Meyer, Guido

Artist: Guido Meyer
P: 2007
I guess “Connected to the Dead” is the most experimental album I‘ve done so far. Usually I first compose all the music before I record it, but this time the progression of composing and recording/producing almost became one thing! I simply changed the way I used to work. And I am convinced this will be heard in every single note of this album. Beside my guitars and synths, I also used some more or less unconventional instruments. Also the human voice is very prominent in nearly every track, often arranged with effects. Like always, I did not care about musical restrictions. For example I tried to combine Heavy Metal with Meditation tunes (“On the other Side”) and musical riffs turn into spheric soundscapes and back. I had a lot of pleasure recording “Connected to the Dead”; I hope you enjoy listening.
Well, the whole idea about “Connected to the Dead” is based on a conceptual story of a group of people, which have come together to talk to the Dead! Trying to catch some voices on tape, maybe a face on video. Moving tables and glasses. Some of you surely have also had experiences like those. I remembered my aunt back in the early 1980s. She started to get in contact with the paranormal after her husband passed away. After an introduction she started to ask questions to the “People on the other Side”. And while she was talking, she recorded everything on tape. So during the session there was only my aunt to be heard. But after the tape was rewound and played, some strange voices were to be heard in the gaps as my aunt was silent. Anyway, I remember all this as very scary! But also I found it to be a very interesting theme to be converted into music.

Artist: Guido Meyer
P: 2006
Containing 4 brand new studio tracks and a live bonus track "Shine On" from the Cue Records Open Air 2006. The typical Guido Meyer sound, somewhere between Mike Oldfield and Maxxess.

Artist: Guido Meyer
P: 2010
Six powerful Electronicrock instrumentals, full of melodies, chillout, dance and bang your head in 32 minutes! With guitar style like Maxxess. Melodies like Mike Oldfield and some sort of Joerg Strawes style.

Artist: Guido Meyer
P: 1994 / 2004
The first proper release by Guido Meyer (after three demo tapes and some unreleased works) was Episodes 1, in 1994. It features a set of melodic, rhythmic synthesizer tracks with heavy electronic drums (Simmonds-like) and nice programming.
The first track, "Epedic", is very represetative of his style, featuring nice melodic lines, electronic rhythms and sequenced piano notes. I think this would sound great while driving. The music is in the EM style typical of the late 80's and early 90's. Anyone into late 80's Tangerine Dream (circa Tyger) should like this.
"Emotion - E" continues in this direction - once again we hear sequenced piano notes, heavy laid-back electronic rhythms and great melodies. Pure 80's! Great for those who like it straight, rhythmic and melodic. Once again I have to remind that if you're into TD circa 1987 - this should be exactly to your liking. "Mosquito" is more chunky, upbeat and features a theme that could be a great soundtrack to a detective story, for instance.
"Contact" features sustained tones, around which the track gradually builds, adding sounds on top of that base and settling into a groove, with nice symphonic solos appearing a bit later. "Cold-Romance" features an upfront bassline, that keeps repeating, serving as the base for this exciting upbeat track. The Simmonds-like electronic drums are very prominent here. "Mute" closes the album on a relaxed note. Nice resonating sequenced bass is a special extra that really makes the track work for me.
This album will sure appeal to fans of melodic rhythmic EM compositions.

Artist: Guido Meyer
P: 1994 / 2004
“Episode 1 & 2” are earlier works and here Meyer is still searching to add variety to his style. This typical EM music from the late eighties and early nineties is slightly reminiscent of Peru in their “poppier” guise, which is not a bad comparison in itself. Also Guido Negraszus can be named here. If you liked the first part, it should be worth your while to listen to these second part, and I especially recommend part 2 because it contains somewhat stronger compositions.

Artist: Guido Meyer
P: 2020
Extensively arranged synthesizer tracks. With melody and rhythm. Finally something new from Switzerland that sticks in the ear.

Artist: Guido Meyer
P: 1996 / 2006
This album contains music that was recorded in 1996 for various installations. It is the first time this material gets released to the public.
The first track called "The Seed" is a "Berlin School" number, with melodic sequencing and atmospheres. It's a bit untypical for Guido Meyer and pretty good. If you like Tangerine Dream's output from early 80's or even some of their sequencer-based material from the 90's, you will enjoy this one! "Confused Hunchback" is a short reflective piece that sounds like a musical sketch rather than a full-blown composition. "Useless Toys" relies on a rhythm / sequence combination and is much more representative of Guido Meyer's output. The track reminds on the material heard on "Episodes 1".  "A Pair of Shoes" is once again a reflective electric piano piece similar to "Confused Hunchback". "Ramon" is a cheerful rhythmic piece but rather generic. The melodies are good but the sound pallette is rather lackluster.
"Way Home" contains GREAT (and I mean it) melodic sequencing and a bit harder rhythms than what I'm used to hear on Guido Meyer's records. Overall, this composition has some slight techno leanings that, however, do not alter the general impression I get from this track. Nice one! Who said accessible music can't be good? This may be not the most serious composition on Earth but who cares if it makes you move?! The desire is strong to press the "repeat" button, but I have to go on with my review. "Gazah Stripe" starts with well-crafted rhythms but after a while a growling synth enters that is joined by mysterious melodic theme. This track is strongly reminiscent of Tangerine Dream's strongest moments from late 80's. The synth solos on this track are simply excellent! This is complex, expressive, melodic EM of the highest order. On "Your Fields" electronic marimbas are introduced along with synthesized saxes that together make up for some exotic brew of sounds. Things get even more intriguing as more sounds are introduced and Guido improvises on top of the track's rhythmic base. Mournful strings are introduced and the mood changes from exotic to melancholic nostalgia. There is a romantic flair about this track that is so slight it's hardly perceivable but it does add a lot of charm to this unusual composition. The mood then swings back to exotic lounge as brighter chords replace the nostalgic ones.

Artist: Guido Meyer
P: 2005
Lightyears is a musical story of how our world probably could end in 7 billion years and how mankind will try to survive. When the Sun collapses it will also eliminate our whole Sun system. So what will mankind do to survive? Well, in my imagination they´re leaving the Earth by a Spaceship to travel to another Class M Planet. In Lightyears , I have tried to describe this long travel in a musical way. The first parts were composed in 1999 already. So I've worked on this idea for a couple of years. This time I've had a little assist by two of my musical colleges and friends, Alexander Seewald and Manuel Bumb, witch both created Samples and Sound Scapes to connect the musical parts. The single tracks "morph" into each other , so you can listen to it like a whole Story without breaks. Besides the music (witch was all done by my self), Alex Seewald also wrote a little treatise about what will exactly happen when the Sun explodes and what could to be done to survive. This can be read in the CD booklet.

Artist: Guido Meyer
P: 2008
Without any doubt this concerns a very interesting and well considered composition. It contains an arrangement full of tension and a very interesting instrumentation, even It is recorded with electronic sound machines. The variations over a harmonic, periodic foundation bases on a good idea. Also the meaning of the track titles is original. Of course the question remains where The Glassforest should be settled. There is the "earnest/serious" and the "entertaining" music. Surely it should not be considered as "earnest" music. It rather finds it's place in the "entertaining" section. That is reasoned in the harmonic structure and the periodic arrangement. Also the themes and their changes are flattering. But that does not mean it is no good music.

Artist: Guido Meyer
P: 2004
Meyer makes a tasteful mix of guitar music over layers of keyboards and drum machine rhythms. This indeed sounds smooth and contains enough sting. Nice riffs and solos fly out of your speakers. Magnificent title track and the closing track is an exercise in meditative hard rock. This is an excelllent release."

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