Krampl, Gerald: Timediver

Viennese keyboard player Gerald Krampl's new album entitled Timediver is an all instrumental affair with Krampl playing all of the instruments. Krampl has been around since the 70s when he was a member of the progressive rock band Kyrie Eleison and later with the band Indigo. He has released several solo albums and in 1998 changed musical direction towards classically inspired piano and keyboard music. This is what you will find on his latest disc. If I could use words to describe the music presented here I would say tranquil, peaceful and meditative would be a good fit. This cd has a definite ambient and new age quality and is a very subdued listen. This is about as far from party music as one could get but I do not mean this in a negative way. For electronic lounge music this is a quality piece of work, although I can honestly say I have not listened to much in this musical style.

The songs flow nicely together, almost as if they are one musical piece. There is not a lot of variety between the songs but that is okay as Krampl clearly set out to create a piece that conveys a similar mood from one song to the next. In the cd booklet the music is described as "electronic sound scapes for mind movies" and I cannot think of a better description. This is not a fast paced affair as most of the songs are slow in tempo and create a soft and sometimes somber mood. All of the songs have subtle percussion over which the electronic landscape is laid upon. There is no doubting the talent of Krampl as there are a myriad of electronic sounds and his instrumental prowess is displayed throughout. However, do not expect instrumental shredding as this is not what this music is about. Melody is the order of the day and there are plenty to be found. One of my favorites is "Lakeview"; probably because the melody seemed to stick with me long after the song was over. With its simple keyboard motif played over electronic percussion and the odd synth effect, I had a hard time getting this one out of my head. You will find much the same throughout the disc so I will not describe the rest of the songs for you.

I can see myself mostly listening to this disc at night over headphones when going asleep. It is definitely music to relax to, nothing earth shattering but pleasant enough nonetheless. If you like music at the gentle end of the spectrum and have an inkling for electronic and mellow soundscapes you might want to give this one a try. This one earns a respectable 3 stars.

Track Listing:
1. Steamborn (6:08)
2. East-West (4:58)
3. Samarcand (4:44)
4. Dark Veil (4:44)
5. Lakeview (5:39)
6. Spirit Dancer (5:00)
7. Timediver (4:49)
8. Quiet Days (5:26)
9. Reflections (3:43)

Added: January 28th 2009
Reviewer: Jon Neudorf
Score:
Related Link: Indigo Music
Hits: 2566
Language: english

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