TERRAFORMS by Sylken

~ A MUSiCAL TRiBUTE TO TERRA, OUR MOTHER EARTH ~

One of the Best Recordings of 2005 ...

" TERRAFORMS, the latest release from the Canadian ensemble Sylken, continues their movement toward a more structured and accessible mixture of retro/classic EM, spacey and drifting ambient music. Track length on the album varies between four and eight minutes which, for me is ideal .. Sylken is quite adept at nailing the perfect amount of time to spend on a theme or motif, working and evolving it just enough to satisfy ..

TERRAFORMS should hold strong appeal for a wide variety of electronic music fans, from those who enjoy retro EM or Berlin school to lovers of space music or haunting ambient soundscapes. As with any recording which doesn’t stick to any one formula throughout, those who don’t embrace a multitude of musical approaches may not enjoy the CD as much as those for whom variety is the spice of life. What can’t be over-stated, though, is the skill and care which went into the music on the album. TERRAFORMS is pure sonic pleasure to my ears ... this CD comes strongly recommended. "

.. © 2005 Bill Binkelman, Wind & Wire, KFAI-FM

One of my top ten favorite discs for the year 2005 ...

" SYLKEN returns with TERRAFORMS, a beautiful example of the ambient ideal. Working with some of the brightest talents in The Ambient PiNG community, Sylken has produced a series of melodic ambient tracks of great beauty and wonder .. from the throbbing pulse of opening track 'Terra Rising', where graceful arpeggios and deep pads blend together with each other to form a delicate web of sound, the listener is caught up in the beauty inherent in all of Sylken's work.

Listening to TERRAFORMS I can't help but be put under the spell of Sylken's charms. All of the tracks bring to mind a variety of different emotions and feelings throughout the course of the disc's length, a testimony to the talent and artistry inherent in the music that it can be so evocative. Once again Sylken has succeeded in creating music that brilliantly captures a mood, a feeling, a time and a space. Stunning work that comes highly recommended. "

.. © 2005 rik maclean - PiNG THiNGS

" TERRAFORMS offers up a strong follow up to his excellent 'Dreamlife' cd. A churning driving rhythm brings 'Terra Rising' to a quick start, drawing the listener in. 'Landfalls' is active yet peaceful as several atmospheric electronic layers blend together. After these two tracks set a steady but easygoing tempo, 'Breath of Life' slows things way down with airy synth washes and piano. Pretty at first, a shift in timbre and pitch lend an almost ominous quality in the middle before it lightens again. 'Enfoldment' surprises with the addition of saxophone, though it retains a more ambient than new age quality. 'The Drift of Time' is a beautiful piece, all softness and light with a gentle melody.

Sounds ebb and flow, swell and slack in 'The Shores of Space', as metallic shimmering tones float by. The title track 'Terraforms' adds trumpet, softer and more in the background than the earlier saxophone. 'World of One' brings things fully into the realm of deep space music, devoid of rhythm and melody except for a low stuttering bass pulse which sounds really cool. 'Gaia’s Lament' is appropriately earthy and sad. Greg Kyryluk, aka Alpha Wave Movement, contributes to the final number 'Zen Sky', ending things on a higher ethereal plane. TERRAFORMS is perfect for late-night chilling. "

.. © 2005 Phil Derby - Electroambient Space