Through Friendly Waters review Gothtronic

Info:

Author:	Ergo
Magazine:	Gothtronic
Review language:	English
Artist:	Kettel
Rating:	9/10
Review date:	05 Jan 2005

Review:
Since not too long a new electronic label has arisen in the cold north of Holland. Sending Orbs it is called and their first release is a real beauty. The Gronings electronics hero Kettel presents his latest album "Through Friendly Waters". On it there are six new songs, one old one, and two live songs.

I’m seriously in love with this album. Kettel makes beautiful music and has the ability to create heavenly spheres. Last summer (2004) I had the opportunity to experience Kettel live. And although the live-show isn't strong at all, the music is an experience on its own. The combination of hypnotizing, loud, and incomprehensible beats along with the melancholic melodies are unworldly beautiful.

Of course we are already familiar with this kind of music making. Especially Richard D. James seems to have a patent on this. But there are only a few laptop musicians who can compete with acts like Aphex Twin, and Kettel is one of them.

The album opens with 'Bodpa' and immediately the tone is set: warm, spherical, and compelling from the beginning. 'Pinch Of Peer' takes over and prepares us for the absolute beauty of this album: 'Shinusob'. The beats start complex and hard to grasp. But after a while the melody kicks in and everything seems to fall in place. What a wonderful songs this is!

'I Was Fine' has some children singing in it, which makes it lovely as well as a bit ominous. 'Through Friendly Waters' is very successful and could have been longer to my opinion. Pleasantly surprising is the appearance of the cello halfway through the song.

'Purple Jacket Trot' comes from the Kettel Attic and you can clearly hear this. The song is somewhat flat and a bit more simplistic. However, I also believe this song is done successfully. Maybe it’s because of the easier to follow structures. I think 'Purple Jacket Trot' could do very well on the dance floors. It sounds like a combination of Aphex Twin with The Prodigy. The two live songs, recorded for Club Lek (VPRO radio) in 2003, are beautiful.

To my opinion, every album has a minus. I've searched a long time to find something wrong about "Through Friendly Waters". The only thing I could find, was that sometimes, just very occasionally, the high tunes are mixed a little bit too fierce. But this is absolutely nothing compared to the beauty of this album.

Pay some attention to the suitable artwork by Jeroen Advocaat. I really hope he will be involved in future releases of Sending Orbs, who have placed their label firmly on the electronic music map.