Joe Evans - Ecliptic Plane (CD)

Here's a new thing on Runningonair which comes with a bonus DVD as well for you fans of the DVD format. The release is about the solar system and the music and videos have been created with this in mind. In fact some of the tracks on this have been created using data from some planets and moons to create some of the rhythms and harmonies. That is nothing but well cosmic and I loves all things cosmic. Space freaks me out yet excites me pretty much more than anything else so this gets my thumbs up! Reading through the accompanying booklet you get the idea that so much thought and time has gone into this, it's almost a crime there's only 100 copies available.

The music is sparse and desolate. It's grandiose and celestial without being pompous. Without seeming like a prat it's spacious sounding and you get a general feeling of being part of a much bigger thing. Which is good! Eventually some misery piano kicks in which brings me back down to earth with a teary bump. It's along the neoclassical/electro acoustic tip and inbetwixt the intellectualising of this lies a solid melodic slab of sound art which I'm suitably impressed by. Really solid release that took me by surprise!