July 24, 2010

Johann Timman - Trip Into The Body (1981)

Here is a true classic. The Dutchman Johan Timman was equipped by Moog in 1981 to implement his music. Then he issued "Trip Into The Body" in 1981.
Each piece describes a different part of the body and is characterized by its lively style of play, the melodies and the unique atmosphere created and already a classic. A great trip into the body.

On “The Brain”, the annoyance of synth cymbals is easily forgotten by the heavy orchestration. Timman, filling the entire spectrum of sound, not just here, but on the whole album.
“The Heart”, opens with a steady, pounding, rather-human-like (for electronic-percussion) beat. Steadily riding the fine line between campy and classic, the melody is solid, but the tone, perhaps merely a victim of time, runs the verge of being cheesy.
The next two tracks are eerily similar in sound and structure. They both exude a haunting feel, even when things, musically, go major. “The Windpipe” is hinted at several times in the second half of “The Blood Cells And The Antibodies”.
“The Hemoglobin” serves as an effective, yet forgettable track for travelling from “The Lungs” to “Inside The Tympanic Cavity”, where things are simple, yet spooky. Droning synth’s throughout underlie a methodic, question and answer lead line.

The last track, “Hearing (Ocean of Sound)” reminds on Kraftwerk’s "Computerwelt" immediately, but is less edgy, less constrained, but harkens to earlier Kraftwerk efforts for its anthemic personality.




July 23, 2010

Synthgirls@work (III)





Naomi Jarman of the progressive electronic band "Crisum". She handles the keyboards for the group, along with David Goodman.

When Jarman’s not wielding the Yamaha KX5 Keytar, she’s at the helm of a massive Analogue Systems – System 8500 Modular synthesizer.