Asura – Radio Universe

English / Polish version

Asura Radio - Universe
    ULTIMAE RECORDS
    Asura
    Radio Universe
    2014

      1. Overture
      2. Interlude Sky
      3. Oblivion Gravity
      4. Gaea (Transit)
      5. Ascension in Blue
      6. Farscape 7 (Featuring Ayten)
      7. Lonely Star
      8. Illuminations
      9. Back to Earth
      10. Everlasting (Album Edit)

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Finally the awaited day has come – after four albums, which gathered a lot of positive feedback, we, as the connoisseurs of some consummate sounds, can enjoy again the new album among the achievements of Charles Farewell aka Asura. Ultimae Records is not resting on its laurels and it releases the album of the French artist titled RADIO UNIVERSE. I admit that I was waiting for the effects of Asura’s work so impatiently just like a child who is waiting for the mother’s sign to allow to take the coveted lollipop from a shelf in a shop.

In the year 2010, Charles gave us an interview, in which he made it clear while answering the question of the future musical plans, that after the next album, 360 '[…] the next one, a spacey album, should see the light in 2011. I want to do a beatless album for a long time now, a real ambient one. A kind of tribute to great space artists of the 70’s, like Tangerine Dream, Klaus Schulze or Michael Stearns.[…]’. Although his plans do not come true in the part concerning the year of the next album release (RADIO UNIVERSE has not seen the light in 2011, but in 2014), but his announcement concerning the species and plan, how to create the next work, has proved almost entirely. On the official website of Ultimae we can find the entry to RADIO UNIVERSE, which is a great summary of it: 'This musical odyssey sends one drifting and spiralling through deep bass drones and multi-layered synth pads contrasted by the classic downtempo tracks the artist is famously known for. A modern echo to the works of Jean-Michel Jarre, Klaus Schulze and Vangelis floats all over the ten tracks of this galactic journey which will stand as a warp in music history and certainly a transition in Asura’s discography.’ Listening to the new material of Asura, we can clearly feel the influence of the above mentioned, distinguished artists and some kind of breakthrough in his discography – after investigating ten tracks from the new album, we will find in it some fragments having an audible beat, with which we associate Asura, but it does not change the fact that greater part of the disc is made up of tracks having no beat. For me RADIO UNIVERSE is a masterpiece in every way – firstly, I appreciate Charles brilliant idea for a stepping stone of these sounds, with which he has tamed us and despite the fact that while he is trying to create something new, he smuggles his spirit in it; secondly, I am pleased that the outstanding artist makes ​​a musical nod in the direction of other great artists. As usual, the mastering and artwork of Vincent Villuis, the teaser created by Magnus Birgersson delight and impress – as you can see Ultimae is self-sufficient. I will no longer delay my opinion of the album – not being lickspittle, for me RADIO UNIVERSE certainly will be the album, that will take a prominent place in my collection and it is undoubtedly a strong point of the year 2014. I luxuriate and enjoy Asura’s album like a cup of excellent wine drunk in a summer, warm and clear night under a cloud.

In the words of the summary, I will just say that RADIO UNIVERSE is not the uniform and monotonic album, but one in which you will find a range of sounds and emotions, because in addition to the sublime track without beat, that begins the album, OVERTURE and OBLIVION GRAVITY, we have some tracks like a journey in space – INTERLUDE SKY, ASCENSION IN BLUE. In addition, we will find also find here the tracks that are created by the sound spots: GAEA (TRANSIT) and BACK TO EARTH, and some beautiful beat productions that I simply love the most – FARSCAPE 7 with a beautiful vocal of Ayten, the rocking ILLUMINATIONS, a little less interesting (as for me) LONELY STAR, and finally my favourite one, while listening to it I have chills – EVERLASTING, a beautiful end of the amazing album. I highly recommend it!
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9 / 10
Kasia