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The genre of Spacemusic was born out of a hand-full of albums released by a few Berlin based groups in the mid-1970s. Since that time, a great deal of music has been created which owes much to this faction's inspired early work. Of the multitude of albums produced, only a few manage to accurately re-create the mysterious mood and sprawling scale found on the originals. Add to this constellation Expansion (60'55") by Brendan Pollard. This album aspires to something beyond the mere imitation of the classics. Pollard's work is more about rediscovering the spacious minimalism responsible for the enigmatic character of the original than it is the process of moment-by-moment re-creation. Along with an arsenal of vintage instruments, key in producing the hallmark sounds of classic cosmic music, is Pollard's sense of pacing, arrangement and contour. He comprehends that everything worthwhile is happening between the notes. Melodic and harmonic content is provided by an abundance of time-honored Mellotron sounds and synthesizer tones. His lead lines hover wistfully above the throbbing pulse of interlocking, multi-layered sequencer patterns - which race ahead then diminish into a swirling atonal ether. The compositions are restrained, rendered without any sharp edges, and posses an authenticity of both tone and spirit - right down to the yearning of a generation seeking to find its place in the cosmos.
- Chuck van Zyl/STAR'S END 10 November 2005 |
