Biosphere - Autour de la Lune - Review

September 20th, 2004 by Koldo Barroso
BIOSPHERE
“AUTOUR DE LA LUNE”
TOUCH

Buy Biosphere “Autour De La Lune” CD

Biosphere
has created once more one of the most beautiful electronic music pieces
of our time. This time it�s about the most minimalist work that the Norwegian
artist has recorded to date, presented with a gorgeous artwork by French
artist Tor-Magnus.


�Autour de la Lune� is divided into 9 movements and it was done under
the commission of the Radio France and Montpellier. It was developed from
the broadcast of a radio dramatization of Jule Verne�s work �From the
Earth to the Moon� and a series of samplings recorded by the MIR space
station.

Similar to former works by Geir Jenssen, this work is characterised by
the delicacy and sensibility with which he works harmonies and atmospheres,
using the kind of sounds that have already became a unmistakeable label
in his music.

The album opens with �Translation� from a tidal loop that creates a mysterious
and restless atmosphere, topped with layers of micro-tones. The excellent
micro-tonal work is one of the most prominent features of the whole album.
This is the case in �Rotation� where the music becomes a little more harmonic
than the usual that we see in these kind of minimalist works. Biosphere
creates a beautiful sense of loneliness combined with a delicate work
of sub-basses. In the same way, in �Deviation� the micro-tones create
a mysterious harmony that produces a curious static feeling.

�Disparu� brings to the memory the former Biosphere works, where he uses
a loop of classical sound harmonies bringing the kind of cold atmosphere
that is so usual in his works.

The album closes with �Tombant� , one of the most beautiful tracks, which
is harmonically connected with the first track. The work with timbres
in this piece is exquisite and the feeling that the tones produce is really
warm, being closer to analogue synthesis than to the usual digital tones
in the minimalist scene from the past few years. Despite that Biosphere
has always been considered a unique artist creating cold feelings and
polar landscapes, it�s a paradox that he is without a doubt a musician
whose electronic works create a real organic and natural feeling.

With �Autour de la Lune� Biosphere submerged into his own minimalist world
of electro-acoustic sensations, micro-tones, and chromatic alterations,
without loosing a bit of his personal and unique language. The atmospheres
that reflect the complexity and richness of our universe, place Biosphere
as one of the sharpest watchers of our time.

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