IN SEARCH OF PRECISION

The ultra-productive period of Norbert Krueler after entering the 90's continues in 1994 with his sixth studio album, entitled ''In search of precision''.All keyboards, guitars and computer programming are Kreuler's responsibilities, while he receives again some limited help by Martin Krueler, Markus Jaeckel, Christian Mildner, Frankie Bader and Lutz Breden in a few tracks.Needless to say the CD was again offered through the Fenn label.

While not being a significant improvement over his past work, Shamall's sixth album shows a slight turn towards a more serious direction, beginning with the production, which is definitely the best among his early efforts.Stylistically the album moves again along the fields of Electronic Music and Synth/New Wave with bombastic rhythmic parts, atmospheric passages and lots of Soundtrack-like soundscapes with a spacey mood, while Kreueler shows a tendency towards longer and more varied compositions.His music begins to flirt dangerously with TANGERINE DREAM's less competent efforts along with some sort of GANDALF-like promising symphonic textures and ambient soundscapes.Synthesizers, piano and sharp electronics remain his main weapons and his compositions are now more flexible and demanding.However there is still some significant way to walk until a composing sufficiency.The plastic-sounding and very fake programmed instruments along with the annoying drumming continue to be a pain in the ear.The length of the album (over 70 minutes) and the lack of additional instruments, even the credited guitars appear very rare, are a negative factor as well.

''In search of precision'' is propably the best of Shamall's offerings of his early period, still very far from being trully recommended.However there are traces of musical maturity throughout the album that gave hopes for an even better release in the upcoming future.Fans of soaring and edgy Electronic Music maybe could give this a shot.