Harald Nies - Restart From Sedna

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Harald Nies - Restart From Sedna

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"Restart from Sedna" is the second album from Harald Niles that I have reviewed and is somewhat different from "Planet and Gongs", the first album. Whereas the former was a great space/ambient album with only minimal amounts of his guitar playing, "Restart from Sedna" is a classic guitar, keyboards, synth and percussion Kraut Rock soundfest. With six tracks varying in length from six to over twenty-one minutes in length, this album should satisfy all those listeners with a hankering for the classic sounds of the 70's, whilst adding a few more up-to-date elements. Track one, the longest track, combines sequencers with heady rock guitar playing, symphonic keyboard sections reminiscent of Edgar Froese's late-seventies, early-eighties solo work, with space synth and languid Krautrock passages that remind the listener of bands like Agitation Free and Amon Duul. At 21 minutes long, the opening track is the longest, and has plenty of moods to keep the listener engaged. Track two is a more sedate affair, with shades of the "Dream" - symphonic synths backed with sequencers, and a "Froese"-like solo for good measure. A great melodic piece. Track three, Surf The Rings, is another highly melodic all-synth track, with strong melodies that will remain in the listener’s mind long after the piece has finished, particularly the excellent bass synth riff that opens and closes the music. Track four is a more relaxed affair, complete with melodic guitar figures, making for a more dreamy effect than the previous piece. Space Jam, Track five, is a full on guitar-led piece, that opens in a Hillage-esque fashion and builds to a crescendo of melodic lead guitar over synth and drum backdrops. This is the most overtly "rock" track and is twelve minutes of excellent Kraut/Prog music. The final track combines bass synths, drums, sequencers, lead guitar and spacey backdrops into another slice of melodic Krautrock/synth crossover music. To sum up: If you like Ashra, Klaus Hoffman-Hock, TD, Steve Hillage and similar then you will like this. A great album - and someone should sign him immediately.