“This belongs to the great albums of contemporary EM. The best of the Peak is here!”
1 Random Event 7:18
2 Gruga Park 15:20
3 Secret 7:53
4 Flow 8:49
5 Distance 7:39
6 Dreams 9:26
7 Newsflash 9:50
8 Random Event Live 8:13
(DDL 66:18) (V.F.)
(New Berlin School)
Originally released in 2002 on the Invisible Shadows label, RANDOM EVENTS is unfortunately part of that list of albums to have had a short life on CD before being totally discontinued and forgotten in the many corridors of time. This is one of the main reasons why I like the SynGate label that is putting back into circulation these discontinued CDs. So, this 3rd Pyramid Peak album is offered again with a bonus track in CD-Rs and in downloads. I never had the chance to hear this RANDOM EVENTS before today and let me tell you that I enjoyed it as one does with the great electronic music (EM) albums. First of all, I have to say that I am a big fan of the Peak and this album fulfilled me to the highest degree with its evolving structures and synths with such poignant harmonies.
Unlike the first edition, it's the title-track that brings us to the discovery of this album instead of Gruga Park. A reverberating layer calls for others to constitute a sound background divided between the buzzing layers and the more orchestral ones. Random Event has that typical Pyramid Peak synth sound. This is a good floating opening where the sounds take autumnal colors with melancholic harmonies. From these layers that have become more chloroformed, the sequencer releases a rhythmic line that follows a catchy ascending movement where haze, imaginary choir and synth solos are grafted in a Berlin School structure that goes out in an explosion at the 7th minute. Random Event lights the fires and prepares the bases of one of the best albums of the Peak. The opening of Gruga Park features synth lines that have that tremolo of those blasts thrown into a pan flute. These lines are circular and are nibbled by the fall of fat chords that raise brief synth wails. A synth that comes out of anonymity around the 90 second mark with airy solos that carry us to a first rhythm phase some 60 seconds later. Structured on a sequencer in harmonic mode, bouncing bass sequences and robotic percussions, this rhythm is most energetic and supports solos with acrobatic forms, as well as a bank of fog that walls up absent chants. It runs out of steam in a pool of radiation around the 9th minute. A long transition phase, not far from 3 minutes, occupies our ears with heavy reverberating filaments and voices that counterbalance the tenebrous weight of the reverberations. The last few minutes of Gruga Park are its most precious with a slightly bouncy rhythm in a dramatic texture that gives chills in the back spine. Thus evolve the 7 other tracks of RANDOM EVENTS.
Secret evolves on a rhythm structure built on 3 sequenced chords. Flickering arpeggios and sober percussions help to structure this bouncy rhythm that serves the interests of the synth, its solos, vocal textures and effects. One of my favorite tracks on this album, Flow borrows a bit the airs of the melodic synth from the title-track opening. Its rhythm is bouncy between a share of a pulsing bass line and more limpid rhythmic arpeggios. Slightly jerky, it trots and finally gallops with a jumping structure in a haze lit by very good melodic arpeggios. These arpeggios are the key to this catchy track with nuances in tones, as in emotions, exchanging its role with an electric piano. Very good! Axel Stupplich, Uwe Denzer et Andreas Morsch also know how to make the moody, hazy orchestrations as romantic than poignant, and this is what adorns the bouncy progression of the hypnotic Distance. There is no more beautiful moment on RANDOM EVENTS than with the magnificent Dreams. Its opening is built on a superb lunar downtempo woven into sumptuous haze orchestrations. The Peak gang modulates arrangements that bring me to tears every time. It could be an excellent reason to fall asleep that the 3 German musicians reject of their hands by imposing an astonishing and sublime structure of cosmic rock à la Jean-Michel Jarre from the 3rd minute. A cosmic rock morphic with elegant moments of transition and especially these crotales which enrich this structure of bouncing bass and these robotic percussions. And if the orchestrations managed to make me sigh of nostalgia, the solos which fuse around this hyper rhythm make me exalt of happiness. EM will never be more beautiful than with this title! And RANDOM EVENTS offers no respite to our ears, our feet and our emotions with a Newsflash animated by a heavy and lively spasmodic structure with a voice-over repeating a short news bulletin. This is Trance EM of great quality. This new edition comes with a live version of its title-track. More energetic, Random Event Live keeps all the charms of the sound envelope of this magnificent Pyramid Peak album.
In my opinion, RANDOM EVENTS belongs to the great albums of contemporary EM. Berlin School and others, Axel Stupplich, Uwe Denzer and Andreas Morsch take us through their style in a seamless rhythmic and melodic album. The best of the Peak is here!
Sylvain Lupari (February 4th, 2022) *****
Available at Pyramind Peak Bandcamp