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Reviews

Robert Schroeder — Observer
(Spheric Music SMCD-2047, 2024, CD)

by Peter Thelen, Published 2024-10-10

Observer Cover art

Schroeder has had no trouble keeping a regular release schedule of one to three releases a year since around 2007; one might say that’s flooding the market with product, but an artist with an abundance of ideas only has one lifetime in which to execute them all, and Schroeder has an outstanding legacy going back to the late 70s. Observer is an extraordinary case in point: ten tracks of outstanding classic Berlin School electronics informed by ambient, chill, and other expressive forms, essentially all instrumental — what vocals there are (on only a couple tracks) are shrouded in vocoder or other heavy processing to the point of barely being understandable. The compositions themselves are full of brightly colored sprites and moving textures that swing with joy and celebration, while the ten track titles offer clues as to the composer’s intent — we are keen observers of our own universe, always wondering where that next step might take us in an unknown future; perhaps our universe is also observing us as we create and interpret what we see. Schroeder has created Observer with mostly modular synths and sequencers, with other synths and keyboards playing a prominent but secondary role in the rich and varied palette of instrumentation. “Destructing Live” opens the proceedings with deep bass tones and a rich bed of percussive sounds, while elastic synth textures stretch freely across the known universe. The title track mixes a wondrous fabric of melodic and percussive elements together, building on one another as the piece proceeds. Most of these cuts are in the six-to-eight-minute range, long enough to state their purpose and elaborate on it, but not so long as to wear out their welcome. “Following On Step” makes for a powerful show of beauty before the sequence begins to drive the piece forward; a half-length remixed version for the video is also included as the final track. “Unknown Future” explores the shadowy edges of sound before moving forward into a brisk sequence that carries the piece to its conclusion. “Surrounded by Shadows” is one of the pieces with vocals, a splendid mix of whirling sounds and amazing textures. Fans of classic Tangerine Dream, Klaus Schulze, and other Berlin School artists will find plenty to enjoy.

Filed under: New releases, 2024 releases

Related artist(s): Robert Schroeder

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