Short information:

Grant:

[doo-dee-doo-doo-doo-dee-doo-doo] Imagine a man entering a zone...

Imagine the following scenario. Peter Baumann leaves Tangerine Dream in 1977.
Chris and Edgar think "Hmmmmm. Who shall we get to replace the young whippersnapper ?".
They look around all their old colleagues and decide to ask Herr Schulze if he'd like to rejoin the band.
Klaus thinks for a while and agrees. Many splendid albums get produced over the course of the 1980's. Edgar
later introduces Jerome to the band and Jerome in turn introduces the band to '90s rave and chill-out music.
Edgar throws up his hands in disgust and leaves. Chris, Klaus and Jerome all 'dig' this new trancey-dancey
sound immensely and decide to show all the cheeky young upstarts in the genre what the real masters are
capable of. They decide to go incognito and called themselves "Mind-flux" instead.

In 1997, they produce the meisterwerk of their short career in the form of 'Konception of Space'.

OK, so the above paragraph is plain old nonsense, but the moment I heard this album,
I just felt that this is exactly what Schulze, Franke and Frose jr. would be doing in a parallel universe in the 1990's.

Jens:

This is the most varied release of Thomas Fanger and Michael Kersten aka Mind~flux.
It includes tracks of different styles like Ambient, E-Pop EM, Electronic Trance and Chill-out.
Sometimes you can hear Kraftwerk influences (some drum parts), TD (ca. 1975 synth-flute and sequencer loops)
and Manuel Göttsching (rythmguitar and some solo guitar loops although no "real" guitar is used).

To sum it up:
Those who dislike modern styles like Trance, Breakbeat and Ambient/Chill-out should save their money.
For those who like to discover a new, modern EM style it´s worth a try. Absolutely. Period.

But watch out ! If you suffer on a shortness on money, this is maybe a dangerous drug for you, since they released
5 other CDs (the newest CD Scipt is  released as "Fanger/Kersten" and a bit tasty too) :-).
Don´t tell me that I didn´t warned you ;-) He, he, he.
 

More detailled information:

reviewed by Grant Middleton and Jens Peschke

01 Destination unknown [7:53]

The disc starts with 'Destination Unknown'.

Immediately, the Schulze influence becomes clear with a multi-layered chiming sequencer pattern which could
have come straight off 'Crystal Lake' on Mirage.

Vocoded speech mirrors the vocal effects from 'Velvet Voyage' on the same album.
Ahhh, some '90s TD bass introduces electronic percussion. REAL electronic percussion, that is.
Noise fed through an envelope shaper style percussion.

The track is slightly marred by the vocoded speech when it starts to dominate the mix later on.

02 Mr. Johnson´s trip to the moon [6:31]

Mr. Johnson's Trip to the Moon delivers another shifting, multi-layered and very analogue-sounding sequencer pattern.
Abstract sounds reminiscent of En=Trance appear all around the stereo field, overlaying synthetic hi-hat cymbal work.

Quirky lead line delivered from an almost 'Telstar' organ sound. It doesn't sound corny, though.

Later on, the sound starts to lean towards 'Sunrain' by Ashra.
 

03 Meditation 0.1 [0:54]

Meditation 0.1 is a short abstract piece with fairly dark undertones, like the start of Mojave Plan.

04 Cars on Mars [7:28]

This is a typical Mind~flux tune. Typical ? NO!
There´s that funky drum-rhythm which fits perfectly to the "Ricochet" flutesynth and some deep underwater effects.

05 Transition (live) [11:45]

 A pad of choirs and strings provides the backdrop for a very Mellotronic flute lead.
The sequencer patterns sound like the perfect synthesis of Schulze and Franke (especially those little 32nd note rolls).
Nice abstract rhythmic vocoder work.

MMmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.

It's bassy and it's analogue. Then in comes that 1990's signature 4-on-the-floor kick drum.
Sit still my legs, God damn you ! Sorry folks, I just gotta boogey ! This is Encore for the '90s !

Mellotron strings to round it off ! Jesus, I've just died and gone to Heaven - they've even got /that/ Mellotron brass sound
from Monolight.
Choirs, strings, brass, multi-layered analogue sequencers, synthetic percussion.
What's missing ? Edgar's guitar - who gives a s**t ?
Now, if you'll just follow me, we'll enter the '90s rave freak-out section.

Yet, all the way through it is this feel of the '70s. Is the ghost of Giorgio Moroder in there too ? Yes, and Steve Hillage.
F**k me this is good ! (Sorry, what's that ? - Oh dear, apparently my headbanging was putting off the guy in the next desk).

All too soon, it's over. This track is worth getting the album for.

Atmospheric soundscapes and again! the flute. After 1:30 the first quick loop turns in and some choir
chords are floating ´round.
While more and more loops are added the great flutesynth keeps you dreaming.
Quick, heavy sequencer-lines. This kicks ass !

This is TD ca. 1975 with an increased speed combined with modern trance rhythms.
Berlin School meets trance creating this unique Mind~flux sound.
Much better than all these TD ripoffs and trance.
I wonder why you guys absolutely rave about Redshift and don´t try this.

06 Sound-barrier [6:46]

Funny bass-line. Guitar chords and some single notes create something like a melody.
The rhythm hops a little bit.
Could be better but it´s good enough to avoid the use of the skip key.

07 Space Blues [5:22]

Space Blues starts with a bleak soundscape. Big and scary. Shades of Mojave Plan, again.
Even some disturbingly warped PPG vocal effects. Dark, dark, dark.

This is much better than track #6.
Echoed stereo effects and multiple sounds create a dark atmosphere, similiar to the atmosphere
of some "Sorcerer" tunes. Would be a perfect soundtrack for a thriller.

08 A moody night on Cyrus 7 [6:27]

A Moody Night on Cyrus 7 is Love on a Real Train for the '90s.
Forget 'At Darwin's Motel', this is the true spirit of '80s TD.

Oh, nice. We've just dropped seamlessly into a '90s 4-on- the-floor workout. Yet there's a '70s phase-shifted
sequencer line. And '90s TD echoed piano sequencers. Then trademark Schulzean chimes.

A ravey snare-roll builds up to a climax and just when you expect a TB-303 to do its squelchy acid worm thang,
some beautiful fat '70s bass tones take over.

This kicks ! 140 bpm space trance. A driving rhythm - the people on Cyrus 7 will love this :-)

09 Ms. Johnson´s trip to venus [7:23]

It´s like "Mr. Johnson´s trip to the moon" but slighly different

A rhythm-guitar loop (similiar to the stuff Manuel Göttsching played on Blackouts) starts the trip.
Chill-out EM with some percussion and many different loops, synth and guitar-like melody fragments.

Great space trip !

10 Meditation 0.2 [1:17]

Similiar to Meditation 0.1. Other artists would fill a whole 20 minutes track with it.

11 Silent Voice? [11:46]

Strange breakbeat rhythm and chords. Sounds like "Mouse on Mars" with dub elements (the bass!) and flute.
Never heard something like this on the other Mind~flux CDs.
 

So, is this album electronic ? Yes, there isn't an acoustic sound to be seen.
Is it instrumental ? Totally, unless you count vocoded speech.
Is it progressive ? 100% !

This has all the integrity and beauty of the best of the '70s, but also integrates the best of the '80s and '90s flawlessly.

If you were intrigued by the Mind~Flux review, check out their official homepage at :-

http://www.snafu.de/~borism/mindflux/
 

Grant Middleton and Jens Peschke, September 1997
 
 

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