On ARCTURUS (61'05"), the live album from Arc, the duo of Ian
Boddy and Mark Shreeve sounds a bit more like Shreeve's side
project Redshift in that the pieces are arranged a bit looser and
explore themes a bit longer than on previous Arc albums. "Part
One" (21'09") and Part Two" (24'11") transpire in classic
Spacemusic fashion. Out of the all-humbling darkness rises
mechanistic reiterating sequencer riffs intertwined with strident,
propulsive rhythms. The patterns mix, shift and divide like a
twisting double helix of echoing electronic tones. Engaging synth
melodies saturate each piece; their timbre a complicated
layering of recognizable elements fashioned into a sound known
but somehow unidentifiable. These performances eventually
progress through their brawny phase to gently turn ethereal and
otherworldly. Along with being shorter, the third track "Helicon"
(15'47") is also an even further departure from the known Arc
repertoire. Here the throbbing space bass pulse of the previous
pieces has been replaced by a more hypnotic, modern and
minimalistic sound. Shreeve and Boddy hit on all the major
aspects of this genre, their melodies are human, rhythms
machine-like, harmonies ethereal and the range of timbres they
create to voice their music original and extraordinary. Arc filters
the past into a vital contemporary landscape without sinking to
cliche. Their music is a sincere exploration of the mood and
mystery of the Spacemusic genre.

Tune in this weekend to STAR'S END for music from
ARCTURUS, the new album by Arc

For more on ARCTURUS, access: http://www.din.org.uk

-

STAR'S END broadcasts every Saturday night/Sunday morning
from 1am-6am (EDST) on:

88.5fm WXPN Philadelphia, PA
88.1fm WXPH Harrisburg, PA
90.5fm Worton/Baltimore, MD
104.9fm Allentown, PA

and live on the web...

-

Chuck van Zyl
Host of STAR'S END Ambient Radio
http://www.starsend.org