“This is a very good album where the symbiosis of ambiences and rhythm is done in an absolute musical charm”
1 Mea Culpa I 19:09
2 08:00 Sunday Morning 9:59
3 The Roses in my Life 9:04
4 Mea Culpa II 14:42
5 For Does 9:42
6 Quick Silver 6:07
7 The Roses in my Life (Instrumental) 6:58
(CD/DDL 74:56) (V.F.)
(Berlin & Netherlands Schools)
What a great surprise this last Ron Boots album! MEA CULPA is a finely polished opus. Are you surprised!? An album rich in sound and ambiences which transports us sometimes into a romantic universe, sometimes into an astonishing musical paradox with sequences' random movements, blazing synth solos, striking synth laments and variegated sound effects that bathe in an ambiance far beyond the usual cosmic vibes in EM.
It all begins with Mea Culpa I and its fine enveloping wave that initiates an epic movement split into 2 parts. A good morphic and dreamy line sails among sound wrecks with analog aromas until a bass sequences slowly makes wave a rhythm. A scintillating sequence gives birth to a melody hypnotic from its minimalism chords. Little by little, Mea Culpa I takes shape. The sound effects flow in and invade the slightly sensual rhythm which waddles in an astral universe. Strangely beautiful and deliciously strange, Mea Culpa I progresses in strange sidereal breaths which are stuffed with barely perceptible hoarse voices between the lines of an enveloping synth. The progression is amazing. Long synth laments howl in an ambience with so many variegated tones, creating an extraordinary atmosphere. Cymbals flutter with their metallic wings, opening the way to percussions which initiate a heavier rhythm on a more crystalline sequence. This unexpected rhythm comes close to that of Klaus Schulze in Body Love. A very good track which breaks up its rhythm, visiting softer spheres and others more frenzied, under minimalist sequences with nervous jolts and solid percussions which push us towards a final with solos as nuanced as the rhythmic evolution of Mea Culpa I. The second part offers a heavier and darker atmospheric intro. Light arpeggios float through a sinuous hum and a lightly fluted mellotron. Sequences with chaotic bursts establish an imprecise rhythm in a hostile cosmic gravity. Less poetic than part I, Mae Culpa II remains nonetheless attractive with its analog approach and its dark synths which flutter in an ambiguous maelstrom before melting on heavy spasmodic sequences, creating a nervous rhythm surrounded by good synth solos. A rhythm which grows with lines of additional sequences which revolve around a more lyrical and harmonious synth, always keeping an open door on its atmospheric heaviness.
Between these 2 parts, we find 08:00 Sunday Morning and its apocalyptic synths which trumpet in a universe full of sound effects. A beautiful title which waddles on a melodious sequence. A hypnotic melody in a universe à la Blade Runner where celestial voices are surrounded by a circular synth as well as reverberating and threatening waves. A strange dragging litany which explodes of good solos with evolving sounds and sequences always melodious. A title rich of its ambiences, just like the sweet For Does and its violin approach. Synth and spectral waves in a languid atmosphere, The Roses in my Life evolves slowly with more and more hammering percussions, adding a touch of sensuality under light barely audible DJ effects, tchick-e-tchack. There are two Roses in my Life. One with the words of Ron Boots and the other which is instrumental. Quicksilver is in a category of its own with its frenzied beat which is nothing less than an electronic funk with suggestive vocal samplings and very aggressive synth solos.
With this 33rd album Ron Boots continues to seduce, to the great pleasure of his many fans as well as fans of EM Berlin School and the more progressive one. MEA CULPA is a very good album where the symbiosis of ambiences and rhythm is done in an absolute musical charm. A treat for the ears.
Sylvain Lupari (January 28th, 2009) *****
Available at Groove NL
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