S.E.T.I. - The Geometry Of Night (Incoming!, 1996)

1 Fire Night (7:52)
2 String Theory (9:32)
3 Music Box (6:43)
4 Cobalt (6:45)
5 Fl.13 (6:58)
6 Prayer (7:10)
7 Mare Crisium (8:28)
8 Metastorm (8:14)
9 Lofly (11:08)

S.E.T.I.'s releases ostensibly explore the darkness of space, but Geometry of Night also advises us to keep a wary eye on the dark side of human nature; it's already watching us via modern technology.
Andrew Lagowski is S.E.T.I., so you'll hear many of his trademark touches; technology-related samples, slow-beat percussion and finely-tuned electronics, all constructed around a central, thought-provoking premise. Geometry of Night 's "theme" focuses, often indirectly, on covert electronic surveillance; "espionage goes high-tech".

The opening track, fire night features a sampled newscast after an anti-aircraft attack. Dark layers of synth ooze over computerized rhythms. The result is low-key, yet edgy. string theory relies soley on musical elements, most notably a chant-ish solo voice wordlessly mixing with the flowing streams of various keyboards, including swells from a pseudo-"string" section. Rich bass notes work with the active, yet subdued percussion.

music box is animated by an intricate construction of electronic cymbals and beats (a bit of distantly booming timpani, even). The synthwork shifts in elusive patterns. As always, a subtle work of wonder. cobalt is only a bit more aggressive, the rhythm being slightly more insistent, the electronics funked up just a tad. A distorted male voice repeats a short phrase, something about Tokyo... This track is the disc's short runner at 6:44.

Gently reverberating tones and echoing blips impart a more overt "electronic" flavor to f1.13. Occasional hisses, burbles, samples and record skips arise from the mix, but never bludgeon the listener. pryaer distinguishes itself immediately with the electric "whooping" that is its heart. A low haze of synth chords settles over the piece; other effects fade in and out of this fog. Somber, but delightfully so.

mare crisium opens with what seems to be a training tape for the modern techno-warrior. It soon becomes a beautiful, melancholy choral piece underlaid by spacious effects, a work for some electronic cathedral. Eventually, percussion kicks in, lending an entirely different air for its closure. More samples appear in metastorm which moves with a somehow jerkier syncopation. The ominous, heavily processed voices again speak of the "information warrior".

The longest (11:08) track closes the disc; lofly is "spacier", driven by a quiet bass riff and whispering percussion. Deep, dark and exploratory, this is probably my personal favorite (along with mare crisium).
It's unobtrusive enough to be ambient, beaty enough to be techno. Much like Lagowski's Ashita , I'm impressed by the almost-microscopic details of this sonic tapestry. Artfully restrained and highly interesting, Geometry of Night warrants an enthusiastic Thumb Up.
Ambient Entrance

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Milieu - Suntanned Melodies (Milieu Music, 2009)

1 Base Map (6:33)
2 Summer Friends (Mrs Jynx Remix) (5:28)
3 Shade Loop (0:58)
4 Nicepollen (4:34)
5 Color The Waves (Remodelled) (3:00)
6 Jacket Holograph (Ten And Tracer Remix) (4:43)
7 Blue White Nights (4:08)
8 Holograph Dub (4:50)
9 Fortyfive Loop (1:04)
10 Boulevard Haze (Remodelled) (5:55)
11 Cropduster (Obfusc Remix) (4:39)
12 Jacket Holograph (Smoking Neon Mix) (4:30)
13 Cropduster (Drifting Air Version By Forrest) (5:49)

Limited to 25 copies. Included as an exclusive bonus disc with the first pre-orders of Milieu's Colortone album.

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aus - Crowding (U-Cover, 2005)

***désolé, la piste 2 manque / sorry, track 2 is missing***

1 Through You (5:29)
2 Motion Parallax (5:55)
3 Fukuso (5:35)
4 Here She Comes (4:45)
5 Landed (6:53)
6 Idle Talk (7:05)
7 Eric's Idle Talk (3:47)
8 Ausspiel (6:17)

Second album de aus, dans la même veine que le précédent...

aus second Cdr release from the 21 year old Yasuhiko Fukuzono from Tokyo, Japan on U-cover. Again he shows his skills and unique approch to todays IDM music. aus keeps a very natural feel to his music and these 8 tracks sounds very complimentory to his last years debut release on U-cover CDr limited.
U-Cover

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aus - Kangaroo Note (U-Cover, 2004)

1 Lethargic (6:10)
2 Von Rechts Nach Links (4:50)
3 Midnight Wedding (4:42)
4 UR (5:06)
5 Where The Green Ants Dream (8:25)
6 Hero Of The Paper Boy (6:21)
7 E738 (5:54)
8 What's Eating You? (5:16)
9 Ballet Mechanic (4:35)
10 Middle March (5:55)
11 Sora (6:34)

Premier album du japonais Yasuhiko Fukuzono où il développe des paysages sonores nostalgiques...

aus is the 21 year old Yasuhiko Fukuzono from Tokyo, Japan. With these 11 tracks aus shows us his fresh and open mind and gives a personal interpretation to today's IDM style and 21th century ambient music.
U-Cover

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Aus - Lang (Preco, 2006)

1 Clocks (4:55)
2 Halo (4:44)
3 Double Talk (5:00)
4 New Look (3:40)
5 Beyond The Curve (6:27)
6 Opaque (2:56)
7 Aslope (3:03)
8 Headphone Girl (3:51)
9 Moraine (6:01)
10 Stargazing (4:39)

Aus est le travail de Fukuzomo Yasuhiko, des mélodies et des textures brillantes...

aus is a one-person project by Yasuhiko Fukuzono from Tokyo. This is his the fourth full-length release, following two limited cd-r edition releases for the Belgian label U-Cover and first proper release for Music Releated from U.S.

Lang is an exquisite mix of IDM and beauty pop electronica album. aus makes beautiful and rhythmical sound with intricate percussive beats, bright and melancholic melodies. His before album " Sonorapid " has many vocal tracks. But this new one is instrumental album for fans of brightly sweet electronica/IDM.

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Saycet - One Day at Home (Electron'y'pop, 2006)

Chromatic Bird (6:34)
Don't Cry Little Girl (4:43)
Trilogie (4:38)
Circonflex (5:54)
Maud Takes The Train (6:52)
3ème Type (4:35)
Dinafly (5:31)
Metadine (4:36)
Dream Factory (7:22)

Baigné dans la musique dès son plus jeune âge, le musicien français José propose le premier album de Saycet et nous transporte dans l'univers des petites créatures de la pochette en nous racontant leur histoire. Une histoire toute poétique et symbolique : l'une des créatures voie, l'autre entend et la dernière ne reçoit que des caresses et des baisers. Elles découvrent en sortant de l'oeuf, le monde sur lequel elles vont devoir vivre dorénavant. Un monde peu accueillant mais pourtant si attrayant...

A l'écoute de cette electro très subtile offrant un mix de textures ouatées et enveloppantes, de nappes atmosphériques, de petits rythmes cristallins et des micro-beats proches du battement de coeur, de mélodies en même temps enfantines et mélancoliques (quelques fois chantées étrangement dans une langue inconnue trafiquée) on pense forcément un peu à Mùm ou à Montag... La musique de Saycet fait se côtoyer de très jolis sons presque enchanteurs, avec une certaine âpreté des rythmes. Et la liaison qu'il fait entre son histoire et ses compositions musicales révèle une jolie poésie et une certaine candeur. Une candeur toujours contrebalancée par des effets sombres et lyriques contrastants, faisant s'enchevêtrer froideur de l'électronique et chaleur organique de sons et d'ambiances évaporées.

"One Day at home" est une remarquable odyssée et un très bel album qui s'écoute comme dans un cocon.

trip hop.net


Although often compared to Boards of Canada or Mum atmospheres, the music of Saycet is entirely personal. Melodies are dancing waltz, keyboards are singing, rhythms are racing in a spring of innocence and fragility that tension comes to disturb. This, telling us an out of time story, where images are inexorably chinking and flashing.

As a matter of fact, behind his video club counter, Pierre/Saycet is surrounded by movies, and consequently of music! His weightness compositions would definitely match with some of the Sofia Coppola, Larry Clarck or Gus Van Sant pictures. The problem is, they are not from the same block ! Nevertheless, others have already spotted him. If you carefully listen to the O.B. of « Laisse tes mains sur tes hanches » by Chantal Lauby, you would recognize his work.

Saycet album « One day at home » is an invitation to contemplation, a pur jewel of electronica that subtly mixes filtered voices, as (Mogwai does), with minimalist and light harmonies ; a naive but sharp dream-like .

On stage, lives are orchestrated with an evident maestria, that exacerbates our senses and gives her the shivers. At last inspired videos, projected on a wall screen, illustrates the show and highlights the Saycet poetry.

CD Baby

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Melodium - Silica (Static Caravan, 2000)

A1		Silica (4:30)
A2		Hymnotic (2:21)
B1		Quarsep (4:39)
B2		Death To Frequencies (2:30)

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Machinefabriek - Xylophonique (self release, 2004)

1		Goal (0:28)
2		Aubergine (2:17)
3		Lau (1:38)
4		Fuck J-E (2:00)
5		Slaap (2:59)
6		Autre Part (4:57)
7		Pontje (0:42)
8		Vladka (1:30)
9		Paketti (1:12)
10		Xylophonique (2:14)

If you know that Fabriek means 'factory' and machine, well means
machine, you could easily think that Machinefabriek is your up the
wall noise outfit. Feedback over machine like rhythms recorded at the
nearest conveyor belt. That is not the case. I can and will describe
what Machinefabriek sound like, but other than that's one Rutger
Zuydervelt I don't know anything about Machinefabriek. Maybe the two
releases reflect a kind of audio diary. 'Xylophonique' is dated
September 2004 and 'Voor De Prullenbak' (meaning 'for the trashcan')
is from October 2004.
On the cover of 'Xylophonique', there is some sort of diary thing
about Rutger staying in a friend's house and playing around with a
xylophone, an effectpedal and a bass guitar. And what is not stated
on the cover: his laptop. The xylophone, either in it's natural
sounding form or transformed plays all sorts of little melodies, with
the bass adding it's notes when necessary and the polite
transformations on the computer add an intimate and cosy atmosphere.
I am reminded of Sack & Blumm, the Tomlab catalogue or the recent
releases by Plop. Intimate music, sweet and delightful.
No such story on 'Voor De Prullenbak', which seems to be less
centered around any theme or instrument at all. Here the computer
manipulations of whatever instruments and sounds are taken a step
further, resulting in a less focussed work, with vague ambient
notions and playfull thoughts, rather than well-worked out ideas.

Staalplaat

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Melodium - Hum Hum & Bla Bla (Autres Directions in Music, 2005)

Untitled 1 (1:25)
Hellomusic (Ochre Remix) (7:05)
Untitled 2 (2:47)
Interlude Pour [Chiens] Depressifs (Audioroom Remix) (2:56)
Untitled 3 (2:59)
Untitled 4 (2:22)
Untitled 5 (3:41)
La Fin De Tout (Marsen Jules Remix) (4:00)

Here comes the Hum Hum & Bla Bla EP from Melodium, a french artist with his own quirky style of music. His work is a lot more electroacoustic and instrumental than electronic in nature. The instrumental nature of the EP also makes it sound more human.

The EP is also slightly experimental with the use of irregular sounding clicks and pops and lots of other weird but overall mellow sounds. In the midst of all the varied sound sources lies very nice musical arrangements that won’t disappoint.

Favourite tracks:
Hellomusic (Ochre remix)
Sounding almost classical in nature, a strange contrast is brought about in the listening experience by the clicky and poppy percussion that goes on for most of the track. The track transforms itself beautifully as it progresses in an almost strange manner for most electronic music which involves just adding more harmonies and playing louder. Leveraging on the concept of dynamics that most electronic musicians forget about. The only complaint I have about the track is that the percussion doesn’t sit that nicely in the mix during the later parts.

Untitled 5
This track sounds like it started its life as a pop piano piece. Sprinkle in glitchy sounding percussion, strings and uplifting arpeggiated synths and you have a kind of playful pop piece that sounds like it belongs in a vintage videogame.

La fin de tout (Marsen Jules remix)
A perfect ender track for the EP. Guitar chords and melodies are superimposed with the sounds of atmospheric pads and a synth that wails on in the background echoing memories of farewells that are both beautiful and sad at the same time.

Gratisvibes

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Off The Sky - The Geist Cycles (Databloem, 2007)

Fallopian Silent Film (3:00)
Saturday Morning Indoctrination (6:26)
Mother's Milk Stain (4:52)
Feather In A Needle (3:32)
The Persistence Of Visions (6:04)
Of Acids And Angels (7:16)
Smoke Span (2:22)
At The Foot Of An Eastern Elevator (5:22)
Geist Taxi (4:44)
Waltzing The White Light (5:33)

Jason Corder sounds like a pretty fun guy. Sniff around on the internet long enough and you'll start to discover some pretty interesting things about this boy wonder. On the surface, Corder looks normal enough: Kentucky based musician involved with several projects, most well known for his electronic moniker Off the Sky, slowly gaining recognition on the internet by releasing material on the likes of Autoplate, Term/12k, Databloem, and Stilll, yada yada yada... A vague and leading comment on the internet implies that Corder at one point in time attempted to create his own production software, which only resulted in a frustrating mess before he accepted 'conventional' means. This not only shows a large dedication to his craft, as well as an incredibly control oriented (possibly obsessively so...) personality, but also reveals that he's not just some art guru who stumbled onto Ableton Live.

Which is not to say that Corder is not an art guru. A quick look at his influences cite legends such as Jackson Pollock, David Lynch, T.S. Elliot, Edgar Allen Poe, Vincent Van Gogh, Darren Aronofsky, and so on. I know what you're thinking, they are all pretty hip and trendy artists to claim as your inspirations, but it still counts for something. Doesn't it? At the very least, Corder at least pretends to have a deeper appreciation for art, which is more than I can say for most people I have the pleasure of reviewing. So I imagine this Corder guy would be a nice chap to sit down and have a dinner with, engage in full on discourse, and pick his mind for the better part of an hour or two. Countless individuals undoubtedly qualify for the standard pint of beer, but how many would you really care to sit down and dine with? Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to pick up Mr. Corder, quite the contrary, my interest is purely Platonic.

In perhaps what is one of the most off hand comments ever made in an attempt to describe the process behind creating music, Corder claims that Off the Sky is a project that is -- in some manner -- fueled by Chaos Theory and weather patterns. If you don't know much about either one of those, then the comment probably bounces right off the skin. But those of us 'in the know' raise an eye brow, because, although Chaos Theory may be good for creating some pretty pictures to set as your desktop background, I certainly don't foresee it as being a brilliant musical discovery. Yet I prepare to stand corrected...

In a way, the influence of Chaos Theory is almost audible on The Geist Cycles. And I stress almost, because it actually isn't, but after listening to the album fifteen times or so, I'm pretty convinced that I can hear JFK telling me the shooter was behind the grassy knoll. So I'll digress on this point. Weather does appear to have a more central role in Off the Sky's atmospheric, experimental themes, in all of its obtuse manifestations. The Geist Cycles, in particular, reports to deal with "people interacting to interpret an idea of life in transit to an afterlife." Apparently this is a bleak, foggy experience, as it's extremely difficult to predict Off the Sky's movement outside of the current bar. Things are predominantly minimal, sometimes ambient, sometimes experimental, and often droney. After awhile, it becomes abundantly clear that the subtle shifts in styles is just as important if not moreso than the shifts in instrumentation itself.

The tracks themselves are of little consequence. Corder's intent was that this transit is one large experience which cannot readily be broken down into several different pieces. Although the tracks themselves aren't linear, it's not to say that the cloth from which they were cut is not a single entity. Comparing tracks is as tedious as pulling apart clouds, if only to attempt to discover their 'inner secrets'. Some sparkle, some dazzle, some merely exist, but they all play a part in a larger body of work. Conceptually, the proposed framework becomes somewhat dislodged from the actual presentation of the music, but I suppose that is just a drawback of working with the chaos.

For the average listener, Off the Sky will sound like just another run of the mill electronic musician, probably barely worthy of a second glance. Those wishing to dine with Corder and enter his bizarre world will discover a different side to his recordings, one which is more coherent and impressive than previously imagined. Still, in an ideal world this division is mended and Corder is able to satisfy all with a single, swift spin of a compact disc, yet this is not it. But, probably someday soon it will be a tangible goal well within his grasp, if he so chooses that route.

Lee Whittefield, The Silent Ballet

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