John Huling - Open Spaces. 1989 Novox (MC). One of what seems like a million new age / electronic tapes popping up in the late 80s and early 90s. All things considered, this one wasn't too bad, though those early digital tones can be a bit tough to get through. At least he mixes in pan flute, electric piano, bass, strings, bells, etc... The music is of a positive nature and one could see the advertising blurb going something like: "Joyous and uplifting, Open Spaces is full of love and peace." Sure. For the low, low price of $8.99. (9/10)
Delerium - Karma. 1997 Nettwerk (CD). Delerium started their career as an offshoot of Front Line Assembly, and their music was very much in the industrial, dark ambient realms. I personally started with Delerium on Semantic Spaces, a very important CD in my collection, and a story I will tell whenever I get to that album. Only to mention that Delerium had changed dramatically by 1994. By the time Karma had come out, many changes had also occurred in my life, and the album didn't resonate much at all. I kept it for many years before moving it out. Found it again in the quarter bin, and since I never wrote about it, decided to give it another shot. My last rating on it indicates that it was high enough to keep, but I purged it anyway. And that's exactly the conclusion I've derived again. The album is heavily influenced by early Enigma, a sound I was enamored with in the mid 90s, but it was becoming old hat by the end of the decade. Airy female vocals, sexy in atmosphere, Asian and Middle Eastern influenced, with synthesizers and beats. Every track is what I'd consider "good" but there's nothing here that resonates with me. Neither time and place nor an objective wow. Delerium went on to release six more albums, none of which I'd heard, but wouldn't pass up the chance to do so. (4/22)
Synth.NL - AtmoSphere. 2008 Groove Unlimited (CD). It's not everyday you find a Groove Unlimited album here in the American thrift shops. And this one made it to "the bins", so it was 25 cents. I'll buy anything on the label for that price. Hmm... Synth.NL - AtmoSphere. I'm going to go out on a limb here and predict this might be an electronic album from The Netherlands. Yea, not a lot of points for originality, right down to the album and song titles. Like with prog metal, the blueprints have been out there for some years, so there's little chance for creativity unless you add in more members and instruments. Klaus Schulze is an obvious influence, but I wouldn't call this a Berlin School album, primarily due to the lack of sequencers. Jean-Michel Jarre might be a bit closer actually. Synth.NL is a pseudonym for a one Michel van Osenbruggen. He probably should have used his own name, it plays well with the European electronic audience. There are extensive academic liner notes about each track, as well as his personal background with electronics. But there's no layout of the synthesizers he's using. I'm hearing mostly digital, with some beats added. Not a lot of analog sounds, and this album most certainly needs some tonal color. Certainly a pleasant listen, though too much of the same thing to enter my collection at this stage. (4/12)
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