Reviews of Spaceship Eyes
and related projects

Spaceship Eyes

Full-length:
Of Cosmic Repercussions (Hypnotic Records), 2000
Truth In The Eyes Of A Spaceship  (Hypnotic Records), 1998
Kamarupa  (Noh Poetry Records), 1997

Compilations:
"Sea of Steps" on Ambient Time Travellers  (Hypnotic Records), 1996
"Deadliner" on Gary Numan: The Mix  (Cleopatra Records), 1998
"Deranged" (Wild Spice Mix) on Kraftwelt: Deranged in Space  (Hypnotic Records), 1997
"Cheebahcabra" (Freaky Chakra Mix) on In To The Mix II  (Hypnotic Records), 1998
Spaceship Eyes gigs: 1998,1997

Other related projects of Don Falcone

Full-length:
Quiet Celebration - Quiet Celebration (Noh Poetry/Gazul Records), 2000
Spirits Burning - New Worlds By Design (Gazul Records), 1999
Melting Euphoria - Through the Strands of Time  (Stratospheric Records), 1994
Trap: Beyond the Status Quo  (Gazul Records), 1997
Thessalonians - Soulcraftr (Silent Records), 1993
Spice Barons - Future Perfect State  (Silent Records), 1995
Spice Barons "Cognito ECCO AUM" on John C. Lilly's E.C.C.O.  (Silent Records), 1994
UFA - Unidentified Floating Ambience  (Silent Records), 1994
Heavenly Music Corporation - In a Garden of Eden  (Silent Records), 1993

Compilations:
Spirits Burning "Return Of The Giant Hogweed" on The Fox Lies Down (Purple Pyramid), 1998
Spirits Burning "Red" on Schizoid Dimension: A Tribute to King Crimsonr
Spice Barons "Spice of God" and HMC "A Reentry" on From Here to Tranquility I  (Silent Records), 1993
Patternclear "Tundra" on From Here to Tranquility II  (Silent Records), 1993
Satellite IV "In a Sugarcube" on 50 Years of Sunshine (Silent Records), 1993

Of Cosmic Repercussions "Spaceship Eyes is San Franciscan synthesist Don Falcone, and on his third CD, he successfully merges his space music roots into a hallucinatory, ambient electronica. Falcone orchestrates kinetic environments full of clanking machines, navigating virtual geometries on tracks like "The Mystery Of The Leaping Fish." By turns dark and dizzying, Spaceship Eyes summons up the demons on the malevolent grooves of "OCR (For Protection)," while "Vapor" takes a more euphoric trip through space in a collaboration with another ambient unit, the Spice Barons. With one of the more original rhythmic palettes of recent electronica, Falcone's percussion designs sound like a Rube Goldberg contraption on acid, taking acoustic tablas and morphing them into jungle grooves on "Big Martian Dog Hop" and alternating jazz riffing with a heavy-metal death march on "Keep Yourself Healthy." Spaceship Eyes' repercussions may not be cosmic, but they are exhilarating." -- Billboard, Nov. 18, 2000  [Critics Choice]

Of Cosmic Repercussions "The first album [Kamarupa] was more ambient while the second [Truth In The Eyes Of A Spaceship] was more drum 'n' bass, but this new one is a wholly different and way better affair. Starting with an uptempo mix of ambient, space-rock synth and textural electronics, all produced with a total clarity that is positively eye-opening, complete with phased effects, rolling rhythms and more, this is a superb six minute opener. Following that comes a more drum-led slice of solid space-rock ambience with all manner of electronics, rumbling bass, celestial synths, pounding rhythms and soaring backdrops all diving headlong into an intergalactic chase of immensely pleasurable proportions. Track three ["Here Come the Peacekeepers"] is similar and even better, with more synths swooping away, guitars added to the melting pot and a generally super-solid slice of driving space music. Track four ["Vapor"] features Spice Barons and returns to the more trancey roots of the band with a corking slice of ambient trance utilising sequenced synths, string synths, exotic drums, samples, echoed guitars, celestial female voice samples and more on one immense sounding slice of uptempo ambience that is a joy to hear. Track five ["Big Martian Dog Hop"] goes all-out to driving space-rock, albeit with an electronic backdrop, as rampaging Moroccan sounding drums and synths and effects pave the way for a soaring lead guitar to solo to magical effect as the track continues its glorious journey. Track six ["Genomania"] is a tad more bizarre - a sort of mix of drum 'n' bass squeezed through assorted effects pedals and stuff. Track seven ["Every Opera"] is a song that takes space-rock, drum'n bass and ambient dub, melts it all down and comes up with a driving slice of almost Hawkwind-like proportions, more Bainbridge than Brock, more synths than guitars, more electro than rock, but a thunderous six minutes, all the same. With four further equally flowing, solid, varied and consistent tracks to follow, this is a mix of electronic and space-rock that really works a treat and is a much, much better album than ever I'd have credited. Recommended."
-- Andy G., CD Services

Of Cosmic Repercussions "Nobody can accuse Don Falcone of being boring. In fact, of all the people I've been following these past few years Don's projects have produced some of themost interesting and exciting music in terms of variety. My impression of the third Spaceship Eyes CD is that it occupies something of a middle ground between the first two, and is a clear leap ahead of both of them. The first Spaceship Eyes release,
Kamarupa, was a Tangerine Dream-styled electronic space album, and the second, Truth In The Eyes Of A Spaceship, saw Don exploring techno and drum 'n bass territory. I'm not very tuned into the dance/rave underground, but what I enjoyed about Truth was that the dance elements were accompanied by music that was sufficiently varied that it was well beyond being mere dance music, and included LOTS of freaky sounds and fun that I enjoy so much.

Of Cosmic Repercussions is really more of an extension of Truth than it is like Kamarupa. If this is being played in dance clubs than I wonder if people are stopping and listening because the music is so multi-layered and busy that I catch more and more with each subsequent listen, which I attribute to its excellent production and sound quality. There's also a variety of players and instrumentation besides synths including guitar, violin, and real drums including Tabla and Bayan. How many rave records have you heard with Tablas! Speaking of Tablas, one of my favorite tracks is the rocker "Big Martian Dog Hop."  It's got a frantic rave feel, but the Tablas are in there adding to the rhythm. I was nearly sweating from the pace of this tune, though there are the briefest of interludes where I could catch my breath... if I was quick.

There are lots of cool spaced out dance tracks but there are a couple tunes that were a bit different too. "Keep Yourself Healthy" has some great jazzy funk guitar, which along with the rhythms, subtle freaky synth bits, and all-around atmosphere give it a bit of a late 60's Miles Davis feel.
And while there are a few vocal numbers on the CD, "All The Rubies" is the one real "song". It has some nice fuzzed out and wah'd guitar chords, and guitarist Jerry Jeter has a great voice so maybe we'll hear something more from him on the next Spirits Burning collaboration.

Having a solid foundation in spacerock and progressive rock makes Don uniquely qualified to make complex and exciting dance music that AI readers can appreciate. At least that's the conclusion I've drawn from listening to Of Cosmic Repercussions. And if this music isn't unique among dance/rave bands, then I'm missing something I should be further exploring."  -- Jerry Kranitz, Aural Innovations, October, 2000

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Truth In The Eyes Of A Spaceship "West Coast techno scenester Don Falcone has been a tireless collaborator and team player since the early 90's, but on his own, he's proved himself capable of creating some strikingly original music. Falcone's high-energy drum & bass is, more accurately, drum, bass 'n' bleeps, as he deftly inserts all manner of spacey sci-fi sound effects into the mixes, along with the more expected but very creative use of turntable scratching and vocal samples. Falcone also uses some of the most imaginative drum programming this side of Autechre and Photek -- half time, double time, assorted polyrhythms - that'll have your appendages headed off in a different directions trying to track the beats. Put it all together, and it's a heady, disorienting brew." -- Bill Tilland, Alternative Press, November, 1998

Truth In The Eyes Of A Spaceship "Don Falcone is back with an amazing collection of break-beat and techno electronica, with guests Karen Anderson, Bainbridge (of Hawkwind) and others. This CD will rewire your mind, so listen to it today..." -- Progressive Underground, Meistro

Truth In The Eyes Of A Spaceship "This album sounds like it was a lot of fun to make. It works as techno, and it works as a trip album. The best thing about it is that it should appeal to both. Falcone sets the mood with his loops and keys, and the guests add their own coloring and flavoring. Various trippy-voice and spoken-word samples are used to a good effect. Altogether, an excellent modern musical experience." -- Paul Williams, Progression #28, Summer/Fall, 1998

Truth In The Eyes Of A Spaceship "While last year's Kamarupa was an ethereal, trancey instrumental effort, this new release is an interesting mix of techno dance beats, freaky space electronics, and ambient soundscapes. This is music that could appeal to a wide audience. ...while on the surface this disc is more techno/dance than Kamarupa, in terms of sound exploration (and sound playfulness) I found it more adventurous." -- Jerry Kranitz, Aural Innovations, October, 1998

Truth In The Eyes Of A Spaceship "Don Falcone (aka Spaceship Eyes) has an offer for all you lovers of ambient, dance, electronic and space music (or so he eludes in the liner notes), and those who take the offer are in for a wild, if not entertaining ride. Falcone's world exists on a layer of breakbeats and pseudo drum & bass, a rhythm section that seems to embrace chaos as much as order. Themes change like the wind, beats are expendable... As an accomplice to the looped mayhem, an arsenal of found sound and processed analog play add a benign madness to the stew. It should be noted that, while rather complex and "out there" in its presentation, Truth is not a difficult listen, not even close to the warped music of say, Electric Company. The dense constructions of Spaceship Eyes have a welcoming flow, and should make sense to even the average dance enthusiast." -- Maveriq, FAQT Electronic Culture, Vol. 3 No. 1

Truth In The Eyes Of A Spaceship "Attention cybernauts and space travelers, the new Don Falcone work arrives directly from outer space. The former member of space rock bands Thessalonians and Melting Euphoria decided to advance one more step in his approach to the electronics aesthetic with his project Spaceship Eyes First, it was Kamarupa and now arrives "Truth" . . . where drum 'n' bass footprints and extreme dancing are notable, although Don Falcone takes over these influences without giving up to empty intentions, as his exploration and deepening at a rhythmic level (as occurred in Kamarupa), is still worthy of dignity, while you can also notice his taste for the risk without falling into extravagances. As Don Falcone told us in our previous issue, in this work there is a condensation of musical criteria originated from electronics, progressive space and the dance vanguard, always from the dark side and whose intent is in marking new routes in the next century's music exploration. Among a long musicians list, ex-Hawkwind Harvey Bainbridge collaborates on one piece." -- Rafa Dorado, Margen, #14 [Translated from Spanish by Miguel Bellés]

Truth In The Eyes Of A Spaceship "Come to me my children. I have a lesson to teach you. Hypnotic Records doesn't understand the concept of bad music. They have yet to release anything that would remotely resemble stagnancy. It is a sure bet that if they release it, it's going to be good. Spaceship Eyes is no exception. I find Truth similar to the Eat Static/Michael Dog style of electronica, however there is the Hypnotic element at work here. If you are looking for a little bit of a break from the standard "raver grind" style, try it on for size. However, I must give you a warning. Hypnotic has the power to take control of your soul. Within two or three releases, you will be mindlessly wandering the streets asking strangers at the crosswalks for spare change while chanting, 'Hypnotic. Hypnotic.' Go now, my children. You have the knowledge you need." -- Drew West, Ink 19, September, 1998

Truth In The Eyes Of A Spaceship "A real great recording of ambient electronics. (**** Excellent-Among The Best Of The Genre)" -- Dwight Loop, Ear Magazine, September, 1998

Truth In The Eyes Of A Spaceship "It is quite probable that electronic music is most often mentioned with words such as "novel," "original," "vanguardist," "breakthrough." In the second work of synthesizer/sound manipulator, Don Falcone/Spaceship Eyes, this is absolutely certain. Taking the drum 'n' bass coming from "dance" as a primary spice, Don creates a spacey re-adaptation of this word, reaching the desired effect: serious, convicted and brave. A restless experiment of surprising and valid results. On the back of the cover Don expresses his welcome to all lovers of ambient, dance, and progressive electronic and space music. If coalescing and being liked by diverse people appears utopic, listening to this record proves that the ex-Melting Euphoria North American has made it giving space rock a new revolutionary terminology. My initial reaction was not of so much surprise since I discovered Conrad Schnitzler, back in '77 !!!. And curiously, I could say that I find him associated (more in theory than in style) with the founder of Tangerine Dream. The multidirectional rhythms, continuous acoustic metamorphosis and a sensation of being present in a gigantic mosaic of microsounds formed by a billion musical bacterias all different in colors and forms, in constant motion. I could be giving LSD-stoned descriptions throughout all the review. Several invitees like Gary Parra (Trap), Harvey Bainbridge (Hawkwind), DJ Pen /Paul Neyrinck (Thessalonians), Karen Anderson, Daum Bentley/Freaky Chakra ... among others collaborated for this also. It is to highlight the titanic percussive work of the recording, based in synth, all kinds of percussion, sounds handling, loops, samplers or tablas. The hypnotic effect on this kind of music takes a new and attractive form. Even though I care less for the Dance, Techno and other Disco track noises than I care for the health condition of a banana dictator, I have to accept an almost cinematographic approach, sometimes worthy of a futuristic movie frenetic scene, "Capricorn 1" style or as an "Alien" sequel. Spaceship Eyes has already warned us with Kamarupa of its evolutive interest and now they totally confirm it. This is the true cyberock for the coming century." -- J. J. Iglesias, Atropos, #11, November, 1998  [Translated by Miguel Belles]


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Kamarupa "In summary, Spaceship Eyes will appeal to spacers who are looking for something less heavy and more dreamy. And I give it a thumbs up for being image-inducing without chemical aid." [editor: though you could]       (Full article)
-- Jerry Kranitz, Aural Innovations, #3, July, 1998

Kamarupa ". . . there's a percussive background that supports the spacey synths and assorted noises, warbles, bleeps and swathes when they need it, and surges to the fore during the lulls. It's ambient, yes, but it drops in those round, decaying bass sounds so beloved ofjungle-heads. Think Hawkwind and TD, but then add the experimental and tribal edge of Can and you'll be in the right ballpark." -- Jimmy Possession, Jimmy's Riddle/Robots and Electronic Brains, February, 1998

Kamarupa "In the vein of psych-trippers Hawkwind and the electronic projects of the Krautrock artists, mainly Klaus Schulze and Tangerine Dream. Some songs are freer than others, some arrive with a rhythmic and melodic base, as in "Crafted from Wood," a clear homage to the Kraftwerk of "Spacelab" fame (in Man Machine of 1978)."
-- Marcos Cardozo de Oliveira, Metamúsica #7, June, 1998 [translated from Portuguese]

Kamarupa "Spaceship Eyes is the solo project of the keyboardist Don Falcone after his work in diverse space rock bands (the most known Melting Euphoria). Kamarupa - it's an ambient-trance-psychedelic-experimental work with a space rock touch in a complex rhythmic context (with Gary "Trap" Parra -- ex-Cartoon, ex-PFS in 6 tracks). Kamarupa is the unification of the cyclic and rhythmic climates of the space-rock with the abstract atmospheres of electronic music. The result are 12 tracks of minimal and hypnotic tendency that proportion to the listener an auditory experience by some of the unexplored territories of the innovative current music. Tracks as "Kamarupa," "Tribal Roots" or "Granny Gurten's Mysterious Space Needle" will signify true finds for followers of the most imaginative electronics and a new impulse to electronic music in the 90's. Highly recommended." -- Rafa Dorado, Margen magazine, Issue #12, January, 1998

Kamarupa "Thanks for leaving me helpless again ! This CD was announced as space music - I checked their homepage and found: 'An indie music label dedicated to electronic, ambient, space & psychedelic music.' When I finally received the CD I found it to be completely different from what I expected .. mhhh... Yes, it (was) all the before mentioned but presented a different way. The songs seem to be created by chance but on the other hand it's all much too careful to be improvised. This is a CD that one can listen to regularly - every time it will probably approach in a different way. A special touch is added by Karen Anderson [and Gary Parra] percussion work ... somehow played very free, which keeps the tension. Another aspects that leads this production out of the normal are hints from techno genre ... very subconcious but I think I really heard them ... did I ? I know I said this quite often but again I found a real unique release created in complete musical freedom." -- Lord Litter, March, 1998 reviews

Kamarupa "Ambient, new age, whatever you may call it, this is definitely something that you must experiment!!! Very pleasant listening is guaranteed here!!! Spaceship Eyes is the solo project of Mr. Don Falcone, who played with Thessalonians and Melting Euphoria. Kamarupa (please, don't ask me what it means... I have no idea!) is running over seventy minutes of (as the label described it) ambient electronic space rhythms... Or if you wish, something like a cross between Tangerine Dream and the legendary Michael Oldfield... New age for the space age?! Great material for the ones into that kind of trip... Or open enough to discover it!!!" -- Remi Cote, Soundscape #2, January 1998

Kamarupa "At the edge of the electronic music, notably electric, possibly climatic, by chance robot-like, passably atmospheric, surprisingly hypnotic, manifestly eclectic, incidentally mechanical, estranged elastically, obviously fantastic, alternatively psychedelic, episodically Asian, inevitably asthmatic..." -- Didier Gonzalez, Harmonie Magazine, Issue #33, January 1998 [translated from French]

Kamarupa ". . . on the whole this album worked well for me. It isn't music to sit with your ears glued to the speakers, or with the lyric sheet clutched in hand singing along; no, this is more designed for lying on your bed clutching a glass of wine - or whatever chemical enhancements you desire - and let the whole thing flow over you. If you are into Dream, Tim Blake, Bo Hansson . . . then this could be right up your street." -- Frank Blades, Avebury Project, December, 1997

Kamarupa single: "Chameleon Sighting" " Trippy, mesmeric sounds of swirling synths."
--Ashley Franklin, Soundscapes radio program, BBC Radio Derby, November 23, 1997

Kamarupa " . . . this recording clearly leans more toward the electronic and explorative . . . feed(ing) seemlessly into one another, forming a long continuum that is in a constant state of flux, unfolding and growing, shifting and drifting. Each listen leads to some new discovery, or at the very least a new perspective. In all, high marks for originality, overall concept and execution." -- Peter Thelan, Exposé #13, Summer, 1997

Kamarupa "Falcone has a unique knack for being alternately playful and awe-inspiring with his deep, fluid, flipped-out synth manipulations. Considering that, Kamarupa is a sophisticated album for all space/ambient/psych freaks, and is well worth checking out. " -- John Collinge, Progression #24, Summer, 1997

Kamarupa ". . . this is really a rather excellent multi-layered, vari-soundscaped, superbly paced, ambient synth album with real drums adding to the rhythmic range and a good, varied, solid set of compositions featuring some superb synths and keyboards work with a hand on the tiller of melody, perfect for anyone." -- Andy G., CD Services

Kamarupa "Kamarupa shows the intelligence of Don Falcone taking you to the terrain of space/psych (music) of the first division. Starting from this accustomed base, I would augur a wonderful future around the orbits of Spaceship Eyes.
Major Head Music. Assured enjoyment." -- J. J. Iglesias, Atropos #7, October, 1997   [translated from Spanish]


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Spirits Burning vs. Spaceship Eyes Live (Full Moon Saloon in San Mateo, CA, May 15, 1998, opening for Present) "Setting up on the tiny stage was the opening act, aptly named Spirits Burning vs. Spaceship Eyes, an amalgam of local musician and Cleopatra recording artist Don Falcone's two bands of the same names. As the lights dimmed the club was kind enough to turn off the canned music for a bit while the band played. SE had played at an ESCP gig before, offering a mix of trippy ambient to space rock. For tonight's show, Don was joined by John Pluth on guitars, Carol Pluth on Bass and JJ Cache on drums. They were all pretty much in the space rock mode. It was a good set, filled with lots of guitar runs, synth leads (Don seems to favor that Casio sound), a solid bass line met well with the newly-acquired drummer. Add to that lots of sampled noises and drum machines. SB vs SE kept the pace going for the whole of their set. A rousing version of KC's "Red" was included, and their own take on Genesis' "Return of the Giant Hogweed," as featured on the recent Cleopatra tribute CD. They played for an hour, and the audience seemed to enjoy the band. They proved a good opener." -- Dane Carlson, Exposé #16, "Present Across America"


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Spaceship Eyes Live (headlining Club Kaos in Fremont, CA on January 10, 1997) "an unusual and powerful set . . . a mix of psychodelic space-rock and ambient, with measured doses of avant-gardisms." -- Peter Thelan, Exposé #12


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Spaceship Eyes: Ambient Time Travellers "...this compilation contains much more space travel than time travel, with a lot of spacey electronics floating in ethereal environments..." -- Option, March 4, 1996

Spaceship Eyes: "Sea of Steps" on Ambient Time Travellers ". . . the standout track for me is Spaceship Eyes "Sea of Steps" which is a slow moody, beatless massage for the mind. " -- Brian Wright, CJSF's Kazoo Issue #13


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Spaceship Eyes: "Deadliner" on Gary Numan: The Mix "Using Kraftwerk and David Bowie as sources, Gary Numan was a harbinger of electronica when he emerged frozen in black amid clouds of dry ice in the late 70s. Despite his brief international stardom, Numan was roundly dismissed at the time, but has since become an inspiration to a legion of underground dance and industrial groups. On this new release of old recordings, dance music producers such as Leather Strip and LCD get together to remix classic Numan cuts such as "Cars" and "Are 'Friends' Electric?" The results are sometimes great, often interesting and occasionally hilarious, just like the man himself."
-- Steffan Chirazi, San Francisco Chronicle, April 12, 1998

Spaceship Eyes: "Deadliner" on Gary Numan: The Mix"This album, however, is Numan's own tribute to his work, as seen through the eyes of the artists who call his inspiration home. Not every track will be instantly familiar, but all are immediately recognizable, because that, too, was the message in Gary Numan's medium, forever pushing forward, forever breaking boundaries. And whether he's doing it himself, through the albums which still sound as fresh as tomorrow, or leaving it to others, challenging them to match the master, the momentum will always be in good hands. Friends are still electric, after all." -- Dave Thompson, 1998


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Spaceship Eyes: "Deranged" (Wild Spice Mix) on Kraftwelt: Deranged in Space "Denmark's future advancement of Kraftwerk. I'd say this is by far Hypnotic's most fun and listenable release to date, although I hear there is another Kraftwelt single in existence, which would mean there are TWO!? There are exactly 12 remixes of "Deranged," my personal favorite being the "Coercian Mix" which is remixed by Matt Green of Spahn Ranch, which has a most wonderful trance-like feel and energy about it. The work as a whole flows seemlessly and sustains a consistent level oor at least one listening...). To note, other remixers include Len Del Rio, K.A. Cof wonderment for the listener to enjoy. The odd track is Claus Larson's (Læather Strip) remix, which, in itself, is brilliant! What was that? Why is it odd? Because it breaks up the dance monotony with a more than slight industrial oriented track with Larson's whacked guitars. Now that I think about it, Controlled Bleeding's Paul Lemos' interpretation is similarly cracked!? Deranged In Space never gets tiresome, you'll discover something new with each listen (headphones are suggested frp., Torben Schmidt of Aqualite (who, incidentally, remixes the ONE song that is not a version of Deranged In Space, "The Path"), Uberzone, Dean De Benedicts, Gerald & Heiki, Anton Floriano, Dr. Kevin & Virus, and Don Falcone." -- Larry Dean Miles


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Spaceship Eyes: "Cheebahcabra" (Freaky Chakra Mix) on In To The Mix II "One of the best new comps ta come out in '98, fer tekkno, downtempo dnb, and cybertrance fans alike. It's packaged in that outstanding Hypnotic fashion of being a 2CD set fer only the price of one. There's too much good stuff on here, every track is strong and I've played all of them on me show... jest as good as the first in the series... go fer it...u'll like me fer it!" -- Marie Davenport, KDViations, Spr. '98

Quiet Celebration

Quiet Celebration "Don Falcone is probably best known for his keyboards and synth work in the space rock group Spaceship Eyes. A prolific performer, he's been active in the ambient and space music scene since theearly eighties and has recorded several albums with various groups and contributed to numerous compilation CD's.

Quiet Celebration is his latest project and finds him exploring interesting new avenues and infusing jazz and world music influences. He is joined by frequent associate Edward Huson playing tabla and bayan, Ashley Adams on contrabass and John Purves from Spirits Burning, providing woodwinds (mainly sax and flute). On a number of tracks, Falcone adds to Huson's percussion with the Udu drum, giving them an upbeat quality and strongly enhancing the world music flavour.

Quiet Celebration is entirely instrumental and all ten compositions are by Falcone. For the most part, his synths are spacious and atmospheric, providing a broad canvas for developing spacey or jazzy themes. Sax is used frequently as the lead instrument and along with Adams' acoustic bass, gives the music a late-night, jazzy feel. However, it never threatens to become bland incidental music, and has more than enough variety to maintain the interest. Some pieces have a delicate, oriental quality, particularly when Purves switches to flute, while others are closer to Falcone's ambient roots, with subtle layering of sound textures and nicely restrained sequencing.

Falcone and Quiet Celebration have produced a near perfect blend of ambient and jazzy/world music, relaxing and mellow, but always stimulating and engrossing. I was often reminded of artists on the ECM catalogue (Jan Garbarek and Trilok Gurtu are two that spring to mind) and I think fans of the label could well find a lot to enjoy." -- Dave Griffith, Audion, #46

Quiet Celebration "Quiet Celebration is a world/ambient project headed by Don Falcone (synths, udu & compositions), featuring members of Spirits Burning and other related projects on contrabass, woodwinds and percussion. The musical program here is entirely instrumental, consisting of 10 tracks of varying length, floating along driven by synths and some programmed elements, with subtly complex rhythms provided by the tablas and bass. Leads are handled by the saxes, flutes and synths, often multi-tracked. The sound is low key and very organic, often reminding this writer of some elements of Pseudo Buddha's Motive, with hints of classic Embryo, Popol Vuh, or even some of the recent work by Urban Sax. This is definitely excellent music for relaxation, meditation, or even sleeping. Synths generally provide background coloration and lead melodic elements that work cooperatively with the winds, as well as some sampled percussive elements that, together with the tablas give the set a distinct eastern flavor. It's important to note that nothing about this music is edgy or abrasive - it all flows very smoothly, but at the same time it's not new-age fluff either, and can be sufficiently challenging at or below the surface, in conscious or semi-conscious states. This is one of those discs that gets more engaging with each successive listen. Falcone has done an excellent job realizing this, and hopefully this won't be the last we hear of Quiet Celebration. Recommended." -- Peter Thelen, Exposé

Quiet Celebration "Quartet formed by Spaceship Eyes synth man Don Falcone, revolving around a line-up of synths/udu, contrabass, woodwinds and bayan/tabla, all of which essentially reveals a really atmospheric mix of ambient and jazz, electronic and ethnic, electric and acoustic, all served up over ten tracks that are totally enticing and largely uptempo thanks to the percussives giving the rhythms a very Moroccan-sounding feel, although everything from the synths through the woodwinds to the percussion is all very ambient sounding, melodic and rhythmic for sure, as opposed to textural drifting, but with a feel, heart and soul that you just don't find in this sort of music that often. Overall, a superbly played, composed and produced album of exotic and accessible, timeless instrumental delights. " -- Andy G., CD Services

Quiet Celebration "Here's an album that could give "new age" music a good name: a rich,well-written set of pieces which use the tools of the new age lexicon to tell a story worth hearing, rather than just using them to fill space.

Truth be told, there seems to be almost as much jazz influence here as anything: Although the compositions are definitely written on and centered around Don Falcone's keyboards, the smoky horn bits which occassionally snake their way through these pieces to a whole new level. Picture Chris Botti sitting in on a really, really good Windham Hill album.

Quiet Celebration is, as the title suggests, a very sedate disc - a mood successfully hinted at on the cover art, which has several lovely paintings of rain-washed cities at night. A great package in most respects." -- James Bickers, Progression, Fall 2000/Winter 2001

Quiet Celebration "The name of the band will reveal the direction of this project, which features Edward Huson (bayan, tabla), Ashley Adams (contrabass), Don Falcone (synth, udu), and John Purves (woodwinds). This initial release expands on ambient and new age world musics with misty explorations into distant influences. The result is calming to the point when "Coal (July 9)" leaps out of the shadows with its pulsating tabla and exulting saxes exploding. Further listens will reveal more such ebbing within the sonic undergrowth here, rewarding your return.."
-- Bryan Baker, Gajoob, Nov. 27, 2000

Quiet Celebration "The return of Don Falcone offers a heady tripped out keyboard fest with key instruments adding to a jazzy mix. Bayan, tabla,
contrabass, udu and woodwinds lend an almost ECM type sound to this music, which can be traced back to Heavenly Spice Barons and the
like. Late night drifting sounds make up a kind of world-jazz, ambient style in this Quiet Celebration. Each track is named after a color or gem stone, so we have Ivory, Sienna, Pearl, Sapphire, Amber, etc. " -- Lloyd Barde, Backroads Music, September-December Reviews 2000

Quiet Celebration "Quiet Celebration is a very different undertaking, being a combination of ambient space music with jazz, classical, and world music. The band is a quartet of Don Falcone on synth and Udu, Edward Huson on Bayan and Tabla [he also appears on Of Cosmic Repercussions], Ashley Adams on contrabass, and John Purves on woodwinds. I love the mixture of ambient space with real percussion, and this is what drew me into Don's world when I was first introduced to Kamarupa a couple years back. On Quiet Celebration, not only is this combination featuredprominently, but the addition of the contrabass and wind instruments make for an excellent example of space music made more exciting by the presence of all these acoustic instruments. The music is sometimes eerie, but is, overall, uplifting and has a spiritual quality. I even detect at various times some Native American and Oriental influences. Imagine Shadowfax without guitar and you'll get something like Quiet Celebration.

In summary, there's nothing particularly complex or sophisticated about Quiet Celebration. But I really enjoyed hearing spacey cosmic synths being an equal partner with the acoustic instruments.If Of Cosmic Repercussions picks up where Truth In The Eyes Of A Spaceship left off, then Quiet Celebration elevates the music created on Kamarupa to new heights of space ambient elegance."
-- Jerry Kranitz, Aural Innovations, October, 2000

New Worlds By Design "Sometimes I lose track of exactly what I have in my collection. CDs can lie around for months before I dig them out and put them on the CD player. Such was the Spirits Burning CD New Worlds By Design. What was this?  Why was it sat in my collection?

I had a look at the credits - and it all came rushing back to me. Spirits Burning was a project created by Master Ambience himself, Don Falcone - he of Spaceship Eyes and a plethora of other projects. And the accompanying cast reads like a Who's Who of Psychedelic Rock. First up, the Gongmeister, Mister Daevid Allen. Also check in the ubiquitous Steve Wilson of Porcupine Tee, No man, etc. And special appearances by former Can vocalist Malcolm Mooney and Pressurehed's Thomas Grenas. Add elements of various of today's top psych-rock bands including Anubian Light, DarXtar, Melting Euphoria, NemeSis, Pressurehed, Quarkspace and SubArachnoid Space - as well as Don's own Spaceship Eyes touring band, and you have a line-up which makes Live Aid look like a village fete!

And the music What music! The harmony of the spheres teleported to Tibet on back of some rather large silver machine. Everyone has brought their own sounds with them, and rather than try to use their skills to forge a new sound, they have melding elements of everything into one large CD-shaped psych-rock mosaic. Basically, if you like your music with extra Gliss and Celestial Synths - you need go no further!

And as a result, the range in styles across the tracks is vast. On one hand, you get the very Spaceship Eyes-influenced ambience like the opening track Solar Campfires with its sound effects and minimal melodies. Compare that to the space rockiness of Arcturus featuring Thomas Grenas. This is pure riffing guitars and bubbling synths and could easily have come from one of the 1970s Hawkwind albums. And change again, and you get the guitar-heavy, but very Mother Gong-sounding The Unknown. Each track is different, and as a result you end up with a melded compilation of the best of contemporary space rock.

My favourite track is possibly Beautiful Stealth, In A Church, which is Daevid Allen at his best. A hoarsely whispered Gongish poem overlays some gorgeously ambient effects - and I love the imagery describing Bond Bergland's Stealth guitars because that describes it so well! I say 'possibly' my favourite, because each time I listen to this album, something new crops up in a track I previously missed; after all there are seventeen tracks here - it's easy to overlook one.

Also worth a mention are The Ticking Of Science and The Eagle Has Landed, as this is where Steve Wilson and Malcolm Mooney respectively guest. Ticking was initially a bit of a disappointment, although to be honest, you can never predict what Mr.Wilson is going to come up with next. I kinda hoped for some scorchingly ambient guitar solos - but instead the guitars are rather low-key. At over 13 minutes though. This is twice as long as any of the other tracks, and even without extended guitar solos, it is incredibly effective. I must remember was Mr Hillage said - not a guitar hero; a guitar zero. The Eagle is a bit of cheat really. Rather than being a joint effort, it is merely a Malcolm Mooney & The 10th Planet track licensed for inclusion of this CD. Mooney fans will already know it - and to be honest, I don't think it fits here - it is obviously rawer and lacks Don's soothing touch; as a result it stands out amidst sixteen other ambient tracks. And as for Daevid Allen, well he features on seven of the tracks, and is pretty obvious on all. Would you expect anything else?

The best way to describe this album would be as a musical barbecue in Don Falcone's back garden. He invites everyone he knows to come along - and bring a vibe. Everyone turns up, throws their vibes in with Don's (after all, as a good host, you are expected to make sure you have enough vibes for everyone!) and everyone mucks in. And like all good barbecues - it doesn't rain, the neighbours don't call the cops, and the vibes last long into the night. I just hope they all hung around and helped clean up afterwards!" -- Frank Blades, Alternative View, February, 2001


New Worlds By Design "... New Worlds By Design is the first full-length album by Spirits Burning. (Don) Falcone used the Internet to create this debut CD; he asked around for contributions to his project and got a massive response; musicians from US psych bands like Melting Euphoria, Pressurehed, Anubian Lights, Farflung, Zero Gravity, The Brain, Spiral Realm, Quarkspace/National Steam, F/i, Subarachnoid Space, Quiet Celebration and Saqqara Dogs offered their assistance, but also people like Daevid Allen and Steve Wilson (Porcupine Tree) and Scandinavian groups like DarXtar, The Moor and NemesiS contributed to the making of this CD. Falcone wrote or co-wrote songs and used the Internet possibilities of digital music transfer to create 17 tracks (77 min), each bearing the distinct mark of their composers and/or performers. Not every track is an instant classic but the majority of this versatile brew of '70s-'90s psych rock and ambient electronics is very much OK and offers enjoyable listening to anybody into the modern electronic side of rock. Check it out." -- Audion

New Worlds By Design "Perhaps Musea's best kept secret, Spirits Burning is ex-Melting Euphoria/Spaceship Eyes/Thessalonians Don Falcone's latest 'band.' . . . The material here generally falls in an area between space rock, electronica, experimental, and psychedelic - all working together in varying degrees, resulting in an interesting recipe that offers a good sense of variety, but also has a definite purpose and direction. . . . New Worlds By Design has a far more aggressive rock-based perspective punctuated by flourishes of electronics and psychedelica. . . . Challenging and experimental, yet remarkably accessible, this disc should appeal to those into the Hawkwind/Neo-Psych axis with a thirst for forward-looking ideas. Recommended." -- Peter Thelan, Exposé #20, October, 2000

New Worlds By Design "The brainchild of Don "Spaceship Eyes" Falcone, Spirits Burning began life in 1986 as a band and has cropped up in recent years on a few Cleopatra tribute CD's and in concert. In 1998 Don sent out invitations to numerous spacerock musicians to join in a group project that in most cases involved Don sending out tapes that the various participants added to. And looking at the lineups on each track it's clear that many of these tapes traveled between more than two points. The result has got to be one of the most ambitious projects of 1999. It is, as Don describes it, "A Gathering in Space."

Among the many esteemed contributors are Daevid Allen, Steven Wilson of Porcupine Tree, members of Can, DarXtar, Quarkspace, Farflung, F/i, SubArachnoid Space, Melting Euphoria, plus various other contributors. There are 17 tracks running a full 76 minutes and the music runs the gamut from spaced out drum 'n bass to full blown heavy Hawkwind-styled spacerock. Getting too deeply into each track is impossible but I'll single out a few of my favorites that cover the stylistic range on the CD.

By Design, Arcturus, and Snakebite Serum are the heavy spacerockers represented on the set. By Design is a potent space power rocker with crunchy guitar from Joe Diehl pumped up by the keyboard combo of Don on organ and Paul Williams (Quarkspace) on Prophecy. Arcturus is a heavy spacerocker from Len Del Rio and Tommy Grenas (both of Pressurehed, Farflung, Anubian Lights, and more). And Snakebite Serum is a fast-paced rocker with blazing guitar from K. Soren Bengtsson (DarXtar), along with saxes, tablas, and a heavy keyboard backbone.

There are also numerous soundscape atmospheric pieces on this CD, though they are far from being simple floating electronica. In nearly every case the music has numerous layers of synths and spacey guitars which add a bit of complexity to the dreamy environment. Beautiful Stealth, In A Church includes several contributors that create an aural collage of sound using mostly synths, but also Daevid Allen on gliss guitar and Knut Gerwers reciting a freeform style of poetry. The Ticking Of Science is partly a Tangerine Dreamy soundscape work, but includes drum 'n bass beats and loads of bleeping freaky synth sounds. At 13 minutes it gets to stretch out a bit and continually changes direction and rhythms. Smart Messages In The Sand is another track that grabbed me with its techno beat, many layers of synths, and gorgeous soaring guitar.

The disc also includes a few song-oriented tracks. Secret Invention is an electro-pop tune that is as complex as it is simplistically toe-tapping. Speak To The Wind has a New Wave rockin' feel with a thudding bassline and loads of freaky space sounds. And The Unknown is a heavy rocker with dual smoking guitars and Karen Anderson on vocals.

Finally, Arc - A Real Creeper, is an atmospheric piece with gliss guitar and poetry from Daevid. Don had told me earlier about how Daevid Allen was at his home and found his college thesis of poetry on the shelf and just started reciting from it. The result is a freaky but floating tune that serves as a fitting close to this fine collection.

In summary, there is something for all spacerockers on this collection. A true spacerock supergroup effort that combines a variety of talents. Gazul is a sub-label of Musea and your best bet for obtaining it in the USA is through Wayside Music."
-- Jerry Kranitz, Aural Innovations, January, 2000, Number 9

New Worlds By Design "The brainchild of American musician and Spaceship Eyes main man, Don Falcone, this is a project whereby pieces of music or single phrases or just solo excerpts of all the tracks were started by Falcone and the tapes then sent all round the world to the musicians, asking for them to make contributions to the track, from excerpts to the whole track, in many cases. The amazing result of all this is not only a stellar line-up of musicians that will make your jaw-dropped in amazement, but a set of seventeen tracks in seventy-six minutes of which every one is so cohesive, flows so well, and delivered to perfection, so that you'd swear that on each track, all the participants had been in the studio at the time of recording.

Stylistically, it covers a wide amount of mostly instrumental ground from mainly instrumental space-rock, with nods to prog-rock, Krautrock and contemporary to wild prog-fusion and chilled-out acid-rock - virtually everything to make up a truly classy album that will have a massively wide appeal, built around a predominant instrumentation of drums, electric bass, electric guitars and synths on each track but almost all tracks possessing a huge, solid sound and production that places them firmly in the more prog/ Euro-/ jamming side of rock and space-rock, in the vein of classic jamming bands such as Ozrics, Tribe of Cro, yet here the whole thing is a lot more cohesive, less bombastic, less indulgent and more on-fire, full to the brim with original ideas, inspired playing and superb execution, editing, production and sound. But you'll hear some truly outstanding guitar work in particular, with some great spacey synths and on-fire rhythm section work from the likes of Gong's Daevid Allen, Don Falcone, Paul Fox, K. Soren Bengtsson, Pressurehed's Len Del Rio, Farflung's Tommy Grenas, Sub Arachnoid Space's Mason Jones, Porcupine Tree's Steve Wilson and loads more, with Daevid Allen playing some fantastic electric guitar and glissando on quite a few of the longer tracks on the album, showing he can still play a mean guitar lead, while the penultimate track is written largely by and features Can's Malcolm Mooney.

Overall, it is a loud, exciting, mainly space-rock style project that is so much more than it seems in a review like this and you really should give it a chance whether you are into space-, prog- or psychedelic rock styles and want to hear something fresh, different, melodic, rhythmic, exciting, powerful and invigorating - every track is superb. To single out any particular contribution or to dissect each track would take more space than ever I've got here, so just indulge yourself in one awesome CD - a winner and no mistake." -- Andy G (Dead Earnest/CD Services)

New Worlds By Design "Solar Campfires pushes drum'n'bass to its epileptic consequences, while the keyboards sustain mechanical patterns in the vein of industrial music and doodle in the vein of Morton Subotnick's electronic dadaism. By Design detonates the electronic fabric with a bluesy, hard-rock riff which develops into a full-fledged, dense and pounding, Hawkwind-style, space-rock suite.

The horror riff that propels Arcturus, the pow-wow dance of Triquetrium Delight, the techno torpedo of Avatar 444, not to mention Suicide-like threnodies and free-form noise suites, are the highlights of a diverse collection that, with a little more self-control, could have rivaled Brian Eno's Before And After Science for the digital generation." -- Piero Scaruffi



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"Return Of The Giant Hogweed" on The Fox Lies Down: A Tribute to Genesis "Cleopatra/Pyramid continue to crank out the tribute disks and once again have released something of a novelty disk for SpaceRock fans. Eleven tracks of mostly Gabriel-era tunes, six of which are by SpaceRock, or space related bands. The results are interesting if not particularly mindblowing. Spirits Burning does a rousing version of "Return of the Giant Hogweed." I didn't care for the vocals but musically it is quite good. The band retains the metallic edge of the original, but Don Falcone's keyboard work manages to make this very much their own rendition of the song. As I've said before the best cover tunes are ones in which the musicians take the original and somehow make it their own." -- Jerry Kranitz, Aural Innovations, #4, January, 1999

"Return Of The Giant Hogweed" on The Fox Lies Down: A Tribute to Genesis "Cleopatra has really done well with the tribute thing. Hot on the heels of The Genesis Box comes The Fox Lies Down. Most of the songs stay true to the spirit of the original. High marks to Spirits Burning [and others] ...who offer up (a) spirited rendition that combine these bands' styles with the Genesis original. A fun CD that will get some repeat play."
-- Dane Carlson, Exposé #16

"Red" on Schizoid Dimension: A Tribute to King Crimson "In the final tally the good stuff outweighs the boring on this collection. I must confess I'm not one for tribute disks, but I couldn't resist checking this one out and definitely found it to be better than most. Certainly worthwhile contributions by some of the best of the current U.S. space bands." -- Jerry Kranitz, Aural Innovations, #3, July, 1998

"Red" on Schizoid Dimension: A Tribute to King Crimson "A tribute to a great group! . . . . Schiziod Dimension is absolutely to be listened to without moderation. Talking drum by Controlled Bleeding, Lark's Tongues in Aspic (Part 1) by Melting Euphoria, A Sailor's Tale by Alien Planetscapes, Red by Spirits Burning, etc....and the supreme remix by Astralasia are without a doubt the better cuts of the CD. What beautiful little pearls of music. All by fantastic musicians . . . .this disc is precious." -- Jean-Paul Moscardi, Chroniques [translated by Toussaint Celestin]

"Red" on Schizoid Dimension: A Tribute to King Crimson [AAAA rating] "Some of the more creative minds in space and industrial music take on the highly regimented and technical legacy of King Crimson. Now, here's a tribute that actually makes sense. Pressurehead, Chrome (the new Helios Creed-only version), Controlled Bleeding, David Cross and others leave their marks on this often incomprehensible set of musics. Now, if anyone could make sense out of the random atrocities committed by King Crimson, it's these sorts of folks. My biggest problem with the Crimson was that the music seemed to be executed without a great deal of emotion. And while that carries over somewhat to the performances here, most of these acts do a pretty good job of actually finding a spark of life in the vagaries of King Crimson. Certainly, at least, these bands aren't replicating. They're re-creating. And that's the only reason for a tribute. I've been highly critical of many Cleopatra tributes, but this one makes the grade. For once, the concept is good." -- Aiding & Abetting, #149

Trap: Beyond the Status Quo "Trap, the brainchild of Gary A. Parra, might be deemed progressive rock if forced into a genre, but it is a very unusual sort. While some harmonic and structural gestures invoke prog rock, Parra includes in his ensemble a classically-trained violinist and a bassoonist. Beyond The Status Quo recalls the complexity and sophistication of Zappa,the weirdness of King Crimson, neo-romanticism a la Joseph Schwantner, and the jagged and particular texture and idiosynchratic flavor of the Rock In Opposition movement. Trap's eclectic music is quirky, bizarre, even quixotic, yet always fascinating." -- Dean Suzuki, Wired, December 1997

Trap: Beyond the Status Quo "Coming straight out of the spirit of Zappa and RIO . . . Trap is an American group which doesn't recreate its influences, but which, far from copying its masters or idols, seeks to assimilate and render in its own way the glorious past of a musical genre that is always contemporary. . . . above all there is an undeniable spirit to create a music that surpasses predefinined labels. Avid listeners of Absolute Zero, 5UU, U Totem and other bizarreries that are typically American, "Trap" is for you!" -- Jérôme Schmidt, Art Zero #5

Trap: Beyond the Status Quo "If you like the idea of a less hectic Cartoon, with a touch more 70's Soft Machine & Mahavishnu Orchestra...phenomenal." -- Audion, 1997

Trap: Beyond the Status Quo "What we have . . . is a strange and shimmering gem that defies easy description and categorization. A fun release that all should check out . . . playful avant strangeness. " -- Peter Thelan, Exposé #13, Summer, 1997

Through the Strands of Time "This band has really got it. The most magical band I've heard in a long time." -- Jim Collins, Tentacles of Erpland

Through the Strands of Time "This stuff goes great with lava lamps and black light posters." -- Dan Paterno, Sound Check

Soulcraft "We are given a glimpse of a new frontier unfolding in their music, where matters of the spirit are reflected in the manipulation of machines. Just as the Orb mixes dub reggae in with its techno grooves, or Nicky Skopelitis pulls together various strands of trance, dance, funk and ethnic musics into new configurations, the Thessalonians likewise draw on a broad array of styles and tones to create their musical mantras and futuristic visons." -- James Lien, CMJ Jackpot, 1993

Soulcraft "This post-industrial, trance, raga-techno, cyber-voodoo may alter your perceptioins beyond its known limits . . . Their special brand of stimulating electro-acoustic artistry is truly awesome!" -- Alternative Press

Soulcraft "This album is hypnotic. It combines layers of tabla and conga, textural samples, sitar, electric guitar and sequencer to create something that transcends its influences. . . The result falls somewhere between 'My Life In The Bush Of Ghosts' and the more abstract modern primitive electronics 'n' rhythms of Zoviet France." -- Scott Lewis, Option

Soulcraft "One potent elixir." -- Darren Bergstein, I/E

Soulcraft "There's enough diversity to satisfy hup-beat rhythms and li-lo atmosphere mingling amiably. It's easy listening for ethno-ambient zen-heads: I enjoyed it." -- Brian Duguid, EST web reviews 1996

Soulcraft "From a far distant galaxy.. Thessalonians are a musical collective dedicated to exploring spiritual disciplines within sound. This is ambient music with content & meaning; aural sculpture that blends layer upon layer, cross fertilising ancient acoustics with contemporary technological sounds. 'Liquid Legs' is both timeless & ahead of its time. Driven by the tabla, it pulses with a shimmering energy. 'Be Here Now' (Red Devil mix) is a drum laden, charging track like the devotional chants of whirling dervishes, until it ends, abruptly, leaving you exactly where you least expected to be. The most exhilarating noise comes from the track 'Soulcraft' - mysterious winding chimes, accompanied by the whirls & clicks of dolphins, calmly guide the soul as it leaves the body after death. This is music to bask in. A relaxed, tranquil soundtrack for an harmonious multi-disciplinary World culture." -- Desmond K. Hill, (8/95)

Future Perfect State ". . . dreamy soundscape subtly pulsing with a low-banked, yet heated intensity. Electronic ambience imbued with wonderful color and atmosphere; ambience imbued with wonderful color and atmosphere." -- Carol Schutzbank, B Side

Future Perfect State ". . . pulsating arpeggiated undercarriages and ambient house-style grooves to ground and propel the ever-present free-floating bliss." -- Sumner Kagan

Future Perfect State "After their tantalizing appearances on "From Here to Tranquility 1" and "UFA", I am pleased to report that this long-awaited full-length from Spice Barons will not disappoint its, erm, awaiters. And indeed, tracks like "Aromatique" and "Moondragon" are HMC-esque in their overlaying "scattered" patterns of light analog sequencing. "White Moon" is a clear winner, integrating trancey chord changes and drumloops into the concoction. "Future Perfect State" is perfect for anyone who is enjoying Silent's evolving ambient style (particularly HMC and Trancedental Anarchists), and wants something with a little more momentum." -- Clublife Magazine, Sept 1995

Future Perfect State "If you like techno, this will do you fine. It has an Eat Static feel to it. Maybe not as articulate, but well worth the effort to find. This little gem is very ambient and has a lot of feeling. They consider themselves ambient as well. With a definite space edge. Most songs do not have the heavy bass drum. So try and find it." -- Tentacles of Erpland #VI

Future Perfect State "This album's strength lies in the use of pulsating apreggiated undercarriages and ambient house-style grooves to ground and propel the ever-present free-floating bliss." -- Jeff Kihn, Codex

Spice Barons on John C. Lilly's E.C.C.O. "Using pieces of his lectures of of his experimental voice loops, groups such as P.B.C., the Spice Barons (whose 'Cogita ECCO Aum' is the CD's best piece), and the Heavenly Music Corporation have taken license to create soft ambient pieces that range from house to minimalist." -- Michael C. Mahan, Alternative Press

Spice Barons on John C. Lilly's E.C.C.O. "As there is so much to write on Lilly alone, the CD is something that is a must for those willing to open their minds to new ideas." -- Net Magazine

U.F.A. (Unidentified Floating Ambience) " . . . beatless swirls of euphoric audio stimulation hovering above the ambient backdrop of electronic collages and juxtaposed effects. Unhurried sound stimulates the landscapes of the mind, as various 'maps' or patterned listening experiences are placed side by side to invent new maps of which we are all an integral part." -- Heartbeat

U.F.A. (Unidentified Floating Ambience) "Silent Records is pursuing excellence in a new, growing market: trance music. It's not your father's space music. This is music that is alternately spacey, danceable, hallucinogenic, eerie and revelatory. This album, featuring a striking ensemble of long-play selections, features tracks by Don Falcone, Paul Neyrinck and Kim Cascone, recording as Spice Barons, Patternclear, Hydrosphere and Astralfish. Several pieces often include references to Frank Herbert's classic DUNE books (and David Lynch's cult film based on them). The mystical and paranormal aspects of the epic series provide jumping off points for this kind of music, and the selections on this album make the most of it. The musicians take the listener... to a plateau of fragmented music and divine ambiguity. A mixture of technology, spirituality and head trips is what trance is all about, and UFA is a groovy introduction." -- David Spalding

U.F.A. (Unidentified Floating Ambience) "Spice Barons were one of Silent's better projects, an ambient collective composed of Heavenly Music Corporation's Kim Cascone and friends (Don Falcone and Paul Neyrinck). They have one quite nice eponymous album on the label, but their best work --and perhaps one of Silent's most overlooked albums-- is the UFA (Unidentified Floating Ambience) compilation, which is labelled as works by Hydrosphere, Astralfish, and Patternclear as well, but it's all really the Spice Barons. It's really a stellar remnant of the1994 vintage: experimental beatless electronic washes, over which insistent yet hypnotic acid-lines and minimal hi-hats drift in to hint at structure. All *very* chill, but ranging from the light and fluffy "Moon Baubles" to the icy and distant "Tundra". "Spice Of God" is one of those classic SF-film-sample ambient tracks (right up there with Shades Of Orion's "Have You Ever Retired A Human?"), while "Liquid Solid" melts into a liquid mass of chords reaching for the stars. For those who really enjoy the yin-yang interplay between structure and formlessness, "UFA" is about as delicious as ambient gets. I'd say track it down while you still can." -- Gio

In a Garden of Eden ". . . revels in undulating synths and sheets of synth flowing over the brain." -- Creem Magazine

In a Garden of Eden "Recorded especially for the Space Age Lounge, a techno-mystical chill room amongst the beautiful beaches of Goa, this is Ambient in its fullest interpretation - atonal hi-tek noise crossbred with natural & found-sounds. The Heavenly Music Corporation create a texture, almost a sense of place, purely through music." -- Desmond K. Hill, (8/95)

In a Garden of Eden "The initial full length recording from Heavenly Music Corporation, 'In a Garden of Eden', was equipped with "sublingual hypnosis" purposefully designed for the Space Age Lounge, an evasive escape arena of techno mysteries set amongst the beautiful beaches of northern Goa. "It's about reexperiencing the wonder of life; that's what we're about," offers Kim (Cascone) by way of explanation. There followed 'Consciousness 3', an album inspired by author Charles Reich's ecological opus 'The Greening of America', with its encouragement to revive a spiritual perspective. Invariably described as 'dreamy', 'mind-easing' & 'serene', the sounds of Heavenly Music Corporation address this need to foster greater empathy between beings, to nurture creative networks & establish open communication. "I'm optimistic about the future," Kim remarks, in the confidence of a young father: "I hope that the new generation will draw upon their experiences of being young & growing up to understand both sides of the political & spiritual miasma, & make changes according to things that they have experienced. & there are so many changes to be faced." -- Desmond K. Hill, (7/95)

From Here to Tranquility (Volume I) "When the majority of 'ambient' material is lazily indulgent and ill-conceived, there is a clear need for music that is pursuitist, instead of escapist. To find it, you should start looking here." -- Generator

From Here to Tranquility (Volume I) "Worldwide change is happening now. Established boundaries of culture are being dissolved. Ambient music is emerging as a soundtrack to the changes of this decade - evolving, formless, juxtaposing sampled reference points to blend diverse sounds from across the globe. Peculiarly, the most diverse & hypnotic material currently available is coming from the very edge of the Earth's physical terrain, the West Coast of America. The last undiscovered continent may well be the fragile & emotional interzone between humane beings & their jeopardised planet. The combined divergence of two currents - eco V. techno - represent an interface between creativity & technology that is already shaping the future. It is technological psychedelic music, like this. This compilation offers a fine selection of empathic soundtracks. These oceanic myriads of timeless transcending provide a temporary oasis for cloud floaters, moonwalkers & star riders. SF is pioneering an explorative, new & progressive sound - The Dark Beautiful's mysterious 'Diaphenous' or the drifting 'Heart Ov Thee World' by XKP simply could not have been produced anywhere else in the world. When the majority of 'ambient' material is lazily indulgent & ill-conceived, there is a clear need for music that is pursuitist, instead of escapist. To find it, you could start looking here." -- Desmond K. Hill, (10/95)

From Here to Tranquility (Volume 2) "1993 marked the release of an atmospheric anthology nesting in The Acid City. This, the second in the series, sees the SF-ambient praxis preen its new feathers & take majestic flight across the oceans. From Australia, Pelican Daughters create 'Aurascape' with its wavering, organic stillness. Canadian eccentrics Legion of Green Men submit the resplendent 'Mosaic Eye: Depressurization Sensation (Ataractic Tessera)' or some such quirky nonsense. Cirrus Minor from Nuremburg leave behind the echoing chants of 'Zulu' as they pass overhead. From Frankfurt, Pete Namlook contributes 'Wind', which actually does linger, though in keeping with his customary offerings remains a tad too generic. Disproving the notion of ambient as a withdrawal mechanism, the intricate improvisations of Tylervision keep you listening, completely engaged with the vulnerability of 'The Last Human'. Single Cell Orchestra's magnificent opus, 'Unleashing the Horrors of Some of Our Great Power' conveys emotions that are dark, overwhelming & deeply catastrophic. 'Tranquility 2' filters the frequencies of Roman opulence & velveteen textures into windswept & wayward audio mirages. The result often sensual, always free-flowing, is to transform the electronic foundations of sound into imaginary continents of gold like some concealed alchemical practice." -- Desmond K. Hill, (8/95)

50 Years of Sunshine "A compilation of contemporary explorative music presented in a beautifully designed triptych - 'Orange Barrel, Windowpane & Purple Microdots' - shared between 2 discs; 100mg & 250mg, weird & then some for sure. From the elemental mindscapes of 'The Voyage - In Wake of Passing Clouds' by acid-rock pioneer Harvey Bainbridge (ex-Hawkwind) to the spell-binding fruits of 'The Awakening' by Earth Leakage Trip; from the frenetic intensity of Phauss's meticulous 'Radiator' to the folksy groove of 'On LSD' by Steel Porn Rhino, this is an incredible combination. Opening with a narrative by Dr. Timothy Leary, mirthfully entitled 'The Incredible Lightness of Being Molecular' & extending outwards for more than 140 minutes, this imaginatively celebrates the 50th anniversary of an occasion that led to considerable change in the artistic & spiritual development of Western civilisation. If it sounds & looks this good now, what's it going to be like for the 100th Anniversary? Wow." -- Desmond K. Hill, (10/95)


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