“A darker but melodious album which crosses the sounds of Tangerine Dream and Mark Shreeve. Now that's what I call a great find”
1 Timecode 6:21
2 Continental Drift 8:20
3 Metamorphosis I - III 17:00
4 Moon Chime 6:27
5 My Turn to Eternity 7:08
6 Archimedes 8:02
7 Frozen Colour 9:58
8 Moonshine in The Garden 5:13
(CD-r/DDL 68:52) (V.F.)
(E-Rock, New Berlin School, Soundtrack)
The harmonious complexity of contrasting emotions is the prerogative of Uwe Reckzeh's musical thread. From the first chords of Timecode, the German synthesist plunges us into his contradictory universe where melodious snatches rub shoulders with ambiguous sequences, not so much in rhythm as in emotions. Timecode is a good sequenced spiral that makes scroll a melodious serpentine over a dark sequence, even sinister, like if we were visiting the pangs of hell with a light heart. A wonderful creative paradox that is often found in Uwe Reckzeh's musical approach, whose harmonious creativity I have appreciated since Behind the Northern Wasteland.
Written in 2003 TIMECODE is back in the bins following the success of Point North, which appeared last year on SynGate. But unlike Point North, TIMECODE takes a darker path where the sequences are heavy and sometimes loud, but always animated on a symphonic background à la Arc, letting the vapors of old Tangerine Dream blow on more vintage sequences like on Continental Drift, the wonderful Moon Chime and Moonshine in the Garden. Metamorphosis I - III is a long title which shows the vitality of Reckzeh's musical axes. After a gloomy intro, where delicate pulsations live on circular headlights with intimidating reverberations, fine innocent sequences waddle freely on a libertine movement which comes alive on a good set of percussions. More nervous, the rhythm hangs on a melodious theme a bit like the universe of Mark Shreeve. A long title with some atmospheric passages that we also find on Frozen Color, but with powerful melodies which release a unique freshness in such an apocalyptic world. My Turn to Eternity is another solid title. After a languid intro, which recalls the atmospheres on Mark Shreeve's Legion, the rhythm gets lively on nervous sequences with keys frozen in solid percussions. The musical theme deviates towards a lighter ambience despite the heavy bass line whose omnipresence mixes a groovy approach with unbridled techno. A title with twists and contortions which takes place in a more progressive vision. Archimedes is this kind of sequenced melody that sticks to the ear, like an earworm, on subtle nuances with oriental aromas.
I prefer TIMECODE to Point North, which says a lot about the quality of this album. A darker album, while being also quite melodious, which crosses the sounds of Tangerine Dream and Mark Shreeve. This is what I call a great find.
Sylvain Lupari (March 5th, 2006) *****
Available at MellowJet Records