Frank Van Bogaert with Erik Wøllo - Air Machine

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Frank Van Bogaert with Erik Wøllo - Air Machine

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Belgian composer Frank Van Bogaert’s new album is a collaboration with Norwegian guitar player Erik Wøllo. It’s also Frank’s first conceptalbum. All tracks together tell the story of a failing Air production machine, the Air Machine. This concept has also been impressively interpreted by graphic designer Michal Karcz. His coverdesign reminds us of the works of Pablo Magne or Hipgnosis. The album has 10 tracks in which Frank and Erik, besides the typical electronic elements, also use a lot elements and influences out of Progressive Rock . The latter is mostly due to the atmospheric guitar parts of Erik. With ‘Dead Planet’ the album opens very atmospheric and symphonic. One has the feeling to be standing on the edge of a vast landscape over which the wind blows. Then Frank’s monumental ‘bigger than life’ music kicks in. It works like an ouverture or a soundtrack. The song closes with only wind, leaving the listener in a somehow sad mood. Mechanical sounds open the second track ‘Air Machine’. The basic melody of this track is first played on the piano. Then the goose flesh evoking Guitarsynthesizer takes over. Besides Mark Dwane only Erik Wøllo can play this in such a sensitive way. Both piano and guitar interact in such a way that they build a real tension and the frontiers between Electronic and Rock music vanish. ‘Insomnia’, with its over eight minutes playing time the longest track of the album, is a slowly evolving, fascinating track with atmospheric guitars and very beautiful synthlines. Enchanting atmospheres and moods are created, touching the listener’s soul. ‘Hyperventilate’, which has a more rhythmic feel, is again being carried by lucious piano playing. The track evolves into a rocky one because of the drumprogramming. ‘All has Stopped’ takes us back to a slow and loungy pace whereas swirling synths and exciting rhythms in the track ‘Breathe’ make sure the power is back on. This song also has very beautiful melodylines but the special thing about it is Frank’s singing. His relaxing way of singing really fits the song and once more gives the album an unexpected turn. The percussion gives this track a slight ethnic touch. The next four tracks continu in this rich atmospheric and moodful style, ofwhich ‘The Thin Line’, with acoustic guitar, a very epic and also classical feel has. When the collaboration between Frank and Erik results in such gorgeous tracks, I can only say ‘I want more’. This album is really addictive because the melodies and harmonies are so’stay in the head’. Both have delivered a truly gorgeous album that I can only highly recommend to both fans of Electronic music and melodical Progressive rock.