by Glenn Hammett & Steve Taylor, The Raging Consciousness Desk
1999
The master of deep ambient returns with the year's classiest CD of late night / early morning excursions in the realm of electrons. This seventy-one minute track intended for indefinite play, was inspired by the heat transfer cycle. Of course one needs two CDs to pull it off effectively, otherwise there'll be an undesirable lull just like the one on the 8-track version of "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida". Somewhat different than Muslimgauze, Roach's style is one of subtlety, restraint and tide-like flux. Extended shifting drones waft into infinity, clearing the air for a reflective mood of immersion. Among insect-sound accents, the composition increases in intensity with textural/tonal rushes of uncommon sonority. Not surprising, since Roach always has the latest electronics as well as one of the most impressive studio systems (his Audio Research / Pro-Ac / Straight Wire ain't bad). All this adds up, and worth every penny when you play one of his Timeroom productions. Earth-shattering bass, depth through the back wall (and on out to your neighbors kitchen), and totally out of the box, it's the kind of ear candy that makes the artistry that much more satisfying, not to mention fun to listen to.
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Steve Roach 1998 Timeroom Editions 1 (CD) Reviewed by Exposé, Progressive World, The Raging Consciousness Desk This is the first release in a Special Edition series that continues in the spirit of the infinite playback sound-world environments explored on THE DREAM CIRCLE and "To The Threshold of Silence" from WORLD'S EDGE. SLOW HEAT rises and falls, breathes in and exhales a constant flow of calming influence. Shaped over two summers of evaluation on Steve's patio playback system, the sounds of the warm desert nights were found to be in perfect tune to the sound-world playing back for hours on the speakers outdoors. These sounds were recorded by stretching 50 foot mic cables from the Timeroom out into the desert night, capturing a pure moment of natural magic to be included in the piece. Perhaps no other long-form piece from Steve has placed the listener in such an intimate and subtle expression of the sensual nature of the desert atmosphere.
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