Two-disc set of pleasing atmospheric laptop-generated soundscapes
7/10
Dutchman Pieter Nooten spent most of the '80s being a key member of electro goth-pop outfit Clan of Xymox, before departing in 1990. Musically, Xymox veered off into darker territory while Nooten blissed out as a solo composer and occasional collaborator (he worked with Brian Eno's chum Michael Brook on the super Sleeps With The Fishes album).
Recently, his musical explorations have taken him to new levels with the much-mentioned Mac Pro being one of his tools of choice. It is this same white box of tricks that Nooten has created Haven with, a project that stands up as a fine advertisement for the product, not just Nooten's ability to craft a melody.
Much of Haven gently drifts by in an eddying almost soporific fashion, with little to differentiate many of the tracks, although this is not necessarily a bad thing - consistency is Nooten's strength throughout. Disc one is mainly comprised of 'part ones' of crepuscular symphonies christened as Here In Light, The Waiting, Unbroken and, well, you get the idea.
Disc two is a similar instrumental nirvana with 'part twos' and 'part threes', plus the shimmering closer, El Encuentro. For those of you that thrived on the Xymox sound found on Medusa, or the collaboration with Brook, you'll salivate at the thought of two CDs worth of plaintive, beseeching themes that neither scare the cat or cause spasms of joy. A Haven of peace indeed - recommended.
7/10
Recently, his musical explorations have taken him to new levels with the much-mentioned Mac Pro being one of his tools of choice. It is this same white box of tricks that Nooten has created Haven with, a project that stands up as a fine advertisement for the product, not just Nooten's ability to craft a melody.
Much of Haven gently drifts by in an eddying almost soporific fashion, with little to differentiate many of the tracks, although this is not necessarily a bad thing - consistency is Nooten's strength throughout. Disc one is mainly comprised of 'part ones' of crepuscular symphonies christened as Here In Light, The Waiting, Unbroken and, well, you get the idea.
Disc two is a similar instrumental nirvana with 'part twos' and 'part threes', plus the shimmering closer, El Encuentro. For those of you that thrived on the Xymox sound found on Medusa, or the collaboration with Brook, you'll salivate at the thought of two CDs worth of plaintive, beseeching themes that neither scare the cat or cause spasms of joy. A Haven of peace indeed - recommended.