Search - Brainticket :: Voyage

Brainticket - 'Voyage' (Purple Pyramid/Cleopatra)

Mike Reed | USA | 12/10/2003

(3 out of 5 stars)

"I believe this was the band's fourth lp,originally released in 1982.The first two tracks run over eighteen minutes each,obviously making each tune take up an entire lp side."Voyage,Part 1" is okay,but I think I like "Voyage,Part 2" a bit better.Brainticket founder Joel Vandroogenbroeck states in the CD's liner notes the band,including drummer Barney Palm got together after a lengthy break in the studio with NO song arrangements whatsoever.They apparently just made everything up as they went along.There aren't a lot of artists that can successfully do that.I always appreciate seeing these CD reissues tagging on bonus cuts.Personally,I dug the three bonus tracks better than I did the 'original' album."Skyline Analog 1970" is quite tripping and so is "Nebula"."Underworld Paths" appears to be more laid back.Might appeal to some fans of Tangerine Dream,Cluster,Ash Ra Tempel and Gong."

Warning: This CD reissue is really Adventure

BENJAMIN MILER | Veneta, Oregon | 09/09/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"If you felt a tad insulted at what Cleopatra Records had did to the 1997 CD reissue to Celestial Ocean (1973), with those gaps between segued cuts that aren't supposed to be there, and "Egyptian Kings" repeating twice, you'll also find out that Adventure (1980) and Voyage (1982) were accidentally switched around so you end up buying the opposite albums when you acquire these 1997 CD reissues. Yes, the CD label and cover does say "Voyage", but it's really Adventure (and vice versa).



How do I know this? I own the CD reissues to both, and very recently I acquired the original Swiss LP to Adventure (dark blue label that says "Distributed by Turicaphon"), and I was shocked (actually I wasn't too shocked, I heard this rumor about Cleopatra Records doing the accidental switch floating around for a number of years before I was finally able to confirm the rumor, by purchasing the original LP). Placing the needle on, I was hearing that electronic circus music that suddenly cuts off for some really nice use of gamelan, before the clavinet and Minimoog kicks in, in a very '70s manner. That's not how the CD reissue to Adventure starts off, but that's how the CD reissue to Voyage does start. So I hope you can follow me and not end up confused. So in that case, I have to review Adventure, since that's what you're actually hearing when you hear this particular CD (Voyage). I still don't have the original LP to Voyage (which sports a reddish label), but I know if I do, it will be the exact music as the CD reissue to Adventure. But I'm not the only one who felt taken by Cleopatra Records, after all, few people bought the original vinyl LPs when they came out, and few people collect vinyl these days, because of the convenience of CDs. I still collect vinyl (unlike some people who claim them to be sonically superior to CDs, it's out of nostalgia, and something solid to compare to the CD reissues).



Brainticket went silent after Celestial Ocean. Joel Vandroogenbroeck then started releasing some music library albums (Images of Flute in Nature from 1978, Meditation from 1979, Biomechanoid from 1980, etc.), and at the same time brought back Brainticket. This time as an all-instrumental outfit with percussionist Barney Palm from previous lineups, as well as new members Hans Deyssenroth and Wilhelm Seefeldt, both handling keyboard duties (these two guys, as well as Joel himself, played Minimoog, ARP 2600, EMS Synthi A, electric piano, clavinet, and computer, I presume RMI Keyboard Computer because in 1980 this was still too early for MIDI). As you can gather, it's now very keyboard dominated. I felt this album was totally underrated, since I was completely blown away upon first listen. The album is divided into two parts, which works great, as the music goes through many changes. At times you get treated with tons of great ethnic percussion, with gamelan and kalimba, to very mid '70s sounding passages complete with the Fender Rhodes electric piano and Hohner clavinet. These passages tend to remind me a bit of that incidental music Rinder & Lewis provided for the In Search Of... TV series with Leonard Nimoy. There's also some rather experimental passages, as well as a great extended Moog solo inspired by Jan Hammer's The First Seven Days (but with Brainticket's rather experimental bent). I really love that mellow part at the end with the electronically modified flute, and the clavinet. I can't believe Brainticket actually pulled this off in 1980! Many people would criticize a band for being behind the times, but I wouldn't dare say that for Brainticket, to record an album in 1979/'80 that sounds more like it's from 1976, it's pretty obvious the band wasn't caring one bit about current fads and stuck to their guns and never sold out. Also it was recorded in their own studios in Büren, Switzerland. This album really deserves a five star rating, even if Cleopatra Records goofed up.



OK, I don't want to forget the bonus cuts: "Skyline (Analog 1970)", "Underworld Paths", and "Nebula". Where did these bonus cuts came from? I realize Joel Vandroogenbroek had released a ton of solo albums from 1978 through well into the 1980s, but I am unable to pin where these bonus cuts came from. "Skyline (Analog 1970)", despite its name, is hardly from 1970, it really sounds like it came out around the same time as Adventure. In fact it's quite similar, with lots of clavinet, Moog, and some atmospheric sound I presume was produced off a computer (RMI keyboard computer, I presume), as well as great ethnic percussion. "Underworld Paths" sounds like a mid '80s recording, with slap-bass and more contemporary synthesizers (digital). It's actually quite good. "Nebula" is a really strange ambient piece I found really pleasant. Most people find the bonus tracks the only thing worthy about this CD, but I really disagree, as I was totally blown away by this CD (even if Voyage was really Adventure).



Cleopatra had since reissued Celestial Ocean, Adventure, and Voyage as limited edition LPs. I only hope they fixed those mistakes. At least they corrected the artwork to Adventure.



Regardless what, I found this to be rather great and underrated stuff. This is not a continuation of Cottonwoodhill, Psychonaut or Celestial Ocean, but something different for the group. Electronic music fans, I am certain, will probably enjoy this much better."

Saved by the extra tracks

G. J. Dorrington | Heathrow flightpath | 11/25/2003

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Talk about a game of two halves ! I struggle to understand why the original album was ever released, because whilst it may have been of interest to die-hard collectors, it was seriously substandard. I'm no musical genius but surely each release should do something to enhance an artist's reputation, especially exercises in nostalgia like "Voyage" ? Why undermine your reputation with a rushed and consequently weak (apologies to DJK) release after years of inactivity ?Anyway, let's move on to the music. The other reviewers are spot on; the first two tracks don't make the grade. After reading their comments, I was pleasantly surprised to hear one or two promising sections, but they were never fully developed. The tracks are very one paced, with little structure and no dynamics to speak of. You could say that this was to be expected, given their allegedly improvised nature, but all the same...All of this makes the onset of the third track, "Skyline", most welcome. What a difference ! Within seconds, you know something good is coming. Dynamics, a huge sense of space, a delicate theme which develops almost unnoticed - great ! The fourth track is very competent too and the final one, "Nebula", provides the perfect conclusion to the album: twinkling sequencer, distant, operatic voices, spine-chilling atmospherics, a minimalist yet nonetheless potent soundscape. This is the music of the spheres and you can just imagine that this is what Voyager (the deep space probe) might be encountering as it hurtles into the depths of space. Well, sort of.On this evidence, Brainticket are the pre-Abramovich Chelsea FC of electronic artists: you never know which team is going to turn up, "los galacticos" or the pub team !"