Spacefolds 7

The seventh installment in trippy space rock outfit Quarkspace's series, Spacefolds 7 takes yet another direction and manages to top its predecessor in terms of quality improvisation and cohesion. The series concept is to quickly deliver studio improvisations in order to let the fans know of the band's evolution. While Spacefolds 5 was strongly influenced by techno and Spacefolds 6 came back to the prog/space roots of the group, this CD presents 12 soft journeying pieces. Paul Williams' electronic drums take a less prominent role, letting ripples of synthesizers and atmospheric guitar slowly unfold. The trilogy formed by "Black Star Shining," "Green Star Shooting," and "Blue Star Glowing" is reminiscent of Tangerine Dream (plus percussion) and Ash Ra Temple. It provides some of the album's best moments. Melodies and rhythmic patterns slowly arise, all backed by Chet Santia's basslines. On "Chippertronics, Vol. 1," someone develops a loop piece à la Robert Fripp's early Frippertronics. The music on Spacefolds 7 is by no mean forced upon the listener: it flows and develop naturally and always remains light, ethereal. Even the busiest passages eschew the kind of hypnotic dance drive Ozric Tentacles usually lock into. This is a welcomed addition to the series and an enjoyable place to start exploring the band's catalog. ~ François Couture, Rovi