| Author
|
"Obsessive Surrealism" by Parallel Worlds (DiN26)
|
Parallel Worlds
IsraTrance Full Member
Started Topics :
55
Posts :
177
Posted : May 11, 2007 16:02
|
a great Greek review of "Obsessive Surrealism" cd from the greek music webmag MIC:
for a few words on the cd, scroll down in this page: www.mic.gr (reffering to the album as "...the most exciting listening of this year...")
and the link with the extensive full album review:
http://www.mic.gr/cds.asp?id=13378
it would require much time for me to traslate the whole review in english, but the bottom line is that:
"this album is a point of reference for greek electronica and also... one of the most important albums (from a greek artist) of the current decade..."
review rating: 8.5 out of 10
thank you 
Bakis.
  www.parallel-worlds-music.com
www.facebook/parallelworldsmusic
https://dinrecords.bandcamp.com/ |
|
|
|
Parallel Worlds
IsraTrance Full Member
Started Topics :
55
Posts :
177
Posted : May 13, 2007 12:17
|
Parallel Worlds - "Obsessive Surrealism" DiN26 cd review from AMG (All Music Guide):
"It's a distinctly odd place, Parallel Worlds, a universe Bakis Sirros has been building up over a series of intriguing albums. Obsessive Surrealism is his Worlds' fourth, and once again we are invited into the dark recesses, but of what and where precisely?
The aural landscapes are not really dystopian, although they're all far from anything one could describe as pleasant.
One begins by walking into a world "Beneath Fear" taking "Different Pathways" through the musical maze. Both numbers induce a somewhat clammy feel, a reflection perhaps of the cool dampness of this underground world, or maybe just a primordial reactive nervousness to the unknown.
In either case, it the numbers intended to heighten this sense of disquietude, they certainly succeed. The vistas are totally alien, the rhythms often discomforting, the atmospheres quivering with a sense of foreboding, the melody lines brooding at best, gloomy at worse. Strange noises intrude from the shadows, and there always seems to be something skittering around busily in the darkest corners of the pieces.
One imagines the many sci-fi plots involving humans walking unnoticed through strange worlds, while all around them exotic creatures scurry about performing inexplicable tasks. The explorers' initial fear gradually dampen, but never quite dissipate, as wonder and curiosity arises in its stead.
Sirros is the master of this mood, his rhythms, often slightly askew, keep listeners off-balance, his simple melody lines are equally off center, teetering between light and dark, increasing
one's sense of insecurity, while the gloomy atmospheres heighten the tension. "Into the Caves of the Mind", for instance, is a master work whose center is totally askew, and "Increasing Complexity" shows how it's done, as Sirros takes a simple, pretty keyboard melody and slowly builds it sequential block by block into a thoroughly haunting number.
The richer sounds of "Reflective" is like a distorted infinity mirror, with a million lights looking into darkness.
"Empty Human Cells" is more rhythmic in orientation and thoroughly creepy in feel, while "Distracted", the set's only compulsive, driving piece, is a manic ride through the netherworld.
But for all its alien feeling, the track titles suggest this bizarre world is not to be found in a galaxy far, far away, but within the mind of a human nearly as unknowable. A chilling adventure in every sense of that word."
(Rating: 4.5 out of 5)
All Music Guide / Jo-An Greene
http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:fzftxzl5ldde
www.parallel-worlds-music.com
www.facebook/parallelworldsmusic
https://dinrecords.bandcamp.com/ |
|
|
|
Parallel Worlds
IsraTrance Full Member
Started Topics :
55
Posts :
177
Posted : May 29, 2007 00:39
|
Parallel Worlds "Obsessive Surrealism" cd review by Electroambientspace
(www.DiN.org.uk, 2007)
11 tracks, 63.27 mins
Greek musician Bakis Sirros is Parallel Worlds, and his Obsessive Surrealism album is an experimental work that is perfectly wedded to Ian Boddy's DiN label, ambient electronica that pushes the sonic envelope. "Beneath Fear" percolates with restrained aggression as light bass, beats and electronics come together sneakily in a vaguely sinister fashion. The mood reminds me much of UK favorite Node, known for their dark take on Berlin school. Though retro fans should enjoy the mellotron choirs in the opening track, Bakis' music covers a variety of electronic territory. For example, "Into the Caves of the Mind" veers into dark industrial ambient like Bill Leeb and Rhys Fulber's Synaesthesia project. "Empty Human Cells" is representative of the offerings, highly synthesized processed sounds that are uniquely assembled into tightly arranged adventurous compositions. "Interlude" gurgles and churns its way along. Bass and beats figure prominently in several tracks, such as "Reflective." Though it all has an edge to it, the music has a surprising accessibility as well. Still, the tone remains murky throughout much of it, typified by "Mindmists" as it ambles forward. A notable exception is the energetic number "Distracted" before the melancholy atmospheric "Crying Spells" brings the disc to a close. Recommended.
© 2007 Phil Derby / Electroambient Space
www.parallel-worlds-music.com
www.facebook/parallelworldsmusic
https://dinrecords.bandcamp.com/ |
|
|
|
Parallel Worlds
IsraTrance Full Member
Started Topics :
55
Posts :
177
Posted : Jun 9, 2007 10:48
|
Parallel Worlds - "Obsessive surrealism (DiN26) cd album
review from Morpheus music (www.morpheusmusic.co.uk ):
"STYLE: Moody electronica with strong structures and deep atmospheric backdrops. Obsessive Surrealism delivers eleven melodic synthesiser tracks where low key beats or driving electro-grooves propel shadowy compositions with periodic hints of exposed Berlin roots. Rhythmic sequencer patterns work in tandem with programmed percussion to give most pieces a clearly measured pace, that said, the grooves often break down into fluttering interludes or textural ambient explorations. Parallel Worlds makes abundant use of analogue hardware to create a sound that harks back to the electronica of previous decades whilst set within a twenty first century context. The melodic content is understated, sometimes carried by drifting chord progressions; sometimes dimly lit phrases shot through with percolating, flickering sequences.
MOOD: The range of synthetic sound here is broad, inventive and engrossing; the style also quite varied from track to track - yet the whole album is very coherent, establishing a well thought out sonic environment. There is a fairly consistent shadow hanging over most of this album - low light technology and mysterious spaciness combining into sinewy, ominous themes. The beats at their most strident produce an engine-like drive, a dramatic futuristic regularity, almost militaristic - but frequently these are allowed to break down or disperse into lighter rhythms or even into beatless expanse
ARTWORK: An abstract image that looks something like a photograph taken from a TV screen fills three panels of this package - thin horizontal bands of blue, red and green form dark geometric shapes - on the front a narrow white vertical strip holds the titles and the DiN catalogue numeral 26. On the reverse a broader strip of white holds track titles and their timings as well as informing listeners that this is a limited edition of 1000 copies only. Inside the two leaf booklet opens out to reveal a bank of sound gear illuminated by small rows of lights, meters and glowing digits. Facing this large image, the remaining inner panel is again white with black text in a simple font - a repeated track list, credits and thanks along with a gear list of 'selected equipment'.
OVERALL: Parallel Worlds is primarily the project of Greek musician Bakis Sirros, although collaborators occasionally lend their talents to the name. Here Obsessive Surrealism is appropriately presented via Ian Boddy's DiN label - the experimental, slightly ambient approach to pure electronica fitting nicely into the label's catalogue. Promotional material explains that "Parallel Worlds use mostly Hardware machines. Mainly huge Analogue Modular systems and Analogue Step Sequencers of the past and present combined with digital FM and virtual analogue synths and sampling". This love of gear is evident in the soundscaping of the music - in addition to the emotive nature of the compositions themselves, there is a clear delight in sound sculpture and sonic layering - clearly a lot of time has gone into the production of this album. Bakis Sirros is also behind the new IDM/electronica project Interconnected with Ingo Zobel (of DRON, Signalform, Self Oscillate, Datasette) and the Ambient / experimental project called Memory Geist with Steve Law (of Zen Paradox, Starseed Transmission, Guild Of Fire, etc.).
WHO WILL LIKE THIS ALBUM: Obsessive Surrealism will likely please DiN regulars as well as fans of evolving Berlin school electronica. Go for this one if you enjoy moody synthetics with clear beats and ambient cloudscapes"
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
review from MusikZirkus-magazin.de (www.musikzirkus-magazin.de) :
"Parallel Worlds ist der Projektname des Griechen Bakis Sirros. Auf seinem 63minütigen aktuellen Album „Obsessive Surrealism“ befinden sich elf Ambienttracks. Bakis hat die einzelnen Tracks mit Ausnahme von „Distracted“, dass er zusammen mit John Sirros (seinem Bruder?) gemacht hat, zwischen 2002 und 2006 komponiert.
Die Musik von Bakis weist ungewöhnliche Klangfarben auf. Sehr schöne Harmonielinien werden von Rhythmussequenzen und Klangeffekten durchzogen, was eine Mixtur aus Ambient, atmosphärischen Soundscapes, modernen Electronica-Elementen mit einem Hauch von 70’er Jahre-Feeling und Electropop der 80’er darstellt. Im weitesten Sinne könnten Parallelen zu Wolfram Spyra gezogen werden, aber wirklich nur im allerweitesten Sinne. Es ist schwer diese Musik einzuordnen, dazu klingt sie zu eigenständig und anders. Der Hörer wird eine neue, faszinierende Klangwelt entdecken, zumindest mir erging es so.
Mal klingt das sehr harmonisch wie im Opener „Beneath Fear“, dann etwas düster und technisch wie in „Different Pathways“. „Empty Human Cells“ klingt wieder technisch aber durch Sounds, die an Wasser /Flüssigkeit erinnern, irgendwie organisch. Sehr sanft entführt einen „Increasing Compexity“ in einen anderen Klangkosmos, in den man sich völlig verlieren kann. Zwar ist „Reflective“ durch unterschiedliche Sounds sehr abwechslungsreich, doch weist es eine gewisse Monotonie auf. Und „Distracted“ ist ein Track, der mitreißt, weil er eine sehr schöne Melodielinie aufweist und diese über weite Strecken mit tanzbare, technoartigen Rhythmen verbindet. Der letzte Track „Crying Spells“ ist wieder sehr monoton und überzeugt mich nicht. Schade, eigentlich sollte der letzte Track einer CD noch mal Appetit auf die Repeat-Taste machen.
Mit „Obsessie Surrealism“ ist Bakis eine sehr schöne, außergewöhnliche Ambientplatte gelungen, bei der er mit unterschiedlichen Rhythmussequenzen arbeitet. Für mich ist Parallel Worlds eine echte Entdeckung. "
Stephan Schelle, Juni 2007
www.parallel-worlds-music.com
www.facebook/parallelworldsmusic
https://dinrecords.bandcamp.com/ |
|
|
|
Parallel Worlds
IsraTrance Full Member
Started Topics :
55
Posts :
177
Posted : Jun 30, 2007 13:40
|
new reviews of "Obsessive Surrealism" (DiN26) cd album:
"CD: PARALLEL WORLDS, Obsessive Surrealism ...Parallel Worlds is Bakis Sirros of Greece, and this is one of the best non-ambient, non-Berlin School (though the influences are there) albums of electronic music in recent memory — with a mouthwatering arsenal of analog modulars and synthesizers, to boot. Ten short and mid-length compositions (no epics) gives this a very "soundtrack" feel. Ian Boddy's DiN label keeps churning out winners!
Sea of Tranquility / Elias Granillo (www.seaoftranquility.org )
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Musicista greco attivo da circa dieci anni nel campo della musica elettronica, Bakis Sirros è giunto con "Obsessive Surrealism" al traguardo del suo quarto album (il primo pubblicato dalla DiN), un traguardo raggiunto attraverso un'attività piuttosto intensa e fertile dal punto di vista artistico... "Obsessive Surrealism" sembra confermare il talento di Sirros nel saper manipolare ed arrangiare le sonorità dei classici sintetizzatori analogici insieme alle più recenti innovazioni digitali, il risultato è un'opera decisamente oscura e claustrofobica, una musica che difficilmente permette di intuire le origini mediterranee di Sirros... Le undici composizioni del suo progetto Parallel Worlds sembrano suggerisci un "obsessive futurism" tanto è profondamente dark ed opprimente la visione musicale di Sirros, sospeso fra suggestioni degne dei migliori incubi noir-tecnologici di Philip K. Dick ed atmosfere vicine a certe colonne sonore realizzate da John Carpenter durante gli anni ottanta: "Obsessive Surrealism" si estende nell'arco di un'ora in maniera omogenea nel quale brani come "Beneath Fear", "Empty Human Cells", "Mindmist", "Crying Spells", si sviluppano in forme electro-ambient (tracce dell'influenza di Harold Budd sparse qua e là ) austere e marziali, in un crescendo di tensione che non raggiunge mai la catarsi liberatoria, anzi... Le impressioni di decadenza futuristica e totalitarismo hi-tech emanate da "Obsessive Surrealism" non lasciano quindi alcun spiraglio di luce e speranza, salvo giusto il piacere di goderci il fascino di una musica tanto fascinosa quanto opprimente."
Giovanni Carta / Arlequins.it (Prog Rock webmagazine)
www.parallel-worlds-music.com
www.facebook/parallelworldsmusic
https://dinrecords.bandcamp.com/ |
|
|
|
Parallel Worlds
IsraTrance Full Member
Started Topics :
55
Posts :
177
Posted : Jul 27, 2007 12:33
|
|
Parallel Worlds
IsraTrance Full Member
Started Topics :
55
Posts :
177
Posted : Sep 2, 2007 01:20
|
new review by Bert Strolenberg (former journalist of E-dition magazine):
Parallel Worlds – Obsessive Surrealism
CD, DiN Records, 2007
“Obsessive Surrealism” is the fourth full-length release of musician Bakis Sirros aka Parallel Worlds, one continuing the path of innovative dreamy atmospheric electronics since he started his music project in 1998. In a way he again succeeded in surprising me as Bakis reaches new heights with the eleven tracks featured on the album. The combination of fat sounds from his big analogue modulars and step sequencers with the output of modern electronic gear has worked out very well this time. There’s a beautiful sense of warmth and melancholy to be felt throughout the whole album, especially in the intimate sound sculptures of the opening track “Beneath Fear”, the soft lingering of “Increasing Complexity” or the dense realms of “Reflective”. And although these 60 minutes of music as such may not be that easy or accessible at times (“Into the Caves of the Mind” is delving just a bit to deep for me), the emotional contents is always there or to be noticed just beneath the surface. But only if you have an open mind towards this kind of music and allow your ears to hear its deeper level. Nice going Bakis!
www.parallel-worlds-music.com
Bert Strolenberg
www.parallel-worlds-music.com
www.facebook/parallelworldsmusic
https://dinrecords.bandcamp.com/ |
|
|
|
Parallel Worlds
IsraTrance Full Member
Started Topics :
55
Posts :
177
Posted : Sep 12, 2007 21:53
|
|
Parallel Worlds
IsraTrance Full Member
Started Topics :
55
Posts :
177
Posted : Sep 28, 2007 00:44
|
|
Parallel Worlds
IsraTrance Full Member
Started Topics :
55
Posts :
177
Posted : Sep 28, 2007 18:50
|
|
Parallel Worlds
IsraTrance Full Member
Started Topics :
55
Posts :
177
Posted : Oct 1, 2007 20:41
|
|
Parallel Worlds
IsraTrance Full Member
Started Topics :
55
Posts :
177
Posted : Nov 2, 2007 11:19
|
|
Parallel Worlds
IsraTrance Full Member
Started Topics :
55
Posts :
177
Posted : Nov 23, 2007 11:32
|
|
Parallel Worlds
IsraTrance Full Member
Started Topics :
55
Posts :
177
Posted : Nov 25, 2007 13:23
|
|
Parallel Worlds
IsraTrance Full Member
Started Topics :
55
Posts :
177
Posted : Dec 18, 2007 00:39
|
Review from Bill Binkelman (of Wind and Wire):
PARALLEL WORLDS
Obsessive Surrealism
DiN (2007)
11 tracks, 63:29
Bakis Sirros (Parallel Worlds) reinvents retro-EM on Obsessive Surrealism, one of the best EM recordings of the year. As he weaves his way through eleven tracks (many under six minutes - a decision that I applaud, frankly), he immerses the listener in a shadowy realm where a myriad of past EM and electronica influences (chief among them are John Carpenter’s soundtracks) merge with a dark yet lush contemporary tint. A smattering of synth-pop touches, perhaps trace elements of Jarre, Tangerine Dream, or Synergy also surface, as well as echoes of contemporaries like Current, Di Evantile, and others. The music (much of it created on modular analogue instruments) is always couched in an atmosphere permeated with dread, foreboding, menace and mystery. Because the music frequently has a cinematic aspect to it, I think Sirros’ biggest influences were the music from films such as Escape from New York, The Fog, and to lesser degrees, Big Trouble in Little China and The Thing (and yes, I know The Thing soundtrack was actually composed by Ennio Morricone, thankyouverymuch). Regardless whether you will agree with me on this point, Obsessive Surrealism is an entertaining disc and certainly plays better in the foreground rather than as sonic wallpaper. You’ll really want to listen to this one.
The opening “Beneath Fear” gives you a good indication what to expect. Muted bell tones are set off against assorted skittering electronic FX and minor chord washes. Rhythms emerge gradually but build in intensity along with the addition of moody chorals. “Different Pathways” begins with a steady snare and bass drum beat. Burbling static and organ-like chords are right out of The Thing, and have that same “hair stands up on the back of your neck” effect, as if something is approaching and it’s not gonna be pleasant. Yet, the energy of the song (unlike Carpenter’s soundtracks) is dialed up to a higher intensity level. It’s almost infectious, an intriguing counterpoint to music suffused with dread. “Empty Human Cells” evokes Escape from New York at times, with the same pulsing rhythms and flurry of synths that marked one of Carpenter’s more sought after works.
Sirros settles down only occasionally (too bad) e.g. on “Increasing Complexity” with its echoed piano, bell tones, and undulating drones, eventually married to some midtempo synth bass beats and weird effects. He takes aim at a mixture of ‘80s dance/synth pop crossed with neon-lit Berlin on the bouncy, energetic “Distracted.” Harold Faltemeyer meets Tangerine Dream, perhaps? The CD ends with the dark Sturm und Drang of “Crying Spells,” a welling-up dose of propulsive yet oppressive power, reminding me of Big Trouble in Little China crossed with The Keep (soundtrack by Tangerine Dream).
Despite my numerous allusions to other artists (notably Carpenter and his unnamed accomplice Alan Howarth), don’t be mistaken in thinking Obsessive Surrealism reeks of copycatting. Bakis Sirros is certainly an original. The music here is a hybrid of retro analogue-driven and contemporary EM, with the emphasis on the former but not in a derivative fashion. More than anything else, what Sirros’ infuses this CD with is a delightfully sly mixture of fun and frights. Charged with a shadowy spookiness and a dose of creepy menace around every corner, the album is very highly recommended.
Rating: A
Bill Binkelman / Wind And Wire
www.parallel-worlds-music.com
www.facebook/parallelworldsmusic
https://dinrecords.bandcamp.com/ |
|
|
|
|
