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This is a bit of an unusual review as I generally tend not to review releases by the bigger, better-known EM-artists, as they already get their share of attention through lots of other channels. Still, the limited edition 2-cd version of the studio-release “Shadowlands” intruiged me, as I wanted to find out if KS did add something substantial after his solo album from five years ago. The 41-minute opening (title) track already reveals this is not the case, as Klaus sticks to the same slow sequenced, long-form formulae with spatial percussion and various interludes, this time accompanied by some violin by Thomas Kagermann (that I already knew from various BKS-albums). There isn’t anything happening in the broadening minimalism and electronic subtleties I haven’t heard before. The following tracks “In Between” or “Licht und Schatten” completing the first cd confirm Schulze’s creative laziness, although the last one sheds a positive light occasionally. Fortunately, there’s a bit of hope and satisfaction to be found on “The Rhodes Violin” on the second disc. Of this 55-minute track, I much like the emotive current and intimacy embedded in the first 20 minutes or so, featuring nice violin, flute and vocal musings hovering over quiet, warm keys. Together, they evoke slight Middle-Eastern spheres kindred to Al Gromer Kahn. The only problem though is the track drags on far too long. Thereafter, the final track “Tibetan Loops” is a light-weight and bland effort, equal to a dull jam-session. All in all, years after the remarkable “Kontinuum”, “Shadowlands” feels like a rather weak, disappointing and uninspired work with only one sparkle. |
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You can see what reviews I have done of this artist on the Klaus Schulze artist page
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