Chris Carter (2) – The Space Between

Resonance is a spellbinding piece of ambience from the TG maestro. Light years ahead of his time. Gorgeous.

Regardless on what bonnicon said. I enjoyed the whole 76 min. cd. I just wish this 76 min. cd album was released on a double vinyl lp set. I really like this cd, and i haven't listened to it for quite a while now and i need to get it out again.

I had accidently discovered the existance of this tape only a month before THE GREY AREA decided to release it on Compact Disc. It came into being during THROBBING GRISTLE's existance - prior to the CHRIS & COSEY debut. So those of you TG fans familiar with "AB/7A" will go rushing out to part with your readies. On first listen I was disappointed, but I soon began to enjoy it.
This is a solo album by a musician, using comparatively primitive technology, and claiming to be an ABBA fan, If you have a copy of "Tyranny Of The Beat" you may be familiar with "Solidit" - the whole album is much the same. It opens with "Beat", a fairly fuzzy piece of music which does odd things on it's sequencer while a fairly meaty beat drives it along. It reminds ne of an electronic version of something LIGHTS IN A FAT CITY might do with didgeridoo. "Outreach" is a nice little piece of sequential rhythm over which surprisingly subtle synth noises climb and soar before finally fading away. "Electrodub 1" is a much darker thing - strange noises crowd around the central drum rhythm, rising and falling like shadowy creatures drawn to the smell of human life. "Clouds" comes next, a soaring, reaching piece which really tries to fly, ICARUS-like away from the gravity of the keyboard's limitations. "Reprise" once again tries to reach beyond the limits of the synth (now, in this it does share a similarity with "AB/7A" ). "Electrodub 2" is yet another repetitious drum beat over/under which all manner of moody synth ebb and flow to create a tense, although not over dark atmosphere. "Poptone" is quite a fast little number, stuttering and humming to itself with incredible subtlety. "Slomo" comes next, a more refined piece of tinkering, echoing music which sounds closer to THROBBING GRISTLE's more melodic material. This seeks every possible exit from it's earthbound limitations, creating an almost hypnotic music through it's efforts. "Walkabout" fades in on flowing sequencers, growing in intensity while otter noises, miles in the distance frolic and play. There's no beat, and it doesn't really attempt to escape it's fetters, contented with terra firma.

Side two opens with "Falling", a warm thing which has elements of both TG & CABS, without actually moving into the colder side of sound they tend to occupy. There are some interesting sounds on this one which are probably created by a modular synth. "Solidit" is next, gradually moving with slow stealth, this seems an odd track to choose for the compilation, but it's got it's own character, although it must be the most 'static' track on the entire album. "Maybe" begins in a fractured style before expanding into a nice little mover with tinkering synths over the busy little drum pattern. The vocalist, mixed well back is either CARTER or, by the sound of it, P ORRIDGE - it has that distinctive flatness. Next up is "Snap", a flat sounding synth pushes us into a faster moving little piece which flanges and phases around, twisting and turning, changing parameters as it goes. "Interloop" is next, building up on a deep chugging synth sound, other keyboards soar across cybernetic skies to the exosphere and above. "Resonance" begins slowly, a gradual rumble of noise rolling through distant hypothetical tundra, growing through gradual, majestic chords, like slow-motion clouds, changing colour and shape until vanishing.

My initial impression was one of it being rather dull and lucklustre - I compared it to groups like SEA OF WIRES and other EUROROCK music. But on subsequent listens, I realise just how good this stuff is, and how much it deserves release on vinyl, if not CD. Don't buy it if you want anything radical - there's no "Slug Bait", no "Heathen Earth", it's even too subtle to compare with "Distant Dreams Pt. 2" , but it is a worthwhile addition to anyones record collection.

Originally reviewed for Soft Watch.