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Released
1996

Reviewed by
Kim & Minga Alexander

Label


Visit
Hearts of Space


Contact
RGB Records
One Harbor Drive
Suite 201
Sausalito, CA
94131

Phone: 415.331.3200
Fax: 415.331.3280


Last Edit/Update
21 February, 1998

Paul Haslinger


World Without Rules

Track Listing

1. World Without Rules (7.34)
2. Urban Source Code (6.02)
3. Dismissal of the Hemisphere (5.33)
4. Monkey Brain Sushi (2.51)
5. Be-Bop in Baghdad (7.01)
6. Asian Blue (5.34)
7. Desert Diva (6.28)
8. Rainmaker's Dream (5.34)
9. Le Sens Du Sens (4.44)
10. Global Ghetto (4.28)
11. The Closing of the Circle (4.20)

          Worldly in his sound, education and travel, Ex-Tangerine Dream member Paul Haslinger (keyboards, samplers, VL-1, machinery), exhibits his fine work in this CD, World Without Rules with guests: Mark Isham (processed trumpet, flugelhorn),
Nona Hendryx, S'ange, Anna Homler (vocals),
Steve Whalen (bass), Loren Nerell (gamelan),
and Charlie Compagna (guitars).

Paul comments on World Without Rules,
"...sound selection for this album did not follow any particular rules. To put it differently, I took everything I could get hold of, no matter from where or what quality. Apart from doing original sampling and programming at the Assembly Room, we also tweaked and modified sounds from sample libraries too numerous to list.
The Yamaha VL-1, a new instrument which generates sounds based on physical modeling rather than on audio-samples, has become another mainstay. It is played with a breath controller, which allows for a range of expression new to keyboard-based playing. World Without Rules was undertaken as a 'fun' project, with no major conspiracy-type activities involved. Neither was there any original intention of making this an ethnic sounding record -- the fact that it did come out that way can only be attributed to coincidence, personal taste, and access." (CD cover)

          World Without Rules is indeed a rich and diverse blend of sound including but not limited to: techno, electronic, pop and ambient-ethnic. This release is not for the musically weak as there are plenty of screams, hardwave electronics and dance beats as well as a softer more relaxed sound as in Urban Source Code and Dismissal of the Hemisphere which incorporate vocals, bells, and the indiginous instrumental sounds that tanalize the Eastern mystique of music. Monkey Brain Sushi is one of my favourites -- its a great dance piece with a hard crescendo of mashing drums, vocals, screams and what sounds like guitars.
         Be-Bop in Bagdad, a Middle Eastern blend of bongos, drums, flutes and ghostly vocals which sounds like Native Americans wailing as they watch their men head off to battle. (Minga says she really likes this one.)
          Asian Blue begins with soft vocals, both sexes, harmonizing with a drone of I believe Mark Isham's Flugelhorn in the background: "The horns in the background give this piece a mello effect" - Minga.
          Desert Diva is a surprise piece unlike the previous tracks starting with guitars, synths, more Eastern female vocals, catchy drumming and ethnic- ambient textures.
         Rainmaker's Dream, envision an ancient personnal calling upon the God's to bring the liquid of life to earth -- flutes, drums and deep soundscapes invite you to sit back and enjoy the journey into this aural ritual.
          Flutes and expansive soundscapes in Le Sens Du Sens marks the more ambient track on the CD. It is a beautiful piece of music, allowing one to drift with the eerie harmonics and a gentle flow.
         More upbeat and aggressive in the beginning, Global Ghetto releases wind instrumentation, synths and clicking beats into this pop-techno ethnic piece of work.
          The last track, The Closing of the Circle does just that with a sense of finality that sounds like a "pow-wow ending after a night of expressing feeling and joy", -Minga.

          Overall, this is an excellent CD. It reminds me in part of early Delerium in soundscapes, percussion and later Delerium in part with vocals but with much more Middle Eastern influences and textures. A definite ethnic-world-ambient-techno sound to this release. A *must-buy* for those of you who enjoy this type of music.

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