Occupied Head – Steady (Album – Wet Dreams Records)
Genre/Influences: Ambient, cinematographic.
Format: Digital, CD.
Background/Info: Set up in 2011 by Dieter Mauson, “Steady” is the first official album and CD-release by this German artist. Mauson has been involved with numerous projects, but Nostalgie Eternelle remains the most famous one on the list. Occupied Head has performed in different countries and on different continents and yet it remains a less familiar name.
Content: The album features 11 songs composed in between 2012 and 2016. The songs have something inhibited, creating a dreamy atmosphere. The songs have been composed with electronic equipment, but also feature a few authentic instruments. Some songs bring us back to the origins of electronic music. It sounds dreamy and somewhat astral like, which reinforces the comparisons with work of Jean-Michel Jarre, Vangelis and co.
+ + + : The songs have been meticulously built up featuring multiple effects and space-like sound treatments. You get an evasive effect, creating the cinematographic aspect of the work. My favorite song is “L’Etat D’urgence”, which is a poem written by the artist and translated into French. The vocals are adding this little extra to the composition, but I also enjoy this song for its tune. The last song “Inside Out” sounds as a little wink to electronic pioneers, but also is one of the noticeable tracks from the opus. Last, but not least I also want to say a word about the cool digipak format of this record.
– – – : There’s not enough diversity in between the songs creating a monotonous feeling after a while.
Conclusion: This album will appeal for ambient lovers. I however think it’s the kind of production that will come to its own together with a visual content and/or performance.
Best songs: “L’Etat D’Urgence”, “Uncertain Ride”, “Inside Out”.
Rate: (6).
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