TRANCE SPIRITS

Being that there is no Progressive/Ambient category,Steve Roach co-exists obscurely in the Electronic tagging. Some others are also in this "limbo", not exactly being "electronic" or a bit worse, when they as Steve Roach (or Alio Die, by the way), aim for the electronics serving the acoustics, blend of music expression. Of course there are electronics here & there, but which music nowadays is not electronically recorded or engineered? Anyway, the attractive part of this work, is precisely the clash of both worlds. What needs to be electrified goes, as what not. This trance-like battle is subdued brilliantly, by the great balance, musically speaking, of the musicians involved in this "Projekt ", and by the astounding drumming performances of both Jeffrey Fayman and Momodou Kah, both playing on real african drums, not electronically processed, alongside both Steve Roach (Guitar & Synth Soundworlds) and Robert Fripp's (Soundscapes on 3 tracks) providing the atmospheres as backgrounds and fronts of the whole experience. So, to make it clear, this is closer to trance-like african music than electronic -prog, as such. What makes it a 5 star effort, for me, is the way they manage to escape all the cliches usually involved in this kind of works, to make the whole experience, be something different in taste and intention, to pure african drumming (which of course is great itself). Of course, Steve Roach has been thriving all through his career, to blend both primitive and modern music worlds, to survive, in one or as one. So he, by the time this record appeared (2002), had already walked through this kind of road, he knows perfectly this field of action. Jeffrey Faymans, biggest contribution resides (apart of his great performance of course), in the never ceasing intensity felt through the whole record. Mr. Fripp brings along some dark and mysterious "Soundcapes" that act as the night does for the day. So, for those familiar with the very, very vast, Steve Roach discography, this effort is one of his best (with other musicians) efforts. For those who are not familiar with thismusician, consider this to be one of his most accomplished, "opposites worlds" work. When there is balance and sweat, you will PROBABLY achieve what you aim for. This record does. One of a kind, 5 ***** PA Stars!