Description

Remy - the Art of Imagination

Reviews

I have already read some reviews of this album and without exception they have compared Remy to Klaus Schulze. This is undoubtedly correct but when I got out my Klaus Schulze CDs and tried to compare exactly which period this is like it becomes much more difficult. The production certainly sounds more recent as do the melodies but then again maybe not as occasionally I am reminded of 'X' and when the Cello sound is used (very Wolfgang Tiepold) Audentity much more comes to mind. I think what we are probably listening to here is someone who isn't intentionally setting out to sound like Klaus Schulze but he has probably listened to so much of his music that when he creates, his influences come to the surface very strongly. The way it is all put together is fairly unique and there is enough of his own identity also present. It is this which makes the album such a good listen. It will certainly appeal to fans of Klaus without sounding "exactly" like him.

The references are probably most obvious on the opener 'Image One'. Light synth pads act as a cushion for a plucked strings type meandering melody / sequence and over this is placed a flute sound high in the mix. I can't remember Klaus using such a sound but the timing certainly reminded me of his work. The cello backing is also superb giving great depth and acting as a good contrast to the main melody. 'Image Two' starts with strident synth pads in perfect timing with the cello flourishes. A rhythm starts up to a high hat accompaniment. I suppose I am reminded of the 'Royal Festival Hall' discs but then again maybe not. The beat now becomes more of a deep thud driving things forward. There are some weird vocal samples as if on the edge of a dream but they are used extremely sparingly. 'Image Three' gets us straight into a stuttering rhythm. A deep pianoish sound can also be heard. Its all rather spartan, creating a very different 'Image' to what has gone before and it is a good three minutes into the track before we start to get any Schulzian references. A warbling sound occasionally builds from low in the mix then breaks. I've played this track a few times now and its a real grower as there's a lot more going on than is apparent on first listen- loads of subtle detail.

'Image Four' begins with lovely sawed cello sounds. An excellent high register melody / sequence starts up and we move along at quite a pace. Again a hi-hat line is started then the drums come in building all the time combining with the lead to make a very satisfying groove. At six minutes another sequence enters low in the mix and we get yet another melody. Its all rather complex but also superb. You will be drawn in like a moth to a flame, such is the fascinating pull of this music. Five minutes from the end we strip right down to the cello sound with one or two bits of detail over the top as we gradually wind down through a long end section until a superb brace of sequences start up just before the finish as we power into 'Image Five'. A no nonsense modern ambient type beat surges forward and we ride along on a bubbling cauldron of pulsations, cosmic shimmers sparkling over the top.

There is a fantastic almost growling lead line introduced at five minutes which makes what is already the best track on the album even better. The way the sequences mutate is just like the master but this lead line is a beast all of Remy's own and shouts class. We get a sudden dramatic sound then we enter a four minute atmospheric closing section with a very long fade to finish. Finally there is 'Image Six'. Waves of lush pads come and go over an irregular chime. The overall feel is very different from the rest of the CD being rather melancholy. Half way in a searing lead line enters. Its very effective and emphasises the mournful mood rather than detracting from it. Yet another excellent track. On this form Remy is a name which should be around on the EM scene for many years to come.

David Law / Synth Music Direct

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Well, it's not too hard to figure out where the Dutchman known as Remy gets his inspiration from musically. The sounds, the style, even the cover art and long running time, all speak to a strong upbringing in the fundamentals of Klaus Schulze. However, unlike most, who delve into his spacey sound from more than two decades ago, Remy's influence is more recent. Neoclassical strings, wafting light flutes, and lightly playing guitar, all sound reminiscent of Klaus' work of the early nineties, say around Royal Festival Hall or something similar. Divided into six long drawn-out images, the music meanders at a relaxed pace.
Synth choirs are used heavily on Image One. Though mostly gentle, the beat gets to thumping toward the end. Image Two immediately begins with an off-kilter rhythm that reminds me, oddly enough, of a couple of Laurie Anderson tracks, perhaps something off Big Science or Mister Heartbreak. It is elements like this that keep this good Schulze knock off from becoming too derivative. Strings are, of course, a bigpart of things, but it's the chugging rhythm that keeps Image Two going. Avery seductive female sigh teases halfway through, never to appear again. Like recent works by the master himself, this track doesn't change much, and yet is very rewarding to sit back and soak in. Piano delicately dances about, verynice. Image Three starts with a more modern bent, perhaps with hints of the Dark Side of the Moog series. Just like Schulze and Pete Namlook sometimes delve into jazz textures, this touches on it a bit.

Image Four is the longest piece, and is a strong melding of classical music with electronics. The latter part of this sounds a lot like In Blue. It isn't difficult to tell where it ends and Image Five begins, a rapid-fire piece brimming with energy that doesn't let up until it nears the end. Image Six has really cool sounds, but it's rare that I recognize a preset from my Roland synthesizer being used. This is the only track that struck me a bit as noodling around, but it's still better than a lot of people's serious attempts to make music. A virtual must for Klaus Schulze fans.

2001. Phil Derby / Sequences Magazine