by Jim Brenholts, Ambient Visions
May 2002
The English language has not yet produced enough superlatives to describe INNERZONE, by Vidna Obmana and Steve Roach. "Fantastalacious" has a nice ring to it. "Fantastalacious" it is!
This CD has many different influences and is a bit of a departure from Steve's and Vidna's norm. There are certainly traces of the electro-tribal ambience that their fans expect. And there is more! This disc has echoes of Steve's work with Vir Unis, Vidna's recent solo efforts, pure space minimalism, desert ambience and deep atmospheres. It is, quite simply, a diverse effort with something for everybody. And it has traces of the electronic music symphony that Steve has been constructing and developing for years. His signature wash and swoosh synth timbres give it away.
Each note has its own depth and character. The synth riffs are smooth and stunning. There are no holes, no missing parts. From, note one to note last, this is pure electronic enjoyment. And it gets better with each listen!
(This CD coincides with the upcoming Projekt Festival / Gathering scheduled for Memorial Day weekend in Philadelphia.)
 
magnify |
Steve Roach, Vidna Obmana 2002 Projekt PRO132 (CD) Reviewed by Ambient Visions, AMBIENT.us, Ink 19, Sonic Curiosity, Star's End, StarVox, Under the Volcano Step into the INNERZONE with surrealist soundsculptors Steve Roach and vidnaObmana on their first new collaborative work since 1999's quickly sold-out limited-edition box set ASCENSION OF SHADOWS. Venturing off safe and well travelled roads, the duo head into a chilling and beautifully haunting realm of shape-shifting soundscapes mixed with fascinating rhythmic forms. An unusual combination of instruments both acoustic and electronic can be heard on this compelling release. Central is the fujara, an Eastern European overtone flute, and the electric guitar — both creatively altered with a multitude of audio processing equipment to create a hybrid elecro-acoustic mix. The final merging of surreal acoustic, electronic elements and deep "inner" rhythms creates a bold new atmospheric music experience.
|