SPIRALS IN HYPERSPACE

I received this CD one day after it was released, and I have to say the wait for a brand new album was finally over! Back in the fall of 2000, they released their last studio effort, "The Hidden Step". Hard to believe that Rad was still in the group then. Since that time, Rad (in early 2001), and then later on (in late 2002) Zia left. New drummer Schoo (Stuart Fisher) and new bassist Pazza (Paul Godfrey) came in. Through the 2001- 2002 time period, they tied us over with a live EP entitled "Pyramidion" (with the title track being a new studio cut), a fan-club issued single called "Oakum" released in the fall of 2001, and then the "Live at the Pongmasters Ball/ CD (which also became available on DVD).

Well, I guess the band was under financial strain, and although they supposedly mended their relationship with Snapper Music, they apparently couldn't stay with them, so they found a label called Magna Carta (a label that seems to have too many KING CRIMSON side projects, DREAM THEATER clones, and PINK FLOYD and GENESIS tribute albums) to release their new album. Originally to be entitled "Toka Tola", it was retitled "Spirals in Hyperspace" and I'm glad it was released!

I was disappointed that this wasn't going to be an Ed, Seaweed, Pazza, Schoo, and John album, but essentially an Ed solo album (with only the occasional OZRIC member contributing, and Pazza nowhere to be found). But the minute I heard this album, all my suspicions flew out the window. While it's mostly just Ed on guitar, synths, and drum machines, this comes to prove how much of the OZRIC sounds came from him. You got the techno-like "Chewier" (with Schoo and Ed's wife Brandi Wynne helping out), maybe not the best piece on the album. Then you have the totally amazing title track, all Ed here, with many of the passages bearing more of a passing resemblance to "Waterfall Cities". "Slinky" is a mainly laid-back piece with nice spacy synthesizers and lots of simple synth melodies that are quite effective. "Toka Tola" is bound to be a new concert favorite, perhaps the album's real high point, going through different changes. "Oakum" was that 2001 fan-club issued single, now available to the whole public, and given the time of recording, no surprise it Ed, Zia, Schoo, Seaweed, and John all participating.

You might know the version off "Live at the Pongmasters Ball" (which I thought was superior), this studio version is arranged a bit differently, less synth solos, but many of the passages are still recognizable. "Akasha" is a spacy techno-like piece with none other than Steve HILLAGE and Miquette Giraudy helping out! Many people wondered what an OZRIC album would sound like with them on it, now they got their wish! To be honest, I can't tell what is Ed's guitar and synth work, or Steve's guitar work and Miquette's synth work. Then they get in to more experimental territory with "Psychic Chasm" (with the help of EAT STATIC member and ex-OZRIC Merv, which I'm glad to see, since "Arborescence" was their last album with him on it), and "Zoemetra" (where Schoo and John makes an appearance again). It's almost getting tiring reviewing an OZRIC album, since I have not found one album that disappointed me from them. More great stuff certain to keep the fans happy!

Tentacles in Hyperspace ...

This OZRIC TENTACLES release from 2004 is mainly a solo album from Ed Wynne because the instruments of some tracks seem to be played only by him. The sound is very spacy with many electronic elements and clear transitions to TripHop/House, similar to acts like FILA BRAZILLIA for example. The songs are played with excellent grooves sometimes even in a Chillout mood. But when Ed Wynne plays guitar you are suddenly leaving Cafe Del Mar and it sounds like Jazz Rock (Oakum).

The title song Spirals in Hyperspace combines all these elements in a brillant way. First track Chewier is disappointing in my opinion but the following songs let you forget the false start. Slinky, Akasha and Zoemetra are wonderful atmospheric keyboard and electronic bass driven. Psychic Chasm starts as an ethno world song and then converts to a typical drum&bass piece - absolutely crazy!

Psychedelic/Space Rock meets House - rare and a successful experiment!

Bogged down with such electronic noises and heavy, driving beats, it's very difficult to see what is psychedelic or even spacey about this album. If by "space rock," one means music for an arcade game about intergalactic battles and alien races, then perhaps that label is appropriate. The music is decidedly progressive electronic with a few heavy elements. The greatest constituent of the album for me are the sporadic electric guitar solos, which just rip right through the jumbled fabric of the electronic music. For all its wraithlike creativity in terms of uncanny sounds and spiraling arrangements, the biggest disappointment with this album is that it becomes stale as a whole, and I personally only like to digest the music here in moderate sips.

"Chewier" Thick electronic sounds and pounding drums make up the bulk of this relatively short track. Only distant acoustic guitar and the electric guitar solo offer this piece any organic quality whatsoever, and for me, they are the best thing about this track.

"Spirals in Hyperspace" Layers of sound created by some of the most intriguing tones imaginable build over a static electronic riff in an odd time signature until a power guitar lead comes ripping through. The riffs are fantastic, but the otherworldly solo just over four minutes in is not to be missed. The frenetic guitar soloing in the second half is likewise fantastic.

"Slinky" With a steady beat and various electronic sounds, this belongs in nightclubs, for laidback, late-night partiers to groove too with their drinks in their hands. Otherwise, all I can say is that this is an effects-drenched piece that makes for decent background music.

"Toka Tola" Further video game music ensues (by that, I don't mean 8-bit bloops and beeps, only that this track in particular sounds like something from one of the later Mega Man series games- not necessarily a bad thing, in my opinion). The bass maintains a nice groove, and the drum-programming offers some variety, especially as the crystal-clear acoustic guitar and whistling synthesizer enter in the middle.

"Plasmoid" One of the more grating tracks for me, "Plasmoid" sputters along until the electric guitar solo. Even then, this is a completely passable track; the sounds used throughout are simply displeasing.

"Oakum" Far more atmospheric than any of the previous works, this piece is saturated with New Age flavors. Halfway through, the music takes on a completely different visage, morphing into a rapid wave of descending sounds and feverish guitar soloing, and the keyboard solo is one of the finer moments of the album. Zia's bass work is also exciting to hear. One part of the track, with the vocals interjecting over the fast-paced music calls to my mind the final section of a piece by Kerry Livgren entitled, "And I Saw, As It Were... Konelrad."

"Akasha" This is a lighter piece and does impart some much needed variety to the overall sound, utilizing instrumentation not heard on other tracks (like a harpsichord-like tone). Sleek keyboard sounds and screaming outbursts of guitar are what this track is primarily about. Rhythmically speaking, though, it's really uninteresting.

"Psychic Chasm" Soft, back-and-forth panned sounds introduce this lengthy piece. The guitar parts over the more spacey elements make this track quite exceptional, however. The eerie vocals are a pleasing, if haunting, section, as is the aquatic part that follows.

"Zoemetra" This is a most fluid track, with flowing exotic-sounding guitar and keyboards and faraway percussion and fretless bass. The synthesizer lead invokes a Middle Eastern sound. The bass solo is nothing special, but adds variety along with the plops of yet the more rhythmic synthesizer.

For my piece of mind, I have left a year to review the last couple of OT albums. I couldn't really enter into their music. I have always found (as some other reviewers) that it was too much of the same and that too little variety was brought into their works. My faves from the band were "Pungent" and more recently "Curious Corn" and "Swirly Termination".

So what about this one?

I was expecting the worse when I listened to the opening number ("Chewier"). I can't really stand these noises (same feel during "Plasmoid") and I could only hope that thing would improve. And it is the case.

The long title track is a remarkable mix between jazz, fusion, and metal music. Well balanced and perfectly interpreted. This track holds even some "Santana" references and gives a breathe of fresh air in terms of variety in their work. My highlight.

The same sort of feeling is brought by "Slinky", that offers some fine and soft keyboard layers, combined by an excellent bass play. It gets more upbeat for the second half. This track sounds fully jazzy (but on the soft side). The last section of this almost nine minutes track holds some brilliant guitar work to be complete. A good piece of music.

"Toke A Tola" starts as a good old ELP extravaganza! Powerful synths for a brilliant opening, but after one minute, the song turns again into a more jazz/funk affair (as a good chunk of this album actually). The song ends on a more soft and spacey beat which is quite elegant.

Some space-rock combined with Oriental mood brilliantly opens "Oakum". After a minute or so, the sound seriously leans on TD (which is not to dislike me of course) and the soft keyboards are quite pleasant. The song gets more upbeat after three minutes and the interplay guitar - keyboards is excellent. Quite dynamic and performing for a good bunch of it, the song reverts to a softer mood for the closing section. Another good moment out of this "Spiral In Hyperspace".

This album is made of several long pieces (between seven and nine minutes); during "Psychic Chasm", one can find the usual OT music: a combination of upbeat space- rock together with some electronic phantasmagoria. Average.

The closing "Zoemetra" introduces fine Oriental flavours again (this is not a new feature from the band). The percussion work is pretty good and it is a nice way to close this good album.

This work should please any jazz-rock fan; it is a good album which combines different influences. The mix could have been more in favour of space-rock than jazz to get a higher score. As such: three stars.

The usual mix of spacey jams and kinetic guitar make this Ozric release a predictable yet enjoyable affiar.

"Spirals in Hyperspace" has a different tone than other Ozric albums, focusing more on electronica and rock. The songs here are very sharp, possessing a clinical edge distinct amongst the group's more organic sounding work. Sound effects take the place of world instrumentation, giving "Spirals" a very technicological feel to it, with Ed Wynne's guitar actually taking a a short break giving way to noisy electonic indulgence. There are some very cool moments to be had here, but I found myself wishing for more.

Another reviewer describes this album as "video game music"-- and that's not too far off the mark, although I don't find the term as pejorative as they. "Spirals" has a lot of energy and crispness, but lacks the depth or class that most other Ozric releases have. This is probably due to the fact that Wynne has arranged most of these tunes with little help. Thus, the songs feel somewhat one-dimensional.

Still, be prepared for a journey that lives up to the album's name.

Songwriting: 3 Instrumental Performances: 3 Lyrics/Vocals: NA Style/Emotion/Replay: 3

I consider OZRIC'S 1990's albums to be their best works.This particular record was released in 2004 and comes across as more of an Ed Wynne solo album than it does a band effort.The rest of the band contribute little to this record.The electronics are more prominant than i've ever heard them and we only get real drums on 3 tracks with the rest being programmed. I was surprised to see the band on the Magna Carta label for this album as well. So while the sound might not be as organic as in the past it is cool to hear the legendary Steve Hillage guesting on one track. Now despite my negativity keep in mind that this is a good album and is rated highly by most OZRIC fans as well.

"Chewier" has a driving rhythm to it and it sounds great.The guitar comes in ripping it up before 2 1/2 minutes. A calm before 4 1/2 minutes then it kicks back in. "Spirals In Hyperspace" is more laid back with lots of synths.The guitar starts to solo before 2 1/2 minutes then back to the previous soundscape. A nice throbbing sound here. Check out the percussion 6 minutes in then the guitar returns lighting it up. "Slinky" has a good beat with synth sounds. An enjoyable sound really.Guitar after 6 minutes. "Toka Tola" again has lots of synths and a beat. Some guitar then a calm after 5 minutes.

"Plasmoid" is all about the electronics and we get some voice expressions with that relentless beat.The tempo picks up after 4 minutes. "Oakum" has water sounds to start as an Eastern vibe joins in. An electronic beat follows as the water sounds continue. It's heavier after 3 1/2 minutes and the tempo picks up after 5 minutes. "Akasha" sounds excellent with all those synth sounds. Hillage guests on this one with guitar and as usual sounds amazing. "Psychic Chasm" is synth led and the drums kick in around 3 1/2 minutes. Good track. "Zoemetra" has some intricate guitar early nad plenty of flute later on.

As I said this is a good album but for me it doesn't compare to those nineties albums.

Ed and company with an unusually large cast of guest contributors--including Steve Hillage and the debut of newcomer (and daughter) Brandi Wynne!

1. "Chewier" (5:26) a little heavier space funk than the usual fare due to Brandi Wynne's rather low-register note play (on the "glide bass"?), Stuart Fisher's prominently-mixed drums and some lower-than-usual synth programming. Nice, driving music thought not as melodic as one might like. (8.75/10)

2. "Spirals in Hyperspace" (9:51) opening with more low-end synth programming with which drum programming is played. Nice dreamy synth/electric piano chord play and synths enter in the second minute. Because of the intricate keyboard work this one takes on a much more jazzy feel and flavor. I like this! At 2:20 Ed's searing VAI-SATRIANI-rock guitar enters for a bit in the center stage spotlight but then yields back to the keys. Great stuff! Around the five minute mark there is a slight tangent into a rock bridge before returning to the main motif for some more stellar keyboard work. Weird flute work is the next guest performer (from the "ney"?) Ed's guitar gets another nod in the seventh minute for about 30-seconds, alternates with keys, and then retakes the lead a minute later. In the ninth minute the band slides into a more blues-rock mode rhythmically as the guitars and keys just keep blasting their way across the universe. Very nice instrumental performances across the board on a sonic tapestry that rather works. (18.125/20)

3. "Slinky" (8:39) more low-end synth programming with lite "drum" support and airy electric piano synth play over the top. More layers of synth noises work their way into a weave. I very much like the thinner quality of this sound field as I can easily pick out all of the nuanced complexities that each instrument is submitting to the weave. What sounds like Steve Hillage's heavily-treated guitar starts to shred through the cosmic ether at the six-minute mark, adding great dignity to the interstellar chase. (If that's not Steve Hillage then mega kudos to Ed for such an amazing impersonation!) Good song! (18/20)

4. "Toka Tola" (7:46) back to a harder-driving, bluesier foundation over which synth drums and interesting keys (old and new) play. Nice "bass" lines and synth drumming in the more-spacious third and fourth minutes. There's quite a little PAUL HARDCASTLE sound and feel to this. The tempo really picks up in the fifth minute--I feel like I'm in the middle of Todd Rundgren's "Treatise on Cosmic Fire" from his Initiation album! Then there is a sudden lull before the band re-starts a kind of J-R Fuse rhythm track for some spacey synth work that sounds like a musical rendering of the subatomic world. Excellent song. Easily my favorite on the album. (14.5/15)

5. "Plasmoid" (5:17) stretched-rubber sounds ("spikes"?) open this one before synth bass and synth drum programs kick in. Nice rhythm and lead guitar work the second minute: funky and rockin'--as well as the expanded variation of Herbie Hancock's "Rockit" vocoder. The fourth minute is more about percussion work, percussion patterns (again bringing "Rockit" to mind). Starting at 4:10 there is a slow speed up of the programming to a more third or fourth gear speed. Pretty cool song with great inventive sound creation. (9.25/10)

6. "Oakum" (9:03) water/underwater sounds precede some cool synth marimba sequencing. This plays for quite a while with various synth and percussive incidentals making their appearances from the sidelines. At 2:50 the low end rhythm instruments jump in and the keyboard tracks multiply. At 3:33 PETRI WALLI-like echoed guitar enters with more drum kit-sounding drum patterning (which are, in fact, real "live" drums from Stuart Fisher). The alternating (duelling?) synth and guitar soloing that follows is some of the best I've ever heard from this band. (The KINGSTON WALL sound and feel doesn't hurt, either.) Another top three song for me. Cool bass play from Zia Geelani in the eighth minute and beyond. (19/20)

7. "Akasha" (7:27) multiple guest guitarists are cited for this one--and they're wonderful--but the synth bass play and other keyboards may be just as impressive if not more. Very solid, high quality song--especially that bass play--even including some very engaging textural weaves, both harmonically and melodically. (14/15)

8. "Psychic Chasm" (8:44) a two-part song with the first pastoral and Garden of Eden-like while the second, switched into in the fourth minute, very trip-hoppy with use of the ultra-low bass+bass drum made famous by Soul II Soul over ten years prior. Ed's searing echo-effected lead guitar play in the seventh minute fades off into some more tribal sounds: percussion and shamanic voice effects. Floaty guitar notes enter and take off in the eighth minute, occupying a background or side-bar position while the synths and electronic percussives occupy the front and center stage. Interesting! (17.75/20)

9. "Zoemetra" (7:23) jungle Indian sound palette with some syncopated percussives providing the rhythm track while Ed's great nylon-string acoustic guitar work reinforces the song's world music nature. "Oriental synth" melodies and various flute sounds parade across the soundscape while Stuart Fisher's drums and more synth bass work continue to move the song along at an insistent pace while the rest of the instrumentalists step back to offer only occasional and intermittent ejaculates. Though Stuart's drums sound synthesized or programmed (like the Ben Watt's work on Everything But The Girl's Walking Wounded album), I believe they are just treated. Ending with pure jungle sounds. (13.375/15)

Total Time 69:36

A-/five stars; a minor masterpiece of progressive rock music from a team of computer-synth and sound-engineering masters.

Being a big Ozric fan I have tried to get into this album for years, every few months I tried again and again but couldn't get through 3 or 4 tracks, what bothered me about it is mainly the sound, the music was dominated by the heavy keyboard sound while guitars were pushed aside, cuasing the album to sound unnatural. There are only 3 tracks here to feature real drums, something that made it even harder for me to digest. But once I got used to the sound I started paying more attention to the material and how the music was crafted and it clicked, it clicked big time. Suddenly I started thinking "Hey this is a great sounding album!" and couldn't stop listening to it because it had so much to offer. In spite of what I thought at the beginning guitars aren't that pushed aside, yes they are less evident than before but they are present for a good extent, it's a good thing the keys here are of high quality. That is why I believe it is such a controversial album among fans. The reason for this album being what it is is the fact that it's mostly a solo album by band leader Ed Wynne, the rest of the band contribute very little to this recording, particularly on Oakum featuring Zia Geelani on bass and the great Steve Hillage on the superb Akasha.

The album starts with Chewier, that in spite of being heavy on the keys it's an excellent energetic rocker, top that with a furious guitar solo ala Steve Vai from Ed, a great opener indeed. Spirals In Hyperspace is one of the best (and longest) pieces here proving what a genius Mr. Wynne is, there's some beautiful keys work here accompanied by fantastic guitar solos, I love how the atmosphere here is relaxed although this is quite an upbeat track. It turns middle eastern about half way ending with some crushing guitar work outs, great stuff! Slinky is another long piece led mostly by the keyboard, although I usually need more than just that ,it feels complete and enjoyable with its tranquil and spacey atmosphere, 2.5 minutes before the end guitar is added with another beautiful solo. Toka Tola is a favorite of mine, it is more upbeat, I just love that infectious theme and the interplay between guitar and keys all along. Plasmoid is my least favorite here, again it is mostly led by keys, not bad at all but I'm not a fan of this kind of harsh and edgy sound, coming from the Ozrics make it moderately enjoyable for me. Oakum is the most famous piece here being sometimes performed live, played here with real drums making this piece sound the most natural and organic. Nothing original really just another space rocker that the Ozrics are so good at delivering. Good synth and keys work plus great guitars from Ed and as I mentioned before Zia Geelani's excellent bass work. Akasha featuring Steve Hillage is definitely one of the highest points on the album, probably the best track here. A very unique piece with a cool rhythm, amazing synth work and of course brilliant interplay between guitars, it turnes more energetic half way through and it works perfectly. Psychic Chasm is another unique sounding piece making this album a bit more diverse, the first part is led by a tribal drumming on tablas and floaty sounds, this is wonderful. It gets more upbeat later with great synth work guitar is added to spice things up it sounds like a real party now, later on the beat gets more deep sounding, this could work on a rave trance party I kid you not, very very nice! Zoemetra is another organic middle eastern sounding track, although pretty upbeat it's not heavy but quite laid back and calm, great ending to this album.

I think this is another well written, tightly crafted and overall successful attempt by Ed Wynne, once you get passed the heavy keyboard sound of the album and start paying attention to the details this is a very rewarding album. 4 stars.

By this point in Ozric Tentacles' existence, the project had largely evolved to the point of being "Ed Wynne and whoever happens to be playing with him", and this album perhaps took that direction further, with Wynne being the main fixed point amidst a fluctuating lineup. Steve Hillage and Miquette Giraudy. who by this point had moved beyond Gong and Steve's solo career to forge a new musical identity for themselves as System 7, guest on Akasha, providing an intriguing crossover between the Ozric universe and that of Gong, one of their major influences. Other musicians include Brandi Wynne, Ed's wife, adding bass, and Merv Pepler of Ozrics offshoot Eat Static. The end result continues the exploration of psybient territory that The Hidden Step captured the band evolving towards.