KVR member releases - GOSSIP

[emdot_ambient]

Well, in light of Parallel World's numerous posts here . . .

Maybe people won't notice that I've posted this announcement two other places in KVR:

The first single from Granville's second CD, a song called Evening Trains, has been released on the Granville MySpace page.

Aside from mixing, mastering, and a lot of audio track manipulation (which hopefully isn't really very obvious) I did the drums on this in Battery 2 and the string synth with Benedict's Janus synth (from the Synth Studio Pack I).

Anyone familiar with my work will quickly realize this isn't my normal style. But I've worked in rock formats before and have been a close collaborator with Granville (aka Brian Myers) for longer than a lot of you have been on this once green earth.

Please drop over for a visit and if you like, I'm sure Granville would like a few more friends!

[Parallel Worlds]

Parallel Worlds - "Obsessive surrealism (DiN26) cd album

review from Morpheus music (www.morpheusmusic.co.uk ):

"STYLE: Moody electronica with strong structures and deep atmospheric backdrops. Obsessive Surrealism delivers eleven melodic synthesiser tracks where low key beats or driving electro-grooves propel shadowy compositions with periodic hints of exposed Berlin roots. Rhythmic sequencer patterns work in tandem with programmed percussion to give most pieces a clearly measured pace, that said, the grooves often break down into fluttering interludes or textural ambient explorations. Parallel Worlds makes abundant use of analogue hardware to create a sound that harks back to the electronica of previous decades whilst set within a twenty first century context. The melodic content is understated, sometimes carried by drifting chord progressions; sometimes dimly lit phrases shot through with percolating, flickering sequences.

MOOD: The range of synthetic sound here is broad, inventive and engrossing; the style also quite varied from track to track - yet the whole album is very coherent, establishing a well thought out sonic environment. There is a fairly consistent shadow hanging over most of this album - low light technology and mysterious spaciness combining into sinewy, ominous themes. The beats at their most strident produce an engine-like drive, a dramatic futuristic regularity, almost militaristic - but frequently these are allowed to break down or disperse into lighter rhythms or even into beatless expanse

ARTWORK: An abstract image that looks something like a photograph taken from a TV screen fills three panels of this package - thin horizontal bands of blue, red and green form dark geometric shapes - on the front a narrow white vertical strip holds the titles and the DiN catalogue numeral 26. On the reverse a broader strip of white holds track titles and their timings as well as informing listeners that this is a limited edition of 1000 copies only. Inside the two leaf booklet opens out to reveal a bank of sound gear illuminated by small rows of lights, meters and glowing digits. Facing this large image, the remaining inner panel is again white with black text in a simple font - a repeated track list, credits and thanks along with a gear list of 'selected equipment'.

OVERALL: Parallel Worlds is primarily the project of Greek musician Bakis Sirros, although collaborators occasionally lend their talents to the name. Here Obsessive Surrealism is appropriately presented via Ian Boddy's DiN label - the experimental, slightly ambient approach to pure electronica fitting nicely into the label's catalogue. Promotional material explains that "Parallel Worlds use mostly Hardware machines. Mainly huge Analogue Modular systems and Analogue Step Sequencers of the past and present combined with digital FM and virtual analogue synths and sampling". This love of gear is evident in the soundscaping of the music - in addition to the emotive nature of the compositions themselves, there is a clear delight in sound sculpture and sonic layering - clearly a lot of time has gone into the production of this album. Bakis Sirros is also behind the new IDM/electronica project Interconnected with Ingo Zobel (of DRON, Signalform, Self Oscillate, Datasette) and the Ambient / experimental project called Memory Geist with Steve Law (of Zen Paradox, Starseed Transmission, Guild Of Fire, etc.).

WHO WILL LIKE THIS ALBUM: Obsessive Surrealism will likely please DiN regulars as well as fans of evolving Berlin school electronica. Go for this one if you enjoy moody synthetics with clear beats and ambient cloudscapes"

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review from MusikZirkus-magazin.de (www.musikzirkus-magazin.de) :

"Parallel Worlds ist der Projektname des Griechen Bakis Sirros. Auf seinem 63minütigen aktuellen Album „Obsessive Surrealism" befinden sich elf Ambienttracks. Bakis hat die einzelnen Tracks mit Ausnahme von „Distracted", dass er zusammen mit John Sirros (seinem Bruder?) gemacht hat, zwischen 2002 und 2006 komponiert.

Die Musik von Bakis weist ungewöhnliche Klangfarben auf. Sehr schöne Harmonielinien werden von Rhythmussequenzen und Klangeffekten durchzogen, was eine Mixtur aus Ambient, atmosphärischen Soundscapes, modernen Electronica-Elementen mit einem Hauch von 70'er Jahre-Feeling und Electropop der 80'er darstellt. Im weitesten Sinne könnten Parallelen zu Wolfram Spyra gezogen werden, aber wirklich nur im allerweitesten Sinne. Es ist schwer diese Musik einzuordnen, dazu klingt sie zu eigenständig und anders. Der Hörer wird eine neue, faszinierende Klangwelt entdecken, zumindest mir erging es so.

Mal klingt das sehr harmonisch wie im Opener „Beneath Fear", dann etwas düster und technisch wie in „Different Pathways". „Empty Human Cells" klingt wieder technisch aber durch Sounds, die an Wasser /Flüssigkeit erinnern, irgendwie organisch. Sehr sanft entführt einen „Increasing Compexity" in einen anderen Klangkosmos, in den man sich völlig verlieren kann. Zwar ist „Reflective" durch unterschiedliche Sounds sehr abwechslungsreich, doch weist es eine gewisse Monotonie auf. Und „Distracted" ist ein Track, der mitreißt, weil er eine sehr schöne Melodielinie aufweist und diese über weite Strecken mit tanzbare, technoartigen Rhythmen verbindet. Der letzte Track „Crying Spells" ist wieder sehr monoton und überzeugt mich nicht. Schade, eigentlich sollte der letzte Track einer CD noch mal Appetit auf die Repeat-Taste machen.

Mit „Obsessie Surrealism" ist Bakis eine sehr schöne, außergewöhnliche Ambientplatte gelungen, bei der er mit unterschiedlichen Rhythmussequenzen arbeitet. Für mich ist Parallel Worlds eine echte Entdeckung. "

Stephan Schelle, Juni 2007

[NPerez]

Parallel Worlds needs his own thread

[jerrobin]

'was it for this...?'

Available by clicking on the image of me looking windswept and bereft outside a Cardiff B&B (at myspace/jerrobin)

[thomekk]

Parallel Worlds needs his own thread

Seriously, maybe one of the mods could think of any change here?
To me is it the "members releases" thread NOT "realeases reviews"!
So maybe a second thread for artists reviews would be great, until that I also think Parallel Worlds needs to have an own thread!

[Parallel Worlds]

hello,
hoping that you can tolerate this...
(sorry, but i do not see any other KVR thread for posting reviews...)


new review by Bert Strolenberg (former journalist of E-dition magazine):

Parallel Worlds - Obsessive Surrealism

CD, DiN Records, 2007

"Obsessive Surrealism" is the fourth full-length release of musician Bakis Sirros aka Parallel Worlds, one continuing the path of innovative dreamy atmospheric electronics since he started his music project in 1998. In a way he again succeeded in surprising me as Bakis reaches new heights with the eleven tracks featured on the album. The combination of fat sounds from his big analogue modulars and step sequencers with the output of modern electronic gear has worked out very well this time. There's a beautiful sense of warmth and melancholy to be felt throughout the whole album, especially in the intimate sound sculptures of the opening track "Beneath Fear", the soft lingering of "Increasing Complexity" or the dense realms of "Reflective". And although these 60 minutes of music as such may not be that easy or accessible at times ("Into the Caves of the Mind" is delving just a bit to deep for me), the emotional contents is always there or to be noticed just beneath the surface. But only if you have an open mind towards this kind of music and allow your ears to hear its deeper level. Nice going Bakis!

Bert Strolenberg

[hoffy]

Here's my review of Parallel worlds:

"After reading 10,000 reviews on Parallel Worlds (Fact: There are more reviews of this CD on the internet than jpegs), i decided i never wanted to listen to it ever. YMMV"

[MacZero]

Hey guys. I sent in a tune to Future Music Magazine (the reader demo's section) and scored the "top demo" in this month's issue (FM193). They did a little half page write-up and the track is on the DVD too. They gave me a new pair of monitors as a prize, so I'm pretty stoked!

I have a scan of the write up on my myspaz, in the pics section: www.myspace.com/taumuon

cheers.

[Parallel Worlds]

Hey guys. I sent in a tune to Future Music Magazine (the reader demo's section) and scored the "top demo" in this month's issue (FM193). They did a little half page write-up and the track is on the DVD too. They gave me a new pair of monitors as a prize, so I'm pretty stoked!

I have a scan of the write up on my myspaz, in the pics section: www.myspace.com/taumuon

cheers.

congrats!

[lougaioto]

removed

[whiteaxxxe]

we have now complete CDs for free downloads at http://www.mp3-netlabel.de

like some other bands, we ask the downloaders to pay what they like to pay ... the CDs can be bought to, then the seller has the right to resell them. we woukld like to have some opinions regarding this kind of music-marketing.

for example:

White-X-Blues-Band - For Personal Information Only

White-X-Blues-Band - The Barn, The Acres And The Woman

we would appreciate someone write a review of this ones.


second thing is:

and we are proud to be on position 2 on Neil Youngs LIVING WITH WAR TODAY with White-X-Blues-Band - Are You Allowed To (murder - abuse - lie)

this is the link where you can hear the song:

http://neilyoung.com./lwwtoday/songslin ... _2174.html


because of the drama in myanmar, we have some cds given free to download and ask for a donation, which is send directly to givetoburma.org.

thanks for having your attention.

[Parallel Worlds]

ok, stay calm now...

hello,

there is a new Great review of "Obsessive Surrealism" (DiN26) cd album on the CUEMIX magazine website:

http://www.cuemix-magazine.com/cuemix/i ... ?image=560

thanks much,
Bakis.

here is the full review text:
" Obsessive Surrealism is the new album by Parallel Worlds. An outstanding deep album with a multilayered structure. With each note of each track you'll enter deeper and deeper the "parallel worlds". Bridging between classic electronic in the spirit of Tangerine Dream music and modern IDM artists this album sets a new benchmark. The use of analogue equipment gives this album nonesuch warmth that captures the listener. But don't get me wrong this album doesn't sound "retro" or repeats the past; it keeps the faith in the roots of electronic music and opens the door into a new world of experimental music. The complex arrangements disperse a claustrophobic AND a snug feeling at once. This is intelligent song writing..

Right from the first notes of this album you have the feeling that you become a part of something special…. Maybe an obsessive Surrealism!

A great album, inimitable! Perfect 10 ++ "

[Parallel Worlds]

Memory Geist - "Funereal Cavern" review:

"It is always nice when two great Ambient artists collaborate on a project, especially when the result is a massive, dark soundscape. Listening to the first track called "Shadowy Periphery", I am reminded of the best works in the genre, from Lustmord to Robert Rich and the darkest Steve Roach. Excellent, low resonating sounds might be a classic formula but here it works 100%. Like most Dark Ambient, this is music to be experienced - heard, felt, whatever. But not to be described, as there's no real melody and no rhythm. Track two starts in a similar matter, with long sheets of resonating bass and distant synth strings. I am reminded a bit on Invisible Connections from Vangelis. It has the same feel to it, although it's much more intense. The combination of Steve's textures and Bakis' deep analogue sounds really works well here. The title track begins with what sounds like an imitation of dropping water. Soon dark textures and echoing resonances completely take over, and, surp!
risingly, one can also hear a distorted, clanging sequence of sorts, although it remains in the distance, never coming to the fore. The guys have really managed to capture the atmosphere of a deep, dark cavern, with its shadowy corners and resonating chambers. By the way, "shadowy" would be a nice description of this album. It's not pitch-black like some other Dark Ambient albums are. It's more like a combination of massive darkness and brief glimpses of light and everything in-between. This last track has so many different shades of sound that I could hardly describe them all. Let's say that it's rich ambient music, pure sonic ecstasy. Finally, as the album progresses toward its final chords, the sound becomes brighter and more emotional, while at the very end we get low bass rumbles and metallic resonance. I recommend this album as one of the most successful Ambient releases of late."

Artemi Pugachov - Encyclopedia of Electronic Music (www.pugachov.ru/eem)

[Parallel Worlds]

Hello all, (please bare with me...)

There is a new great review of "Obsessive Surrealism" (DiN26) cd album here:
http://www.seaoftranquility.org/reviews ... nt&id=5884

here is just the final verdict:

"...Sirros' mastery of sound-sculpt and sample-shape isn't likely to be replicated in any release from that genre. In all, Obsessive Surrealism is the most exciting electronic release of 2007. "

Rating: 4.5 out of 5
Elias Granillo / Sea of tranquility

[Sasha_Ponkratov]

AUTO-ADMIN: Non-MP3, WAV, OGG, SoundCloud, YouTube, Vimeo, Twitter and Facebook links in this post have been protected automatically. Once the member reaches 5 posts the links will function as normal.

[puls02] Sasha Ponkratov - Kaleidoscope



Just released EP with my music on russian netlable "Pulsations For You".
It's a kind of jazzy soundtrack music... Enjoy=)

http://www.archive.org/details/puls02 (http://www.archive.org/details/puls02)
http://pulsations-for-you.ru/puls02.html (http://pulsations-for-you.ru/puls02.html)

some comments:
http://radio87mhz.wordpress.com/2007/11 ... eidoscope/ (http://radio87mhz.wordpress.com/2007/11/24/sasha-ponkratov-kaleidoscope/)
http://blog.goo.ne.jp/warp50cd/e/d0f019 ... a17b9b17a7 (http://blog.goo.ne.jp/warp50cd/e/d0f019fe65933abdc4cb67a17b9b17a7)
http://www.em411.com/show/release/3314 (http://www.em411.com/show/release/3314)
http://www.kvraudio.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=197637