Stefan Erbe Genesys 23 (The Course of the Origin) (2023)
“This is rhythmic art for the ears and the mind on a big 77 minutes of wild and catchy EM”
1 To Distant Seas 4:14
2 Machines Starting Machines 5:04
3 Orbit 5:46
4 Lifeforming 7:16
5 Lost Cargo 3:14
6 Doubtful 4:23
7 Big Hall 5:22
8 The Rain on a Green Base 4:08
9 Plantae Synthetica 3:56
10 LXM 404 6:25
11 All the Stars (review) 3:20
12 The Course of Origin 7:02
13 It wants to Live 5:42
14 Critical State 5:14
15 Sense of Life 6:07
(CD/DDL 77:21) (V.F.)
(E-Rock, EDM Electronica)
What an album my friends! Presented in its entirety during a colorful concert in images and sounds (when will a video be available on YouTube?) at the famous Bochum Planetarium on January 28th, GENESYS 23 (The Course of the Origin) is a solid concept album that revolves around 15 tracks in a lunar setting interspersed by samplings of interstellar voices. These voices are not annoying. They are at the heart of the action by informing the listener of the story behind this concept album of Stefan Erbe who left nothing to chance for the pleasure of our ears. He has woven a complex mosaic of cosmic ambiences that circulates a panoply of electronic rhythms flirting with the usual palette of the German musician-designer. Whether it is in pure electronic rock textures, strongly influenced by Tangerine Dream of the Schmoelling years, of techno powerfully hammered by a strong duo of sequencer and electronic percussions and of Electronica to make us twirl, the multiple rhythms of GENESYS 23 (The Course of the Origin) are softened in visions of synthpop and cinematographic cosmic atmospheres where the melodies and the arrangements are at the origin of these multiple shivers which accompany the discovery of this other solid album of Stefan Erbe. In this decor raised by glass arpeggios whose very Vangelis tonalities brings us to the threshold of the Blade Runner universe, the album lives on always lively rhythms, except for some episodes of melodies or melancholic moments, which are intermingled by brief phases of ambiences of a universe of dystopia or similar to that of The Last of Us. A great album at the height of the excellent Serbenity and a big 77 minutes without one too many!
To Distant Seas goes straight to the rhythms of the album with a TD-like electronic rock. The sequencer rolls, sometimes even dribbles, its cadenced arpeggios in a subtle undulatory effect. This approach is quite frequent in the album. The rhythm comes out of its static cocoon with the arrival of the percussions which hammer out a more driving cadence. The keyboard lays down a nice melody that sparkles in the sails of good misty orchestrations. Machines Starting Machines continues on this momentum of the sequencer but with a more aggressive rhythmic vision, even in its hesitation phases. Clinckings sounds sow chaos with cadenced impulses that add textural depth to the rhythm. The synth takes care of the harmonies by scattering its verses well without stanzas. Orbit is an equally good, solid, driving electronic rock. It's heavy with a very good mesh between the percussions and the sequencer, creating a fascinating complicity between the fluid and spasmodic aspect of the r