published: 11 /
4 /
2013
Label:
Rocket Girl
Format: CD
Optimistic and warm-sounding double album from Dutch composer Pieter Nooten, which incorporates together elements of prog, electronica and world music
Review
Dutch composer Pieter Nooten’s career spans almost four decades, first playing various instruments in a series of bands before finding some success with Clan of Xymox, an electronically tinged goth band.
Since leaving the band in the early 90s, Nooten moved into dance music before moving into writing for commercials, theatre, and various forms of media. He returned to music in 2006, creating cinematic electronic music; sparse, but accessible.
‘Haven’ is his fifth album since returning to music, and his third for UK indie label Rocket Girl. It’s a double album, twenty tracks, many built around the same theme. The two discs are almost two movements of the same piece, though you could equally view it as the score to an unmade film.
Each track on ‘Haven’ maintains a consistently languid pace, washing over you like a gently crashing wave. Nooten builds and releases tension, rather than playing too much with the tempo. His arrangements, however, span many styles, from the ambient end of prog rock to leftfield electronica to Eastern inflected world music.
Overwhelmingly, this is optimistic music, Nooten predominantly wading in warm sounds, tones and textures.
Track Listing:-
1
here is light I
2
slowed I
3
transit
4
the waiting I
5
paik theme I
6
der abschied
7
unbroken I
8
overflight
9
the waiting II
10
the long goodbye I
11
slowed II
12
paik theme II
13
unbroken II
14
the long goodbye II
15
here is light II
16
slowed III
17
unbroken III
18
different planet
19
paik theme III
20
el encuentro
Band Links:-
http://www.pieternooten.com/home.html
https://www.facebook.com/Pieter-Nooten
https://www.youtube.com/user/pieternoo
https://twitter.com/nooten
https://plus.google.com/11664428329533
Label Links:-
https://www.facebook.com/RocketGirlRec
http://www.rocketgirl.co.uk/
https://twitter.com/rocketgirlmusic