V/A: Groove's Analogy Vol. 3 (2007)

“It's a very nice collection of tracks that can be listened to from one end to the other”

1 Vintage Contemporaries 7:11 (Gert Emmens & James Clent)

2 Red Alert 2:52 (Create)

3 A Molecular Surge 6:07 (S Parsicks)

4 Monopology 6:54 (Gert Blokzijl)

5 Cosmic Kiwi III 0:42 (Russell Story)

6 Synthology 4:56 (Synth.NL)

7 Sea Click 5:19 (F Pol Cornec)

8 Solina 2:23 (E Hofstede)

9 Ambiology 4:31 (JJ Clent)

10 Cosmic Kiwi III 3:06 (R Story)

11 Familiar Surprisesn 4:25 (T Winther)

12 Probe One 4:31 (Studio35D)

13 Analogum 7:31 (Schonwalder's Filterkaffee)

14 In the Moog 3:46 (Eric G)

15 Ceci n'est pas un Analogue 3:13 (RV Dr Wouden)

16 Semdrone (Spaceship One Edit) 4:11 (Mono-Poly)

17 Analowho 7:54 (R Boots)

Groove GR-142

(CD/DDL 79:31) (V.F.)

(Ambient, Berlin School)

Compilations of various artists let me quite indifferent. Too often they use big names to make us buy a compilation full of unknown artists that are worthless. Regularly, these compilations offer 2 or 3 good tracks and that's all. Too often, they use a famous artist who places an unreleased track as a pretext to buy the compilation. It's the opposite with ANALOGY Vol. 3! First of all, Groove nl. has a spotless reputation for the quality of their products. Ron Boots and Kees Aerts are lovers of electronic music (EM) and have made it their goal to bring this art form to a wider audience. So, we have here a very nice compilation of unreleased tracks by committed artists and thanks to a superb mastering by Ron Boots, ANALOGY Vol. 3 offers a very surprising musical homogeneity. A CD of a great artistic creativity where the tracks follow one another in a progressive evolution on always captivating rhythms which cross atmospheric moments, sometimes intense and sometimes ethereal, always at the limits of the charms of the analog EM and its seductive sound effects.

Gert Emmens and James Clent start this compilation with a track in the pure Emmens tradition. Vintage Contemporaries is filled of good snoring sequences that ride an undulating beat with analog sound effects that live between Gert Emmens' dense orchestral mists and melodic-jazzy screaming solos. In 7 minutes, the duo wonderfully explores Emmens' musical style, which is one of the jewels of contemporary EM. Two tracks with more ethereal atmospheres follow. If Red Alert presents a jerky sound a la Create, A Molecular Surge is equal to ['ramp]'s repertoire, heavy and intriguing on a dark background. Surprisingly, Gert Blokzijl offers us a heavy track that moves like a train going through miles of tunnel. The ambiences of Monopology are heavy and cling to a rhythm with incessant loops. Nervous, the arpeggios flicker over enveloping synth waves to create a rich mood that rests on Russell Story's short Cosmic Kiwi. This brief respite is followed by the slow, sensual Synthology from Synth.nl, an interesting artist discovered this year. Synthology offers a progressive impulse on a melodious movement with a lounge jazz flavor. A good track that is followed by a very favorite in Sea Click by François-Pol Cornec. A static track with circular keys that are draped in heavy layers of an enveloping synth, giving a musical aura very close to the works of Klaus Schulze. A surprise and an excellent track! Moreover, the more we progress in this compilation, the more the musical structures become heavy and progressive. The concept behind ANALOGY is to pay tribute to Robert Moog. Ambient moments are always present, but they reveal a rich and varied atmospheric character, like Solina, Cosmic Kiwi III and Semdrone. Other tracks are more explosive like Ambiology, Probe One with its slow and heavy techno touch. In the Moog by Eric G is very much in line with his superb CD Conclusion. And the good old Berlin School is very present with the remarkable Familiar Surprises, Analogum, Ceci n'est pas un Analogue and the melodious Analowho by Ron Boots which closes this compilation like Emmens and Clent have started it.

ANALOGY Vol. 3 is a very nice collection of tracks that can be listened to from one end to the other, without any flaws or bad surprises. Great studio work and mixing, with surprisingly strong material for a compilation, showing the professionalism of Groove nl. which always strives to innovate in the conception of their products. One of the amazing albums of EM in 2007 that you must get.

Sylvain Lupari (December 23rd, 2007) *****

SynthSequences.com

Available at Groove nl