Kubusschnitt

Artist: Kubusschnitt
P: 2010
After 9 years, here it is. The same style, new combinations. This time with Gert Emmens as additional musician. Fast sequences with Moog-sololine melodies. The combination with Gert Emmens really gets Kubusschnitt into a new dimension and class of Berlin-school style.

Artist: Kubusschnitt
P: 2001
We begin with a chaotic collage of sounds and effects out of which emerges an ominous drone and slow pulses. In complete contrast we then get a plucked string type lead line to which is added an absolutely fantastic melodic sequence - one of the best if not the best Kubusschnitt have come up with so far. Not to be outdone in the lead line department in enters a real cracker - again one of their very best. This is such a fantastic track - so full of excitement it just makes you feel like punching the air in pure pleasure. What's more it just gets better, faster and more intense as we progress into the second part with yet more fantastic lead lines. If you want sequencer mayhem with strong melodies you will have it by the avalanche full here. I really can't stress too much just how good this is. We float into the next section on the back of dark atmospherics but in no time at all another sequence emerges - again fast and furious. It is accompanied by a second and we enter Klaus Schulze territory. Nearer the end a subtle electric guitar lead line starts up adding colour to the pulsating brew underneath rather than dominating. Its all change as we move into part four which is basically a short dark cosmic atmospheric piece, a sonar blip being particularly effective. Initially part five takes us out to even deeper space with electronic effects and wooshes of sound making one think of mysterious other worldly phenomena. Out of all this come gorgeous melodic pads. It's as if we are entering a spellbindingly beautiful and yet awesome region of the cosmos. Just close your eyes and let the music take you where it will. For the second half of this part we are brought back to reality with a bump as two more sequences come to life and we now start to move at great speed again. Some lovely floating space guitar plays with the sequences and synth lead. This is both delicate and powerful music, sounds being combined expertly complimenting the sea of pulsations on which they float. The electric guitar does get a little more strident just before we enter the sixth part but not overly so. This section is really a gentle introduction to the even more cosmic part seven. The sound of solar flares fly over some deep pads. In the third minute a rhythm / sequencer combination slowly make their way through a cloud of stellar gasses becoming more strident all the time but never destroying the delicate atmos. Again its all rather Schulzian. To start off with Part eight is another cosmic extravaganza with some lovely floating guitar work. The pulse starts to quicken however as an absolutely brilliant sequence enters around the three minute mark. The guitar disappears and is replaced by synth leads. Things become very 'Sorceror'ish around the eleven minute mark. The sequence mutates just enough to hold the interest, the atmospherics and use of space around it being simply masterful. The sequences are again fantastic on the final part. As they get into full swing some sympathetic guitar work soars into the ether. The sequences get beefier and beefier as the track progresses - synth leads now replacing the guitar and things work themselves up into quite a frenzy up until the end - but is it? Keep the CD running for a little while and you get atmospheric noises and all sorts of other effects then a really nice mid 70's floating melodic passage and that really is the end - honest! Kubusschnitt go from strength to strength proving here that they are one of the very best retro bands around today.

Artist: Vidna Obamana, Steve Roach,
Thom Brennan
P: 2001
The sleevenotes read like a veritable "who's who" of current synth artists: Paul Ellis, Nemesis, Free System Projekt, Robert Carty, Rudy Adrian, Kubusschnitt, Dave Fulton, Synthetic Block, Paul Nagle, Arcane, John Christian (from AirSculpture) and Ramp. This project was borne from the internet chat group "beyond_em", a thriving source of news, information and general gossip which has hundreds of subscribers, including the artists here and many more. As Paul Ellis, the co-ordinator and "guy to blame", as he describes himself, says on the sleeve ".....I was surprised by the number of other musos on the list and the high quality of their work. I threw out an idea where one musician would pick up the musical thread of the previous musician and make an album that way......"
'Beyond Me' is the result, a virtual embarrassment of riches. There is so much tempting music on this album you really won't know where to start. The majority of tracks are new, only the Arcane piece has appeared previously on the 'Alterstill' CDR, and Paul Nagle's track has appeared in remixed form on 'Blue Book'. Just before I dive into the tracks, one mention for the sleeve graphics especially the inside cover featuring cartoon cameos of all the artists - it's very cleverly done.
Fittingly Paul Ellis gets the show on the road with a fantastic piece called 'Into the Liquid Unknown' (8.19). It features magnificent sequence contortions which are sometimes left to twist and mutate in isolation, at other times accompanied by perfectly judged silken pads. Next up is 'Nemesis' with 'Siloportem'(7.25). A punchy beat underpins expert sequencing and some classic mellotron sounds. Again it's a top notch synth outing, and blends perfectly with the former piece, and the next track for that matter - 'Pharos' (5.27) from 'Free System Projekt. This really does bring to mind mid 70's EM with mellotron timbres painting a patchwork of sound which could be straight from 'Phaedra'. Half way through the piece those trademark FSP pulsations start up and we are on another roller coaster of rampant moog style sequences and epic synth textures.
Robert Carty contributes 'Outside Influences' (5.10) which opens with strange alien utterings before a slow but mammoth beat appears around which all manner or electronic detail is layered. It sounds slightly tribal, Aztec culture comes to mind, such as the more atmospheric work of Richard Burmer. Next it's Rudy Adrian with 'Secrets in Sahara Sands' (6.42) which carries on the atmosphere and style perfectly, yet stamps a very different interpretation with a choppy sequence and ethereal synth layers. Kubusschnitt's 'Vantage Trick' (6.18) will surprise (and disappoint) no-one, being a classic slab of retro sequencing with electric guitar angst pitched perfectly in the mix. Dave Fulton's 'Falling Away' (5.32) takes the baton, a strangely beguiling collection of electronic throbs and drones while 'Flash of Attention' (1.45) by Synthetic Block is a brief but perfectly formed cameo which features syncopating oscillations.
Paul Nagle's 'Adventure' (8.37) opens with a marvellous arpeggiating sequence and an infectious melody. John Hickey contributes foreboding words before "the cave closes" to allow Arcane's 'Alterstill part 3' (6.00) to be unleashed. If by some twist of fate you haven't got this track, the situation needs to be rectified immediately. First aired at Jodrell Bank, this is possibly the only track which has ever left myself and Dave Law speechless at the same time.'Heathkit Interociter' (4.12) by John Christian is a fascinating and quite unique sequence based track - wonderfully inventive in construction, very melodic and hugely entertaining. Finally Ramp serve up 'Rapture of the Deep' (6.21) and this has to be heard to be believed - atmospherics from the Gods.What an album! No matter what your taste in EM this has it all, in one cohesive high quality package. Buy without hesitation. (GG)

Artist: Weird
P: 1999
The participants in this project are Jens Peschke and Andy Bloyce from Kubusschnitt. The first thing you hear on this album is a rumbling sequence which leaves you in no doubt that the territory to be explored is decidedly retro. There are Tangerine Dream references but they are mixed in equal part with Klaus Schulze and Ashra influences. The opening track title 'Klaus to the Edge' (!) makes the Schulze reference even more obvious. The guitar when used is very subtle giving colour rather than dominating as a lead instrument. The sequence provides the backbone but the accompanying atmospherics and effects are just as effective. Some of the sounds used will make you go weak at the knees. We are just six minutes in to this album and I'm already captivated.  Flutey synth introduces 'Schaltzeit Nachtweit' then a guitar picks out a beautiful gentle melody, sounding a little like Manuel Gottsching. At two minutes another perfectly crafted sequence begins to pulsate with supporting sequences brought in to accompany it. '9VFE10M' begins with an exquisite combination of sounds and little melodies but we soon get into the sequences and rhythms. This is like a storm seen from a distance creating havoc as it goes but slowly coming closer and closer. Both power and beauty combined into one. An awesome track. After a short introduction 'Tiefenfluss' treats us to the most bass laden sequence so far. A brighter sequence starts to build over it and the guitar takes the lead threatening to let rip but never quite being allowed to. Of all the tracks on the album the next one 'Manuel Gearchange' hardly surprisingly has the greatest Ashra influence (get it- Manuel Gottsching?). A version of this track was first released on Gold Tri Vol 1 but here we have the 'La RD Remix'. Cosmic twitters give way to optimistic rhythms and restrained almost happy guitar licks, close your eyes and images of the master cosmic guitarist will fill your mind. We now move on to the twenty-six minute title track. Slow pulsations and guitar as well as synth melodies set the scene, bubbling along nicely up to the eleven-minute mark when strident sequences join in. At thirteen minutes rhythms are added, at fourteen minutes we move into weird territory and dive into an atmospheric pool. The images created from now on are very dark and ominous, whether the pictures are of deep space or dark subterranean landscapes the one constant is a brooding malevolence which is never far away. At twenty-one minutes a deep slow rumbling rhythm pounds out as though the devil himself is marking out time on some vast drum as tortured souls do his bidding. 'Ausklang' follows on in similar dark territory then a melancholy piano melody makes an appearance, beautiful in its sadness and takes us to the end.  To sum up this is a truly incredible CD mixing many different elements of the “golden era” of Electronic Music. Sequences are used for much of the time but they are never allowed to just run, they come and go and are constantly shape shifting. The guitar at times provides the lead line but just as importantly it adds an extra dimension to the overall sound in just the right places. The music ranges from upbeat and optimistic to dark and hellish particularly on the second half of the title track. Recommended without hesitation.