“Singles 2005-2012 worth that we dig a bit more the discography of Tangram”
1 Keep Watching the Skies 5:10 2 Summer Sky, Shooting Stars 4:56 3 The Seven Letter World 6:24 4 Snowball Canon 4:03 5 The Dark Age 6:04 6 The Transistor Lizard 3:47 7 Snowfall in a Generated Landscape 11:14
(CD-r/DDL 48:34) (V.F.)
(Berlin School, psybient, E-Rock)
Tangram is the project of the Hungarian musician Peter Fabok who is active on the electronic scene since 2005 with a first album Move and Still. SINGLES 2005-2012 is a first compilation album and covers this creative era where the prolific synthesist composed and released nearly 20 albums. It's a great palette of a very versatile EM where psybient vibes try to pick up rhythms of down-tempo and of electronic genre. Chronicle of an album made by an artist who deserves that we dig furthermore in his vast discography.
Vocal samplings open Keep Watching the Skies which wiggles with a discreet bass line from which weak pulsations raise chords which collide in metallic tones. A sequence draws a recurring melodious line which rolls in loops on more pronounced pulsations which are guided by a technoïd approach. The voice comes back to recite Watch the Sky when percussions come to bear these pulsations with curt bangs which support a tune molded in the notes of a synth, filling up Keep Watching the Skies with a good melodious approach with an oriental touch. Summer Sky, Shooting Stars presents a very atmospheric approach with electronic monorails which wind up in spirals around voice samplings and multiple electronic tones. Crisscrossed keys flutter around echoing percussions, opening the nice melodious approach of The Seven Letter World of which the intro swims in full melodic indecision. Percussions cut the debate and structure the rhythm which leans on a lead line and its spirals sequences. These sequences are diversified and shape melodic and rhythmic crisscrossed structures which encircle the chords of a synth to crystal clear melody. A very good synth moreover which whistles another nice melodious line coated of a suave ethereal mist of which the harmonies are infiltrating our head to create beautiful ear worms. It's a very good title, quite as the splendid ballad which is Snowball Canon and its twinkling chords which parade such as a melody played on a harpsichord to swirl in beautiful spirals under the layers of a synth to orchestral forms. Very near the tenebrous moods of Halloween, Snowball Canon flows like a crescendo as much threatening as bewitching with several melodious lines which interlace and juxtapose for weave a surprising lullaby for sleepless of scary nights.
The Dark Age is very catchy and reveals us another facet of Peter Fabok with a hard electronic-rock. The percussions shape a kind of Gang Street rhythmic approach which jumps under slender synth solos with twisted forms, while the pulsations harpoon the pace with short curt movements, weaving a rhythm supported by a rich percussionist approach. Another synth line forges a bit of voice-kind melody which rolls in loops beneath numerous solos, creating on The Dark Age another earworm that would have easily been able to clear its road on any FM radio. The Transistor Lizard is another catchy track which opens its rhythm with a rather psybient approach fed by tones stigmatized in strange electronic pulsations. Kind of tom-toms percussions tumble to shape a tempo which is very near psy-trance that bouncy chords coat of an extraterrestrial aroma. Snowfall in a Generated Landscape is a long ambient title filled of fine crystalline arpeggios which spin and float with delicacy among scattered percussions. Like some snowfall flakes swept by winds, the first part seems to be forged in improvisation while the second flows like a tribute to … Tangram and its intro molded in melodic synth breaths. A bass line filled by hammering pulsations comes to knock down the serenity of Snowfall in a Generated Landscape which won't know no rhythm but will rather dies out in the abstracted complexity of its last portion fed by resonant jolts.
There are no doubts in my mind; SINGLES 2005-2012 deserves that we investigate a little more Peter Fabok's career which seems very comfortable in his role of chameleon painted of electronic reliefs. This is a very good compilation which shows all the creativity and versatility of Tangram. Whether it's psy-trance, morphic techno, melodic synth pop or ambient with a tint of minimalist Berlin School, this compilation is a good front door to the universe of Tangram
Sylvain Lupari (May 14th, 2012) *****
Available at Tangram Bandcamp