Klaus Schulze, Moonlake
A return to form for one of New Age’s most celebrated artists
Klaus Schulze returns to his smooth and sequenced roots on this 2006 release. It's Phaedra and Thief all over again, but updated and silver-sleek. While no one will ever accuse Schulze of inhabiting the lush world of samples and cinematic effects, a la William Orbit and Mars Lasar, he manages to sound fairly contemporary, even on a track like “Playmate in Paradise” which uses an effect that sounds like a Native American flute. The power of Schulze is his ability to compose, not just cut and paste together sound collages. “Playmate” may start off as a light and lyrical romp, but it evolves into a deep and compelling trance masterpiece full of Middle Eastern echoes and yearning chants.
“Artemis in Jubileo” starts off with a simple rhythmic pattern played out on a dumbek, but quickly shifts as a counter-rhythm enters the mix, then the track kicks into some tasty techno with sampled strings, giving it a slight orchestral feel and reminding that Schulze hasn't lost his fondness for classically inspired melodies. “Same Thoughts Lion” and “Mephisto” also crank up the sequencer, the latter evoking the best elements of Schulze's lengthy musical past, while slipping in the odd breakbeat. It's a simmering and funky soundtrack to be played at high volume, at top speed on an open road. Moonlake winds up being both nostalgic and contemporary — a triumph of timelessness.
