Showing posts with label John Kerr. Show all posts
Showing posts with label John Kerr. Show all posts

Friday, November 11, 2016

John Kerr - Cathedral (1983)


Previously on OPIUM HUM:
John Kerr - Reflections of Citadel (1993)
Ron Boots, Eric van der Heijden & Friends - By Popular Demand (1993)

More soothing, gently euphoric ambient synth from Mr. Kerr. Layer upon gauzy layer of synthesizer, slowly rising and receding like waves.

Track listing:
1. Where My Heart Is
2. Spring of Eternal Youth
3. The Mountain Sleeps
4. Sunrise
5. Spirits of the Earth
6. I'm on My Way
7. Gathering of the Spirits
8. Fond Farewell
9. Goblin
10. Edge of Eternity
11. For Ever and Ever
12. Sunset

Together we're free

More along these lines:
Erik Wøllo -
Silver Beach (1988)
Ad van Gerven -
Hatching (1992)

Thursday, February 11, 2016

Ron Boots, Eric van der Heijden & Friends - By Popular Demand (1993)


Related:
John Kerr - Reflections of Citadel (1991)

Good lord look at those nerds plinking away at their synths. The possibly ironically titled By Popular Demand compiles a series of live performances that feature an ever-shifting cast of Berlin school musicians centering on Ron Boots and Eric can der Heijden. It's not all ambient drift -- although there is of course plenty of that -- as is abundantly clear from the moment the (live!) drums kick in during the prog-y, drivingly hypnotic "Mercalli's Scale". Despite the cheesy presentation, this is actually a fucking ace record, and anyone who dug my recent slew of synth posts (see here, here, here, here, here, here, here, and here) should NOT sleep on it.

Track listing:
1. Mercalli's Scale
2. Time Room Spirits
3. Running Out of Time
4. Through Mental Doors
5. On the Edge
6. Time Room Special
7. March 28th
8. Unitas Special

Detachment of worldly affairs

You'll probably also be into:
Sam Rosenthal -
Before the Buildings Fell (1986)
Steve Roach -
Stormwarning (1989)

Sunday, January 31, 2016

John Kerr - Reflections of Citadel (1991)


Lulling, ambient synthscapes by English composer John Kerr. All drawn-out chords, simple but evocative melodies, gentle pulses, and atmospheric reverberations. Reflections of Citadel compiles all but two of the songs from two of Kerr's albums -- Reflections (1987) and Citadel (1988).

Track listing:
1. Still Waters
2. Wings of a Child
3. Forbidden Dreams
4. Mind Over Matter
5. Ever Decreasing Circles
6. Reflections
7. The Call
8. The Thirteenth Triangle
9. The Misted Light Below
10. Paradise with a Sting
11. In the Shadow of the Light
12. Passion, Love, and Pain
13. On the Plains of Creation

Gathering of the spirits

More like this:
Harold Budd -
Lovely Thunder (1986)
Rudy Adrian - Sub Antarctica (1999) +
Twilight (1999)