Hemisphere

[Guest Astro Cortex]

Hemisphere (1993 Fax)

 

 

1. 18:12 Hemisphere

2. 09:51 Carbon Theory

3. 23:35 Cloud of Orion

4. 09:09 It's Not My Way

 

All tracks written by Pete Namlook & Steve Stoll

 

 

Hemisphere must be one of the most peculiar Namlook collaborations ever, and I mean that in a positive way. It has its very own unique sound and therefore it's not easy for me to find the words to describe these sounds, but I'll try anyway. I haven't heard any other works by Steve Stoll, but I can say that this comes quite close to what I initially expected a collaboration between Pete Namlook and Richie Hawtin to sound like. Imagine a pitched down Plastikman combined with Namlook's space ambience and you get an idea. The tracks are always rhythmic and at the same time hauntingly laid-back and chilled. It is a very hypnotizing album with a deep and sort of "primordial" character, it's almost meditative in its purity and subtlety. All tracks (with the exception of the last one maybe) are epic albeit rather minimalistic pieces, and I'm quite fond of the subtle reverberating percussion work we can hear throughout the whole disc.

 

Hemisphere starts out quite minimal, with some tasty echoing noises, which, in combination with some eerie muffeled voice samples, suggest a strangely isolated but wide open space. It's as if our space mission leads us through a deep void or something. After ~7-8 minutes a slow and simple yet effective Namlook melody enters the track, and even though there aren't many more new elements added later on there seems to be not a single moment of boredom in this impressive opening track.

 

Carbon Theory is no less amazing. It is dominated by shimmering chords, which are somehow subdued and give the track an atmosphere like after a heavy storm on some unexplored planet. The rhythm is accompanied by some sort of smooth bubbling acid sounds and develops into a slow and faint toe-tapping beat. This beat could be imagined as the amplified sound of some remaining faint acid rain drops that are hitting on a membrane-like surface.

 

In Cloud of Orion we only get to hear chattering sounds at first, which make up the rhythmic framework. About 4 minutes into the track Namlook starts with his classic airy, spacey synth pads. 3 minutes later a repetitive sound enters which is always the same note but creates the illusion of playing a relatively fast melody. Quite a slick technique, which gives the track a certain mesmerizing quality. This pattern soon slides into your subconscious while Pete plays a very nice and peaceful space melody. Truly awe-inspiring.

 

It's Not My Way is introduced by shimmering tones similar to those in track 2, but all of a sudden it morphs into a weird slow-motion acid techno number. The track loses direction very quickly and therefore leaves a somewhat unsatisfying end to an otherwise superb album. It still sounds quite interesting though. (And could it be that the robotic voice repeating the track title actually switches back and forth between English and German? Maybe it's just so heavily distorted.)

 

Really an outstanding album from the huge Fax back catalogue. I highly recommend it to those who appreciate subtle and intelligent ambient works

 

Also re-issued on Ambient World:

 

[Guest Kai-Q]

The music on FAX are great, but this Label self sucks.

I don't like their mass releasing and their limited copy shit.

[agia_igoumeni]