Customer Reviews

Cosmos

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

If you like your ambient intimate and soothing, don't buy this album. If you prefer soundscapes and aural journeys, you might give it a try. But if you do, you may be disappointed.
Until now, Murcof albums were always multi-purpose - you could give them your full attention, and be deeply gratified in doing so, or you could let your mind wander and drift into a state of relaxation. That latter option is out the window with Cosmos. Right from the start, a virtuoso mixture of electronics and classical instruments (mostly strings & winds, but there's also, I kid you not, a church organ) takes you for a haunting and very convincing trip through, well, the cosmos - aboard a big old rambling space-ship with humming machinery, creaky sliding doors, cloinky loading docks, and the occasional bang that would scare the crap outta me if I were an astronaut.
If you listen to this thing with headphones on, and you really should, the complexity and depth of Murcof's 'orchestration' will astound you. The album lacks the melodiousness of Remembranza, but it's never just noise without music - however weird the sounds get, they remain tonal in nature. And the production of this disc takes ambient to an new level of sophistication.
But the snag is, once you've heard it, you're pretty much done with it. After giving the disc its second spin, I had to conclude that one would have been enough. I don't expect to play it again. Ever. The sounds on offer may be musical in essence, but the music lacks substance, and with the productional surprises gone, there's nothing left to keep me interested. Making the trip again would make me feel like a commuter rather than a traveler. Not a feeling worth having, is it?

for me this album is 3 tracks -- the run from Cosmos I through Cometa to Cosmos II. this wouldn't seem a great success rate, but those three alone are well worth the price of admission. the most critical point that has to be made about this music is the importance of the means by which you listen to it. if you cram it into an MP3 and listen on earbuds, you'll likely be left wondering why you would ever go there again. he's playing with a level composition and quality of sound design that needs proper representation. headphones may be great, haven't tried it, but if you have access to a good sound system and an opportunity for sufficient volume -- this stuff is magic. If Cosmos II isn't a quasi-religious experience, try finding a better stereo to hear it on.

This new release by Murcof is not only a stunning evolution is his work, but at this price is a STEAL!!!! Similar to work on K2 records, with way more atmosphere. Reminiscent of Twine, or a sparse, darker BOC. For appreciators of Fennez, Burial, Pan-American.

Murcof - Cosmos (Leaf, Oct 2007)
Murillo Corona Fernando permanently redefines the characteristics of a modern classical composition with a celestial symphony that is unlike anything that has ever been heard before. As part of a series named after each letter in his alias, the fourth movement (with only two more remaining) is Corona's most ambitious and monumental contribution to the Leaf label. In prior albums, this Mexican producer (now residing in Barcelona), introduced a minimalist approach to micro-programmed, sample-based electronica incorporating orchestral and classical instruments accompanied by pulsing, glitchy and straight solid beats. In Cosmos, however, Corona expands on the universe of sound with infinite flow of energy generated through the Big Bang. Showcasing NASA's Atmospheric Entry Simulator on the cover, Corona foreshadows the mood for this inter-dimensional travel. The best approach to experience our state of being is to stretch outwards and gaze into the countless stars. Or you can close your eyes and let Corona infuse your imagination with the soundtrack for Harmony of the Spheres.