“I felt like I was listening to a solo album by the modern diva than of KS”
CD 1 (78:44)
1 Liquid Coincidence 1 (21:59)
2 Liquid Coincidence 2 (30:51)
3 Liquid Coincidence 3 (25:54)
CD 2 (74:46)
1 Liquid Coincidence 4 (18:18)
2 Liquid Coincidence 5 (18:48)
3 Liquid Coincidence 6 (24:02)
4 Liquid Coincidence 7 (13:38)
SPV 92622 2CD
(2CD 153:30) (V.F.)
(Ambient Music)
I tell you right away, I did not get into the Schulze/Gerrard saga! At least not with this very quiet and beatless album. Yes, I was looking forward to this double cd. And yes, I listened to it! Listened to it like a fan who absolutely wanted to find something beautiful on this last Klaus Schulze CD. Because our Wagner of the 20th century is getting older, and each new release can become mythical.... And yes, I do like Lisa Gerrard. I find her voice beautiful and very musical. I enjoyed her work with Dead Can Dance as well as her lyrical and theatrical works in her soundtracks (The Gladiator) and collaborations. So the table was set for a colossal work.... Except that I remained on my hunger. For those who don't know her, Lisa Gerrard has a unique and flamboyant voice. An abstract language in an angelic voice. A mixture of Laurie Anderson and Maria Callas which marries well the instrumental whims of an abstract or atmospheric music. Then imagine under the multiform and multi musical synth layers from Schulze. Except that it didn't get up. For some reason, I feel like I'm listening to a solo album by the contemporary diva rather than a duo work.
The German synthesist is very shy behind Ms. Gerrard's voice. It's like if to appreciate the one, you have to ignore the other. The other being Klaus Schulze here. FARSCAPE is 153:30 minutes of hearing Lisa Gerrard's great vocal variations under the illegitimately impassive and almost invisible keyboards of the man to whom we owe electronic music classics such as Timewind, Body Love, Mirage and dozens of others. Certainly his genius comes out in several places, Liquid Coincidence 2, 3 and 5, with minimalist rhythmic structures that serve him well in the past in order to exploit his musical universe. A universe limited here by the presence of Gerrard. In fact, it is much more the album of Gerrard than Schulze. And it is however the Master who wrote the music. A good music which is rather minimalist and shyly develops but that joins the hybrid personality of Schulze; that is, the contemporary style of the 2000's versus the good premises of his analogue years such as in Liquid Coincidence 6. But no matter how divine her voice is, Lisa Gerrard buries the music and demotes it to the background. Very frustrating for any fan of KS. Liquid Coincidence 6 is the only track where you can really appreciate the mesh of both talents. A serene and gentle track that suits Ms. Gerrard's vocals beautifully.
I dare to hope that a version without voices and musically remodeled, as there are a lot of lengths, will come out. Because strictly from a musical point of view FARSCAPE would be a little masterpiece. But under these conditions, it is a wet squib. How can it be different if we consider that this double cd took only 2 months of work? But I do believe that it might upset Mrs. Gerrard!
Sylvain Lupari (January 20th, 2009) *****
Available at Groove nl
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