3.5

Release data:

Ron Boots – Ante Oculos
CD, Groove Unlimited, 2011

The album “Ante Oculos” (“For Eyes”) was released on the occasion of the Bochum planetarium concert by Ron Boots and friends in December 2011.

The six tracks offers a lush and atmospheric blend of contemporary electronic music graced by the Ron’s familiar musical trademark. In its own way, it breaks away from the global sense of negativism, fear and many doom scenarios suggested for humanity and the end of time. The sonic speech of “Ante Oculos” creates a welcome sense of comfort, freedom and hope to positively re-charge peoples attitude and mind towards the complex and constantly changing world that surrounds us.

Along the ride, the spacious and dreamy music is spiced with subtle rhythms and percussion, and nicely blends with Jamie O’Callaghan’s sensitive violin playing on the title track. I’m particularly fascinated by almost surreal and tranquil spheres that unfold on the two-part “Can we Predict?”, the second part being more up-beat but still rather loungy.

Guitarist Frank Dorittke joins Ron on the track “The Sorrow remains of things that Past”, giving the music an energizing, sparkling vibe.
But that’s not all, as there’s a hidden piece (“Sole Novum”) found at the tail of the album: this could have been an encore of a concert, making things settle down at ease.

All in all, “Ante Oculos” makes Ron’s “second sonic detachment from worldly affairs”, a kind of cross-over electronic ambient with similarities to the music of MorPheuSz’ debut concert.

Website: www.groove.nl

You can see what reviews I have done of this artist on the Ron Boots artist page