THE VOID

This acclaimed Norwegian master musician living in Great Britain has a varied repertoire , some albums being outright Folk inspired and complete masterstrokes (Witchwood and Return to Witchwood), others delving into narrative heavy Fantasy (Wizards of the Wind and Wolves), some early soundtrack stuff as well as some eclectic Space explorations (The Void being the first installment). Firstly, one can only admire an artist that suggests "taking the phone off the hook and turn off the lights" and "enjoying your trip" and then back it up with some riveting interstellar overdrive. Bjorn handles all instruments with incredible accuracy and attention to detail. The intricate synths commune with visceral guitar to fling the listener into the darkest regions of the universe, sometimes languid, sometimes boisterous, shoved mercilessly forward with pummeling bass and some of the finest drum programming ever recorded (yours truly is no fan of synthetic drumming but a few exceptions to the rule do exist!!!) . Why bother giving a track by track breakdown when all the tracks flow effortlessly into the mainstream concept, meandering boldly where only the artistic mind can dare. This is 73 minutes of "proggy bliss" (I love that word) with "Afterglow" in particular grabbing my attention , as well as the rather playful "Dar Shan", as upbeat space can ever get. "Relentless" is another fine relay space station worthy of mention. With this genre, often one is tempted to skip tracks because of a glib sameness but this is not the case here, as the proceedings remain constantly exciting and adventurous. There are no overt clonings here, Bjorn has created a unique style that dismisses needless pinches from the Hillage-Gong- Hawkwind-T Dream- Ozric Tentacles crowd and his guitar relies on a rhythmic style that is original and effective. The electronic soundscapes are also researched rhythmic patterns that wedge together the swirls, the bleeps and the sheets of mellotronish cascades, thus expanding the tonal qualities of his compositions. This is polished stuff one can listen to while painting, writing, dining, driving, hiking, jogging, flying, making love, screwing (hardware kind, sorry), and obviously chilling after another grueling day on the PC. Great music for a modern restaurant too. One of the best Space Rock monuments ever recorded, do not let this one go by and listen to it as prescribed by the artist. 5 glowing asteroids