The music of Steve Roach

[lemonstar]

I was trying to quickly skim through all the Steve Roach music I have one eveneing - I'm not a big fan of his music where the whole album has those lethargic drums on every track so that is probably the main factor in skewing my assessment. I wished I could have found some kind of a guide to his music before buying - maybe this might interest someone else even though it's not the slightest bit analytical and wholely subjective.

More (+)'s means that I like them more, a (~) signifies I think it's only okay(and will probably not listen to it), a (-) or a (--) means that I didn't like it or really didn't like it and will definitely not listen to it. My ratings are a simple, subjective starting point.

In view of my list and ratings I wondered what releases other Steve Roach fans might suggest for me. Maybe I'm overlooking the quality of some of the ones in my list - is there an album with a rating that surprises you?

It struck me that I've been less impressed with his output in the past few years only New Life and Mystic Chords since the start of 2003 and during that time he's released IMHO some of his worst material - about 10 albums that I've not been that taken with.

(+++) New Life Dreaming
(+++) Pure Flow (the collection I recommend for new listeners)
(+++) The Dream Circle

(++) Mystic Chords & Sacred Spaces
(++) Day Out of Time
(++) World's Edge
(++) Desert Solitaire
(++) Dreamtime Return
(++) The Magnificent Void
(++) Midnight Moon
(++) Early Man
(++) Atmospheric Conditions
(++) Strata (with Robert Rich)

(+) Mantram
(+) Spirit Dome [with Vidna Obmana]
(+) Streams and Currents
(+) The Serpent's Lair
(+) On This Planet
(+) Immersion One
(+) Immersion Two
(+) Terraform [with Loren Nerell]

(~) Proof Positive
(~) Somewhere else (with Vidna Obmana)
(~) Trance Spirit(with Jeffrey Fayman & Robert Fripp)

(-) Fever Dreams
(-) Kairos
(-) Structures from Silence (just sounds quite dated now)
(-) Artifacets
(--) Blood Machine (with Vir Unis)
(--) Darkest Before Dawn

[Mohoyoho]

I don't have as many CDs as you, but I'm a big fan of Roach's. One that you gave a (--) was Blood Machine. That's one of my favorites. I love The Magnificent Void; it's probably my all-time favorite. I'm not wild about Desert Solitaire.

I used to not be wild about rhythm tracks on ambient music, but now I love them. I especially like how Vir Unis approaches them.

[lemonstar]

I forgot to include:-

(~) On This Planet

The Magnificent Void is quite a powerful album, generally very dark, tense and disturbing from beginning to end and it has an oceanic depth about it that remains the same throughout - I usually like more variation in the depth, light and shade across a whole album or generally something quieter, expansive and more reflective overall. I think the tension in it demands that you tune in and pay attention - I don't think I could have this on in the background and work/read/rest unless I wanted to take my mind for some kind of spacey trip.

On Blood Machine most of the tracks have quite fast percussion/repetitive rhythms - some of the textures are promising at the start of the tracks and I think there's 1 track near the end that's okay but as you might gather I prefer the more empty, expansive soundscapes.

As for Desert Solitaire I must say I had this for a long time (years!) before I started to appreciate it. I've recently had it on my mp3 player that I sometimes use when I go to sleep if I need to get my mind relaxed (after a late night where I've been using my brain a lot) when I'm finding it hard to switch off. I really think that this is one of his best collaborations - the album has a rich diversity in sound, mood and texture, light and dark that I like - for me it has stood up to repeated and detailed listenings very well - each track puts me in a different imaginary location and I can easily put up with the percussion in this as it is varied and only appears in patches. I think Labyrinth is a stella standout track - especially the whales or wolves, owls and gassy breath that blows clouds through this piece - listening through headphones has really helped me to appreciate the music - anyway these are just my thoughts and I'm not here to convince anyone that what I think is worth thinking more than what anyone else thinks - I've been enjoying SR's music a hell of a lot lately but know absolutely no other fans personally and there isn't, as far as I can find, a forum where SR is either particularly well-known or often mentioned - that's how I ended up here.

Neil

[Mohoyoho]

Roach is mentioned on quite a few of the forums I go to. A lot of people complain that he is too prolific. I think that's silly, but some people just like to complain.

I had the great pleasure of seeing him perform several years ago. It was incredible! I met him after the show, and he was very gratious.

I also like World's Edge. Have you listened to Soma, a collaboration of Roach and Robert Rich? There's also Well of Souls with Vidna Obnama which is quite nice.

[lemonstar]

Well please point me in the direction of these other forums...I'm keen to talk SR at the moment.

He is prolific (or is he, I'm starting to think, just being indiscriminate?) and it's been dawning on me recently that I've not been so enthusiastic about a lot of the recent releases. Most of the time it takes me a fair number of listens before I really start enjoying the music so having so many releases a year hasn't, I suspect, given me the time to start appreciating some of them. I was just trying to take stock of what SR music I had (scattered in various rooms in the house) and wondered if anyone else had tried to reflect on a large number of his releases - I'll probably be a lot more cautious about what I buy from now on. I also wondered if there were any recommendations. I went back to the SR website and listened to the excepts from Soma and Well of Souls and they sounded fine (I can tolerate the drums in the except from Well as there are other sounds mixed in that have an equal footing with the percussion) - but maybe I'd be more inclined to try Soma as I liked Strata but the Well excepts sounded good. The Well reviews suggest the 2 discs are quite different - one with more drums and one more spaced out - I won't like it if the drums are a constant invariable feature of each track or if they're consistently high in the mix or to fast.

[Mohoyoho]

Try these:
http://emportal.info/topic-213.html
http://www.hypnos.com/phpbb/topic-739.html

[lemonstar]

Thanks Mark - those threads are spot on, exactly the kind of thing I was looking for but never found - just trawling thought them now.

[elektro80]

Oh my, I really feel lost in all this new stuff. I´ve been planning to check out what Steve Roach is up to for years. I´ve heard some stuff which I think was really good, and then some which was like drumloops forever.. and whishy phishy new age sprinkled on top. I dunno where to start.