“What we have here is pure Berlin School, with a fine bouquet of Krautrock, offered with the vision of an extremely creative artist”
1 Everlasting Footprints 22:20
2 The Sequence of Memories 11:10
3 Carbon 10:54
4 Space suit 11:01
5 Everlasting Footprints (Alternative Version) 22:20
(DDL 77:46) (V.F.)
(Berlin School)
A new label that distributes EM works is quietly making its place by inviting a big name to join its ranks, Michael Brückner. This is a 10th album for the Argentinian label Cyclical Dreams. A label that offers an interesting range of artists and progressive EM linked to the Berlin School. And as you have noticed on this site, I am always very excited to discover a new album from the German musician. To analyze it for the pleasure of your eyes and especially guide you in the choice of a purchase. And I tell you straight away, prepare this US $ 7 because FOOTPRINTS is a superb album of real good Berlin School dedicated to the works of our dear Edgar Froese.
A piano chord falls sharply on a small pattern of oscillations. The note is low and awakens a superb flute from a Mellotron which flirts with this piano often unstable in the choice of its melody. There is an appearance of absent voices when electronic chirps deflect the field of the introductory moods of Everlasting Footprints (Edgar Froese) towards a more contemporary phase with a David Gilmour guitar, in the days of Learning to Fly from the album A Momentary Lapse of Reason. The riffs fall with elegance, in concert with fatty keyboard chords whose reverberating radiations throw a sibylline veil in this universe filled with all forms of electronic tones. Ringing, chirping, luminous streamers and a giant bass shadow attract our curiosity up to the cradle of a gargantuan organ layer. This grip of darkness makes us relive these magical moments of Michael Garrison or Adelbert Von Deyen while this instrument dominated a first cosmic energy of EM. The cathedrals heaviness of this mantle of reverberating waves which gradually exhales this last breath gives birth to this first bass sequence of which the palpitation brings back this tender astral flute. The sequence skips slightly by importing organic tones and bringing another more musical line as the synth solos come out of their dens. They draw an interstellar language which is answered by a dazzling cloud of tinkles. The rhythm brings a tangent more cosmic rock after the 8 minutes. It's a good cosmic rock that flows with a panoply of tones that give it an angelic hue, like a dark vision of a tenebrous Berlin School, like in those analog years. There are times that will make you remember the episode of Green Desert, like these Mellotron Masses of that old Edgar-I-miss-you-Froese. A nice big creative Berlin School which sounds more and more like good Edgar Froese in a rhythmic progression which reaches its knot of violence around the 17th minute. Subsequently, the procession is done upside down, with a few details near, in order to re-enter its cocoon.
The Sequence of Memories begins with oscillations fluttering with funny percussive effects before rushing, like a rabid train, in a big Berlin School and its attraction for these rhythms taking the form of train. The decor is up to our expectations with a variety of voice effects intended to scare us if this train rolls headlights off on a dark night in Transylvania. And fear not, when Michael Brückner decides to put on effects, he doesn't do it with the back of the spoon. So, a big Berlin School electronic rock sustained over its 11 minutes, except for a short, but short, make-up period towards the finale. Carbon needed 3 steps before charming my ears. Its opening is composed of oscillating bubbles which live by their tinkling in an almost motionless current of air. Synth pads sculpt waves which accumulate by implosions between the 3rd and 4th minute. The rhythm that came out is more consistent. Fluid and dark, it skips as it shivers with jolts to which bells have been attached in order to clearly identify its muffled current. Another stage and percussions solidify this phase of almost analog rhythm, while radiations bring a new energy until the end of its course. Space Suit starts like a floating rock with synth blades that cut an invisible horizon. The rhythm is structured by a sequencer which likes to make dribbling its jumping keys unexpectedly, giving an unstable structure which becomes good fiery and fury electronic rock with an interstellar language and sonic arches built like rowdy dragonfly wings that give a stereo effect. An effect that sounds good in my headphones and that enchants between my Totems! Big rhythm on the move with a lot of noise and which enters a phase of appalling haze around the 5th minute before emerging two minutes later in a framework of dance and EDM. You have to expect everything with Michael Brückner who is finishing his FOOTPRINTS with an alternate version of Everlasting Footprints which is quieter here. More poetic also with the musical scents of Edgar Froese which are clearly better felt on this track and this with the same fauna as the original version.
The German musician signs a huge album with FOOTPRINTS. What we have here is pure Berlin School, with a fine bouquet of Krautrock, offered with the vision of an extremely creative artist who loves to offer us, like this and just for our pleasure, a little masterpiece here and there. Bravo Michael for this superb album which is a source of pleasure in these times of pandemic…
Sylvain Lupari (October 21st, 2020) *****
Available at Cyclical Dreams Bandcamp