PETE NAMLOOK/KLAUS SCHULZE, featuring BILL LASWELL

DARK SIDE OF THE MOOG VII

 Obscured By Klaus
  1/  Part 1                                     (Namlook,Schulze)             5.01
  2/  Part 2                                     (Namlook,Schulze)             7.25
  3/  Part 3                                     (Namlook,Schulze,Laswell)     19.01
  4/  Part 4                                     (Namlook,Schulze)             6.37
  5/  Part 5                                     (Namlook,Schulze)             3.43
  6/  Part 6                                     (Namlook,Schulze)             8.10

          Recorded at Klanglabor, Traben-Trarbach/Mosel, Moldau Musik Studio and
            Greenpoint Studios, Brooklyn, New York
          Engineer at Greenpoint: Robert Musso
          Produced by Peter Kuhlmann
          Artwork by Yoko Yamabe @ Randesign (Bandcamp release)
Pete Namlook & Klaus Schulze: all sounds; Bill Laswell (3): additional sounds.

          1998 - FAX +49-69/450464 (Germany), PK 08/143 (CD)
          2004 - Ambient World (Germany), AW 032 (CD)
          2016 - Made In Germany (Germany), MIG 01392 (5CD)
          2019 - Music on Vinyl (Europe), MOVLP2479 (2x12")
          2020 - Bill Laswell Bandcamp (digital)

REVIEWS :

A little shorter than the others, and even then, it stretches out a bit. [Don't most FAX releases? :-) ] It's still quite good, though. Almost as good as DSotM V (my personal fave). The breakdown:

Part 1 (4:59): Namlook (?) starts us off with a nice dark sequence, which provides Klaus with the basis for his deep Klaus-y chords to enter. The sequence gradually becomes more intense and rhythmic as the chords continue and eventually fade as we segue into...

Part 2 (7:22): The sequence continues, crescendos, and the percussion loop enters. As good as any of the DSotM trancey numbers (like DSotM V, part 3, but w/out Laswell).

Part 3 (18:58): Ambient and soundscapey. This is where the stretching out is. It is quite nice, though. As 18:00 approaches, the sequence from the end of Part 1 / beginning of Part 2 slithers up from behind every so sneakily and into...

Part 4 (6:34): ...A variation on Part 2, modulating some, and with brighter analog tones (think "BWOYYYY!"), then back to a more faithful rendition of Part 2, and then the brighter tones over the faithful Part 2. I like.

Part 5 (3:42): Mellotron-ish interlude. Nice, as far as mellotron interludes go.

Part 6 (8:09): Ambient and soundscapey - a bit darker than Part 3, plus a bit of piano to give the finale a nice, sad color.

Score: With DSotM V being a 10, this is a 9 (for brevity only).

Damon Capehart