It was inevitable that synthesist Steve Roach would apply his soundscape designs to the deep, ancient, and often harrowing chants of Tibetan Buddhist monks. He's gone into the primal core with Aboriginal sounds and cultures on albums such as Dreamtime Return, and his Magnificent Void CD stepped into the abyss. On Prayers to the Protector, he works with the chants of Thupten Pema Lama of the Dip Tse Chok Ling Monastery. In Roach's studio, Thupten Pema Lama sang these devotional prayers and entreaties unaccompanied. Then Roach slipped them into his own soundworld, surrounding the monk with evanescent waves of synthesized ambiences. Being Steve Roach, this isn't the usual pretty New Age synth-glissandos, but darkly hued textures with metallic edges. On "Djewa takgya lingchee lhunbur dje" (a prayer for the world, according to the liner notes), he evokes the metal gongs and bowls of Tibetan chants as well as a freight train putting on the brakes in space. Prayers to the Protector doesn't dress up Buddhist chants, it just sends them into deeper space.

Tim Blake may not be a household name, but those who enjoy the music of Gong and/or Hawkwind should be aware of him. Blake has been a member of both those bands during his long career, and even today is still touring with the latter. In the early 1970's, Blake was one of the pioneers of the use of synthesisers by a rock band, and was one of the first to use one on stage.

At times, the work of Blake has been overlooked, especially on his work within bands such as Gong. Mind you, saying that, anyone who has even the remotest inkling about what Gong are about will fully appreciate his sonic soundscapes that have enriched the early Gong albums. In and amongst his appearances in bands he managed to do a 'bit' of solo work. References to Tangerine Dream and Ashra are obvious, but to be fair this is a bit like saying Jimi Hendrix sounds like Steve Vai (just because they play the guitar. As with these two, the same is with Blake, his style is different and the only true link to TD is the fact that Blake uses synthesisers! Magick has the best production, and uses more ethnic music in and amongst the soundwash.

First solo effort from Tim Bake (Gong) and possibly his best. In this sci-fi synth soundscapes, Blake develops his own musical eccentricities with lot of moods and technologies. The album delivers a sensual "cosmic" synthesizer trippiness. It's played as a long live session, supposing to be a performance for a sound installation, exploring the nature and meditative dimensions of astral navigation. The first composition "Midnight" opens the audiovisual show with intense, endless dreamy synth strings, "cosmic" sounding molecular noises. A very effervescent improvisation, the best moment here. "Metro Logic" is a groovy, kitsch synth experimentation, including spaced out textures. "Last ride of the boogie child" is a mysterious, relaxed electronic excursion, featuring a nice bass groove and drum machines. "Synthese intemporal" is an ambient, new agey, astral exploration with lot of analog synth melodies (really artificial), too much for me but the piece contains its little good moments with well found electronic figures. "Crystal presence" reveals better impressions despite that is not an epic spaciousness. The sound is warmer and darker, much more atmospheric too. Recommended to sci-fi synth maniacs.

Even though he’s a mere twenty-three years old, John Twells (aka Xela) is no ingénue, having released last year’s acclaimed For Frosty Mornings… on Neo Ouija as well as Where We’re From The Birds Sing A Pretty Song, an equally impressive collaborative outing with Gabriel Morley issued under the name Yasume. Following upon that City Centre Offices release, Twells returns with Tangled Wool, seemingly intent upon wresting the folktronica crown from Greg Davis and Kieran Hebden. Don’t be turned away by the twee song titles, as this is as perfect an example of melodic folktronica as one might hope to find, plus it’s a perfect length too, admirably succinct at eight tracks and forty minutes. One thing it’s not, however, is Rounds II as it largely eschews the propulsive beats one finds on Four Tet’s 2003 release. Instead, Twells creates sublime pastoral oases that are rooted in the shimmer of his acoustic guitar.

Nice melodies, English lyrics and vocals, in the vein of Deine Lakaien.

Stefan Joel Weisser (born in 1951) aka Z’Ev is for sure one of the absolute pioneers from the industrial music. This conceptual artists got involved in multiple domains and was already active creating a very particular sound mainly based on rhythmic when industrial music was still unknown. Z’Ev did the most unexpected things for a musician and even at 57-58 years old he remains motivated and inspired like never before. This new album (which I guess must be his first one on Cold Spring) is a new illustration from the man’s sonic universe.

Mooncafe is available as a single CD and as a bonus disc with the Technicians of Electronica boxed set. Xylon works it pretty hard on this amalgamation of techno, funk, and atmospheric ambience. The atmospheres are expansive, the funk is catchy, the techno is sublime. It makes for an interesting listening experience as the mode shifts through all the phases. When Xylon has them all cued at once, the density is almost overwhelming. This is a rare disc. It is worth some effort to find it, but it is not worth an extensive one.

Off the northwest coast of Scotland on the Isle of Lewis, rise the Standing Stones of Callanish. The main ring of these stones is often called the Scottish Stonehenge. The importance and purpose of the stones is not known. Theories suggests possibilities such as a transducer for healing energy, an astronomical observatory, a place of sun-moon worship, or an entryway to places that exist in Celtic myth.

Nierika is a set of electro-tribal ambience from Jorge Reyes. This release also includes two pieces from Ek-Tunkel. Reyes performs on acoustic ethnic instruments as he has on his pre-Columbian releases. He augments those sounds with guitars, synthesizers, atmospheres, and processors. The soundscapes are still deeply inspirational. Reyes is the shaman's shaman and he constantly incorporates his personal spirituality into his sound world. Deep listeners will become deep meditators; deep meditators will enter the zone with Reyes. He has been flirting with the perpendicular universe for years. This CD will appeal to fans of Luis Paniagua, Harald Grosskopf, Steve Roach, Vidna Obmana, and Suso Saiz. It is difficult to find and it is a collector's item.

Jonathan Block records as Synthetic Block. Synthetic Block is also the title of his debut release. He combines sequences and atmospheres to create little pockets of energy. It is all very tidy and systematic. Block sets his compositions with right angles and exact circles. He puts square pegs in square holes and round pegs in round holes. The scientific approach, while it seems harsh, works well for Block. The atmospheres are gentle and warm. The soundscapes are friendly and inviting. This is a very nice debut. It will appeal to fans of Ron Boots, Dave Fulton, and Paul Ellis.

Following solo releases by both members (synthesist & Hypnos founder Mike Griffin, and guitar experimentalist David Tollefson), sonic adventurers Viridian Sun follow up their daring, acclaimed debut, SOLAR NOISE. PERIHELION goes in a slightly new sonic direction, but retains the intuitive, improvisational approach. The focus remains on creating highly visual and evocative soundscapes, an ever-evolving construction of loops and drifting background textures, both hypnotic and beautiful.

The next phase in elegant futurism; evolved from the work of Body Elecric and Blood Machine with Steve Roach as well as Thermal Transfer with Saul Stokes and solo album Pulse n Atmo, Vir Unis refines the fractal geometry of rapid fire rhythms, half time grooves, and mid tempo body pulses with the atmospheric and luminous glow of sound sculptures and psychedelic noise…. Working in seclusion in the bubble studio for nearly a year on Mercury and Plastic, Vir Unis, utilizing a vast array of computer software and analog technology, explored the liquidity and plasticity of digital sound firmly rooted in the organic space of the ambient sense. Acoustic drum kits are interwoven with drum machine and odd bits and pieces of digital glitch, for a tightly woven nest of fractal rhythms and grooves that crossfades in waves through atmospheres and alien landscapes….

Combining and mixing a fresh blend of fractal groove textures and subtle rhythmic architecture steeped in glowing atmospherics, Book of Mutations, utilizes an array of acoustic and electronic percussion, drum machine, computer and synthesizer from work that's been continually evolving since Vir Unis, collaborative work with Steve Roach, Saul Stokes, James Johnson, Ma Ja Le, and three solo albums. Continuing in the spirit of the man/machine symbiotic relationship, Book of Mutations weaves a landscape of organic-electro hybrid grooves, steady-state streams, and deep spaces, always mutating and evolving, crossfading and fractalizing, to create a myriad of new forms…. In addition to the audio disc will be a companion cd-rom containing many high quality images of digital paintings and designs by Vir Unis drawn from the past 5 years while working and listening to the flow of the music.

Subtle, but deep and mysterious. Seren Ffordd is a relatively new ambient minimalist based in Wales, best known for his releases on the Italian labels Umbra & Penumbra, and Veils, Shadows is his debut release on Hypnos Secret Sounds. He will also have a track on the upcoming Hypnos compilation Sounds of a Universe Overheard.