Artist: Von Haulshoven
P: 2009
Character to imagination as colored as overflowing, von Haulshoven (Eppie E. Hulshof) offers us the story of Kiko, a dolmen sculptor which would have received the visit of extra terrestrial in order to insufflating the secrecies of the dolmens making. An epic title of 72 minutes, in the purest tradition of retro Berlin School. EM whose soft minimalism circular rhythms measure heavy atmospheric moments, stuffed of cosmic sound effects.
The story of Kiko begins with a mellotron choral, struck of few keys with heavy reverberations which open a scintillating Milky Way. Among this twinkling darkness, we almost hear a spaceship howling on a long droning trail, initiating a first sequential movement with fine spheroid arpeggios. Von Haulshoven is in its element. A hypnotic sequence whirls slightly on a minimalism cycle, where mellotron choirs amalgamate with heavy and rippling layers. A 2nd sequence is grinding in the furrows of the 1st one, splitting a slow hypnotic tempo, whereas a fine base line pulsates on slow sinuous solos, opening the past of Schulze and Body Love. The Dutch synthesist shows us his ability to cover a minimalism movement of consistent solos and heavy layers with evasive deployments.
This 1st musical segment stretches his superb hypnotic melody until the 16th minute, where a soft cosmic ballet settles under heavy vibrations. Beautiful synthesized layers embrace this atonal portion which pulsates slightly under a fine bass sequence and which circulates among a cushion of analog cosmic sound effects. An echotic sequence pierces this sonorous fragility, molding a discrete crescendo on a sequential structure increasingly animated, but always sober, with a whistling synth. Hesitating between ambient and rhythmic discreetly sequence, Kiko And The Ancient Astronaut evolves under various sound horizons, until the 40th minute, where the movement develops with good aggressive sequences and solos. A crusade of more or less 15 minutes which attenuates in the loud atmospheric hazes filled of composite sound effects. A little as if the universe infiltrated the earth. An intense atmospheric moment which dies out on an animated final, as Jarre was accustomed to offers on Oxygen and Equinox
With this 72 minutes epic part, Von Haulshoven avoids the traps of a boring redundancy. Certainly the sequences are soberly circular, but the atmospheres and synth solos which surrounds them are of an attractive sound richness. And when we drown there, we always hear a cyclic sequence which attracts our hearing, emerging from nowhere. For audacious and fans of classical Berlin School, à la Body Love style. Not so badly after all, but an open mind will ease this long listening.
Sylvain Lupari, 2009
Weight:
0,105
kg per
piece
