Search - Steve Roach :: Space And Time

Fine overview of recent music by an electronica pioneer

dronecaster | Baton Rouge, LA USA | 12/28/2003

(4 out of 5 stars)

"More than one critic has rightly called Steve Roach one of the 20th century's greatest composers and this sampler of his recent sound explorations of the past several years adds additional testimony to that claim. Along with shortened selections from "Midnight Moon", "Early Man" and his four-volume epic "Mystic Chords and Sacred Spaces", there is a brief track featuring a remastered version of 'A Circular Ceremony' from a re-release of "Dreamtime Return" due out on Projekt in 2004. Also included is an excerpt from his new release "Fever Dreams", also due on Projekt sometime in 2004, featuring some noticeable advances in his ability to shape clouds of sound from a veritable orchestra of electric guitars. This disc focuses more on the ambient side of his unique sound, as no selections from the pan-ethnic/techno "Body Electric" and "Light Fantastic" were included."

Another Diamond of Pure Ambience

M. D. MCGINLEY | United States | 12/01/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I was quite amazed to find this album new for $4.85; I thought it was a mistake so I grabbed it up without a moment's hesitation, and I was not disappointed in the least. It's not just a sampler: it is a true medley of pure ambience, and I recognize tracks from 'Dreamtime Return' (1988, probably Roach's best work), 'Empetus' (1984), 'Structures From Silence' (1984, which was the prelude to 'Dreamtime Return') and also 'Dust to Dust' (1998), which he collaborated with Roger King.



My first Roach album was, in fact, 'Dreamtime Return' and it first it was too good to be true. I bought it based on a 'CD Review' magazine of the day in 1988, when the double album cost me $32.48 with tax. The angelic sprayings of shimmering reverbance with water, rocks and the awesome echoes in the Australian canyons were unlike anything ever recorded, before or since. No other album captures the essence of the life and times of the Aborigines with the pleasantly haunting sounds of the bull roarer and the didgeridoo like 'Dreamtime Return.' It's absolutely indispensable. Roach's other excellent works are 'Quiet Music' (1987), 'Solitaire: On Ritual Ground' (1990), 'Origins' (1992), 'Artifacts' (1993) and now his latest work, the 'Immersion' series, revisits some of his best work without repeating itself. Mr. Roach is also responsible for helping other ambient artists recognize their true talent, such as Robert Rich and Kevin Braheny.



"Space and Time" starts out with deep sonic waveforms on "Oracle", scaling and haunting that prepare the listener for the next track, "Future Tribe," an upbeat, pounding rhythmic escalade of tom-toms and other percussion, which paves the way for other tracks from "Dreamtime Return" such as "After the Dream," which is a refreshing, sprite-like wash of echoing reverberance from deep Austrailian caves. There is so much quality to sample here, that it cannot all be absorbed in one session. Steve Roach was composing his own music a decade before Arkenstone and Serrie came on to the scene, although I like much of John Serrie's work. Roach and Serrie, however, are not in the same category so they should not be compared. Roach does not do 'New Age' music like Arkenstone and Serrie, Roach does 'Ambient/Electronic' or you can go so far as to say 'Soundscape.' Roach is the Mozart of his time in ambience and soundscapes, and in this life it will never be surpassed. 'Space and Time' is the inimitable collection of pure ambience that is a must-have, because it has such a perfect blend of Roach's work over the years."

This music is smth. I've probably awaited to hear all my LIF

OLEG KUZNETSOV | Russia but now in ATHENS, ATTIKA Greece | 10/12/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Yes, I feel lucky human to come to these times and to hear these

brilliant masterpieces of Mr. Roach...

This music was hidden somewhere in my sub-mind all my life and now when I hear it actually - I realize indeed how I needed to hear it.

Along with spectacular professionalism of composer to posess a REAL VARIETY of musical instruments and techniques, this precious music is undoubtly ALIVE and nourishing.

Complete freedom of fantasy

combined with quite accurate technique to make your mind

immediately transparent, floating in cool virgin liquid of

unlimited dimensions of Space and Time.



So, this music will forever be in my mind and soul as a

gift of LIFE!!!



Great thanks to Steve Roach and people from AMAZON, who make it

possible for us to touch this TREASURE!!!



Regards,

Oleg"