Broekhuis, Bas

Artist: Bas B. Broekhuis
P: 1991/ 2004    
Originally released in 1991.
This is the 2004 re-release. Remastered by Ron Boots.

Escher was an artist who in his work was very into structures and lines. The same thing can also be said about electronic music. The music of Bas B. Broekhuis is also quite structured and tight. Perhaps this has something to do with the fact that he is very accomplished (electronic) drummer. He is much in demand as a session drummer for other electronic artists and has worked with people like Ron Boots and Keller/Schönwälder. Often, he is called a next Harald Grosskopf.
After initially producing music as The System and working with Ron Boots as Project Two/Point One, “The Escher Drawings” from 1991 was Bas’ first solo album under his own name. It contains music that represents the period in which it was produced very well (with a lot of D-50 sounds) but has survived the course of time in an excellent way. As can be expected from Bas, rhythm plays an important part in his music.
The album, divided into seven parts, has some wonderful tracks.
Part 1, already known from Project Two/Point One, has a somewhat traditional Klaus Schulze sequencer style. On other moments like the very relaxed Part 2 the approach is more atmospheric, is Part 4 slightly filmy while Part 5 even has some jazzy elements.
The highlight of the album is perhaps the ingenious Part 7 that has a great eighties feeling to it.
Now, in the remastered version of Ron Boots, we can enjoy this top album from Dutch soil again.

Artist: Broekhuis, Keller & Schönwälder 
P: 2002    
This CD offers a superb dose of powerful electronic music cut with lavish loyalty in the Berlin School style.

Artist: Broekhuis, Schönwälder & Friends
P:  2006
Composed, arranged and produced by Mario Schönwälder and Bas Broekhuis except tracks 1 and 4 by Mario Schönwälder, Bas Broekhuis and Lutz Schmiedel and track 8 by Mario Schönwälder and Sun-Ja Willis.

Tracks 1 and 7 recorded 1993 at various studios in Annaberg-Buchholz, Berlin and Eindhoven.
Track 8 recorded live at the Berlin Planetary Munsterdam on 2nd May 1992.
Remastered 2005 by Gerd Wienekamp.

The typical lineup of the musician friends, this time without Detlef, but the usual soundings.
An early collaboration, showed the rhythms in their beginnings.

Artist: John Kerr
P: 1994
Originally composed as a multi-media performance. John Kerr gets the help of Bas Broekhuis on drums. This music was intended to be John Kerr against the rest of the world.
With his melodies he succeded. Nice tunes for all moods.

Artist: John Kerr & Bas Broekhuis
P: 1997
Music especially designed for intimite moments. John Kerr and Bas Broekhuis form the duo Kerrisma. The rhythms and some synthssounds created by Bas overlayed with the melodic piano and other melodic sounds by John Kerr. Nice tunes if you have a relaxed evening with a beautiful partner beside you....

Artist: Ron Boots & Bas Broekhuis
P: 1989/ 2004
This release from 2004 features 79 minutes of powerful EM, originally recorded and released back in 1989 on cassette.
Combining Boots’ masterful electronics and Broekhuis’ rhythmic expertise, the result could only be dazzling and engaging.
This CD contains the music of the two cassettes, composed by Ron Boots and Bas Broekhuis.
Accessible, visual music perfect for relaxation and dreaming.
This is the remastered version of 2004 with new artwork.
It also includes the original version of "Rivers". On this release, you will also encounter a track that is a preliminary version of material that later evolved into Broekhuis’ “The Escher Drawings”

Artists: Various Artists
P: 2003
Project Inter.com is effectively Keller & Schonwalder and friends. They start this wonderful double CD set with 'Come and Taste the Band'. Fizzing drones travel through the ether as subtle percussion and faint guitar give a rather moody atmosphere. It's only in the last third that any rhythmic content is added but even then it is subdued so as not to disturb the lovely serene feel.
Tom van Draft is really Thomas Fanger (from Fanger & Schonwalder, Mind Flux etc). His track 'Blue Halo' starts with a nice melodic sequence augmented by gentle electric piano touches. A rhythm enters in the third minute developing a nice relaxed groove.
Arcanum & Otarion team up for 'Homo Novus'. Various sequences and loops emerge through rather orchestral sounding pads as we start a slow but very effective build up which hits the spot perfectly. Very subtle rhythm and percussion are added around which a beautiful melody, rather low in the mix, weaves its spell.
Fanger & Schonwalder are responsible for the hugely popular 'Analog Overdose' series. Here we have a new track called 'Abgetaucht'. If you liked Volumes 1 and 3 of that series you should also go for this. A sequence can be heard which starts low in the mix but rapidly rises to the surface and is joined by high hat percussion. More pulsations are added in the form of a slow bass sequence / loop. The sequences seep into the consciousness wonderfully taking over the mind. I am sure a lovely little melody had already been there a couple of minutes before I noticed it as it fitted in so perfectly with everything else that was going on. More lovely 70s sounding lead lines come and go- boy do they hit the spot! Virtual guitar can momentarily be heard in the twelfth minute. It adds that little extra excitement without dominating. What a wonderful track- mesmerizing but never boring.
The first disc concludes with 'Salzbad' by Electric Orange. Initially the main feature is a fine splashing sequence but as the track progresses it reminded me of some early Sky label recordings by the likes of Tyndall or even Adelbert Von Deyen.

It is probably the second disc which will excite many however, even before listening to the music, as it contains tracks (all at fifteen minutes or over) by Spyra (with Chris Lang), Rainbow Serpent and AirSculpture. This is the first new material from the last two of these acts in ages.
'Nenikekamen' by Spyra & Lang starts us off. Straight away it's Klaus Schulze who comes to mind. We float on tranquil soft pads then an excellent slow sequence emerges backed by a cello / flute combination (I think!) which weaves a lovely haunting melody. The sequence mutates this way and that increasing in speed considerably in the fifth minute. Subtle rhythm in added low in the mix accompanied by yet another lovely lead.
Fanger & Kersten provide one of the most contemporary offerings on the album with 'Waterproof Guitar'. Infectious rhythmic loops and sampled (or vocoded) utterances of the title develop into quite a relaxed but also extremely 'cool' groove.
'Deep Dive' by Rainbow Serpent makes use of rather metallic sounding eerie wind blown effects over which a shuffling rhythm keeps being heard then disappears like tumbleweed momentarily being seen before being blown into the distance. Just before the five-minute mark some very faint NASA type samples can just be heard. This is extremely atmospheric stuff but also rather vivid picture music. A slow flutey melodic lead floats over the top heightening the haunting qualities still further.
At about the half way mark a slow rhythm is added giving a little structure but never intruding too much or destroying the delicate atmosphere so painstakingly created.
By it's title 'Not Raving, Floating' by AirSculpture might also be expected to be something of an ambient affair but this is not the case. Sure we get a drifting, though sonically powerful, introduction but it isn't long before a typical Sculpture lead can be heard and then a sequence with their signature all over it. It becomes louder and louder, more leads are added then another cracking sequence falls into formation- then another! Simply awesome. Welcome back AirSculpture! (Now when the hell are you going to get your 2003 National Space Centre gig ready for release?!).
We finish with 'Liquid Dawn' by Keller & Schonwalder. For the most part this is an ethereal melancholy masterpiece darker than anything on 'Noir'. A sequence is added in the ninth minute which does drive things forward a little but thankfully the mood stays wonderfully morose. Beware the false ending by the way, just when you think it is all over there is a bonus five minutes of music! Lovely stuff too. Sorry to spoil the surprise guys.

Artist: Klaus Schulze, M. Schönwälder, D. Keller, Wave World...
P: 2004
Exclusive new tracks by the listed artists. All played with the Schrittmacher Sequencer build from Manikin.

Here the last copy!

Artist: Broekhuis, Keller, Schönwälder, Spyra, Fox
P:2007
LTD 300
The Ricochet Gathering Live Concert of all the musicians together within 4 long tracks.

Here the last copy.