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REVIEW.TXT
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1996-05-24
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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
V─stra Storgatan 9 RUM 175
S-55325 J÷nk÷ping
Sweden
Tel: 0390 303 59
or
Tel: 070 774 11 82
E-mail: gl94kama@hlk.hj.se