“RW2 is first-class Redshift that all fans should have”
1 Fuel 19:36
2 State II 7:55
3 Prime 11:29
4 Iron Heart 12:06
5 Heaven is a Turquoise Avenger 17:44
(DDL 68:52) (V.F.)
(England & Berlin School)
In the wake of Toll, Redshift produces a sweet cd for its fans. Following the principle of the first Wild, RW2 contains unreleased tracks recorded during concert rehearsals. Tracks that we know, because some of them have been used as structures for tracks of Redshift's current repertoire. This last collection of cuts is an intense CD that flirts with almost 70 minutes and that retraces the first steps of Redshift. As far as in 1996, and not faded by the vagaries of time.
Fuel is a version of Quenzer, a Faultline track, on rehearsal. This version is a bit different due to the near total absence of guitars. Also longer, it explores a bit more the ambulatory movements with the legendary heaviness of Redshift. Its intro is fueled by sparse notes that float around strident guitar striations, imaging an industrial wasteland. A hesitant pulse emerges and is topped with spiral movements that form a gentle swirl, setting the stage for a pulsating sequence cradled by a good floating mellotron. Subtly, the movement increases in pace over sound effects that sound like strange percussions, before cooling it down. And so goes Fuel, a polyrhythmic structure with variegated sound effects, heavy synth explosions, incisive chords and a sequencer with biting movements. The 2 versions are equal. I like this one, because the musical corridors are more numerous and more tortuous, but I miss Rob Jenkins' insane guitar solo on Quenzer. Strate 2 is the prototype of Static on Ether. And I like this version better, where the pulsations are more accelerated in a denser, heavier sound universe. The synth striations are menacing and enveloping, creating quite a contrast with Static which sounds more anemic once you hear this version.
Prime is the first musical piece Redshift recorded in 1996. The opening of this atmospheric track is filled with gloomy sound effects and synth layers, creating a heavy and menacing mood. The movement comes to life on a bass, circular sequence wrapped in a mellotron with heavy choirs that twirl intimidatingly. Over sharp synth lines, the beat veers off and takes a good sequenced route that undulates through an industrial din where the mellotron is utterly divine with its heavenly breath. After taking another musical corridor, more tempered this time, Prime fades out in mellotron blasts that make us sorry to know that it is already the end. Iron Heart is another unreleased track, and a superb one at that! The rhythm is slow. It progresses on heavy chords that buzz with intensity among sound effects and streaks with intriguing flavors, like a procession coming out of darkness. Fluffy, the rhythm sticks to the cymbals and the movements that wiggle with candor on an always threatening background. Innocence versus perversity, on languorous passages, hammered with sharp percussions and intimidating streaks that fly over a migratory movement with dark depths. Heaven is a Turquoise Avenger is a gift to Redshift fans. The third attempt during rehearsals for the 1996 Jodrell Bank show, the track is delivered to us with the technical imperfections of rehearsals. Let's say that it flows well in these vibes load of Redshift's heterogeneous sound effects. It's a heavy track that served as a structure for Bombers in the Desert, one of my favorite tracks in Redshift's repertoire, and it respects these structures with different corridors where the mellotron ambiences cross the heaviness of the powerful and overexcited sequences that explode on Mark Shreeve's big Moog.
RW2 is a great gift that all Redshift fans should have. It's first-class Redshift, with all the heaviness of its migratory movements that are flavored with metallic dust, making your eardrums melting with an amazing power. And yet, we are listening it again and again. A must have!
Sylvain Lupari (30/10/06) *****
Available at Redshift Bandcamp