Steve Moore — Light Echoes
Retro is all the rage these days, whether it's in clothing, movies, or music. As more people get on board with retro, more people release retro sounding music. As one would expect with an influx of "new" music, most of it isn't worth mentioning. Fortunately, there are some practitioners that really appreciate the source and instruments and aren't just along for the ride. Steve Moore knows his way around a synthesizer. Light Echoes is a spaced out journey though many lush and contemplative soundscapes. Some tracks have more looped, arpeggiated highs dancing on top of deep, bass drones while the mid range sweeps and fills in all the sonic gaps (Tyken's Rift & Protomorphosis). Others, like Aldebran Exchange, offer up low, haunting atmospheres of a windy, alien planet. The very Star Wars-esque name only adds to its alien feel. The album is rounded out by Ancient Shoreline, a 28 minute syth epic that will definitely make you want to grow out your beard and put on a cape.
Singling out individual tracks on synth records is pretty tough. They're better taken in and absorbed as a whole. Light Echoes is no different. Steve Moore composed a very atmospheric synth album that is not only a nod to the greats like Tangerine Dream, but could stand along side their releases. It sounds as if it were plucked from the past, while most "retro" releases sound completely hokey and forced. I would definitely be interested in checking out more of Steve's solo works.