Release data:

Peter Mergener – Creatures
CD, Cue Records, 1991

I’m glad German musician Peter Mergener decided to start a solo career after he quit the collaborative project Software with Michael Weisser. I
I always found the overall sound of the high-tech project far too synthetic and distant. Mergener’s own music though has a human and warm touch, which is nicely displayed on his debut album “Creatures”.

Played, recorded and mixed in 1989 and 1990 at Robert Schroeder’s Newsound Studio, the concept music music of “Creatures” deals with the beauty and fate of the earth, as it was inspired by the story of creation from the Old Testament.

The album opens in grandeur with neo-classical sounds and some Russian spoken words. But as soon as the second track starts Mergener’s fine multiple sequencer patterns and spherical synth pads show up, accompanied by varied percussions, drums and even some catchy guitar licks by Achim Elsen. A highlight on the album is the 7-minute title track, presenting a powerful, melodic and positive statement. Things turn to moody soundscapes again on the following two tracks.

“People want more and …” is the next hightlight, an up-tempo melodic outing with powerful drums and energetic, rocking guitar parts, with a quiet passage in the middle.
“Aliens Birth” enters otherworldy atmospheres with nice spatial effects, bringing us to the last tracks of the album, “Song of the Whales”, presented in two parts. Although both pieces take its time to unfolds, there’s especially a lot of drama featured in the first part. The second part has a reflective impact, sounding a bit more melodic, again featuring some prominent drums.

All in all, this 55-minute concept album would be the first in a series of successful and more melodic-oriented, contemporary instrumental albums by Mr Mergener.

Website: peter-mergener.de

You can see what reviews I have done of this artist on the Peter Mergener artist page