“Time Ahead Time is a nice find which is going to please to fans Jean Michel Jarre, Ulrich Schnauss and Loom”
1 Metamorphosis 4:52 2 Magicoscope 4:26 3 Everyone is a King in Solitude 5:04 4 Landscape 3928 6:21 5 The Future Gods 4:24 6 Biocommunication 4:39 7 Time Ahead Time 3:30 ARCR209 (E.P.33:26) (V.F.) (Synth-Pop, E-Rock & IDM)
Maybe that the name tells you nothing! And if do I join the one of Loom? Those of Jerome Froese and Johannes Schmoelling? Hey yes … Robert (Wässer) Waters is the 3rd part, non-unimportant, of Loom. This musician and producer is very active on the Berlin scene from the beginning of 2000’s in the genre of electronic synth-pop with numerous arrangements that worth him a pretty good recognition. It’s at that time that he met Johannes Schmoelling, in particular during the reedition of the White Out album in 2000 when he made the remixed version of Icewalk with Ulrich Schnauss. And it’s in 2011 that he joins the Loom adventure. He signs 2 compositions on the first E.P. and we notice an approach which rocks between the electronic rock of Jerome Froese and a more New Age music. Now sailing between heavy techno, electronic rock and a hyper melodic synth-pop, TIME AHEAD TIME proposes an EM knitted in the interstices of Loom.
From the outset, I have to tell you that my 1st listens of Metamorphosis left me of ice. This title that we heard on Years in Music is a spiral of joyful feelings on an air of French movie where the attractive young lady shows her enjoyment by waltzing dozens circles the smile on the lips. It’s kind of a good (we eventually end by liking it) synth e-pop with a commercial touch. Heavier, Magicoscope is very energizing with good nervous sequences welcoming a very harmonious synth. Take note that these 2 titles propose voices, that of Izzy Weissgerber on Metamorphosis and another one non-identified on this title of which the contribution of Jerome on guitar is rather timid. The production is made with good arrangements which add some drama and intensity as well as structures of rhythm which are quite lively. Everyone is a King in Solitude is a melody sat on a good sequencing pattern, on sober percussions and on a roaring bass line. Robert Waters lays down a sentimental depth which inhales the melody of Metamorphosis, but in a more ambient way. This title gave me the goose-flesh by exploiting in a sober way its too short five minutes. Splendid! Between the hard E-Rock of the Jerome Froese years in Tangerine Dream and the synth-pop with the starry harmonies of Ulrich Schnauss, Landscape 3928 is powerful and hammers down our eardrums. There is of everything in there, even a passage of Trance Music! Robert Waters' keyboard seems to be hung on the same harmonious syllable which haunts us throughout this mini-album. It's how The Future Gods opens. It's a wild track which switches shapes quite often with good arrangements. Except that it has the defects of its qualities; either a too obvious lack of homogeneity. All the opposite of Biocommunication which remains heavy and lively. The effects of stroboscopic voices are a bit pastiche, but the sequences are breathtaking.
The title-track ends this Robert Waters' 2nd E.P. with effects of cut out voices and gathered in a long movement of stroboscopic voices on a structure of non-rhythm wrapped up in a passage of atmospheres going up in crescendo. Here as all over the 33 minutes, the arrangements are good, the synth effects and the studio work (mixing, sound effects, mastering, etc. …) are very well make. Showing to all that Robert Waters is not just a guest in Loom. It's good EM properly done and that's going to please certainly to fans of Jean-Michel Jarre, of Ulrich Schnauss and of Loom.
Sylvain Lupari (December 19th, 2016) *****