The 7th Plain – Astra-Naut-E

Seeing Sense (Reprised Version) is good but not a patch on the original LP version.. The flow and build up have been lost! Now can we have a repress of the LP please as really don't want to chuck £50+ at the copies for sale... ;)

One of Luke's finest moments in my opinion, I can still remember my friend playing it to me of a Colin Dale's Outerlimits radio shows he had on tape. Man did he play some amazing music. Anyhow, Astranaute came on and from the first few bars I knew it was something truly special, it blew my mind totally. It's a proper electronic symphony with astonishing production and lends itself to the most deepest introspection. One of my favourite tracks of all time for sure. I wish Luke would release a full album of this style of electronica now. How about a third 7th Plain album Mr. Slater?

X-side, Astra-Naut-E, is the kind of skillfully-produced, lovingly-crafted, expertly-programmed melodic, atmospheric mid-paced listening ambient techno that was very much of its time, but that still sounds great today. Luke Slater was putting out some similarly atmospheric tunes around this time (check 'the Opening' on Djax under his Clementine pseudonym, or 'The Secret Garden' under his own name on Peacefrog, both from around 92-93); quite exemplary antidotes to the more meaty, muscular sound he was pushing at the same time. The above-mentioned three tracks would, in an ideal world, be re-released on one stunning 3-track 12. But, hey, life is never how you want it to be, is it...?