Brendan Pollard – Flux echoes

5 reviews for Brendan Pollard – Flux echoes

1. 

   Sylvain Lupari / Canada – 2022-11-22

   Cosmic or cerebral voyage, the music of Brendan Pollard touches irremediably our senses. For its last opus, the analog wizard brings us again into the nebulous meanders of a phosphoric EM to vibrating stalactites which perfume the atmosphere of an exceptional sound density.

   The title track begins on eclectic sonorities with reverberations from a strange amphibian world. The tone is soft and is flood of spectral choruses that move on slow and sensual bass line. It shudders on moulding waves which lull an obscure and tender Mer de Tranquilit. Soon, the ambient noise flies with sorrow, triturating our speakers of a happiness which awakes our teenage passion towards sound forms. Brendan Pollard does not invent anything. He improves what existed. What stupidly ceased being. He pushes the exercise further and presents us what the music of Tangerine Dream should have been. What the EM should have been. Around the 6th minute, a superb sequence with echotic pulsations circles with agility and transports us to the doors of a sonorous world in constant boiling, where sequences and movements intersect on cymbals with coughing sparks. A heavy voyage which visits the phases of an eroded core to polish itself on beautiful and majestic mellotrons that blows out poetic odes.
   Radiant Transmission goes direct into hem sequences to multiple intersected hammerings. A long track, straight out of a wild analog jungle where the movements collide on steady rhythms, with drown choirs to spectral fogs on heavy ethereal mellotron. Sumptuous, the synths tear this musical opacity with symphonic breaths, imitating to perfection the Mephistophelean trumpets which eye a fragile sound constellation. Hammering, the first 18 minutes are of a heavy constancy on infernal rhythm. An atmospheric passage, with disconcerting syncretic resonances, weaves the movement towards a velvety final on groovy sequencer, impresses of subtle synth mellotron solos.
   Soft, Phosphore Skyline soaks in an amber atmosphere. The psychedelic phosphoric breaths stir up the floating waves towards a heavy final, guided by a sequencer with the transitory gallops. Just what it needs to re animate the hot ashes of an intro freeze in a gelatinized mobility which are dried on a beautiful movement of piano. A sober and melodious final with a side of Brendan Pollard that is not exploit enough.
   Torque is in boiling on a sterile spiral, where the miles vapors of a compressed eruption retain their breaths.

   I adore the style and the music of Brendan Pollard, just like I have an enormous respect for his musical approach. And Echoes Flow explains easily the reasons for this. It is a solid opus of EM that bubbles and bursts out of a rare intensity. The English synthesist shows clearly that pure analogue can be combined to rhythms and twisted abolitions, even in the darkest recesses of music psychedelic emanations. Flux Echoes is the kind of opus which will be listened, like one listens to Stratosfear and Phaedra; with rapture, in spite of the years that separates us. This last album of Brendan Pollard is also available, in very limited edition, with titles in bonus which shows that the gift of the author got out straight from his ears into ours.
   6/6

   2007. Sylvain Lupari / Canada

2. 

   Gerry Quirke / England – 2022-11-22

   Any EM fan with a craving for 70’s electronica should add this to the collection, it has everything you could ever want! miss it and be square!,if you want to know what EM paradise is like then cast your ears on this one.

   2007. Gerry Quirke / England

3. 

   Woofdaddi – 2022-11-22

   This cd follows along the lines of his Expansion cd with loads of wonderful Mellotron sounds plus as an added bonus he’s incorporated the sounds of a guest guitarist. 4 tracks totaling 73:26 minutes of Berlin School music.
   A must for the old school Tangerine Dream fans.

   2007. Woofdaddi

4. 

   Artemi Pugachov / Russia – 2022-11-22

   A massive gear list accompanies this new release by Brendan Pollard and some guest musicians are also featured.

   The title track starts with fat analogue effects of mysterious nature. Soon, a low bass line appears, accompanied by a Mellotron choir. More synth and Mellotron voices are added as we are starting to really groove with the rhythm. Lovely Mellotron flute and Elka sounds are all you need really for an archaic, Tangerine Dream-like journey through hazy forests of a faraway planet. I have to say that the sound on this CD is HUGE. It’s so fat, only true analogue instruments can sound like this. An atmospheric section follows but soon a high-register sequence appears, along with some shattering effects. Another upbeat sequence appears and it’s a real chugger this time. Wonderful Mellotron strings complete the picture. This is some top-notch sequencer music, guys! I can’t even count all the sequences going on here, they are constantly morphing, keeping you on the edge of your seat. Now, THIS is what I call Electronic Music! By the end of the track the sequences subside and we are left with an analogue string sound and a few thundering whooshes. Soon, the Mellotron flute starts weeping and is then joined by strings and typical tron effects (the birds!). Froese & guys have returned! And it’s 1974 again! Or am I only dreaming? Ok, this is probably as TD as it gets. Remember: no digital replica sounds like a real Mellotron, and this record proves it.
   Radiant Transmission” begins with heavy and noisy effects. A heavy upbeat sequence appears and is then joined by another

5. 

   Matt Howarth / Sonic Curiosity – 2022-11-22

   This release from 2007 offers 73 minutes of engaging electronic music.
   Joining Pollard on this release are: Shelley Walker (on guitar), Adrian Dolente (on electronics), and Mat Roberts (on Steinway piano and Hammond organ).

   Dense electronic textures are seasoned by more fragile tonalities, establishing a fertile harmonic foundation for effects to chitter and bleep, while delicate riffs surface to unify and guide the flow into melodic territory. Soon, these riffs achieve a substantial presence, transforming the music from a churning pre-birth soup into a satisfying mature stew.
   Cyclic loops emerge from the mix to provide a vigorous nucleus which is steadily augmented by the evolution of those cycles and the introduction of fanciful chords. Gurgling diodes come into play along the way, lending peripheral agitation that eventually gets assimilated sucked into the central flow.While generally immersed in a bevy of surging electronics, the guitar shines with a glittering luster, propagating sinuous riffs that smolder softly and inject the tuneage with an undercurrent of searing vitality.
   Once again, a percussive presence is achieved by a mixture of snappy e-perc and the repetition of more strident electronics. Sometimes the rhythms are gentle and sultry, while at other times they propel the melodies with a dramatic tension.
   With three long tracks comprising the bulk of this release (theres a short end piece that acts as a calming portal back to the real world), these compositions embody long-form structure. Elongated intros gradually accrete stamina and cohesion. Once the core melody is established, sidereal embellishment serves to liven the sonic stream with thrilling ascensions and engaging variations.

   The musics pinnacles are rewarding and memorable; the ride to these peaks are acoustically picturesque.

   2008. Matt Howarth / Sonic Curiosity