music for mystery themes



Frank Klare - AREA 2000
(1999+2004/2005, SynGate CD-R 2042)

Composed and produced 1999 by Frank Klare
Tracks 14 and 15 recorded 2004
Mixed 2nd September 2005 by Thomas Bechholds of valleyforge music prod. / www.valleyforge.de

By kind permission of Dave Law from Synth Music Direct, SynGate uses reviews from the SMD magazine. The 'old' review of Frank Klare's AREA 2000 by Blue22 incited me to work on the CD-R(elease) again. 

So I requested Thomas Bechhold aka valleyforge to mix the album in consideration to the remarks by B22. The result is remarkable and emphasized again how effective a collective of musicians, listeners and doers can be.

The old review

This latest offering from Frank see's us step back in time to1999 when the vast majority of this conceptual album was recorded. Sub titled, 'Music for mystery themes' it plants us firmly into that early eighties Tangerine Dream sound of 'Exit', 'White Eagle' and 'Wavelength'. Unusually, 'Area 2000', is put together like a soundtrack album with various takes/cues on a number of themes, many of the pieces presented here sounding like the sort of fare you'd expect to find amongst the incidental passages of a film score. The album is quite a departure from what we have come to expect more recently from Mr. Klare with his sequencer lead musical excursions, namely the Berlin inspired 'Parks', 'Nightlife' and 'Sequences' albums.

Anyone that's seen the Wavelength movie will 'get' the cover art concept straight away. Equally it could be said that anyone who's heard the aforementioned T.D. albums will 'get' the music straight away. Though the material presented here is excellent, it's that tell tail lifting of idea's from elsewhere that are the albums Achilles heal, leaving a CD which at times feels a little unsubstantial. That slight lack of originality serving only to lessen the impact of otherwise brilliant tracks. It's a minor point which won't bother too many of you; let's move on to the music :-)

Marching in straight away with a familiar T.D/ Franke drum pattern, 'Groomlake Mystery' (3.46) swings into action, quickly commanding the listeners attention. The main sequences are a little too bubbly for this to be a straight T.D. clone of a track, but the references made throughout this and many of the other pieces on the album make it very clear as to where Frank is coming from on a musical level. Track two, 'Runaway to hidden Secrets', (3.30) is fundamentally a reprise of track one. A variation on a theme, typical of something TD used to do to get their soundtrack work completed on time. Here Frank seems to have been aware of the musical economy of doing this, but in TD's case it was something that they had to do out of the necessity; not a factor that l would have thought affected a home-grown studio project like this, (of a soundtrack that never was!!!).

That same Franke drum pattern and sequence plays in again sounding somewhat over used now on three tracks in succession as,' Start from Area 51', (4.16) commences. None the less, this is a sparkling little tune that should please many of you with out there with its tried and tested T.D. flavourings. Mr. Klare makes the most of his drum programming skills on 'Unknown Objects', (2.25) utilising a strong rhythm pattern which l think you'll find has its metronomic roots in the introduction on 'Logos'. The following,' Flight to Shambala' coming across as one of the more atmospheric sections from either the 'Canyon Dreams' or 'Melrose' albums. 'The Arrival' at just under three minutes has the Franke drum pattern return yet again, but plays back in double time!!! This in all honesty doesn't make for a very positive listening experience. You too can achieve the same effect by digging out your old 33rpm vinyl albums and playing them back at 45rpm!!!! Time to move swiftly on.

'Neuschwabenland', (6.35) is one of the longer pieces on the album, a track bathed in an extreme dose of stereo phasing, which works a treat. With more room for development here, the percussion ticks over at a fantastic rate, but the phasing hits on a single hung chord, ultimately leaving the track nowhere to go. Think, 'Pinnacles' on this one. The 'Area 2000 Theme', (7.14) starts in absolutely unbeatable time honoured fashion, Mellotron choirs putting in a welcome appearance. A dream of a sequence drifts into the foreground to carry the piece. Everything coming together brilliantly over the following minutes of this electronic perfection. Then like the other tracks before it, fails to real ignite due to a lack of any further development of the piece. The sequence cycles around seeming lost in a dream state itself not sure of which direction to take, but what a first class piece of sequencing this is. Its one of those occasions when Frank has conjured up something from absolutely nothing, a great little track.

'Atlantis', sounds truly monumental, like the sort of massive textures Helmut Teubner used to employ in his more orchestrated moments. The electronics twitter away up in the higher registers, but it all comes to a close way too soon at a mere three and a half minutes. Didn't know what to make of track ten, 'Bigfoot', (3.34). It's again very cyclical showing no obvious signs of real development. 'Bigfoots End', (3.21) doesn't really address the situation, continuing the previous piece with the slightest of melodies played over the same basic sequence. 'Mind Control', (4.56) veers off in a slightly different direction reminding me of Syn's work on the 'Orange' album. Low key drums and bass leading the way. 'Fight of the Illuminati', (4.57) puts us back in T.D. Wavelength mode. This piece l believe being based on the title track of the aforementioned movie, sounding alittle tinkly and twee – just like the original, incorporating sharp and punchy tick tock drums putting 'Danger in Dream' in mind, (remember them????).

The lethargic plodding dance bass and counter rhythm of 'Ghostrace', (5.02) has me thinking, 'Syn/Orange' again. Franks musicianship starts to shine through once more as the soloing begins, but is truncated at five minute mark just as the track finds its feet!!!! What were you thinking of Frank!!!!

Two new tracks from 2004 finish the album, fitting in quite seamlessly. ' Hier sprechen die Kuriere', (5.47) is a very energetic electro pop type of work out sounding like something borrowed from either Intelligentsia or Synthetik, a very busy well thought out piece of uptemponess. Finally, 'Transwelten Theme', (6.42) will have those of you that know TD's 'Poland' back to front going "oh yeah….. l know where that little idea came from." Once again it's a track that goes around and around but never really gets into gear, building to something great that never really arrives.

This has been for me a most frustrating CD to review, the production is spot on as too is the music, but it's the way tracks/passages have been edited as if for soundtrack use - but this isn't a soundtrack album!!! All a bit of a confused muddled concept making an album in this way, many of the pieces exhibited here would have benefited from being put together into longer single tracks rather than being chopped up and presented in several slightly different ways. This album does nothing to alter my opinion that Frank Klare is one of the best euro musicians out there at present, but it has to be said, 'Area 2000' isn't one of his finest moments. The music is strong, but its content a little weak. (B22)

Blue 22, Synth Music Direct

EMU (D)

„Area 2000” nennt Frank Klare sein neuestes Album. Frank hat zwischen 1985 und 1993 in der Formation Synco gespielt und bringt seit Jahren unter seinem Namen CDs heraus. Sowohl bei Synco als auch bei seinen Soloarbeiten ist der Einfluss von Tangerine Dream nicht zu verkennen. Die aktuelle CD trägt den Untertitel „Music For Mystery Themes“ und bietet 16 kürzere Stücke, mit denen Frank seine Visitenkarte abgibt.

Flirrende Sequenzer und ein vorantreibender Rhythmus bestimmen den Opener „Groomlake Mystery“ und Track zwei „Runaway To Hidden Secrets“ nimmt die Melodielinie auf, ist aber mit einem veränderten Rhythmus ausgestattet. Das ganze klingt nach Tangerine Dream der späten 70’er. Eingängige Melodielinien bestimmen die ersten Stücke der CD. „Flight Of The Shambala“ bietet zum ersten mal weniger Melodie, sondern erzeugt eine Stimmung, die gut zu einem Film passt. Gefolgt von dem sehr perkussiven „The Arrival“.

Und so geht es weiter mit abwechslungsreichen Stücken, bei denen Frank seine ganze Facette zeigt. Mal rhythmisch, melodiös, dann Stimmungen erzeugend. Man kann sich gut vorstellen, dass die Stücke zur Untermalung von Spielfilmen geeignet sind. Ist die Dominanz von Tangerine Dream bei den ersten Stücken noch überdeutlich, so verliert sie doch in der Folge zugunsten eigener Sounds an Bedeutung. „Mind Control“ ist zum Beispiel ein herrlich perkussiver Track, der einen hypnotischen Rhythmus aufweist und „Fight The Illuminati“ hat diese Einfachheit des 80’er Synthiepop. „Ghostdance“ kann mit seinem stampfenden Beat und der Melodielinie für Wohlbefinden sorgen. Wenn man den einzelnen Tracks eines vorwerfen kann, dann, dass sie etwas kurz geraten sind. Ansonsten hat Frank eine ordentliche Werkschau seines Schaffens abgelegt.

Stephan Schelle, (www.stephan-schelle.de/emu), August 2005