Adham Shaikh - ReAlignment

[Trance2MoveU]

Artist: Adham Shaikh
Title: ReAlignment
Label: Modulation Elektronik
Date: 1993


1. Pulsation (Oscillation Vibration) 16:25
2. Quazar 20:49
3. Oberon (Greymatter) 21:11
4. Alternate Spectrum (Transmission) 14:08



This was remarkable when it was produced and holds up well today. Think about it...over 17 years old. Only 4 tracks and the shortest one is over 14 minutes! A lot of the aspects of this music are so far ahead of its time. Adham Shaikh has been in the game for a long time. This is his first full length release. Whereas he is now known for ethnic sounding chill, this album is a pure voyage into the vastness of space with dreamy ambient.

There are great ambient textures as well as a solid mixture of melodic trance in the first track. The trance is never boring or predictable and even flashes some of that great old school goa sound.

The 2nd starts off as a very spacey 2001 ambient piece and I am totally immersed in the atmosphere but then takes a turn with jungle style vibes. This doesn't seem to fit at all together and it was a little disappointing. I wasn't a fan of that mix, but the quality is there.

Oberon is quite droney and spacey, giving a cold feeling. And isn't that what space is, cold and isolating in its vastness? Listening to this I can feel myself twisting and turning miles above the Earth. The muted breakbeat let's me know that I am still safely secured to the space station. This allows me a front row seat to all that unfolds.

Alternate Spectrum cuts loose the umbilicus and I am set adrift in space. Images and soundbytes rush through my mind and I realize just how alone I am. This was very spooky and downright cold. Powerful.

You really have to be in the mood for this as it takes you to another world. The album should be enjoyed as a whole, because breaking it up into tracks would take away from the experience IMO. Very deep and lush with sci-fi and space samples. Great stuff.

Mdk