Ambient / electronica with a blend of complex and beautiful sounds, catchy beats and haunting melodies.

15 MP3 Songs
ELECTRONIC: Ambient, ELECTRONIC: Down Tempo



Details:
One of Norway's best ambient electronica artists has released his third state-of-the-art album, inspired by Whitley Striber's alien abduction novel. "Communion" is the evidence of a mature artist who has the ability to blend complex and beautiful sounds, catchy beats and haunting melodies on a level that deserves international recognition.

Most of the tracks are up-beat, but not in the "dance" sense; the music is more clever than that and leans to the narrative style. Lots of alien soundscapes and science-fiction textures intermixed with catchy beats. Not unlike a marriage between Biosphere and Jean Michel Jarre. Current has previously also been compared to Air, Kraftwerk, Alpha Wave Movement and Robert Miles, and Communion falls well somewhere between these.

The sound quality is excellent, with a good stereo field and a warm analogue-ish sound (but not retro; the overall sound design is both contemporary and timeless) even though the gear is mostly softwares og contemporary digital / hybrid synths. It is always a pleasure to hear an album like Communion where the sounds are designed to be integrated with the album, and confirming the claim that "in the best electronic music, the sounds is half the experience". One of the things you'll notice is the clever drum programming throughout the album. This guy knows his drum stuff, and it doesn't come as a surprise (but rather as an explanation) that he used to be a real drummer in bands before going electronica on us.

The commercial aspect of this album is supported by the fact that the record company decided to release a single with remixes, a rare thing with independent space-electronica. But that only underlines how great this album is and what the sales potential is, if enough people get a chance to hear it.

Review by Glen Folkvord from Electronic Shadows.