| Artist: Dom F. Scab Album: About A Tree Label: Groove Unlimited |  
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Dom F. Scab has obviously been heavily influenced by the post-kosmische musik contemporary electronic sequencer music that emerged during the 1980's. Music of this era brimmed with optimism and energy as a generation of artists swept onto the scene, embracing new technology while emulating and complementing their idols - taking the genre beyond cliche with artistic expectations met and often exceeded. On About A Tree (65'57"), Dom F. Scab offers nine vital compositions which are both further refinements of his craft as well as significant contributions to the genre as a whole. This album is characterized by the much-loved arpeggiations of staccato synthesizer tones and sequencer acrobatics revered by audience and musician alike. Pieces on About A Tree each average in the 5 - 10 minute range. The music always develops quickly and without hesitation, running thoughtfully through its twisty course of breathtaking tempo changes, ambidextrous rhythm patterns and advancing and retreating layers of syncopated synth pulsations. Scab's series of connected and rapidly orbiting synth tones cascade up, down and through major, minor and diminished chords. Giving depth and dimension to this flowing latticework of rhythmed tone and echo are Scab's gorgeous, breathy synthesized harmonies and bright, warm analogue lead lines. Here and there Scab provides the listener with some contrast in the form of smooth, floating, fully formed realizations of drifting space - a moment of reflection before another launch. Throughout About A Tree, Scab seems to be pushing his hardware and software to its limits - nearly searing circuitry's or overloading microchips through the musical energy generated. Yet his dedication to the vintage sounds and aural explorations of electronic music is boundless - as it is fed by the excitement and enthusiasm of an artist constantly in pursuit of his full potential and that of his mode of expression.
- Chuck van Zyl/STAR'S END 5 December 2003 | |