Dreamfish

Rate It! Avg: 4.0 (52 ratings)
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Total Tracks: 4   Total Length: 70:49

eMusic Review

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Rob Young

eMusic Contributor

04.22.11
A sublime stew from two ambient giants.
1999 | Label: Fax Label

Galactic tides of white noise usher in an expansive trip from Pete Namlook with the UK's silver-suited Ambient space cadet, Mixmaster Morris, whose eclectic DJing graced many a comedown party at the time. If Dreamfish now feels anchored in its era, it's still one of the best surviving examples of a moment when new Ambient lived a utopian dream of a technologically enlightened borderless society, sharing immersive virtual experiences around the world wide web's global campfire. There's a minty freshness and optimism about “School of Fish," while the shorter (nine minute) “Fishology” features the synthetically treated voice of Terrence McKenna, Hawaii-based futurologist and author of Food of the Gods, whose shamanistic theories of techno-paganism and extraterrestrial ancestry fit right in with the stew of ideas and New Age psychedelics which fertilized much of the early '90s Ambient scene.

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Unimpressive compared to Namlook's other stuff

LionelCassin

I am very impressed with Pete Namlook's work, but compared to Air, The Putney, Dark Side of the Moog 6 and Dark Side of the Moog 9, this album is weak. Mainly this is due to Hymn, the track that is longest, most ponderous, and least inspired. School of Fish is cute and Under Water is my favorite track, but Fishology didn't do anything for me. So tracks 1 and 4 are definitely worth a visit/download, but I'd skip 2 and 3.

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Deep n cool

soundwave

This was my first FAX album and its still my fave. A sublime progressive deep none stop submerged trip from start to end, then play Dreamfish 2 straight after ;-) Great for dropping off too with headphones on or just winding down. If you're a fan of Irresistible Force, The Orb or any other bubbly 90's ambient music then this is essential.

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Dreamfish

eJDL

Missed out on this Rising High/FAX release first time around - as good a place as any to jump into the FAX repertoire: ambient soundscapes, perculating synth percussion, and mad drop-ins from Mixmaster Morris.

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Good Trance

hiddenfire88

"School of Fish" is very much out of Philip Glass and Steve Reich's music, not bad at all but the rest of the record is better. "Hymn" resembles 70's German music ala Tangerine Dream or early Kraftwerk, but darker than most (or, perhaps, under water) - impressive track. "Fishology" gets downright rhythmic, it's a really excellent trance piece. "Under Water" is burbling sounds and mood. Really, a fine record.

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They Say All Media Guide

Dreamfish is a different form of fantasy by Pete Namlook and Mixmaster Morris — strange bedfellows, indeed. Namlook takes a lot of risks in his choices of collaborators. Morris adds some deft touches to the sequences and atmospheres to create funky ambient. The rhythms are up, but not quite trip-hop and certainly not techno. The atmospheres surround some sequenced grooves. Listening to this CD is almost like being at a ’70s discothèque. – Jim Brenholts