Chronotope Project – Event Horizon

Chronotope Project "Event Horizon" CDr

Jeffrey Ericson Allen, from Eugene, Oregon, acting under the name of Chronotope Project is back with his 3rd full length album, "Event Horizon". Released in the middle of October 2013 as his second album for Relaxed Machinery. Jeffrey's both previous albums from 2012, "Chrysalis" and "Solar Wind", have brought to him a lot of attention within the the ambient community, Chronotope Project was certainly one of the most exciting discoveries of that year. Now we are entering the next chapter and I am sure this potential artist is again going to fully unfold his refined musicianship, just like he did on both above masterful albums.

"Unwinding The Dream" spreads with soothing organics, shimmeringly melodious sequences are accompanied by swirling crystalline tinkles and gorgeously nostalgic celestial expanses. An enchantingly floating piece of music transporting each journeyer into tranquilly mesmerizing spheres of sheer grace. "Akashic Love Songs" shift toward majestic panoramas enriched by mellow downtempos, glowing gentle percussive tribal magic and magnetizing filigree acoustic string patterns. A very alluring rhythm-driven elixir delivered by a highly crafted sonic alchemist. For sure this one will become one of my long-time favorites by Chronotope Project!!! "Arecibo" precisely displays the title with its straight cyber-tech mood with all those extraterrestrial-like fragments, radio transmissions and other phantasmal effects. The longest piece, "No Birth, No Death", clocks over 10-minute mark and safely remains in heavenly domains, graciously drifting through colossal cosmic spheres, reinforced by cybernetic breaths. But sad flute-infused sounds add earthy feel, and later warmly soft tribal rhythm and gentle tinkles inconspicuously sneak in. Deeply mesmerizing and contemplative composition!!! The following track, "The Temple Bell Fades", immediately moves into hauntingly mysterious terrains, masterfully enriched by sparse, but stunningly evocative piano magic. A truly beautiful!!! "Automatic Writing" attracts with its uplifting joyful texture scented with some beautiful, breezy, summer-like fragrance. A remarkably captivating and scenic!!! "Geosynchronous" catches up with its sublime mood bridging ear-catching bell sounds, balsamic ultra spacious washes and dreamy female chants. Another genuine sonic bliss!!! "Event Horizon", the title track, returns back to highly relaxing mood with warmly inviting melody created by pleasingly variable synthetic pulses and graciously meandering atmospherics with intangible choirs floating above. "The Path Of Least Resistance" slows down at the beginning with beautifully twinkling distant clinks and deeply evocative washes, but soon euphoric feel blankets the whole composition with richly sparkling palette of electrosounds enthusiastically cascading up and down. This is the closing piece and it's wonderfully expressive!!!

What to add? "Event Horizon", mastered by Peter James with artwork by Steve Brand, is a superb work loaded with high-spiritedness of its creator!!! Well, I should say Master instead of creator and you can be sure that his magic touch is heard all over this enormously sophisticated recording. "Event Horizon" is distinguishably sculpted and highly polished masterpiece, and certainly a very strong competitor for the album of the year!!! Jeffrey Ericson Allen and Chronotope Project are now heading to Ambient Pantheon!!!

Richard Gürtler (Jan 09, 2014, Bratislava, Slovakia)