3.5

Release data:

Rene de Bakker – Rene de Bakker
CD-R/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Private Release, 2012

Rene is a previous member of the band AKS and currently one half of the Dutch EM retro project Beyond Berlin. It won’t be a surprise his 78-minute debut contains Berlin School inspired instrumental EM, featuring lush pads and textures along slow-paced, nicely interlocking sequencer lines.

The overall sound design is warm, moody, spacious and most gentle, containing only a few occasional solo sounds while overall things (fortunately) don’t turn out that melodic nor song-like either (with the exception of the fifth piece “Requiem” and a part of “Why the trees don’t laughter”).

Meanwhile, all sonic elements in each track are presented gradually and without haste, curling smoothly around and complementing each other. In my opinion, this especially works out very well and most pleasing on the 12-minute “Wind Gust” and the mellow-ish “Berlin meets Rome”.
I for one think this fine music could do with some further mastering improvements to make it shine even more.

Website: renedebakker.bandcamp.com

You can see what reviews I have done of this artist on the Rene de Bakker artist page