From Voyager Magazine, 1995

by Bruce Atchison

Just when it seemed that the electronic music scene in Edmonton had finally died, Shawn Pinchbeck, with the help of Marion Garver and a few friends, released the CD called resonance. This is a collection of their works from 1989 to 1995. The music's over-all character is mostly mellow and sometimes ominous. The CD begins with a disturbing piece called Spirit And Flesh. Organ chords, repeating lead lines, and dramatic percussion make this music ideal for horror movies. Play it in the dark if you dare. Temporal Reality brings the listener into an eery audio landscape. Slow percussion and Marion's flute evoke a trance- like state of mind. For swrn is a solo flute piece by Marion Garver which takes the listener on a tour of the flute's range. The music frolics and pauses like a leaf in an autumn breeze. ípen Heart is a reflective Shawn Pinchbeck tune that makes up for all the strangeness of the preceding pieces. It is reminiscent of the music on his cassette called Tonepleromas. The Sand, The Sea, The Stars picks up the pace slightly with it's primal percussion and Shawn's classic synth lead styling. This is one of his best compositions so far. Dave David Davidson is a multi-track flute piece by Marion Garver. It is a mellow and pleasant study of harmony. Transformation 1 is the kind of piece that would suit a historical documentary film. Shawn's spacious synth sounds and Marion's exotic-sounding flute fade into a whirl of sound. Strange vocal sampling appears in the middle of the piece and then it ends in a crescendo. Opal is another Shawn Pinchbeck classic. His droning synths, steady 2 beat percussion, and recognizable lead synth style make this piece one of the finest pieces on the CD. dziwna Mitosc [the last 2 letters should have accent marks over them] is another Marion Garver piece but this time the piano is featured. It is one of those rainy day sounding pieces. Endangered Spaces is the climax of the CD. It is a long meandering piece with forest sounds that segue into synth drones of amazingly dense textures. As the piece progresses, a guitar, flute, and percussion are gently added. The sounds all flow and ebb smoothly, creating sonic textures that stimulate the imagination. The packaging of the CD is quite unusual. When the paper band is removed and the flaps are open, there is a tie string wrapped around 2 buttons. The disc is wrapped in a plastic-like paper which has the same pattern as the cover. The artwork on the CD has to be seen to be understood. The best way to appreciate and enjoy it is to buy this recording for yourself.

hear some sound clips from RESONANCE

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