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TimeStar
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Six tracks- Sixty minutes- Ambient,
Melodic, Electronic Space Music TimeStar is a 60 minute musical mind
meld down distant pathways, soundscaped through ambient,
electronic space I can't endorse
this CD enough. Buy it, put it in your player, turn out the lights, don your
headphones, and prepare to cruise the cosmos! This is one trip you don't want
to miss- Bill Binkelman, Wind and Wire Read Full review |
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Listen to samples from the album |
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Track
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1. TimeStar part 1 (click to listen to
sample) |
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by Bill Binkelman Editor-Wind and Wire |
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Synthesizer
artist Steve Verity's new album, TimeStar, is a real gem. Six songs, from the
opening eighteen-minute opus title track to four more in the seven to nine
minute range, and each one a wonderful exploration
of classic electronic spacemusic and subtly
rhythmic EM. Don't expect either That
opening title track is a stunner, as it unfolds gradually yet purposefully
through several movements, Verity introducing several different
repeating musical motifs, such as those twinkling synths,
as well as excellent retro-sounding (analog?) synth
whistling tones, and other keyboard sounds that will elicit memories of
artists like David Lange (Return of the Comet), Nick Longo (Actuality) as
well as more well-known players such as Michael Garrison, Geodesium
or Vangelis (at his least grandiose, thankfully). TimeStar also
contains some sound effects, but it is the only song that does so don¹t be
put off by their presence (they are integrated into the song's theme as the
sounds are those of clocks, a recorded the time is... message, and what
sounds like a train moving along tracks). Since
each of the remaining songs is at least seven minutes long, you can
rightfully expect each one to evolve through its own paces. The music is
never repetitious yet is also seldom, if ever, pointless noodling.
Instead, it's almost organic in its slow but deliberate movement through
passage that are subdued and restrained and
sometimes quietly powerful and subtly dynamic. There are no fireworks here,
although some flashes of lightning can be heard. Most of the music on
TimeStar explores a slow sense of wonder, almost as if one were taking in a
view of the cosmos but in a slowly spiraling outward sense. I
don’t see the point of detailing the songs because Verity makes the mix so
rich with nuance and the pathway each track takes is so winding that it would
require hundreds of words to describe just one song. On the path of seasons
features a short Jarre-like rhythmic section at the
outset that morphs into a starfield of assorted
twinkling synths and retro synth
whistling tones and washes -- and that's only half the track. West Span
Winter brilliantly illustrates how Verity allows tones and notes to introduce
rhythmic elements, as opposed to the use of overt beats or pulses. This song
contains a brief moment of high drama before Geodesium-like
arpeggios emerge amidst swirling background keyboards. I
hesitate to categorize TimeStar as ambient music because I think its main
properties (the overt use of melody and snippets of refrain within an
unstructured and evolving electronic music context) make it impossible to
enjoy as sonic wallpaper. That's why
it¹s perfect for spacemusic, which I have always
considered best savored as a direct listening experience (much as one does
when the music is used in planetarium shows). In fact, I would guess that if
you buy this CD and play it in the dark, you'll be
wishing someone would license this for just that purpose. TimeStar is
perfectly suited for accompaniment to scenes of planets, stars, galaxies,
spaceflight -- well, everything celestial I can think of! As I
mentioned earlier, the engineering and mix of this album is flawless and
showcases Verity's attention to detail, as all the assorted digital and more
retro sounding keyboards each has their own place in the soundfield.
What this translates to, in terms of the overall experience, is that (unlike
wall of sound recordings), the astute listener can zero in on any one aspect
of a song and explore just that part, in effect wandering down one of many
pathways available at any one time. This means that TimeStar also will hold
your interest (and fascination) for many repeated playings. While
there is no darkness on the CD that I could detect, there are moments of
mystery, shadow, and similar gray emotional response. There is also an
abundance of awe and beauty as well, yet Verity never succumbs to overkill
nor does he traverse the boundary that separates spacemusic
and new age music (i.e. no overly sweet angelic choirs or other trappings of
that genre). I can easily proclaim that TimeStar will almost certainly become a favorite of classic spacemusic fans as well as those who like their EM with only a hint of Teutonic rhythms or Continental textures. I can't endorse this CD enough. Buy it, put it in your player, turn out the lights, don your headphones, and prepare to cruise the cosmos! This is one trip you don't want to miss. |
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I am the artist (music and cover art) and own all
copyrights. TimeStar is my second CD- (My first CD Digital Planet was
featured on Hearts of Space in 1995)... I am no longer associated with a label
(long story) Thanks for looking- Steve Verity |