MOONDAWN

Compared to the Blackdance album, Moondawn is much better: the sound is cleaner, more colorful and stereo; the technology used is also enhanced: the miscellaneous keyboards are more nuanced and modern. Schulze here gets the early Jean-Michel Jarre's style: dramatic floating streams of modern keyboards like on the Oxygene album, keyboards that imitate the sound of small metallic objects colliding together. The music is still very linear, but it is a bit more substantial, less minimalist and more melodic.

The side 1 starts with a credo-like vocal speech; then, the progression is VERY gradual: even the beat evolves VERY subtly and slowly. The beat may remind you Tangerine Dream's "Madrigal meridian": it continues until the end of the track. Due to the presence of drums, one may compare the side with Tangerine Dream's Cyclone; however, Cyclone is more varied, loaded and progressive. Schulze here produces very good spacey textures. I can give 4 stars for side 1.

The side 2 is clearly divided into 2 parts: the first one is rather linear, monotonous and beat-free: I give 3 stars; the second one is full of fast drums and unmelodic organ notes plus some weird moog notes: this last part decrease the overall value of the album. I give 2.5 stars.

Rating: 3.5 stars