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DARKLIGHT is a real masterpiece. As the title reveals, this is a CD full of dark ambient tones.
From the opening track GRAVITATION, with it's mild rhythmic pulling, you begin to move into the
darker recesses of Robert's Earth music. Traveling through the WINDOW, with it's hauntingly
beautiful out of tune tones, the listener moves into the track SENSORY LINK. This track is quiet and yet
full of a deeper purpose. And from there, you move into the 17:00 DARKNESS TO LIGHT, which
brings one up into the Light once again. All in all a very beautiful dark CD, with Lighted reflections.
Highly recommended. |
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This is definately one of his best newer albums. It is his first work entirely devoted to the "dark
ambient" style, although as always Carty brings peace and "light" to illuminate the darkness. Its
style is restrained, quiet yet compellingly emotional. The first track has a vaguely Schulzian rhythm,
appearing perhaps for the first time since his first album. Even though Klauz Schulze was Carty's
primary inspiration, he has seldom emulated his dark mood until this work. But here he moves
through those nether realms in his own original fashion. Organic Elemental is specially hipnotic,
Sensory Link is quietly spellbinding, and the deep mysterious finale is one of his best longer pieces,
which have become something of a trademark for Carty since 1998. The whole work is cohesive,
and all tracks are good.
--Eric Mystic, DJ Music Programmer |
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Consistently releasing several CDs a year, you'd expect a certain sameness in Robert Carty's recordings,
and there is. But at the same time each one is unique, from the handcrafted artwork on the cover and CD
label (he used to paint them by hand, now he does his own beautiful graphic art), to the music contained within.
So while there is a signature musical stamp running through his works, there is enough variety that a
number of Carty fans feel compelled to try to keep up with each new release, to satisfy their
voracious space music appetites. So where to start? It depends on your musical learnings. All of
Carty's music tends toward emotive, expansive, space music-some are more emotional, and some
are heavier on the outerspace influence. "Darklight" does stand out to me, as a very good example
of electronic space music which, as its name implies, is simultaneously light and dark. "Gravitation" is
suitable for your next living room planetarium viewing. Phaser-like sounds fly in, surrounded by
brushing whisper-likesounds and bright, shimmering electronics. "Submerged" brings lower swirling
tones into the mix, but bright shimmers remains as well, a very recognizable Carty trademark. Low
bubbling noises, and a reverberating oboe-like synth in a minor key definitely dim the mood of
"Dark Glow." The layering of sounds is particularly good here. "Organic Elemental" is wonderfully
Schulzian, a starker piece than most Carty, more reminiscent of "Blanche," the opening minutes of
"Nowhere-Now Here," and other quieter Klaus Schulze synth pieces. This is a great moody track,
my favourite of the bunch, though the next one, "Window," is similar and nearly as good. It adds
synth flute with excellent results. More bubbly electronics filter through "Sensory Link." Included
here are bright, plucked strings sounds, similar to a Japanese koto but not quite. The disc closes
with the very meditative 17-minutes "Darkness To Light." A highly recommended place to start,
to check out Carty's body of work.-
--Phil Derby, Music reviewer. |
