“It's a splendid album that joins the madness of Schulze with violent rhythms”
1 Following Differences 18:25
2 Shades in Darkness 21:06
3 Moving through Dust 21:21
(CD/DDL 60:53) (V.F.)
(Cinematic soundscapes, Orchestral Berlin School)
For all Klaus Schulze fans Remy Stroomer is a name to recall and to investigate, particularly if you enjoy the mid 80's. DIFFERENT SHADES OF DUST is my first contact with this Dutch artist who, like Indra, is not afraid to show the colors of his inspirations. His 5th album offers 3 long minimalist tracks that Remy develops by adding textures of rhythms flirting between the Berlin School minimalist and the Electronica. The orchestral arrangements are splendid and are living in symbiosis with a nightmarish vision rarely heard on any of Remy's main inspirations, nor on Indra. In the end, it's a little musical monument inspired by the groovy and ambient rhythms of KS, but with a cinematic vision and a strong leaning towards a scary music, a high-tension level music.
He wastes no time and initiates a superb sequence with bouncing chords that jump around with a lively alternation, forming an echo field in the rhythm. A thin bass line sticks to this movement that builds up with a slightly chiming synth. Skillfully, the Dutch synthesist plays with its minimalist structure by modifying its curve with beautiful modular nuances that harmonize on chord and key changes in the shadow of a synth less and less discreet. The percussion comes in, modifying the cadenced sensuality by curt and heavy strikes on staccato chords that wrap around the percussive and resonant strikes of the drums. I may get carried away, but this is a superb piece of music that is beyond Klaus Schulze's good times. Simply divine! The introduction of Shades in Darkness marries a hard techno movement on synth layers with supple flights and crystalline breaths. The solos are sinuous and wrap around a sequenced movement shot through with lively percussions. This rhythm which mixes Electronica and Techno decreases little by little its fury around the 10th minute, remaining always spasmodic on the elastic bounces of the bass and the percussions with hypnotic dangling. The bass is cawing over tap percussions where a dark mellotron fills a dense universe flooded of delicate solos. The last portion is sublime with its violin strata on a hypnotic techno beat that strikes with strength and resonance under a magnetic storm lit by audacious solos. The hesitant steps of a slow procession open Moving through Dust, a track halfway between the opening track and Shades in Darkness. Mellotron choirs cover this gentle procession that progresses on a bass sequence with twisting chords and notes that stretch on a smooth synth, half groovy and half ambient. An intro full of atmosphere where the rhythm is activated and gains in power on a sinuous synth, whose solos twirl on the curt hammering of electronic percussions. These solos are penetrating and even violent on insane percussions' hits while the movement is activated and overflows on an infernal rhythm. A crazy electronic rock well supported by orchestrations, including the bitter strings of an unexpected cello. Shades in Darkness calms down and gathers itself on the dust of this rhythmic din before spreading its infernal beat to renew with the finesse of a synth with astral tones which fades without really wanting to know its end.
Klaus Schulze reviewed and corrected? It is a little what we think by hearing this new album of Remy Stroomer. But in fact, DIFFERENT SHADES OF DUST is more than a KS imitation. It's a splendid album that joins the madness of the German master, while avoiding his inexplicable cacophonies that always scare us a little. So, violent rhythms in good arrangements with highly corrosive solos that grind the eardrums with an incredible strength. A purely electronic album with an incredible vitality that leaves us speechless in front of these musical tornadoes where melody is replaced by audacity. An album of Remy to possess absolutely!
Sylvain Lupari (April 25th, 2007) *****
Available at Deserted Island Music
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