“The big strength of Perge is to make something new out of something old which sound like something that we recognize vaguely”
1 Deja Entendu 15:11 2 Hyperbole 8:05 3 Troposfear 12:52 4 Horizane 22:44 Perge Music
(CD/DDL 58:52) (V.F.) (Retro and New Berlin School)
Perge assumes completely the powers of its influences. Since the first album Dyad, released in 2012, the English duet gave itself as mission to remodel in studio version the great live performances of Tangerine Dream, periods Baumann to Schmoelling. And Matthew Stringer and Graham Getty feel very at ease with this mission which raises not a controversy in the fans' circle which tear away nevertheless the hair of the eyes at the slightest spark. That my friends, it's the sign of an immense respect towards both musicians. It's also the sign that Perge does things very well. Inserted in a LP laminated sleeve style which looks so much like White Eagle, SCATTERED THOUGHTS is offered in manufactured CD, the album is also available in download, in the shape of a mini LP. Like in the old time of vinyl album. The packaging is very professional. And the contents?
Lamentations of metal in pain open Deja Entendu. There is not 10 seconds to the meter that already a movement of sequences made skip and gallop its keys which adorn themselves with tones infected by resonances. Another line of sequences emerges one minute farther. Its movement in zigzag brings a fluty chant and removes for a moment the first line of rhythm. We seek in our head, and our memories, from where this music can be so extracted. Of what period! The answer can be between Phaedra and Stratosfear, because in spite of all the subtleties brought, the essences of this era perfume our ears even if Deja Entendu is more based on the concept of the originality. The Mellotron is fabulous and its fluty solos, as well as its airs, take the center stage over this chthonian choir, which is more seraphic than threatening, and this movement of rhythm of which the intonation goes up and comes down such as a replete snake. The keyboard layers and effects are flavoring the atmospheres which bronze themselves of the 80's. It's like to unite White Eagle with Phaedra. From a flute, the Mellotron is transformed into synth and throws twisted solos while the rhythm becomes more electronic and that keyboard/synth pads are invading our ears. Deja Entendu enters in another phase with the same structure of circular rhythm where the keys skip in a tonal plain filled by some drizzly layers and where the synths replace these singings of flutes with piercing and harmonious solos inside a sound envelope enriched by the perfumes of White Eagle. The ending is leading us towards a more pensive moment with an acoustic guitar which lays down its notes and sculpts a delicate lullaby in the gardens of Eden. You suspect although Hyperbole is modeled on the invaluable ballad Hyperborea? And it's very nice. More a remix than a revision of a live performance, I don't think that Hyperborea was played in concert in that era aimed by Perge, Hyperbole is magnificently well improved here.
The same goes for Troposfear where the contemporary nuances will make of it one of our favorite piece of music in Perge repertoire. Horizane is a fascinating fusion between these two cult tracks from the famous Poland album. The floating sound perfumes are there. These metallic breezes which come from industrial deserts... they fill the air! There is a skillful mixture of fluty and anguished layers which float in an intro filled of the sonic winks from Horizon. The synth which is whistling here with so much sharpness takes the shape of these famous airs with a breeze of novelty in the approach and the first minutes are in accordance with the vision of the atmospheres which are redrawn. The structure of rhythm is slightly more floating with loops which sparkle like springs in the furrows of metallic jingles. The bass pulsations and the apocalyptic lines of synth! We are so near and so far at the same time, from where the seduction. We wouldn't know the name of the track that only few of us would have make the link. The rhythm develops with perpendicular pulsations, a little as a morphic techno which is set ablaze by good solos of a twisted synth with harmonies a bit of nasal. The music dives into an ambiosonic oblivion at around the 13th minute spot. There where the electronic and sequenced percussions of Barbakane, as well as these sound effects à la White Eagle, which have hammered our loudspeakers in 1984. Still there, everything is nuanced. We wouldn't know the genesis that we would think of hearing an excellent piece of EM. And it's unarguably the big strength of Perge. Make something new out of something old which sound like something that we recognize vaguely between the meanders of time. The music? Oh yes, SCATTERED THOUGHTS is very strong. The best of Perge? We say that every time. I don't know if there are still manufactured CD available, but I recommend it strongly. It's more than a new way of hearing Tangerine Dream. Perge is like this spiritual son of the Dream who still plays somewhere in the corridors of time.
Sylvain Lupari (November 24th, 2015) ****½*
Available at Perge Bandcamp