Customer Reviews

Farscape

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

An exciting collaboration between two visionary artists. Operating in the musical field you could call gothic new age. Beautiful and spiritual and at the same time open to the darker sides of our minds (and the world we live in).

Klaus S. is of course a master sculptor of deep and interesting soundscapes. While Lisa Gerrard quite simply has a stunning voice and a stunning technical mastery of her vocal powers. Sounding at times like a Wagnerian heroine, a Middle East belly dancer or a new age goddess. And the fact that all her vocals are first take improvisations is downright impressive.

The music is varied, covering a wide range of moods and atmospheres. Suited for meditation, fantasy journeys, explorations of inner space.

Essential and profound.

With this sort of music/vocal improvisation, you either get it or you don't. Two reviewers before me loved it but one hated it - me, I really liked it but wished there was a bit more variety within each track. Lisa Gerrard does a magnificent job improvising against Schulze's dreamy, space-age soundscapes but at times, I found myself waiting for something to happen or for the tempo to pick up, only to be disappointed. Still, it's well worth buying if you're a fan of either artiste.

This a long waited new duo!! a blend of avand-gard Klauss and out of a limbs meditation experience from Lisas's voice that continues given a goose bumps and high introspective self-awarness of oneself and the universe!!

This is my favorite work by Lisa in some time. And to think she simply improvised. Klaus's music is wonderful as well. Not only one sound or atmosphere here - it is at times blissful, at others, dark. It is organic and alive. The marriage of these two amazing talents is completely beautiful and cosmic on a grand scale. And at 2 1/2 hours of music, there is much to enjoy. And to read Lisa's comments in the liner notes where she shares her philosophies about music - well, that is just so inspiring all by itself. She is the truest kind of artist, and such an inspiration. Now, if they would only do more live performances of this album, say in Florida, where I live... (I'll keep dreaming). If you are a fan of either Lisa's or Klaus's (or both), please don't hesitate to pick this up. It is a real treasure.

Being a long time fan of both Klaus Schulze and Dead Can Dance I can say this ablum is truly the best of both worlds.

The first CD is very easy to listen to. Occasionally a little dissonance creeps in to keep things interesting but overall very smooth. Gerrard's Transportive vocals beautifully intertwine with Schulze's lavish soundscapes. It's not fast and frenzied (like a lot of modern electronica) but rather slow, intentional, and immersive.

The Second CD starts off a bit more dissonantly (the first two tracks). That isn't to say they are bad or rough going, but rather challenge the listener just a little bit more. The reward for this challenge comes with the 3rd track (6th overall), which provides a wonderful transition from dissonance into the sublime. Long time Schulze fans will know what this means (think Dune and Sabastian in Traum). It's even more beautiful with Gerrard's haunting and evocative singing, which really takes it to the next level.

This isn't necessarily the kind of album you put on over dinner or when entertaining. Rather, this is the kind of album to put on when you want to be transported. Any attention you give it, will reward you tenfold. A good sound system makes it even more impressive. Enjoy.

I recently became aware of this release through Amazon's mailings and investigated it due to my love of Lisa Gerrard's music, after hearing her live on her Silver Tree tour a year or so back. I have over a thousand albums I listen to, and this by far is the most compelling blend of musical sculpting I have heard in a very long time. I can't recall a purchase of music recently where I put it on at every chance I can. It enriches the home and the senses, inspiring and transcending.

Schulze and Gerrard together are a perfect mating of musical souls. Kudos to Schulze's new manager for arranging this collaboration for him, as he speaks of in his liner notes. I would love to hear another work done together by them again in the near future. This is a must-have album for any fan of this genre of music.

To me "Farscape" is an ambitious work of KS. Trying to combine his hypnotic wavy sounds and the mysterious and multifarious voice of the Lisa Gerrard (voice of "Dead can Dance"). Sounded very interesting to me and that's why I bought it. But after listening a while to it it seemed to me that the tracks are repeating themselves... I miss suspense even if KS is able to find new sounds. What a musician!

To me that album is a bit like Real Madrid - best players and fun to look (/listen) at for a while but still missing that something one can't point on to make it a "can't live without".

As a fan of Klaus Schulze since the beginning (Tangerine Dream, Ash Ra Tempel, & Irrlicht) I have to say that Farscape is one of my favorites of Klaus' long career. Let me be perfectly clear. I am not a big fan of his most minimalistic work, such as Cyborg or Mirage. I like his work best when it closely approaches classical music or active, rhythmic rock. You could probably say that Farscape is my favorite of his albums that does not follow my favorite pattern. I normally do not care much for vocals of any sort, but the ones here truly add to the work of The Master. If you want to get mentally lost in space, there is no musician dead or alive better at it than Klaus Schulze, and this is one of his better works.

I don't know, maybe my cd player was acting up. But this album is beyond horrific,I like the works of Klaus Schulze but this is right off. Lisa Gerrard spends most of the album moaning something like a mix between a B grade ghost movie and a lp vinyl played at half speed. I am patient with most music but this was so bad I sent it back.

This is an interesting situation. You have Lisa Gerrard, half of the incredible (now defunct) ensemble Dead Can Dance, and Klaus Schulze, who is an alumnus of Tangerine Dream. On their own, they create startling and original work. But combining the two creates a clash of styles that is almost unlistenable. You keep waiting for the vocals and the synths to come together, to find synthesis and jell. But they don't; the two elements simply do not find harmony with each other. I think it's great that Lisa Gerrard decided to try something new, but this is a case where you take one listen and say to yourself, "this just doesn't work."