BLACKOUTS

Along with Savoy Brown's Wire Fire artwork, Ashra ("they" changed their names, "they" being Gottsching by himself) Blackouts is one of those albums immortalizing the Gibson SG4 with its twin devil-like horns near the neck of the guitar. But whether these homages are actually necessary or useful is another story (in both case, too), because the albums sporting the SG4 are clearly the respective artiste's best albums.

Blackouts does sport more tracks (6) than previous ART albums (max 3), but it doesn't change much the soundscapes developed here. Along with sequencers, we've got now some kind of rhythm box "avant-la- lettre", which does give a different sound and have it moving away from Tangerine Dream sound. The five shorter tracks are a bit more eventful than would've been one side-long track, but we're still in the same electro-pop world where Gottsching's guitar still holds an important place.

Clearly with Blackouts, Gottsching hints more at Kraftwerk or Cluster than Tangerine Dream. However the 17-mins Lotus track is veering a cheesy TD-like sound. Just like the previous album, Blackouts is just not essential, but if you like a certain pop-iness in your electronic music, this has its chances to find your graces.