From: steve@oceania.com
Subject: Re: REQUEST: Steve Roach/Soma release Critique
Reply-To: steve@oceania.com
Organization: Oceania Health Care Systems
Date: Fri, 11 Dec 1992 23:41:17 GMT

Diamond (LJ10717@LMSC5.IS.LMSC.LOCKHEED.COM) writes
 
> Has anyone listened to the latest release by Steve Roach - Soma?  If so,
> can someone please post/or email a critique on this new CD?  Thanks in 
> advance!


Review: "Soma" by Robert Rich and Steve Roach
         on the Hearts of Space label (HS11033-2)

         8 tracks, 57:17 total playing time.

From the back of the CD (comments in parens are mine):

Steve Roach: synthesizers, sampler, drum programming, didgeridu, voice,  
clay water pots, rainstick, rocks, various percussions, Lakota Indian  
flute, ocarinas, glurp.

Robert Rich: synthesizers, samplers, bamboo and clay flutes, steel guitar,  
drum programming, Udu clay durms (I think that may be a typo :), dumbek,  
ceramic talking drum, Waterphone, kalimba, rainstick, various percussions,  
glurp.

Linda Kohanov: frame drum cries, swirls and scratches (tracks 6 & 7)

Soma:
In pursuit of ecstacy
Rhythms from the
earth's memory


First my overall impression (subjective) and then some comments on a track  
by track basis (more objective) as I listen to it.  Trying to describe the  
songs in non-abstract words is very difficult.  Every listener's  
interpretation will be very different.  For me, I see abstract scenes that  
sort of slowly change as the music progresses (no, I'm not on any drugs  
;^).  Other people's opinion on this album would be both helpful and  
appreciated.

"Soma" is more like Steve Roach's "Dreamtime Return" stuff than the faster  
paced music you hear on "Empetus."  Robert Rich's contributions are  
evident and the sound is rather different from Roach's solo works,  
although bears strong similarities in parts.  I like Steve Roach's work  
alot (mostly his fast-paced sequencer work) and this disc holds its own  
very well among the slower ones that I have ("Dreamtime Return", "Desert  
Solitaire" and "World's Edge").


1. Love Magick (7:40) - starts out with some rhythmic percussion, has sort  
of a tribal sound to it.  The percussion continues throughout the first  
half of the piece and provides a nice background for the lead flute.  The  
tempo varies alot - it slows to smooth Roach-style stuff before mild  
percussion begins again.  Percussion plays more than a background or  
'beat' role in this song.  I like it a lot.

2. Nightshade (5:07) - mild percussion and sweeping synth sounds.  The  
rainstick can be heard periodically (very nice sound!) along with some  
drum sticks that sort of make a 'cracking' sound (like a rim shot or  
something).  The tempo in this song also varies alot, interspersing some  
slow wavey parts.

3. Going Inland (4:05) - vibrant percussion that has a 'gong-y' sound to  
it.  Nothing really too 'grabby' about the song.

4. Silk Ridge (6:05) - a very mellow piece that, out of all the songs on  
this album, is the most characteristic of Roach's solo works.

5. Blood Music (8:10) - interesting bird sounds in this one (I think they  
might be related to the glurp instrument they play which has a very  
distinct sound that is tough to describe).  The percussion in this song is  
slow and rhythmic.

6. Soma (12:07) - very slow beginning, which leads into very mild,  
less-rhythmic drumming.  Rainsticks can also be heard a few times  
throughout the track.

7. Seduction of the Minotaur (5:21) - a relatively muted song that lives  
up to its title!

8. Touch (4:36) - another fairly ambient piece.


For reference:

Steve Roach CDs I have: "Desert Solitaire" (with other artists),
	"Dreamtime Return", "Empetus", "The Leaving Time" (with Michael
	Shrieve), "Now/Traveler" "Soma" (with Robert Rich),
	"Stormwarning", "World's Edge". 
"Soma" is the only work by Robert Rich that I own.


These are just my opinions (I included the 'For reference' section so you  
might have a clearer idea of where I'm coming from), take them for what  
you will.  I hope you will be able to at least make a more informed  
purchase if you decide to buy it.

=Steve
-- 
          Steve Dakin           | 
  Oceania Health Care Systems   |  That one deserves a ... WOW!
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