Various - Awakenings 2007 Volume 2

From what I can make out all tracks on this double album are otherwise unavailable except one by Ion. Brendan Pollard kicks this latest volume off with 'The Neon Chamber'. With Brendan sequences are never far away and a lovely skipping bass one propels the track forwards within the first few seconds. The most gorgeous of tron melodies floats over the top providing a little softness. We then get a pastiche of one mid seventies Tangerine Dream sound after another but also with some of his own inventiveness.

The enjoyment from the opener continues through to Pete Tedstone's 'Oscillator'. Ethereal wordless vocal pads drift through the air. A subdued organ type sound adds to the gentle mood then a slow loping rhythm sets up some structure around which a sequence starts to develop. A second sequence is deployed and we are soon hurtling along. The initial sequence comes and goes within the ebb and flow of the track until after the half way mark, when everything is thrown in. With such an opening brace of tracks it is hard to believe that the quality can be maintained but it most certainly is with Xan Alexander's (from the Omega Syndicate) curiously titled 'Dr Louis Brain Freeze and the Comet's Tale'. Xan has a real feel for melody as is displayed by the initial stabbing lead line and sequence combination. Infectious beats and yet more wonderful lead lines come one after another reminding me (not for the first time with his work) of Wavestar. Maybe the track should have been edited down a little but nevertheless it is still excellent.

'Voyager' by Ion continues the sequencing excellence over some really nice backing, a melancholy lead line providing a bittersweet moodiness. Eppie E Hulshof is currently making quite a name for himself after his re-appearance on the Electronic Music scene and his sixteen-minute contribution to this project 'Seq Maniank' can only heighten his profile. A slow hypnotic four-note loop provides a base over which a lonesome lead line ploughs a moody furrow. A sequence replaces it just before the third minute giving a more aggressive edge to proceedings. The track is stripped down to silence in the sixth minute only for a rapid two-note sequence to pick up the baton along with some quite curious harpsichord flourishes. This section is quite brief however as a deep bass pulse soon becomes the main focus. Another sequence emerges, this time accompanied by a really nice lead full of attitude. The pace quickens increasing the excitement almost until the end. Phrozenlight's 'Sea On A Liquid Sun' is very different to anything I have heard from them before as instead of their usual slowly evolving ambient soundscapes, it features a sedate and fairly melodic ten note (I think!) sequence over as fine an atmospheric backing as I have ever heard from them. The sequence slowly morphs as we go, sometimes disappearing altogether. This is subtle and enjoyably crafted stuff and my favourite track by Phrozenlight so far (though it probably could have been edited down slightly). Chromengel round off the first half of this two album set with 'Jovian Airbrake Manoeuvre'. Most of the tracks on this disc are sequencer and mellotron dominated and Chromengel continue that legacy with just as much enthusiasm. Quite a driving rhythm joins the pulsations as well as sonic blasts like a spaceship hurtling across the horizon. Things become even more intense as another sequence skips amongst the mayhem. There is also some fairly upfront lead lines that give the whole thing a faintly prog rock feel.

Eppie Hulshof returns alongside Frederic Wurtz (together known as Von Haulshoven and AEM) to start the second disc with 'Travelling Back to Point Zero'. This is really cosmic stuff full of sighing drones punctuated by crashes and whooshes. It isn't destined to an ambient number however as in the second minute a rapid, though rather simplistic, sequence surges forward. We return to the cosmos just before the six-minute mark. Two moody but rather tasty sequences (accompanied by mellotron of course) emerge from the tranquil backing only for us to return to atmospheric realms once more. It is as if the track is separated into distinct sub tracks, each framed by ambience. The third sequencer passage is the most melodic but also quite driving. Ideal for travelling down the motorway. There is a short interlude in the middle before sequences return again but to me it seemed more of a variation of the same theme rather than a completely new section. The final section is just beautiful, as gorgeous pulsations mix with moody lead line and more tron. Really lovely stuff. The second offering by Ion, 'Evensong' continues with more sublime melodic sequencing then ups the pace nicely giving it added oomph. If you haven't checked out the album from which it is taken yet ('Future Forever') I recommend that you do. 'Create' contribute 'Rohan's Journey to Belvedere'. We get a fairly standard formula start of rapid tinkling sequence emerging out of atmospherics. By the fifth minute it has departed and we enter a gently pulsating meandering section. By the tenth minute things have returned to pure atmospherics out of which emerges the returning initial sequence joined by a nice bass line. I really thought it was about to take off, and yes things became more energetic but it still never quite reached the heights I had been hoping for. René van der Wouden donates 'Soledad'. This is very different to anything I had heard from him before as previously I had thought René was much better at atmospheric numbers to rhythmic ones but here he really cranks up the sequences and drums and it's superb. A real blast done very well indeed! 'Indian Persuasion' by Mooch doesn't initially start off as Eastern sounding as I was expecting though it is certainly all shimmering and dreamy. When the drums arrive I suppose they did have a faintly ethnic quality but that wouldn't have been the first thing that had come to mind if the track had been titled differently. A very pleasant track nonetheless. Magnetron combine Steve Humphries (aka Create) and Xan Alexander. 'The Road Without Cats Eyes' is the first collaboration I have heard by them. I couldn't really detect much of what I associate with Xan's work as it came over much more like a very good Create track to me with lightly skipping sequence and gentle synth washes but whatever, I found it very enjoyable. Modulator ESP comes next with 'Grinder' And a very impressive start it has too with a superb heavy sequence along with quite aggressive sonic whooshes and power plant type effects. A further rapid sequence carries things forward as the track continues on its blistering journey.

In my opinion this album contains some of the best music in the series so far. With a running time of over two and a half hours and yet priced as a single album (at the time of writing this) it has to be a bargain!

Tracklist:

1.1 Brendan Pollard - The Neon Chamber 8:08
1.2 Peter Tedstone - Oscillator 13:57
1.3 Xan Alexander - Dr Louis Brain Freeze And The Comet's Tale 10:53
1.4 Ion (10) - Voyager 6:34
1.5 Eppie E Hulshof - Seq Maniak 16:50
1.6 Phrozenlight - Sea On A Liquid Sun 14:47
1.7 Chromengel - Jovian Airbrake Manoeuvre 7:15
2.1 Von Haulshoven and AEM (2) - Travelling Back To Point Zero 18:49
2.2 Ion (10) - Evensong 7:50
2.3 Create (2) - Rohan's Journey To Belvedere 18:35
2.4 René van der Wouden* - Soledad-5 6:27
2.5 Mooch (2) - Indian Persuasion 8:18
2.6 Magnetron (2) - The Road Without Cats Eyes 9:43
2.7 Modulator ESP - Grinder 6:05