Vincent Clarke & Martyn Ware - Spectrum Pursuit Vehicle

3.5

Release data:

Vincent Clarke & Martyn Ware – Spectrum Pursuit Vehicle
CD, Mute Records, 2001

The cover of this cd is pure white with a bar code right in the middle of it, which is actually the spectrum mentioned in the title.
The album sees an interesting collaboration of the pioneering duo Vincent Clarke, co-founder of Erasure/Depeche Mode, and Martyn Ware of Heaven 17, who have applied the same techniques and technology as explored on their previous release “Pretentious”, put out as The Clarke and Ware Experiment.

“Spectrum Pursuit Vehicle” offers almost 74 minutes of very lush and gentle deep ambient music with a new-age edge.
Six 12-minute tracks, all intended to promote profound relaxation, consist of meandering synth washes, sampled sounds of ocean waves, heartbeats, harp and chirping birds.
Of all pieces, “Green” is the strongest excursion with a beautiful pastoral effect which feels like a warm embrace.

The album is best listened and experienced through headphones, as the music was recorded with unique three-dimensional surround sound spatiality.

All in all, this ambient chill-out with a strong cinematic quality is for all those who love the music of Altus or Brian Eno’s early ambient works