussions, the rhythm evolves with its fluids variations while remaining constantly lively in its cosmic envelope. An envelope fed by lines of celestial voices which add a not too intrusive seraphic flavor, leaving an imprint charming to this very Jean-Michel Jarre approach, in particular at the level of harmonies in the synth solos. The title-track throws us in a very extraterrestrial universe with an effect of gigantic loops decorated with sound effects from another world. Certainly, the flavors of the French musician's best years of cosmic rock can be found here, and they soften a little this a bit unusual introduction. The pace of the sequencer resounds piercingly. Destabilizing the opening of Zero Gravity, it calls the percussions for help in order to forge another ear-catchy cosmic rhythm as heavy than as slow. This rotary and spasmodic movement of the sequencer is of use as bases to very good cosmic solos on a structure which evolves with a form of contracted velocity in its second half. The undulatory and parallel movements of the sequencer which feeds the opening Beyond Time are sprayed by an excessive heaviness fed by another load of the percussions and by very round sequences which dab an ostinato coated with sound effects which incite to the stridency. In this overloaded sound noise, Jesper Sorensen managed to keep a harmonious control with other good catchy solos. Phew … my ears are thirsty of peace after 65 minutes of rhythmic storm. But there is more! Two bonus tracks come with the download of ZERO GRAVITY. Dark Matter Breaking Through are both tracks in one, which is very logical, whereas Ascending (Short Edition) says it all.
But there is even more when you buy this title on the site Bandcamp of Jesper Sorensen. The latter has edited 2 long titles which melt all the music here in two long parts without intermissions between them. An excellent initiative which gives to those who buys this album more for their money. But whatever, ZERO GRAVITY, without bonuses, is an inescapable for those who like a heavy and very lively electronic cosmic rock. My ears ate it with delight from beginning to end!
Sylvain Lupari (April 23rd, 2018) ***** SynthSequences.com Available at Jesper Sorensen Bandcamp