"I'll cut it to the bone here. I don't know what anyone's reaction to "Autour De La Lune" would be.
I doubt anyone but the sharp eared would notice something playing if you put on tracks 4,5, and 6 on low volume. Well, your dog would probably be urinating all over the floor from some of the barely audible high tones. If you had the volume up high, with considerable bass response, you'd probably vibrate the whole building and someone would call the proper authorities. The bass on "Deviation" is enough to probably crush the skull of Ashlee Simpson, if one were so inclined.
There's a complete lack of any catchy hook. Or beats. Nothing even remotely resembling a beat to be found. Or what most people would consider music.
But it's pretty much the best vision I've heard of space described in purely aural terms. The vastness and coldness is dwarfing. I can't give it 5 stars since I haven't been to space to very this (and some of it pushes my limits. "Translation" is nice, 22 minutes of it is too much).
I went out into the living room while this was playing. I turned on MTV2. Alicia Keys was doing something involving scraping the bottom of a barrel, and the bass tones from "Deviation" kept bleeding through the wall. Inevitably, I went back to listening to the same bass drone that kept me awake while listening to "Autour De La Lune", swallowed by just how remote this CD really is."
Weakest Biosphere album to date
Jmark2001 | Florida | 10/27/2007
(2 out of 5 stars)
"After the great Cirque and Szhenzou, this is a big disappointment. This is very minimalist - which could be good - but is poorly done. Tracks that should be brief seem to go on forever. Drones that do not compel never shift or change to something more interesting. Stars of the Lid does minimalist and keeps it fascinating. I'm afraid that Biosphere has gone down the wrong road with this one."
Not worth buying
Rick Groszkiewicz | Marietta, GA | 12/01/2007
(1 out of 5 stars)
"I just purchased seven CDs by Biosphere (available at Amazon). I have always found their music really interesting.
Unfortunately, this one disc is nowhere near up to the level of the others. It is really boring stuff. I have no idea why so many people rated it highly."
Introspective
as | 04/01/2006
(5 out of 5 stars)
""Autour de la Lune" is Biosphere's most introspective, minimal and beautiful release to date. This is an immensely enjoyable, highly accomplished minimal/drone/ambient album, by any standards. Especially recommended to those who enjoy Bernhard Günter, David Sylvian's ambient music, and later recordings by Lull.