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| Popol Vuh - Future Sound Experience |
 Released: 2002 Label: Mystic Records Cat. No.: MYS CD 151 Total Time: 68:12 | |
Reviewed by: John "Bo Bo" Bollenberg, February 2002 It is a weird situation when a record company, in the wake of a new album’s promotion, has to include not only a bio with their promo package but also a rush-released press release announcing the death of one of the band’s members. This happened with the latest release by the legendary German cosmic band Popol Vuh, as composer Florian Fricke died on December 29th at his home following a stroke that he had suffered just before Christmas. Fricke recorded the first experimental album built around the Moog syntheszier called Affenstunde. He also composed soundtracks for Werner Herzog movies such as Aguirre, Nosferatu, Cobra Verde and Fitzcarraldo. He also can be heard on Tangerine Dream’s Zeit album and will be remembered as a very vital part of the much acclaimed Kraut Rock movement. His latest collaboration under the moniker of Popol Vuh, Future Sound Experience, is based around the music of lost South American Indian tribes, thus including a fair amount of acoustic interventions. Mainly percussion and vocals enhance the cinematographic quality of the music. Although the actual album had been recorded in 1993 and given a limited release then, some new links have been recorded to make this one ongoing experiment. Add to this the fact that the material has been re-mastered and you get a great audio experience, delivered as one flowing river of music. In fact, Fricke has always been intrigued with world music, trying to combine its magic within the floating world of electronic music. Remember the use of sitar in “Die Nacht Der Seele” subtitled ‘tantric songs’ and the use of tablas, gongs and multiple forms of percussion. Listen to the almost sacral sounding "Hungern And Duersten" here, also incorporating some nice sounding choir. Nice and melodic is the uplifting “Liedklagen” which has the tabla inject a nice groove. In “Reines Herz” the choir almost becomes pastoral and minimal, what with the repetitive pattern being strongly embedded in the mix. Calm sets in with “Weinen Und Lachen” with acoustic guitar rubbing shoulders with Moraz-like keyboards. The album closes with the addictive “Tanz,” including some native chants to enhance the main idea for this album. Although no big fan of the entire Kraut Rock scene, I nevertheless have to confess that this is a stunning instrumental work of art that rightfully puts a full stop behind the life of Florian Fricke. There certainly would not have been a better way to end! [See also Steph's review -ed.] More about Future Sound Experience: Track Listing: Gutes Land (9:04) / Kleiner Krieger (9:41) / Morgengruss (9:47) / Hungern Und Duersten (8:35) / Liedklagen (5:45) / Reines Herz (5:12) / Weinen Und Lachen (8:07) / Tanz (11:58) Musicians: Discography
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