Trance / Tapes / Growing Bin Records

Growing Bin Records wanted this to be their first release. Which means Trance`s Tapes has been at least four years in the making. It`s a compilation of pieces from Jürgen Petersen AKA Marcator AKA Trance. Music lifted from a series of self-produced cassettes. Dating from between 1984 and 1985.

Listening to the opening track, Purification, I was thinking that its slowly phased sine waves could swap for one of those mind-bending electronic works that kick off Baldelli`s classic mixes. Something by Clara Mondshine or Ralf Trostel. A bit dark. A bit ominous. Like clouds in a midnight sky. And full-on Cosmic. Reading the press one-sheet it turns out that Jürgen`s 1980 LP, Here And Now, was a Baldelli staple.

But Jürgen`s intentions were – and still are – more New Age, and healing, than pioneering for pioneering`s sake. Belial is three minutes of beatless float before its BPMs take off like a racing heart. A synthesised flute becalming its fevered brow. Kinda Ami Shavit meets Klaus Shultze and Michael Shrieve at Transfer Station Blue. It could have sat very nicely alongside Deuter and Ash Ra Temple in Light In The Attic`s Microcosm box set.

On Wintergarten Carl Orff-ian chimes and 12 string guitar figures explode in delay. Echoing infinitely. Creating crystalline patterns of kaleidoscope intricacy as they collide. Reflecting, refracting like snow flakes falling in slow motion. Ambiente adds sitar. Mixing Raga with Siegfried Schwab`s Meditations. If Ravi Shankar were to accompany Eno, Eno & Lanois` Deep Blue Day. Ikarus has subliminal operatic sirens and enchanted theremin spirits whisper, softly, a lullaby.

You can order directly from Basso and The Growing Bin here. You`ll need to swing over to Soundcloud to take a listen.