Customer Reviews

Psychonavigation 4

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

 

 

Now in its fourth incarnation, the multi-talented duo of Pete Namlook (FAX label mastermind) and Bill Laswell offer up perhaps their best Psychonavigation chapter yet. "Arena" is an expansive chill-out...an example of what really good ambient-techno is all about. "Samira" explores traditional Turkish/Middle-Eastern music(in the same vein as Pete's excellent 'Sultan' project with Burcan Ocal). "ENTIB 2060" is the effective centerpiece: a slinky space journey chock full of Laswell's signature funk and hip hop beats. One of the best electronica releases of 1999, which, as an import, won't find its way to many ears here in America.

The first song on the fourth album in this series is joyous-don't get me wrong there are moments like this in the previous volumes, only not as overt. The other three volumes often have stretches of happiness/serenity involving sparkling synth noises/pads, but this is downright peppy. Track two starts off with some nice middle eastern precussion/arabic samples that shifts into a Synth, Oud, Violin played melody. Nice. Track 3 moves back into the world of the first track with a twist. About 6 minutes into it there is a sample of what sounds like the moment from "Moonraker" where 007 is almost pulped in the G-Force simulator, crossed with some samples from the original "Alien" movie(that great " the computer is turning on" chattering..luv it). Ends with another sci-fi sample, can't begin to place it though. Track mutates again by minute 8. The album finishes out with an extended monochromatic piece (reminds me a bit of the Laswell/Thaemlitz album "Web"), another change of pace. Highly recommended.

I'm a self-professed Namlook-head, and this may be my favorite album of his yet. It's not as purely "ambient" as some of his other works (i.e. it has a pulse, a strong one), but it is one of his most interesting. The first track, especially, is a constantly changing weave of multiple layers of sound, each changing and blending into new layers by turns. Complex and beautiful at the same time.