AIR V - JEUX DANGEREUX

Pete Namlook

Progressive Electronic

3.95 | 3 ratings

From Progarchives.com, the ultimate progressive rock music website

Bonnek
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator

Air V is the last of Namlook's Air series and just like its predecessors it's a quality electronic album with ambient, drone, techno, progressive electronic and ethnic music.

The 16 minute Happiness makes for a stunning start. Not sounding anything like happiness at all, the glassy sounds and the sitar-alike synth sounds that wash in and out still evoke an angelic and spiritual atmosphere. The helium soaked ambience of Froese's Stuntman certainly comes to mind. Samples of ethnic instruments add modest melodies; percussion joins in the second half of the track. Brilliant music.

Jeux Dangereux has a discreet Latin rhythm at the heart (salsa, mambo, tango? Don't ask.) Wordless female vocals and spoken words add an eerie feel. Very dreamy and evocative track.

Obsessions is very convincing dance music. The beat is discreet again but it's is an important part of the music nevertheless. Dark moog chords and ethnic samples create a unique atmosphere that you're not likely to find in mainstream techno, so rest assured, there is real creativity at work here.

State of Mind has a catchy bass line and verse-chorus organized whispered female vocals. With atmospheric synths and subtle guitar chord samples Namlook creates a sound that's not unlike Massive Attack.

End of the Line is the most techno-oriented track. The cool disco beat is sure to put off prog purist. I don't mind, and certainly not if it comes in such dreamy spacey arrangement.

Jeux Dangereux II is a shorter version in a different arrangement, with entrancing off-beat accents and with analogue synths replacing the vocals on the main melodies.

It remains a mystery to me why Namlook remains such an obscure artist. Maybe it's the frightening amount of albums that put people off, or maybe it's due to people's dislike for techno and ambient that Namlook is associated with. When it comes to the Air albums, I can only continue to recommend Namlook's modern technoid mix of Tangerine Dream, Kraftwerk and Dead Can Dance. Close to a masterpiece, but since Air II is even better I'll stick to 4.5

Bonnek | 4/5 | 2011-1-13

MEMBERS LOGIN ZONE

As a registered member (register here if not), you can post rating/reviews (& edit later), comments reviews and submit new albums.

You are not logged, please complete authentication before continuing (use forum credentials).

Share this PETE NAMLOOK review

Social review comments () BETA

Review related links

Send comments to Bonnek
Report this review (#379589)
Buy PETE NAMLOOK music online with PA partners
Show all PETE NAMLOOK MP3/Stream
Go to PETE NAMLOOK page for videos, full discography with ratings, reviews and much more
Go to Air V - Jeux Dangereux page for more details, where to buy and ratings/reviews
Search the Forum for PETE NAMLOOK related discussions