Horizontal

Moodswings | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (March 26, 2002)
• Original Release Date: 2002
• Number of Discs: 2
• Label: Varese Sarabande
• ASIN: B000063BRH
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #138,484 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

Disc: 1

1. Storm In A Teacup

2. Opium

3. Interior Design

4. The Path Of Least Resistance

5. Blue Topaz

6. Velvet Garden

Disc: 2

1. Opium (@ 45 Degrees)

2. Storm In A Teacup (@ 135 Degrees)

3. Melted Teacup

4. Seems To Remind Me (Of Love)

5. Into The blue (Vocal Remix)

6. Clair De Lune

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The songs are beautiful., February 4, 2003

By 

Abel B. Alvarez Jr (Rio Grande City, Texas) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Horizontal (Audio CD)

This is quite possibly, the deepest, most chill album I've ever listened to. This two-CD set is unmixed with a deceptively low number of tracks (12 in all). While there are only 12 tracks, the shortest one is 7 minutes, with most running about 10 minutes. It is incredibly atmospheric and will put you into a very relaxed state. I do not recommend you drive or operate heavy machinery while listening to this. This album is so relaxing, that staying awake while listening to it, becomes a conscious effort. The songs are beautiful and even though they're not mixed, flow into each other quite well.

Some of the songs sound like they have Irish Folk song influences, while others have Classical piano melodies. The entire package just eases itself along. If you're looking for something that'll take the edge off of you, faster than a joint of Marijuana, this is it.

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Another masterpiece from Moodswings, June 16, 2002

By 

Manfred Graf (Laubach, Germany) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Horizontal (Audio CD)

First of all:'Horizontal' is an adventure of sublimal sounds and samples. Everytime when I hear 'Horizontal', I hear something new.
Here is my comment to every track:

CD 1.

Storm in a teacup *****

The first track is a very good opener and leads the listener to the new soundscapes. It offers something that I would describe as an ambivalence between the sounds. I has a bright side and a dark side and it seems that these opposites strike against each other. In my opinion the dark side is the 'Storm' and after the Storm has gone, the bright side shines again,brighter than ever before. I needed one week to recognize that almost all
tracks on 'Horizontal have 2 or 3 main sound themes and every time a theme is reprised is has a new variation -> perceptible deviations.

Opium *****

Opium is a great track and the description about 'Storm.' fits also for Opium. I think it is a little bit better than 'Storm..' because it offers more sounds.

Interieur design *****

My favourite track. I like the instrument that sounds a little bit like a harp or zither - I could listen to this track permanently.

The Path of least resistence ****

For the first time I didn't like the track because it seemed that it doesn't fit in the musical context of the CD. But it is an ultimately Moodswings/Liz Upchurch Piano track with much more orchestration as known before. Now, I like it.

Blue Topaz *****

The fifth track opens a new musical horizon of Moodswings music because it has a bumpy sound (well done) . I like the guitar sound of Johnny Marr and the steal guitar sound of B.J. Cole.

Velvet Garden ***

This is the only disappointing track on 'Horizontal' because it offers nothing new. It is only a reprise track of used sounds on the first CD.

CD 2

Opium @ 45 Degrees ****

For the first time I thought the 'Opium' remix could be predistined as a fast trance track and I asked myself why is it only a mid-tempo track. The answer I found is that in general no one of the revisited tracks should be fast or very fast because that is not the intention of 'Horizontal'. If there was only one fast track on CD 2 in would query the tracks of CD 1.
Finally, this track has superb effects. Well done.

Storm... @ 135 Degrees ****

It was a big surprise to hear drum & bass elements on a moodswings track. I think it was a good idea to integrate this elements. In addition, I like the spoken voice sample. Well done.

Melted Teacup *****

The third track is still better than the second. Why?
I can't explain. I only know it offers the whole Moodswings Sound Universe.

Seems to remind me... *****

This track can be compared with the best former known Moodswings voice track: 'State of Independence'- it is unique and Julee Cruise was the right choise. In addition the harmonica is great! A Masterpiece!

Into the blue *****

Yet another great voice track. Excellent!

Clair de Lune *****

. terminates 'Horizontal'. I like the pedal steel guitar and this track shows that an instrument can be used unusually.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I love this album!!!, May 3, 2002

By 

Karen Young (Dallas TX) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Horizontal (Audio CD)

I was a big fan of this band's 2nd album "psychedelicatessen"(which I felt was even better than "moodfood'").I especially love the 2nd half of that album where after the amazing cover of Bob Marley's "redemption song"the music went all chilled and watery for the next 20 minutes or so-I often used to skip the Cdto track 9 when I just wanted to relax and not deal with all the rythmical intensity of the body of the album .
The band obviously made this new CD just for me!It is exactly the same feeling as I got from the ambient 2nd half of "psychedelicatessen"but masses of it ,2 WHOLE HOURS of floating dreamy psychedelic space surfing to blow your mind.The minute I pressed play I felt transported off to some otherworldly paradise,rather like the set out of that movie"what dreams may come".You must get to hear this music,it is amazing! Top marks to a top band.Are they English?they sound like they come from Mars! I don't think I'll ever get bored of this CD,It sounds better every listen,like an amazing fractal that keeps on revealing the more you dive into it.SPAAACEEEEY