| Artist: Saul Stokes Album: Fields Label: Hypnos/Binary |   |
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Constructing his music from the gear on up has provided Saul Stokes with a truly fascinating musical voice. His music's success comes from a combination of his singularly idiosyncratic sound designs and, on Fields (67:38), a more conformed approach to composition. As expected, at the foundation of this album are the unique rhythms and timbres realized by Stokes using his custom built synthesizers; but more significant is the particular mental outlook required to undertake such a mission. On Fields, Stokes evloves beyond pure abstract expressionism and wiring wizardry by wrangling seven coherent "songs" out of the familiar chaos of his aural experiments. Attempts at analyzing this music through comparison are futile as the music's originality defies analogy. Aligning Fields with Intelligent Dance Music, classic Spacemusic, New Age or even the Avant-Garde proves inadequate. Stokes should be commended for his uncategorizability. Fields is an album full of positive energy and distinctive contrasts. It is many things: refined, warm, uplifting, comforting and contemplative as well as cold, unsettling and raw - its catchy, friendly hooks running contrary to its directionless free-form. Here Stokes revels equally in tightly arranged progressions and timeless amorphous drones.
When Saul Stokes first came to the attention of the Ambient/Spacemusic scene, he was often referred to as an "up and coming" musical prospect. With the release of Fields, Stokes has definately "arrived"; however briefly... and continued straight on passed us and all our notions about Electronic Music. Today Stokes is a leading inspirational force in our diverse and talented community. - Chuck van Zyl/STAR'S END 26 June 2003 | |
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