How hard it must be to create a collection of musical ideas and be limited to using only synthesized music and an assortment of percussive devices to add the all important rhythm and basic foundation of what the artist is trying to achieve. So it is with a fellow countryman who has made Australia his home since migrating here some 15 years ago.
For some, music of this style never hits the right spot, with others, it piques the interest in a way that traditionally played songs can't ever hope to do. This is certainly not Tangerine Dream, nor is it Larry Fast (Synergy), David Greenslade, Jean Michel Jarre, Kitaro, Peter Baumann, Patrick Moraz, or any other luminaries of their respective craft who have managed to conquer the stigma that often attaches to the oft-maligned sub genre of "computer or artificial" music. Rather, it is possibly close to embracing many stylistic similarities to some of the better keyboard work that is available while at the same time, maintaining its own integrity and individuality. While music of this nature is bereft of any heavy grunt or aggression as one would expect with normal rock music, the maturity and open-mindedness of those listeners with a flair for something new and different will allow Peter's offering to find a suitable place in their collection.
There are certainly some dissonant influences that remind of the "Jupiter Menace" by Larry Fast or even some sections from David Greenslade's "Pentateuch of the Cosmogony", however, Peter has managed to incorporate some captivating melodies and variety in his songs which enables the entire album to unfold very naturally as would a well written novel.
If albums like "Pentateuch" or any of Larry Fast's first half a dozen albums find favour with you, then this will certainly be of interest. There are some very emotionally charged sections and some rather challenging and rhythmically superior pieces that will leave a smile on your dial as you wonder whether any smoke or mirrors were used. Thankfully, there is no real new age influence here at all as Peter has managed to keep things very much alive and refreshing without getting bogged down with a surplus of soporific drivel. As a progressive rock keyboard album, this is about as innovative as anything I've heard since Chris Neal wrote "Winds Of Isis" back in the 70's. To quote Peter's own web-site, the CD is an analog feast with many vintage instruments used from an expander, CS70m, Odyssey to a Super Jupiter among many others.
Chalk this one up as a winner for the Antipodes.
Track Listings:
1. Battle Of The Dead Leopards (5.40)
2. The Well (1.09)
3. Bully (4.52)
4. Cyclopx{2019}s Binoculars (6.00)
5. Nautilus (3.42)
6. Lotus Eater (9.41)
7. Seerx{2019}s Fluxional Fluke (3.18)
8. Edge Of Tomorrow (4.16)
9. Jupiterx{2019}s Havana Cow (2.09)
10. Labratto (6.13)
11. The More I Know The Closer I Get (2.44)
12. Compromise With An Idiot (3.48)
13. Garlic Man (7.11)
14. Pike (8.12)
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