Hi All!
I've listened to the album a couple of times and this is my immediate
description of the record. I have not put very much thought into this; it's
just my initial impression.
Prologue
Kind of same intro as TdF Version 1 on the single
Tour de France Etappe 1
Same as single Etappe/Version 1
Tour de France Etappe 2
Same as single Etappe/Version 2
Tour de France Etappe 3
Same as single Etappe/Version 3 in the beginning, but the last 2 minutes
there's another theme
Crono
Continues the TdF Etappe 3 theme, evolving into IMFTC style patterns (very
beautiful !), but faster and more intense. After 2 minutes it's back to the
Etappe 3 theme and text/voice. I like this one a lot!
Vitamin
This is one is my favourite so far.
Metallic beginning, lots of harmony changes and texture changes. The melody
is simple (as expected) and repetitive. The vocoder work is very complex,
with at least 3 levels of the same (Ralf's?) voice interwoven with each
other, sung in German. I don't know if I dare say it, but the rhythmic
pattern sound much like steel drums on steroids - and it's very nice. After
4,5 minutes there's an interesting part with the same patterns, but with
the sounds cut of, nice indeed.
Aero Dynamik
More up tempo than the rest of the record. More robo-vox, bouncing melody
pattern, TEE style strokes coming back every now and then, as well as
metallic sounds. The bass is really deep and "living". Sung in French. This
song is very bouncy and "airy".
Titanium
Same melody as Aero Dynamik, continuing more or less the same. Becomes more
minimalistic in the middle. Abzug style ending
Elektro Kardiogramm
Beginning with heavy heart beats and breathing - two voices alternating, one
robo-vox (German ELEKTRO) and one vocoder (American ELECTRO CARDIOGRAM - but
with a little funny accent). The heart beats and voices continue as a
rhythmic pattern during the entire song. The melody is simple, but changing
a lot with different textures.
The text contain various repetitions of:
Elektro / Electro cardiogram
Minimum, Maximum / beats per minute
Electro Electro
Elektro
La Forme
This track contain some nice robo-vox parts with lots of vocoder variation,
all sung in French. The melody is a few cords, very simple, but the melody
is much built around the supporting bass patterns. The vocoder is working a
lot here (or is it rather Florian?); close to the poems published a few
years ago, sometimes breaking up the voice totally.
Regeneration
Continues where La Forme leaves of, the same melody and voice. Becomes
slower and slower, thinner and thinner, until only sparse, floating sounds
persist.
Tour de France
This is the same song as TdF -83, but of course totally re-recorded. There's
more kick in the bass, the electro-bass sound is more distinct. The voice
have a little more echo/ambience. Over all my impression is that it's more
up-tempo, or at least faster in some way. The drums are different in the
pumping/rattling part, faster and more playful. The breath is like in the
-83 version, but breaks up rhythmically in the and of the song.
I like this version better than the original, and better than the cover
Bartos made -98.
I'll listen to the record some more times and then I'll write a review. You
have to bear in mind that I've been listening to the other records for 11-20
years, and I'd like to get more than a first hand glimpse of the new album
before I write a proper review.
Joakim
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