ALDUORKA

A band that is progressing/improving dramatically in both its compositional "trimming of the fat" and its ability to not only imitate the old progressive electronic masters (especially "classic-era" Tangerine Dream) but take their sounds and styles and create refreshing new music that stands on its own--that sound as if they are lost pieces of the past masters themselves. Kudos to the "Bergen School" of Progressive Electronic music! This is great stuff! Eminently listenable--even addictive!

1. "Alda" (20:52) Opens with a fully-developed wonderful sequenced weave that is definitely imitative of 1970s Klaus Schulze and Tangerine Dream progressive electronic. The electric guitar work in the third minute is awesome and fresh. Sounds a little bit like David Torn. Different lead guitar sounds used--to great effect--in the fourth, seventh, and thirteenth minutes. The end of the opening sequential weave at the 6:00 mark is unexpected but well- coordinated and -transitioned. The new palette is much more Vangelis/space/soundtrack-like: beautiful, but, after five minutes, I'm ready for something more (or different). It's not until well into the thirteenth minute that the next, third motif begins--this one a much more guitar-centric weave with semi-military cymbal/light snare play beneath. Eventually, some of all three motifs become woven together until, at 16:00, a two-part combination of the original sequence and Vangelis chords are woven together in a stripped down fashion before searing Arp strings notes enter and the original foundational sequence returns with a progression of Mellotron male voice and horn chords joining for the 19th and 20th minutes. Finishes with about a minute of synth-treated snare/cymbal military drums till fade. Excellent composition; very engaging song. (36/40)

2. "Orka I" (3:25) sequenced tuned percussion and impressive lead guitar play over a driving "Lunar Sea"/"Twilight Zone"-like rhythm track. (9/10)

3. "Rán" (3:56) 1970s VANGELIS synth-strings chord play. Very cool. Reminds me of how much I loved those spacey Vangelis sounds/songs. gets a little old after two minutes, despite the addition of the Mellotron voices. (9/10)

4. "Hraznō" (7:42) synth ocean sounds over which TD/Berlin School computer synths and sequence tracks are added. Flute takes the fore/lead as the principle melody maker--though it is backed and complemented with many other synths and layers. Minute three sees a shift in which the sequence tracks get stronger and Mellotron voice sounds take the lead. In the fourth minute we drop down to bare bones before shifting completely into a new sound pallet and sequence with bent and echoed electric guitar notes now in the fore. A song that truly explores TD territory. (13.5/15)

5. "Himinglæva ok Kolga" (7:06) another wonderful TD-style & palette song that, if I might say, sounds better than the masters even in their peak years. (14/15)

6. "Orka II" (4:33) Drums. Bass line. Chordal structure. Thief! Or, perhaps, more Klaus Schulze and/or Harald Großkopf. Wonderful weave, pace, sound palette, and melodies. My favorite song on the album. (9.5/10)

Total Time 47:34

A-/five stars; a minor masterpiece of retro/homage progressive electronic music. Like listening to new stuff from the old masters!