Andrew Thomas Wilson - Carnarvon - Rain Forest

2.5

Release data:

Andrew Thomas Wilson – Carnarvon – Rain Forest
CD, EMI Japan, 1984

“Carnarvon” is a Japanse import album by Australian composer, producer and musician Andrew Thomas Wilson, who describes the concept of the album in the linear notes as “an electronically orchestrated journey into landscapes imagery and real”.
To compose the ten movements on the cd, he used a Fairlight CMI series 1 next to a whole array of analogue synths.

The opening track “Beginnings” starts out quietly with a heavy beat, vocoder snippets, velvet synth textures and a slow flowing flute which later on start building in sound, followed by the happy pulsating sequencing of the dynamic evolving “Pulses”.

The quiet new age tracks “River of Solitude” and “Reflections” are next, followed by the nicely rendered cinematic piece “Age of Ice”. “Journeys” is melodic, symphonic composition with a smooth pan pipe solo voice which couldn’t really appeal to me in spite of the variety and complexity of used sounds.
“Tides” is a moody, uncomplicated exercise leaving a better impression, but I just can’t make out on the superficial “The Dance” with vocoder and solo voice.
In addition, I’m not happy about the addition of sax in the last track “Aluminium City”, which contains such a beautiful, sedate atmosphere.

In a way this album is neither fish, flesh nor good red herring, as it contains too less good tracks to make it worthwhile as a whole.