ELECTRONIC-UNIVERSE PART I

Electronic-Universe Part I displays Software's tendency to sound like a tame Klaus Schulze at its ultimate best, and never again would their music reach this level. The cold, computerized landscape on this album isn't alone, but accompanied by flute, harp-tones, and the sound of galactic winds.

Obviously, the first track, "Fluting Electronic Universe", is where the flute is, but in addition the the flute I also hear some likeness to Yes' instrumental passages on Tales from Topographic Oceans and has very nice progressive developments in the structures of the soundscapes throughout it's 20 minute duration. "Surfing Saturn" include the sounds of galactic winds, which is something that you'd expect while surfing through the gassy atmosphere or ice-rings of Saturn, and this track also progresses nicely throughout, going to quiet and calm to slightly destructive and noisy. "Dancing Venus" is one of the most disturbingly atmospheric tracks on this album, with the first 9 minutes consisting of the screeching of spatial sirens attempting to draw the listener in, and then leading off with dissonant staccato synths that really recall the rocky and destructive landscape of Venus.

All of the tracks here are great, and there really is a good range of sonic soundscapes here to be enjoyed. Maybe not the best progressive electronic album I've ever heard, but this would be a great place to start in Software's discography.