Customer Reviews

Origins

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ORIGINS may be the pinnacle of an ascent into the mystic and primordial places Roach began to visit on DREAMTIME RETURN and WORLD'S EDGE, and with the Suspended Memories project. The circulating didjeridu patterns that fully imbibe this record are not only its tonal center, but the electro-acoustic nature that is the heart of its sound, and Roach meticulously and passionately utilizes its earthy ferocity and multi-timbral frequencies to its fullest. "Clay, Wood, Bone, Dirt" uses the didjeridu's hoary sonic pyrotechnics and a tumbling avalanche of hand-struck percussion to illustrate a tribalistic canvas. This is a recording that immerses the participant in daunting, expansive landscapes and deeply entrenched cultures permeated throughout by a darker, ominous resonance, as mortified by the unsettling melodrama and formidable rhythms of "The Face in the Fire." Never before has Roach's electronic surface felt so earthen and weathered; all of the assertive ambience and environmental dissonance he's pressurized up to now reach critical mass in ORIGINS' molten core.

"Origins" is another one of those rare, absolutely treasureable albums that you do not dare sell or remove from your CD collection. Released in 1993, it is nothing short of pure musical genius at work--gloriously free of corporate pressures or boundaries: purely harmonious with genuine Aboriginal overtones, deliberate in its intent, flowing, rhythmic, uninhibited by CEO say-so's. Steve, I want to party with you, brother.

Get ready to experience total mental freedom. Track 1, "Artifacts" (the name of an album produced by Roach a year earlier), a hefty twelve minutes long, begins with the haunting sound of the Bull Roarer, the traditional communication device made of mulga wood used by the Aborigines. Gradually, the perfectly harmonious sounds of the syncopated drum beats find their way into the subconscious, taking with it the stress after a hard day, pleasantly filled in the background with the comforting sounds of the didgeridoo, the ubiquitous long, wind instrument also played in traditional aboriginal music. "Connect Underground" on Track 2 is blended seamlessly, floating into an awesome flashback to Roach's 1988 Grand Masterpiece, "Dreamtime Return," filled with synthesized waveforms and assorted percussion instruments all the way to Track 5, "Face in The Fire," where we can hear Roach's tempting whispers in the backdrop and aboriginal yawps snapping us into a surreal, neolithic trek. I dare not call it new age. In fact, I won't spoil the rest for you. You can genuinely believe all positive reviews about this work, for only genius minds think alike and could themselves appreciate the work of a genius.

This album is unquestionably one of the best recordings to listen to while reading, writing and meditating, and is sure to enhance passionate indulgances between lovers, taking the experience to a new, never before visited level of bliss.

It is truly a pleasure to live in an age when we have such pure talent living with us now, as if we were parallel to the fortunate society who were blessed with the then fully unrecognized mastery of W.A. Mozart while he was still living. Except for Roach's darker, creepier "Well of Souls" (1998), "Origins," like "Artifacts" and "Quiet Music" (1988) are truly worth possessing, worth a thousand pairs of shoes and more. Not in material value, mind you, but in it's mystical abilities as a priceless therapeutic tool to relieve stress, anxiety and anger in a modern world. Can't say enough good things about it. Once you experience this album for yourself, always best journeyed with a good pair of headphones with cobalt drivers capable of reaching the full range of Roach's musical expressions, then others will wonder what your secret was to a pleasantly refreshed personality. No dramatics here. I only have the ability to call it as I see it. Don't wait. Beg, borrow, take a payday loan. Step 1: Place CD in tray. 2: Plug in headphones. 3: Set equalizer to maximum range. 4: Press REPEAT ON, then PLAY. 5: Enjoy--enjoy being thrust back into a time when the earth was pure, wonderfully absent of any petty cares or troubles that we may have in this world. Absolutely amazing! You can take a fascinating, unique and thoroughly invigorating journey into the subconscious and through time for a ridiculously small fare. Careful. You may not want to come back.

This album is the culmination of Roach's tribal-influenced explorations beginning with Dreamtime Return and continuing with his two collaborations with Robert Rich and Suspended Memories. The power of Origins reaches an almost psychotic-like intensity, best realized on "Artifacts" and "Connected Underground", with a blistering digeridoo and frame drum interlude sequing the two tracks. Other recordings by like-minded artists like Stephen Kent and TUU are pale by comparison--it gets my vote as one of the best contemporary instrumental releases of the decade, maybe of all time--Roach's truly eerie atmospheres have never sounded eerier than they do here.

If you like techno-tribal a la Steve Roach (w/ Jorge Reyes), this is the one to get. I've returned to this CD many a time. I don't know why. Maybe it's the structure. Or the sheer "tribal essence" of it that my subconscious recognizes (and seeks). Ambient is OK to a point. But eventually it all starts to sound the same... Know what I mean? That's why I like "Origins". It evokes the primal like nothing else. Take the trip... You'll understand.........Tracks to emphasize in particular are Artifacts, Eyes of the Spirit, and Dreaming Now, Then. Also recommended is Suspended Memories, Forgotten Gods (again w/ Jorge and Suso). Same kind of trip. Enjoy.

This one track alone keeps me coming back to this CD. It starts out mysteriously, builds to a thrilling climax, and tapers off eerily. Roach simply could not have done it any better. Whenever I hear it, I remember so many things from the past, and see so many things in the future.

This is "THE" Cd for this type of music, Jorge Reyes is a major contributer on this Cd and should recieve equal credit. This is one of the Best CDs of the century

compare this album to roach's work with percussionist metcalfe on "serpent's lair" and you'll see the vital importance of persussion in tribal/trance. the tribal melodies on their own can't take it to the higher meditative level, and without the focus and energy provided by percussion the whole thing degenerates into nothing special. where the "serpent's lair" was brilliant and finds a permanent space in the CD changer, "origins" will get the obligatory 2 plays before it's retired to the CD stack.