Customer Reviews

Electronic Realizations for Rock Orchestra

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This 1975 album is, in my estimation, nearly singular in the world of electronic music due to its sheer complexity. In fact, this album by American electronic composer Larry Fast is much closer to progressive rock than Berlin School electronica for example - there is just a lot going on in each of these compositions.

The six tracks on the album range in length from 2'58" to 12'50" and feature a range of tones and dynamic contrasts. Another interesting aspect of the music, and I never expected to discuss this in a review of an electronic composition, is the abundant use of melodies, harmonies, and most importantly both rhythmic and melodic counterpoint. In fact, it is amazing what Larry achieved with just the use of a mini-moog, an Oberheim Polyphonic, and a Mellotron 400. In fact, it makes me wonder what it would have sounded like if he had scored these complicated synthesizer pieces for rock instruments, including a full drum kit.

Interestingly, Larry's link with prog rock is not as tenuous as one might think with his being an electronic composer and he struck up a good working relationship with the prog band Nektar around this time. His excellent work can be heard on Nektar's Recycled album (1975).

This remastered album features restored cover art and excellent sound quality, along with some skimpy liner notes.

This album is very highly recommended to those electronica fans who want something a little more varied than the typical fare. Also recommended are two albums by Isao Tomita including Snowflakes are Dancing (1974) and The Tomita Planets (1976).

I have the original lp of this album(it came in clear vinyl) which was recorded in SQ quadrophonic sound! The early U.S. release on CD doesn't even come close. I only wish it could be remastered using SACD or Dolby Surround like some of todays CD's or even DVD Audio. But, even on CD this is one of the best early electronic music masterpeices!

This is the first album by Synergy, the studio electronic artist that is mostly Larry Fast, master synthesist, session musician, and keyboard player on several Peter Gabriel albums and tours.

There's a few things to know about this album, back when released there was very little in the form of pure electronic music. Tangerine Dream, Kraftwerk, Jean-Michel Jarre, Klaus Schulze, Vangelis and sometimes Tomita were the names mostly seen in the bin at the record store, and Synergy. What made Synergy stand out was that not only was it completely synthesized, it was American, and often sounded American (if that makes sense) in that they tend to be a bit more "up" or active than some of the droning layers associated with his peers. But it also had a very full sound, one that to this day still sounds very rich and full. Adding to this, is that the compositions are surprisingly complex and evolving. This is remarkable considering that when this was recorded, about 99% of this music was played by hand, and overdubbed with none of the computer editing or sequencing that's been the standard now for over a decade. Fast would write the songs, sit down, play them to a click track, and painstakingly lay down track after track after track until the composition was finished.

Okay, but how is the music? Great! Pure analog bliss! People clamor for fat, lush analog sounds from synthesizers, well, this is it! The songs are great, sound great, and the album stands up to repeated listenings.

I also recommend Synergy's album Audion from this era with the highest praise. Chords, Games, and Sequencer are good as well, but if you haven't heard Synergy, I suggest you start with these two first. By the time Fast got to Jupiter Menace and Metropolitan Suite his sound had changed a little. Not for the worse, just different and should be viewed in a different light.

"Electronic Realization for Rock Orchestra" by "SYNERGY" (Larry Fast, Synthesist), is in 'the short list' of 'Must Haves', for anyone interested in 'Electronic Music' (aka synthesizer music; aka 'space' music), in/from the earlier years (early 1970's) of the genre. Whether you're just interested in some 'really good listening'... style, or studying the genre in school... or interested in Electronic Music's history, and/or those 'significant' artists, who not only knew how to get the music from their head(s), to a media for all to hear... but also, those (even fewer) who absolutely knew their instrument(s) and capabilities, and the theory(ies) regarding using patching techniques, to either get the 'sound(s) in their heads', out... or- putting to use, those sounds which all synthesists come across, strictly by chance.

Larry Fast, must certainly, is among the short-list of people, like Tomita, W. Carlos, and even Keith Emerson (ELP)(more for introducing modular-synths to Rock, and in 'live-performance', as well). Fast is one of those synthesist (like myself), who doesn't feel the need to stick percussion tracks (no pun intended) in his works (of that era)(nor, did I). That's not to say that there was no 'musical place' for percussion... but, I believe that Fast likely figured that leaving all percussion off... forces the listener to hear, and thereby discover other parts or tracks going on within the music, which could perhaps encourage the listener to realize how well music 'can' work, without percussion (coming from a musician with over 15 years of percussion background - and over 3.5 decades of analog modular & digital synthesizer expertise).

Lemme just say this... don't make your "buy/no buy" decision based on the track samples on this page... as, Amazon usually just gives you the first X-seconds of each track to sample. And that's not at all fair to most forms of music... since few compositions present "the good stuff", up front, within the first 15-20 seconds. I'll just say that, "in MY opinion", Synergy's albums have always been considered by me to be unique (as synthesizer-music goes)... with a style which I, and many others, can relate to. When I was an FM DJ at a college radio station... Synergy was one of the most requested... and many excerpts have been used as background music... 'mood-setters'... and, just 'cool sounding music', which would draw attention to the most dull PSA or promo

As I recall... besides not using any percussion instruments, I don't recall ANY guitars, basses, or any other 'common' sounding instruments... although, I believe he did use various keyboard instruments, which were 'cutting-edge', in "the day".... Mellowtron(s) and the like... and even one of the first 'polyphonic' (four-note/key vs. the one-key (Moog) or two-note (ARP) synthesizers... and this was just before MIDI exploded onto the scene, and changed most everything (and not all, for the good)(IMO).

Anyway- the first three Synergy albums, I owned, and can and do vouch for. But realize... this ain't clubbin' dance music... or 'Songs' (implying sing-alongs), with lyrics. This is ALL instrumental... and the type that you'd likely want to put on some good headphones... kick-back... relax... and listen, without dividing your attentions with visuals... conversations... childcare... or phones/text messages. This music should be heard (at least once - and probably the first time) in a "relaxed" frame of mind... undisturbed, and without distraction.

I'd also say- for those musicians, interested in the evolution of synthetic music... and/or specifically... learning pre-software synthesizers... or wanting to venture from the 'die-cut' world of soft-synths, to the analog and modular world, because of the unrestricting nature and benefits... these are good albums to analyze... as are works and patches by Carlos, Tomita, and Emerson.