“An album which retraces this immense artistic career of a synthesist who constantly challenges its own boundaries”
1 The Dark Side of the Mind 14:17
2 The Ring of Power 8:57
3 The Man of GOD 5:54
4 Liquid Motion 8:54
5 Morning Orchids 10:14
6 Berliner Bratwurst 8:04
7 Learning from the Past 8:44
8 Growing to Maria 6:49
Syndromeda Music
(DDL 71:27) (V.F.)
(Progressive Berlin School Dark Ambient)
Mythical and mystic character, Danny Budts is the best kept secret of contemporary EM. Since 1992, Syndromeda realizes music without borders, nor constraints where the Belgian synthesist is free of any forms of ties of influences and visit all EM territories; retro Berlin School to a heavy cosmic rock, while passing by a progressive, even meditative EM with the very atmospheric Sadhana, made under the pen name of Amin. 20 YEARS OF SYNDROMEDA is the first Syndromeda compilation album, and the Belgian synthesist offers it totally free on his Web site in a great sound quality with complete artworks. Here’s an excellent way to discovered and tamed Danny Budts's eclectic musical world that you will find it here
To make a retrospective of 20 years, spread over 20 years is a precarious adventure, because it leaves little room to numerous evolutions and multiple musical orientations of the musician. But this compilation encircles quite well the phenomenon that is Syndromeda. Taken from the album Mind Trips, The Dark Side of the Mind presents Dany Budts' atmospheric side with a very nebulous intro where multiple reverberating waves undulate among sinuous synth oscillations. His mephistophelic and cosmic duality fed gaily a major part of Danny Budts' works. Divided between heavy atmospheres stuffed with vaporous synths, with chaotic rhythms and caustic solos, his music is constantly evolving, as shows tracks such as The Dark Side of the Mind, The Man of GOD and Learning from the Past. The Ring of Power undulates on good sequences which gallop in a universe of caustic synths. Solos here are very acuteness, faithful to Syndromeda’s universe. Liquid Motion from Birth of a Black Hole is a superb piece which is going to please Tangerine Dream fans, so much the approach is inspired by. From the album A Day in the Fields, Morning Orchid presents us his nostalgic side with a piano at once melancholic and austere which is taking the first half before of heavy synth strata are grafting to a loopy movement, molding a fine hypnotic tempo where the biting synth throws its solos with strange reverberations. Lugubrious such a futuristic nursery rhyme, Berliner Bratwurst shows his more avant-gardism with a heavy and cosmic atmosphere which diverts towards a technoïd finale. Growing to Maria is a superb hymn to tranquility and peace of mind that Danny Budts has created under the name of Amin. A small celestial jewel, which is also very different from the Syndromeda universe.
So voilà; a brief review to analyze an album as much complex as the sequenced progressions which abound in a universe sometimes harmonious, sometimes progressive but always intriguing of Syndromeda. The purpose of this chronicle wasn’t really about to describe the music with so precise details as I’m used to do, but rather to inform you that on the site of Syndromeda there is a free album to download. An album which retraces this immense artistic career of a synthesist who constantly challenges its own boundaries 20 YEARS OF SYNDROMEDA shows this and more! Available FOR FREE at https://syndromeda.bandcamp.com/album/syndromeda-20-years-free-compilation-1
Sylvain Lupari (January 26th, 2011) ***½**
Available at Syndromeda Bandcamp