I always think that it is an interesting exercise to post translations of foreign reviews of our various artists. However, with some - like this French review - I am not sure that the translation does it as much justice as we would have liked. I think, however, that he likes it.What do you think?
http://www.musicwaves.fr/frmchronique.aspx?pro_id=8380&url_ref=Genre_Peak_Redux
CD of Pop appeared in 2012 under the labelGonzo Multimedia
Once will not hurt, rather a label-oriented progressive rock sign a draft electronic music . Genre Peak is the brainchild of American keyboardist and percussionistMartin Birke , a veteran who started as a drummer in the late years 80 before going to programming percussion, synths and samplers. Curiously, after only two albums, and the departure of two colleagues with whom he had originally formed Genre Peak, Birke decided to release a compilation! It has anyway of remixes and two previously unreleased, recorded with the participation of the singer Percy Howard, with whom he also formed a trip-hop duo, Hardboiled Wonderland.
Arrangements are dominated by spacey synths and orchestral or more artificial, a stamp of crystalline piano, programmed percussion, bass, sometimes real (a piece with the late ex-bassist of Japan , Mick Karn ) and a few guitars clear and ethereal sounds.Howard has a clear tone, medium or severe enough, recalling the occasion David Bowie by his intonation a bit dramatic. On the other hand, the singer Tara C. Taylor , the register is large enough, however, less prominent and finally, we hear the song of Birke himself clear enough but not transcendent. "Redux" also features a few instrumentals of various styles, such as "Rama" with its dark atmosphere, full of a sort of latent threat, slightly reminiscent of some titles Peter Gabriel , with the vaporous mixture of synths and percussion acoustic timbres electronic and mixed."Words Surround Us" is a mysterious title, heavily electronic with mesmerizing violins of Benito Cortez and spacey synths and cold, somewhat reminiscent of what could beSteven Wilson with Tim Bowness in No-Man to the beginnings of the group. We find this style on a few other songs such as "Blue Filter" and along "Point Of No Return".By cons, "Hell On The Surface", fully electronic and heavily laden rhythms, is closer to some form of techno / trance.
If patches or more abstract orchestral keyboards are often superb, Birke seems fond of the sounds Battery artificial, dry and clacking, whose album is dotted. Matter of taste of course, but these sounds were already available long ago. They sound dated and are especially unattractive. It's pretty boring. Luckily, our man also offers more spacey songs, with beautiful piano tones and subtle percussion like on "No", the instrumental following the mysterious "Rama". Attention is struggling to stay again with the minimalist but little melodic "Microsphere 13" with its hazy sonorities and electronic punctuations that develop in a haphazard (note that Birke has another project called Microsphere !). In short, "Redux" is a hard uneven. There are obvious qualities: beautiful sounds on occasion, a certain concern for sound experimentation, melancholic moods and dramatic actors on some good songs by competent vocalists (especially Percy Howard ). That said, Genre Peak has limitations actually quite common in the world of electronic music including a lack of variation within the songs. The arrangements are sometimes a bit dry, the contrast is not evident between the voice warm keyboards and electronic rhythms and very cold, well programmed drum sounds with the snare drum or hollow metal which are not less. To be continued ... still Chronicle written by Mark M on 5/17/2012
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