Deuter "Cicada" 1982***

OK, so this isn't the kind of album one usually finds in my collection: alphabetically it sits between Greek punk rockers Deus X Machina and German industrial punks Deutsch Amerikanische Freundschaft, both of whom are the antithesis of Deuter's introspective melodies. I brought it back from the neighborhood record shop, because it was in the bargain bin and I remembered coming across the composer's name in the progarchives website. That was somewhat misleading, as this album isn't even remotely connected to progressive rock - which is not to say that it's without its charms. Having bought it in the pre-Christmas period, I found it puts me into holiday mood, especially the serene but joyful opener "From Here To Here" and the slightly sprightlier "From Here To Here (reprise)". The composer though seems to have other religious interests: German-born Georg Deuter moved as a young man to India, changing his first name to Chaitanya Hari after a Hindustani saint, and living in an ashram, which is the local equivalent of a monastery. Nevertheless his music doesn't sound like other Indian albums in my collection (I have some Ravi Shankar, a little Bollywood etc). It sounds more like the kind of meditation CD's one hears play as a musical background at yoga/reiki centers, albeit with better musicianship than most. Kudos for that to Deuter, who plays all the instruments himself. The most prominent sound here is that of the flute, backed by discrete synthesizers, gentle acoustic guitar, a little sitar, bells, etc. Deuter's synths also imitate birdsong, most notably on the title track, while some other nature sounds (splashing waves, rustling leaves) may or may not be sampled. It's warm and soothing music, a bit too sweet and placid for my taste to tell the truth. My interest is sometimes piqued when the synthesizers come to the fore, as in the longer tracks "Light" and "Alchemy" which remind me of Vangelis similarly blending electronic music with acoustic instruments and oriental themes in his China LP. Other than that, it slips into the background, which is I guess the intended function of ambient music. Another notable piece is the bucolic "Haiku", if only for featuring the only guest musician, Deva Renu on harp. All in all, this may well be a prominent work in the field of spiritual/new age music. I would probably recommend it to someone looking for some nice background music for relaxation and meditation, but it's definitely not my cup of tea. 

**** for From Here To Here, Light, From Here To Here (Reprise)

*** for Sun On My Face, Sky Beyond Clouds, Haiku, Alchemy

** for Cicada, Between Two Breaths

Vangelis "China 中國" 1979****

A few days ago, Greek music lost one of its most famous and beloved composers, Vangelis Papathanasiou - internationally known by first name only. He's mostly celebrated for his Oscar-winning soundtrack work, and as one of the progenitors of New Age, but he started his career in '63 playing organ and writing songs for Forminx, one of the most popular Greek pop bands of the 60's and inventors of the yanka dance craze - at least as everyone in Greece is (still) concerned. In reality Forminx's "Jeronimo Yanka" was based on a Finnish traditional tune called Jenka, but who bothered to check? Similarly, "Rain And Tears" -Vangelis' first big hit with his second, more famous, band Aphrodite's Child- was based on a piece by 17th century composer Johann Pachelbel. What of it? It's not about where your inspiration comes from, it's what you do with it that matters! Aphrodites Child were based in Paris, France, since its members were fleeing the oppressive Greek junta but couldn't get a visa for the UK which was their original target. After releasing seminal prog album 666, they broke up, with singer Demis Roussos enjoying a successfull MOR career and Vangelis delving further into progressive/electronic music. By my count, China was his 7th solo album in as many years, and was inspired by the history, tradition, and music of the Far East. The composer had never visited China, and neither does he explore its culture, tradition, and philosophy in depth. Instead, like so many European orientalists before him, he borrows some elements of its traditional art and derives inspiration from its landscapes to create an Oriental-flavored Western work of art. This doesn't detract a single iota from the album's worth. It's not meant as an introduction to Chinese music but as another exploration of the synthesizer's ability to create enticing soundscapes. This time it's not all electronic though. Vangelis accompanies himself on piano, as well as Chinese flutes, gong, and various plucked instruments, with the only external additions being the playful violin (more Balkan than Chinese-sounding) of "The Plum Blossom" and the narration of an 8th Century Taoist poem on the tranquil "The Little Fete". Despite the overall relaxed feel, the album starts off with a bit of elemental noise gradually settling into a melodic synthesizer piece with recurring electronic tones "Chung Kuo". The evocative piano of "The Long March" is followed by the more upbeat and electronic "The Dragon" with its percussive flourishes."The Tao of Love" is a beautiful oriental melody played on some kind of plucked instrument. "Yin & Yang" also starts with a lovely plucked melody, but this is undermined halfway through by a menacing electronic sound in the background that reminds me of Pink Floyd's "One Of These Days". Thankfully, Vangelis doesn't threaten to cut us into little pieces like Floyd did, and the song ends more or less like it started. "Himalaya" is a long atmospheric synthesizer piece that reminds me of Tangerine Dream whose Klaus Schulze, another wizard of the synthesizer, we also lost very recently. It evokes snowy mountain peaks, and comes to its conclusion with the cinematic "The Summit". All in all an immersive and relaxing experience, it is similar to ambient music but actually has the opposite effect: instead of negating other influences to help you clear your mind, Vangelis fills it with images and sensations taking you on a mental trip to an idealized, completely imaginary, China. If you enjoyed his music for films like "Chariots Of Fire" and "Blade Runner" you should love this, too. If, on the other hand, you're not already a fan of instrumental/synthesizer music, don't expect to be converted after listening to China.

**** for The Long March, The Plum Blossom, The Tao of Love, The Little Fete, Yin & Yang

*** for Chung Kuo, The Dragon, Himalaya, Summit

Brian Eno "Ambient 1 Music for Airports" 1978****

This is probably Eno's most celebrated album, yet I avoided it for years and only came around to buying it after finishing with his conventional, song-based, 70's  discography. I'm not a fan of instrumental music, still less of new age and ambient styles. But I thought I'd make an exception since this is widely considered the first (and, by some, the best) ever ambient album - in any case the first that was expressly created as a mood piece. Eno's purpose was to create music that, although interesting, would pass unnoticed while "inducing calm and space to think”. This is its saving grace as well as what separates Eno's ambient albums from shopping mall muzak, which steers away from thoughtfulness towards shopping-friendly mild euphoria. As you may have guessed atmospheric is the keyword here, tranquil instrumental music with no obvious hooks such as you might find in classical or jazz. Resonant melodies played by synths, pianos and human voices (I know I said it's an instrumental album, but the wordless vocals are strictly used as a musical instrument) are intertwined but, because the music is so sparse, the result isn't discordant or busy sounding. Rather like the calming sensation of lightly falling raindrops, birdsong and a running brook, if I may get poetic for once, the elements are neither harmonising nor conflicting. The first track "1/1" is the longest: 17,5 minutes of lovely piano snippets (composed and played by Soft Machine's Robert Wyatt) repeated endlessly over an atmospheric synth background. If you're listening intently, it'll bore you to death. Which makes it the perfect opener for this album: after 5 minutes or so, either the music has melted into the background and dug itself into your subconscious or you feel the need to yank the record out and put something more meaty. On "2/1" the piano is replaced by "angelic" female vocals inducing a choral spiritual/meditative feel. "1/2", opening what originally used to be the LP's side 2, blends the sparse piano and vocals of  the previous two tracks to great effect. Probably the prettiest piece on the record. While still being extremely calm and hypnotic, "2/2" is a fuller piece than what preceded it, almost like a conventional jazz/modern classical composition. The synths emulate a wind instrument playing an actual melody next to the usual wave-like sound. Apparently the record fulfilled its stated purpose for a time, serving as background music at New York's LaGuardia airport -until commuters started complaining that it was too "depressing". For myself, I couldn't disagree more. I find it a gorgeous piece of music that never fails to set the mood right when used in the correct occasion.

***** for 2/1

**** for 1/2, 2/2

*** for 1/1

Talk Talk "Laughing Stock" 1991****

For years my opinion of Talk Talk was informed by their early synth pop hits which I had heard as a teenager. Like early Depeche Mode, I found them tolerable to my rock sensitivities but that was about it. I hadn't really followed their evolution until I was prompted to do so by the reviews on music magazines and reference books. Apparently, band leader Mark Hollis decided that early taste of success was enough for him and embarked on a musical journey that saw him gradually break free from pop conventions to produce ever more ambitious but uncommercial sonic landscapes. "Laughing Stock" is the end result of this transformation, an atmospheric experimental work closer to prog and jazz than it is to pop and rock. By that time only Hollis and drummer Harris remained of the old band, augmented here by a multitude of guest musicians (no less than 18 can be heard on the final result, though many more joined the sessions). Guests were encouraged to improvise on a simple rhythmic backdrop and their contributions incorporated in an intricate game of cut and paste. The album is comprised by 6 long songs, though it can also be viewed as one long atmospheric piece. There are intense and loud moments, but mostly it's subdued and hypnotic. Contrary to other, musically clattered, "prog" albums, it's spacious with long silent pauses. It reminds me of Eno's ambient solo albums, Can and even Tangerine Dream - though synths here take a back seat to organic strings and horns. It would make the perfect soundtrack for an atmospheric thriller, deceptively soothing but with a dark streak. Opener "Myrrhman" is introduced by a long silence and remains a very sparse and moody affair with hushed vocals. "Ascension Day" is a meatier song, with melodic vocals and some loud outbreaks. This one reminded me of Peter Gabriel circa late 70's. "After The Flood" has a slow rhythmic backbeat and improvised jazzy sections, though still retaining the traditional song structure. Hollis sings quietly but with urgency. "Taphead" is another sparse tune with murmured vocals, temporarily coming alive in the middle with a great trumpet part. It's followed by the gorgeous "New Grass". More than elsewhere in this album musicians play with instead of against each other, and the vocal is fragile but beautiful. At slightly less than 5 minutes, "Runeii" is the album's last, shortest and less remarkable song. Predictably the record was a commercial failure and the band disbanded soon after, though I think it wasn't a question of "Nobody's listening to us" but of "We've said all that was to be said". Hollis effectively retired from music altogether, while the fame of his last album continued to grow. It's now considered a masterpiece and the mother of all post rock, venerated by bands like Elbow and Bon Iver while its influence can also been seen in the neo-prog of Porcupine Tree and Radiohead.

***** for Ascension Day, After The Flood, New Grass

**** for Taphead

*** for Myrrhman, Runeii