Earthstar — Collected Works (CD boxset)

Collected Works is a five-CD set compiling together all the studio albums from Earthstar-a Utica, New York formed band from the 70s who were the only American band to participate in Germany's Kosmische Musik/electronic at its height. Their sound moved from pastoral & hazed synth/ tape loops/piano-based ambient, onto electro-based Kraut rock, though to blends of new age/ ambient/ Kosmische.

The five CDs come presented in an old-school/ chunky jewel case- which features a fifteen-page inlay booklet, taking a write-up about the band/ albums, full-in-depth album credits, and a good selection of pictures.  The five albums featured here are 1978’s Salterbarty Tales, 1979’s French Skylines, 1981’s Atomkraft? Nein, Danke!, 1982’s Humans Only, and the previously unreleased 1980 album Sleeper the Nightlifer.

Formed in the year 1977 in Utica, New York  Earthstar was the brainchild of keyboardist/synthesist Craig Wuest. He was very much influenced by the German electronic music scene of the 1970s, including Klaus Schulze, Popol Vuh, Tangerine Dream, and  Kraftwerk.. He met up with local guitarist Dennis Rea- who was involved in the electronic-edged prog rock band Zuir, with the two forming together as Earthstar.  The band had fifteen other members go through their ranks over its six years of existence.

So first up we have  1978’s Salterbarty Tales- which was released by Moontower Records- which I’m guessing was the band's own label- as firstly the label only released this album, and until this release/ reissue on MIG Records' original copies were changing hands for $100 plus.  This is a nine-track album, which I guess is best described as a more pastoral/ hazed version of early Tangerine Dream- with the addition of untouched/altered piano on a few tracks.  The album opens with  “Splendid Skies And Angles” which moves from warm/ climbing keyboards and spiralling ‘n’ glittering electro tones, onto bright synth/ guitar jamming.  We have the galloping harpsichord meets glowing keys of  “Salterbarty Overture”.  Most of the original second side of the album is taken up by the epic twenty-two minutes of  “Canyon Nebula”  which features a decidedly mixed/ muddled blend of choppy space-bound electronics, weaving ‘n’ warbling keyboards, space whisper-like guitar textures, runway electro rhythms, fairground jigging organ, and possible Arabic focused horn work.   As an album, Salterbarty Tales certainly possesses some rewarding moments of hazy pastoral and manic/ layered jamming; but equally, it does lack focus/ is badly overloaded at points.

Moving onto disc number two, we have 1979’s  French Skyline- the band's second album, and this is very much in the Kosmische Musik/ Krautrock setting. It was released originally on Hamburg’s Sky Records- which was one of the key independent labels in the genre. The album was recorded between Germany, France & the US- with the first side/ suite of songs produced/engineered by none other than Klaus Schulze. It takes in three suites/ eight tracks- Latin Sirens Face The Wall,  French Skyline Movement, and Reprise: Morning Song. We open with “Part 1: Sirens”- which blends a raising/ layered choir with a moodily sparking ‘n’ baying electronics/ guitar tone, sounding like a crossbreed between Popol Vuh and Tangerine Dream. As we move through the record we come to warbling/ processed flutes, steadily climbing ‘n’ circling synth tones,  speed-up/ warped orchestration, and baying guitar tones of “Splendid Skies And Angles”  which is a better-realized/ smoother version of one of the first album's tracks. We have twang sitar/clanging harp-like haze, rising synth choirs, and cascading rhythmic keyboard patterns of “Part II: Sources Change”. And the pacy synth tone layers & swirling electro glow of “Reprise: Mourning Song”. All in all French Skyline is a wonderful sonic adventure of an album and is a great example of the Kosmische Musik genre.

Disc three features 1981’s Atomkraft? Nein, Danke!. This ten-track album once again appeared on Sky Record- severing up a fairly clean, crisp, and atmospheric blend of ambient,  mellow 80’s electronica, and kraut rock.  We open with the fittingly titled “Golden Rendezvous” which mixes elegantly bound/ cascading piano keys with warming electronic layers. Onto pulse sweeping to jaunting keyboards of “Wind Mills”. Through to stretching ‘n’ warping synth/ electronics of “Solar Mirrors”, onto the circling and rising synth tones of “Forest Floor”.  As an album Atomkraft? Nein, Danke! Feels more focused & polished, with short/ more precise tracks set on different moods.

On disc four is the band's official last album 1982’s  Humans Only, and this follows on from the last album with a more polished sound blending in some new age touches with the ambient, electronica, and more mellow Krautrock tones.  We move from brightly bobbing “ Don’t You Ever Wonder”  which brings together joyful jaunting keys, warming ambient flows, and clean/ electric guitar elements. Onto slurred beats, warbling female vocals,  strutting guitar groove, and wavering electronics of “TV Funk”. Finishing with the epic nearing thirteen & a half minutes “Tip Top Funk” it begins with swirling layers of harmonical wavering flutes, squelching/twinkling electronics, and baying space whisper-bound guitar. At a point a steady-sightly- strutting groove takes hold of the track, as formal drums are added in as well as guitar, bass, piano, and chanted layered female vocals elements- this track is an interesting way to bow out their career, as it nods back to the more overloaded jam-based sound of some of the tracks on the first album, but there seems a lot more control structure here. At points, I’m even getting a vibe of latter-day Swans, but of course, fed through an 80’s production.  As final albums go Humans Only is fine, though you do hear the band sometimes trying to sonically pull in different directions- so you can see why this was their final album.

The fifth & final disc in the set is taken up by Sleeper The Nightlife- this was recorded in 1980, and never formally released until now- though a few of the tracks appeared on Humans Only.  It’s a nine-track affair, with some of the tracks featuring formal/ proper male vocals. We move from densely layered and forlorn “Billows Edit” with its mix of gloomy-to-blues tinged solo guitar tones, vibes, orchestral synth layers, and cascading piano keys- which at points features moments of awkward pitch warping. There’s the flute dart ‘n’ warble, jaunting keys & guitars, and vibes of “Chiaroscuro”  which rather sounds like a more ham-fisted arranged Mike Oldfield track. The album is finished with “Sleeper Garden Path” which blends stock footage of garden birds, plaintive flutes, and vibes. It’s certainly great to have this unreleased album to finish off the collection, and while there are some interesting ideas- like the first album it feels rather messy/ unfocused in places- so it was probably best it didn’t get a release at the time of recording.

In finishing if you have any interest in 70’s Kosmische/ Kraut Rock/ ambient then  Collected Works is certainly worth a look. And it’s great to have these long OOP/never-released albums back-in-print & available.