Search - Delerium :: Semantic Spaces

An incredible, complete album

force10ice | Montclair, NJ United States | 09/08/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Delerium completely changed their sound with this record. Bill Leeb and Rhys Fulber combined pure synth hooks, slow moving basslines, and great chant samples to create amazingly sensual, trancey ethereal music. Two songs have lyric vocals, Flowers Become Screens and Incantation. Flowers Become Screens is arguably one of the best dance-pop songs of the 90's. Unfortunately, when the album was released, Nettwerk Records was short on cash and didn't have the resources to promote the album as much as its follow-up, the equally good, but more vocal, Karma. The song has simple drum and bass lines, and amazing vocals from the wide-ranged Kristy Thirsk, formerly of Rose Chronicles. Incantation is more of the same. Both are great tracks. The non-vocal songs are pure sonic ectasy. VERY complex layered tracks with a lot going on - multi-dimensional, for sure.The Gregorian Chants in THIS album were sampled. Enigma was NOT sampled on this record, contrary to the claims of a previous reviewer. There are some similar hooks and feels, but Enigma somewhat defined this genre, but Delerium CLEARLY one-ups the entire field with this record. Enigma, by comparison (even MCMXC a.d.), is too poppy, too commercial, too forced. This is a purely good record based on the talents of the authors.(BTW: Karma has fewer samples; they rented out a church in Vancouver and had real authentic monks sing their chants!)If you'd like an in-depth song-by-song review, please check out the official web page at http://www.delerium.com - I have my full review posted in the discography.But, in summary, if you like Enigma or Deep Forest, you will LOVE this album. PS: If you like this album and/or Karma, I HIGHLY recommend Intermix's Future Primitives, which is a side-project of Leeb/Fulber (the same guys as Delerium) and recorded at the same time as Semantic Spaces, and basically could've been another Delerium album. I also highly recommend the upcoming Conjure One album, the new project by Rhys Fulber solo. Rick"

Metaphor, Gateway - Delerium

Joel Youngblood | USA | 01/23/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"First "new wave" Delerium CD - this is also the first Delerium cd with a vocalist. And the results are amazing. "Flowers Become Screens" is HANDS DOWN my favorite Delerium song, because of that amazing synth opening (shouldn't say opening really, comes in about 3 minutes into the song, buts its more of an opening on the single. Kristy Thirsk has a voice that belongs with the angels, as she prooves again in "Karma." This album is comparitively light, when looked at to Euprhoric or Spiritual Archives, which is a tad of a turn off, but its still a great album. Definately recomend Track # 1 - its there all time best, "Flowers Become Screens." You also arne't gonna wanna miss the hipnotic chants of the children on "Metaphor." Thrisk sings again on the highly recomendable "Incantation" which will also blow you away, even though its a tad to "popish" for moi. The singing in "Metamorphis" (although it lacks words) will nock you over also. "Flatlands" will make you feel good, and "Sensorium" provides some releif for fans of like myself of Delerium's darker days."

And The Rebirth Of Delerium Begins...

Clarissa | Ontario, California | 08/31/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Semantic Spaces is best describes as the 'rebirth of Delerium' for it is a new awakening from their eerie darker days. And while the album starts out rather cold and emotionless it soon escalates to some deep electronic bass lines with (for the first time ever) soaring vocals by female singer Kristy Thirsk on "Flowers Become Screens". Then comes "Metaphor" with its ancient tribal chantings amidst synthy-electronic beats and mysterious female voices that sound a lot like something you'd find on their Future Primitives side-project by Intermix. "Consensual Worlds" probably comes the closest to their older sound with a droning undervoice that drags through some downright creepy sound effects while "Incantation" is probably their most upbeat song with funky trance beats accompanied, once again, by Kristy Thirsk, who sings a lot more often on their next album, Karma. And despite the fact that Delerium samples from both Enigma and Leftfield, I find it all the more interesting to listen to with "Resurrection" being my favorite. This (along with Karma and Poem) are highly recommended to trance and new age fans alike, so stop reading this and buy it already! You won't be disappointed, I promise."