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Subtitled 'thanks for the add' this 13-track compilation brings together a number of unsigned artists working in the field of instrumental electronic music. As a concept it's spot-on as releases like this should always be used to support lesser-known artists, thus allowing the curious to discover new bands.
Prior to this release the only artists I'd previously heard of were Nattefrost who have a few recent albums under their belt (& who contribute the liveliest piece here although most of the credit goes to Robert Schroeder as he actually wrote it!) & Guido Negraszus who released a few albums in his native Germany in the early 90s prior to his relocation to Australia. His two tracks here both reflect the laidback, chillout mood that graced so many 'New Age' compilations in the 80s & 90s (usually with the title 'Sunshine Beach Feeling' or something similar!) although this has long since been an important part of his style. In contrast, not many of the newbies seem to be attempting to move EM onwards in any way as the two tracks from France's Kristalium & the singular offerings from NightBirds (a pleasant though hardly essential cosmic track) or Dust Free (although some may enjoy the laidback guitar work of their 'Heaven Six') just amble along pleasantly but leave no real impression in their wake. Of more interest are the punchy closer that is 'Toward The Infinite' by A.D.S.R., which, had it been released 10 years ago would more than likely have been compared to Robert Miles (simply for the sake of labelling, of course!!), the mechanical offbeat electropop of McCartnotron's 'UnterSeeBoot' & the darker mood that graces Mac Davis' 'May Rain' & VFXDesigner's 'Fox Hunters Part 3' while MC-Honert's 'Time Is Lost In Space' impresses through a genuinely ethereal & otherworldly sound, like looking at the world through a mirror that slightly changes reality. It's invention like this that makes instrumental EM the satisfying affair that, at its best, it can be so there is some faint encouragement to be had from the fact that these artists are prepared to explore these potentially more rewarding paths rather than simply copying the teutonic masters of the 70s, and, let's face it, when it's languishing as far down in the doldrums as it presently is then it needs all the encouragement it can get!
RATING: 6
Artist Link: http://www.sphericmusic.de
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