Minds in Motion - Lebenszeiten

A superb rhythm keeps coming and going giving impact without distracting from the sequence. Twenty one minutes just flew past. When I first heard this track it instantly became my favourite Minds in Motion number but that was not to last long as I progressed further into what this fantastic album had to offer. ‘Tanzender Clown’ is another twenty minuter starting with swirling synth effects and a gentle melody. The high register sequence sweeps everything else away mutating beautifully as it twists and turns until a deeper sequence comes in to join it. This is a fantastically pulsating track. By now there is very little in the way of pads just sequence after sequence with the occasional lead line giving detail. As we have come to expect from Minds in Motion the track is full of movement and even at twenty minutes over all too soon. From the half way mark Klaus Schulze very much came to mind in both the sequencing and splashes of detail department. From thirteen minutes things start to get very moody indeed. We now get a passage that reminded me slightly of Peter Baumann from his ‘Transharmonic Nights’ LP. On to ‘Spiegelung’ and its straight into a faintly metallic brace of sequences. Even though it is sequencer dominated it is initially a surprisingly delicate number, very hypnotic, drawing you in and taking your mind on all sorts of journeys as you follow a lead line here or sonic detail there but all the time the sequential back bone keeps you on the rails. From the half way mark it becomes much more driving with a razor sharp lead line being particularly effective. Things just get better and better, a real air keyboard section, awesome! ‘Meilensteine’ begins with a sort of ticking rhythm and a manic laugh. We then get a windswept section from which the inevitable sequence emerges. The sound used for the melody lines again reminded me of Edgar. Of the two main melodies one sort of asks the question and the other answers. More sequences (including a very effective ‘splashing’ one ) are then added. Nearer the end it is back to Baumann territory , the drum could have come straight off Romance 76, and the lead lines again from ‘Transharmonic’.

On to the second CD. Just one track ‘Arioso Cantabile’ split into four sections lasting sixty eight minutes. From a watery beginning we get what sounds like an acoustic guitar beautifully backed by soothing synth pads. This section reminded me of mid eighties Neuronium and was a gorgeous and somewhat relaxing way to begin a CD. After nine minutes we drift into the second part and its here that the first sequence comes forth adding a little bounce to the track, yet again reminding me of ‘Transharmonic Nights’. In comes a perfectly pitched lead line and another sequence adds to the mesmerizing pulsating brew still further. Very gradually things get louder and the sequences more intense fading to gentle pads just before the third part.

A sequence starts on a very slow build up behind strange metallic percussives and Vangelis sounding pads. A real concoction that works surprisingly well. At just before the seven minute mark a sequential motif joins in and the track moves along with loads of shifting detail and mutations of the sequences. Peace descends again five minutes before we move in to the mammoth (almost half an hour) final part. Immediately a sequence starts to rumble away. It is kept under control however as all sorts of subtle little melodies and effects play over the top. Five minutes in and another sequence is added and its a real cracker! We then take a breather for a melodic interlude from which the sequences re-emerge though the main melody still remains for a short while but we then move on as idea after idea is brought to play meaning that it takes a few listens to fully appreciate all that is going on.

During the final section the sequence does go on a tad too long but that is really a minor quibble. So to sum up, two very enjoyable discs though it was the first one which really did it for me containing some of Minds in Motion’s finest moments. (DL)