“This is a good DDL which is made for fans of TD's 70's and of sequencer-based EM”
1 Tierra-Remota Part One 18:00
2 Tierra-Remota Part Two 9:03
3 Tierra-Remota Part Three 11:16
(DDL 38:19) (V.F.)
(Berlin School, Prog E-Rock)
Here is the 49th edition of the Classic EM series of our dear friend Mac of BIOnight. As productive as ever, since he also produced Escalators, an album in the Synth-Pop and Italian Disco genre with vocals and ambiences of the 80's, the Italian musician visits the Berlin School genre with very good sequencer's structures, making a detour into the spheres of progressive EM tinted of psybient vibes. Inspired by old photos that an uncle sent him, TIERRA-REMOTA, for Earth at a Distance, will make us spend a good moment of listening, as wished by our friendly Mac.
Tierra-Remota Part One does not waste time! Nervous pulsing basslines and hectic sequences weave their destinies into a convincing rhythmic structure. There is no air pocket and no space for a sigh in this structure that the synths ignite in a 70's Berlin School category, the texture of the synths and the fluty mellotron explain it, with a wonderful more contemporary tone. The synths multiply its effects and harmonic textures, as well as misty layers and solos that loop and suggest and artistic figures in this frenzied rhythm that has never dropped an iota in the last 7 minutes and 30 seconds. At this point, the rhythm unleashes a jumping key that restructures a line in a stroboscopic vision that ends up playing on the ardor of the movement. This second line plays spoilsport by getting tangled up in the first one, hence this slowing down effect as the title enters in its cosmic phase. The sequencer is finally running out of juice, our ears are the witnesses of its last jumping key, 36 seconds after the 11th minute mark. Tierra-Remota Part One falls into an ambient and dark phase with thick layers of haze textures from the Ricochet-era. The track explores the surroundings of this transitional bridge and its fragrances that transport us as far as the Phaedra era when bass drums and loops of a synth-guitar reactivate an ambient rhythmic essence that brings this first part of TIERRA-REMOTA in another phase of fiery rhythm that will end in the dull hums of an ambient finale that lacks a little finish in its fade-out.
It's in a motif of wintry tinkling that Tierra-Remota Part Two tempers the rhythmic violence by proposing a structure of ambient rhythm with a sly approach of the sequencer that releases its bouncy marbles in a simplistic procession. A line of arpeggios tinkle above this stealthily movement, while the synth releases shadows that wail in dark harmonies and/or barely formed solos. The arpeggios flicker with more fervor around the 4th minute. Even tracing circles that become a beautiful winter glockenspiels solo. The cadence becomes slightly more animated after the 5th minute, letting these arpeggios wander in circles until they lose all trace of rhythm in a finale filled with synthesized laments. This is a nice interlude between two very lively structures, as Tierra-Remota Part Three will rock down the house! But before that, its intro is carved in discomfort with hisses whistled by a specter sitting on his chair listening to this piano set with a good romance moment having just made his pact with the Evil One. Cause 2 minutes later, Tierra-Remota Part Three explodes in an ambient rock fed with riffs and percussions without goals nor rhythmic visions. Heavy and boisterous, this segment sinks into a big electronic rock fueled by a sequencer and its oscillating loops that roll in a psychedelic texture. Gradually, rock elements take over the structure, which turns into a big, MorPheusz-like progressive electronic rock with that synth-guitar as hungry as Frank Dorittke's in terms of riffs, though the solos seem to be on fire as well, for a short time before Mac returns to his psybient vices and textures for a finale all of intended ambience.
A good album from Mac of BIOnight, not too expensive, that should please to fans of Tangerine Dream's Peter Baumann era and fans of sequencer-based EM.
Sylvain Lupari (July 6th, 2021) ***½**
Available at Mac of BIOnight Bandcamp