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Zenith - PS 08/48 Release Date: 6 June 1994 Limitation: 1000 Sacred Mirror 14.58 Electro Dreams 11.38 Plexus Solaris 18.46 Aura 19.15 all tracks written by Tetsu Inoue and Carlos Vivanco
Released immediately after the legendary Ambiant Otaku, Zenith presents 4 delightful tracks masterminded by Tetsu Inoue and Carlos Vivanco in early 94. This is one of those discs that warrants purchase after hearing any 15-minute segment of its hour+ length. Sacred Mirror reveals an ascending mosaic of proto-goan synth arrangements that could continue for hours (you get a 15-minute look). Track 2, included on the Ambient Cookbook, starts with the chirping of digital crickets and slowly builds into a multi-octave Tetsuan meander motif. Electro Dreams is the shortest track on the disc and scratches the surface of atmospheres yet to follow. Plexus Solaris, my personal favorite, sounds like a swirling beat-oriented paragon of the Holy Dance variety. Lots of enveloping waves of sound gushing in slow motion from the speaker cabinets. The final track, Aura (the longest track at 19 minutes), is a voluptuous monochrome lullaby that permeates the listening space like a favored cloud. Plenty of material here for repeated headphonaut reconnaissance sessions.
(review by no@h)
One of the unheralded Fax classics in my humble opinion, and representing some of Tetsu Inoue's very best work, is Zenith, a 1994 collaboration with Carlos Vivanco, who, rather strangely if you ask me, has no other Fax releases to his name.
Made up of four fairly lenghty tracks, this minor masterpiece begins with Sacred Mirror, a wonderfully created piece of atmospheric ambience, floating, haunting and melodic. Electro Dreams is really the business, hypnotic, soothing, with a deceptive amount happening just under the surface. I also like the fact that it's one of those tunes where the start of the bar can be in two places, if you know what I mean.
Plexus Solaris is more relaxed, a slow developer, but none the less enjoyable for that. It's definitely time to sit back and relax in the latter half of the disc, as further evidenced by the closer, Aura, which is still more "environmental" music, a nice piece of deep chill to take us to the end of our journey.
Excellent stuff. 9/10.
(review by Martin Jones)
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