Perfectly Ordinary People - Mattias Karlson Music and Video Production The Looping, Bubbling, Tripping and Bleeping Sounds of Infinity *The Trip* *Home* Opening Eternity Dreams Floating Timetraveller Explore Space Blue Planet Infinity Time Epilogue Live at the SuperSonic Wonderland 10/09/95 Enter Orbiting Sonic Traveller Composed and Produced by Mattias Karlsson recorded on CrO2 using Dolby B at the SuperSonic Wonderland 1995 A Review by Kevan R.Craft I received this Tape Album by Mattias Karlsson in October 1995 but have only recently got around to actually review this. I've listened to this tape quite a few times and I'm still knocked out by the shear scope of this project. Taking Space and Time as a concept to articulate in a musical album is a big task for anybody but Mattias Karlsson constructs a musical narrative which is both informative and entertaining in a very interesting way. Using OctaMED V6.0 and a Korg Wavestation and a collection of Sounds and speech samples from various NASA Space missions, Mattias has created a musical book full of wonderful ideas and endless possibilities all of which truly leave you gob-smacked! The Looping, Bubbling, Tripping and Bleeping Sounds of Infinity is a two sided album consisting of roughly 90 mins of music (See above for album structure), using a TRIP and return journey HOME as a travelogue through a series of multitude sounds and synthesizer landscapes.. SIDE A - THE TRIP OPENING Using a gradual build up of droplet sounds and samples of NASA Space missions in "OPENING" we are being prepared for a journey into sound.. Suddenly, we are thrust into take off signified by the clever use of Dance drum rhythms and some marvellous strings from the Korg Wavestation and a brilliant opener of a track.. DREAMS Next, gliding from "OPENING" we enter the world of "DREAMS" and the many possibilities this idea for a canvas presents to us.. Here, Mattias creates a series of subtle sequenced patterns, space sounding percussion and some excellent synth wave patches all caressing the cellebral ears. This is rounded off very nicely by some neat Dance drumming techniques all which juxtaposition to create an infinite tapestry of synth sounds and a very effective rhythmic structure much like those hypnotic sounds made so famous by Jean-Michele Jarre.. TIME TRAVELLER Beginning with fragments of sampled speech we hear profound statements such as "They may cause a chain reaction, that could change the course of history" or "We do have time travel, memory is our past and imagination our future". Again, Mattias constructs a musical theme containing a textual narrative combined with fragments of sampled speech from NASA which postulate on the mysteries of time and the possibilities of time travel. The landscape of synth sounds here provide a spacious backdrop to this journey of sound all of which contribute to produce a great peice of music here.. SPACE This track opens in a truly 'religious' way with deep, but soft synth organs coupled with a regular bleeping synth voice juxtapositioned with an actual sampled countdown from a NASA space mission take off.. This peice actually takes off itself into an understated majestic wonder, floating into a lonely piano theme and a well balanced restraint on the unusual drum instruments all of which are used to excellent effect. The overall effect is to produce an aural sense of space itself.. INFINITY One of the clever aspects to come from the sequencer music revolution is the use of looping patterns helping to create catchy rhythmic phrases which repeat producing an hypnotic effect.. "INFINITY" uses looping phrases in a series of clever and interesting ways. Indeed, the main looping theme is balanced together with a Wave String synth which moves in and out of the score just like a wave; there's examples of excellent intermittent percussion and the occasional sampled speech. When this peice builds to a momentum you can begin to feel your foot just wanting to start tapping to this one's really catchy rhythmic structure.. LIVE AT THE SONIC WONDERLAND 10/09/95 ENTER For this track, Mattias uses the Dance drum structure coupled with a series of samples of speech, a sequenced loop and synthetic space type percussion within this fantastic arrangement called "ENTER". ORBITING Again, employing a subtle variation on the Dance structure, Mattias explores the possibilities of literally communicating the title of this peice. With "Orbiting" you feel as if the inspiration of looping, bubbling, tripping and bleeping sounds of infinity is the intended musical reality constructed within this track encapsulated in a landscape of sound and its many wonderful possibilities captured so beautifully here.. SONIC TRAVELLER This track opens with a series of percussion instruments and a softly gliding synth. "SONIC TRAVELLER" gradually builds in momentum to incorporate a catchy drum beat and an interesting synth pad instrument which gently weaves in and out of the score like the quickening of a heart beat. Again, Mattias creates a synthetic landscape, an ethereal tapestry of sounds from the Korg Wavestation coupled with a funky spacy synth bass all which contribute to a great sounding track! SIDE B - HOME ETERNITY As with earlier peices on this album, Mattias has chosen to lead into "ETERNITY" with some carefully thought out percussion which provides the rhythmic background and springboard for an arpeggio guitar and a beautiful sounding synth wave. As a title, "ETERNITY" speaks volumes and as a musical composition Mattias has captured a rare insight into the meaning of musical space and time which really unfolds in a magical way.. FLOATING When one uses the word "FLOATING" our imagination begins to paint mental pictures of ourselves suspended in the air, free and flying and at one with the universe. The choice of instruments in "FLOATING" are quite remarkable, two acoustic guitars, which, strumming at odds with each other, but placed in the stereo spectrum, in such a way, which produces a complimentary effect that's quite unusual but very pleasing to hear. Gradually we are presented with an amazing orchestrated string section of awesome proportions much in the style of the minimalist composer Phillip Glass, which are juxtapositioned with some wonderful NEW AGE sounds and folk sounding madrigals on a piano. Slowly, "FLOATING" begins to build up its pace with a subtle slap bass synth and an electric guitar arpeggiating over these incredible strings and luscious horns.. This peice wouldn't be out of place in a film score or award winning documentary - its that good! EXPLORE With echoing piano chords and arpeggiated melody a gentle guitar enters and begins to play a sweet melody over some incredible Indian Tabla percussion and choral voices establishing the beginning of "EXPLORE". Again, the subtle use of percussion voices and well articulated phrasing within this score begin to firmly establish Mattias' own voice and his compositional style. Moreover, with the use of a beautiful piano melody and intermittent percussion we are presented with a masterpeice of an arrangement with its use of instrumentation and clever use of sound all encapsulated in a musical space, juxtapositioned with very interesting orchestrated percussion and synthesizer sequenced voicings.. BLUE PLANET The inclusion of memorable melodies coupled with majestic sounding synth sections is another Mattias Karlsson trademark and in "BLUE PLANET" this is further explored with a lovely Fretless bass and chorus guitar producing an amazing sounding track.. TIME The very concept of "TIME" is a social construction of reality or does it simply exist outside of man's consciousness merely presenting us with fragments of moments we call memory? Here, Mattias uses all his powers of subtle persuasion to communicate a notion of "TIME" encapsulated in a musical narrative with a piano and guitar juxtapositioned with Looping, Bubbling and Bleeping Sounds of what we may call infinity.. Got that? EPILOGUE As a means to an end, "Epilogue" opens with a bold, deep synth pad and an arpeggio piano, a carefully picked acoustic guitar and some excellent percussion, which by the way, play a counter melody to the main rhythm created by the other instruments within the score.. Then occasionally, a wave trumpet pad soars the musical heights and solos effortlessly between the empty passages. Mattias' careful choice of sequence patterns embellish the score and the emergence of those Tabla percussion really enhance this final peice to heavenly proportions.. The Looping, Bubbling, Tripping and Bleeping Sounds of Infinity is a truly remarkable production by an Amiga musician and something everybody should get the opportunity to listen to for the vast possibilities captured in musical space and time. As a concept album it works really well, the idea is of a journet into sound is good, the use of sampled speech from NASA archives lends to the understanding and meaning of the text and the Korg Wavestation is a stunning collection a subtle hues and colours of synthesized sounds. Mattias Karlsson has definitely captured a sense of Looping, Bubbling, Tripping and Bleeping Sounds Of Infinity. This has got to be one of the best cassette albums that I've ever reviewed. If ever you get a record deal Mattias, and you should, your music is really very good, then you'll probably be the next Century's Jean-Michele Jarre. All you musicians out there do yourself a favour and order yourself a copy of this tape while you can because its simply an amazing experience in sound! Kevan R.Craft.. Jan 1996.. Price for the 90 Min Tape including FREE support disk:-) 60 Swedish Kronor 15.00 Deutche Mark 5.00 British Pounds Include P+P within the E.C. or use International Replay Coupons (no coins please) E-mail as well as Snail-mail friends are welcome to the address below:-) Mattias Karlsson VÄstra Storgatan 9 RUM 175 S-55325 Jönköping Sweden Tel: 0390 303 59 or Tel: 070 774 11 82 E-mail: gl94kama@hlk.hj.se