ECHOES FROM THE UNDERTOW

Track 1, "Far from the Madding Crowd" (2:56) sounds like disc 2 of David Sylvian's "Gone to Earth" with slower sections/interludes similar to Rick Wakeman's "Six Wives of Henry VIII." (8/10)

Track 2, "Lakeshore" (6:01) opens sounding like something from Hans Zimmer's "The Last Samurai" soundtrack before moving on to emulate violin-dominated work of Peter Gabriel collaborator SHANKAR on "The Last Temptation of Christ soundtrack," the work of Canadian electronic violinist Hugh Marsh with Bruce Cockburn in the 1980s and solo thereafter, as well as the work of many prog electronic artists including STEVE ROACH, ROBERT RICH, and YVES POTIN (JazzComputer.org). (9/10)

Track 3, "Overwhelming" (4:58) sounds as if it could come from PULSAR's "Halloween" as well as some of KLAUS SCHULZE's 1970s and soundtrack music. Mostly sound effects, creepy voices, and distorted sound until the symphonic second half. (8.5/10)

Track 4, "Echoes from the Undertow" (6:10) This one sounds like music from Belgian masters of cinematic music, BATTLESTATIONS, with the addition of treated trumpet á la Kenny Wheeler, Mark Isham, or early Jon HASSELL with DAVID SYLVIAN. GREAT song! It's only flaw is it's lack of dynamic development over its six minute course. (9/10)

Track 5, "The Cold Time of Solitude" (5:37) cello and viola over progressive electronic music alternating with primo STEVE HACKETT electric guitar soloing. Great tension and engaging melody (á la Maestro Hackett) throughout. (9.5/10)

Track 6, "Descending Mist" (a 20 minute epic!) (20:28) could come straight out of the musical repertoire of ALIO DIE, ROBERT RICH, STEVE ROACH, early TANGERINE DREAM and KLAUS SCHULZE, as well as so many 21st Century Prog Electronic songs and artists. Cool, eerie song! (34/40)

Track 7, "Homeward Bound" (5:38) is interchangeable with any symphonic cinematic concept album outro, like from the SEVEN REIZH albums, FREQUENCY DRIFT, LEBOWSKI, ALAN PARSONS PROJECT, MY EDUCATION, even Genesis artists' solo albums (HACKETT, BANKS, RUTHERFORD, COLLINS). (7.75/10)

Four stars; a collection of great cinematic music in the tradition of such masters as PULSAR, TANGERINE DREAM, STEVE HACKETT, PETER GABRIEL, LEBOWSKI, KLAUS SCHULZE, and even GOBLIN. An excellent contribution to the progressive electronic subgenre!

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