Album Review - Steve Moore Positronic Neural Pathways
When it comes to electronic music, there are few things better than the warmth and beauty of the sounds created by analog synthesizers. While legends like Tangerine Dream, Wendy Carlos and Michael Garrison immediately come to mind when discussing these particular instruments, it is becoming less common to come across contemporary players embracing the sonic palette of analog. Thank goodness then for Steve Moore, and his new album, Positronic Neural Pathways.
Released at the end of July via bandcamp, this album is an excellent example of exploring the interstellar realms of "space music". If this genre is unfamiliar to you, not to worry, but please do press play on the title track to Positronic Neural Pathways before reading on.
Space music is an interesting style of recorded sound and it is understandable if you are not familiar with the term. For a niche genre, it's adherents tend to be extremely loyal. Space music doesn't necessarily have to sound like traveling through the cosmos without aid of a spacecraft, though much of it can feel and sound that way.
Stephen Hill, the co-founder of legendary radio program Music from the Hearts of Space puts it thusly: "When you listen to space and ambient music you are connecting with a tradition of contemplative sound experience whose roots are ancient and diverse. The genre spans historical, ethnic, and contemporary styles. In fact, almost any music with a slow pace and space-creating sound images could be called spacemusic."
As a long time fan of space music, it is very exciting to happen across newer variations on its themes, so finding the creations of Steve Moore is very exciting. Hopefully you have been listening to the opening track from the album. The subsequent sounds are equally on pair. Of particular note is track 3, "Render Ghosts" on which Moore, whether consciously or not, channels a bit of Wendy Carlos, with bright lead tones overlaying the soft, warm undercurrent line in perfect fashion.
The harder edges and addition of a heavier beat Steve Moore brings to "Uncertainty Ellipse" is evocative of the late, great Michael Garrison.
The album closes on a stellar (pun very much intended) pair of pieces which segue seamlessly into each other. I highly encourage you to listen to them yourself, from the album's bandcamp page as intended to achieve the complete effect. Listen for echoes of John Carpenter's soundtrack style in the first half. Again, echoes, not a direct line. If you are familiar with his films, the Carpenterisms should be apparent.
For the instrument geeks out there, the equipment Moore used on this album included an ARP Solus, Crumar Orchestrator, Elka Rhapsody 490, Korg Polysix, MFB-522 Drumcomputer, Moog Little Phatty/Minitaur/Rogue, Roland CompuRhythm CR-78/Rhythm 330, Sequential Circuits Drumtraks/Pro-One/Prophet 600 and Univox SR-95 Super Rhythm.
If this is your first time experiencing space music, might I suggest donning a good pair of headphones, as clearly Steve Moore had listening through them in mind when he recorded this album, and just kick back and let the music guide you to, where ever...
Steve Moore's Positronic Neural Pathways is available as a digital download through his bandcamp page. The limited edition C33 cassette release of the album is already sold out during pre-orders.
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