Intelligent ambient - deserves recognition
Julian Boyce | Bahrain | 07/27/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I was at the 'cosmic event' at Earls Court in '78 or '79 when this piece of music was recorded for playback in some kind of immersion tent with lots of moody lighting and a few cushions in the centre to fall on...stoned with aunty chemical, of course. I was nineteen and went there with my dad.
Saying that, SH is one of the true expoents of ambient music - even more so than Brian Eno (who had not made ambient his own by that time). But I think Steve understood the inner spirit of ambient better than anyone - especilly the playful side: never taking it too seriously - he even fronted Deavadip John McLaughlin at the Hammersmith the same year for Christ sake.
Buy this, enjoy the tinkling water, the tibetan finger symbols while reacing out ot smoke whatever comes to hand. It defined electronic soundscape before the likes of Steve Roach, Vir Unis, Vidna Obmana or Jon Jenkins had ever first twiddled a VC3 analogue knob.
Pure cosmic bliss. May all your many gods bless you Steve Hillage.
JB"
The introduction is mistaken, as there are NO bonus tracks!
EtherealCereal | Michigan | 08/03/2008
(4 out of 5 stars)
"The original version of this CD (On Caroline Records) was wonderful. The reason I purchased the remastered version was in hopes that it would have bonus tracks on it. Contrary to the product description, there are NO bonus tracks on this CD, hence the four-star rating."
Pioneering ambient direction for Hillage
Warren W. Nelson | Mooresville, NC USA | 07/29/2007
(4 out of 5 stars)
"Released after 'green' in 1979, this album of what was then considered experimental electronic music, now called 'ambient', is a seminal document in the field. more joyous and uplifting, and more engaging principally than others experimenting in the field at the same time, these two performances contain beautiful and melodic synth textures over which Hillage provides some liquid guitar work. it would take 12 years before Hillage would pursue this direction again in system 7 and climb the electronic heights."