Cambridge Blue

Installed Worlds

CD/Download

30/04/2012

Track List:-

1. Aurora  (5:32)

2. Chorus Synth  (5:56)

3. Isolator  (4:16)

4. Low Grey Sky  (5:12)

5. Interland  (5:20)

6. Above  (6:24)

7. Cambridge Blue  (1:51)

8. With Piano  (6:54)

Obscured behind a sepied illusion of dry-ice, retro-futurism, the mysteriuos Midlands electronica artist, Three Fields, immerses himself in 80s synth-based soundtracks. His latest filmic, musical spread, takes itself very seriuosly indeed, exploring, as it does, the evocative swells and sustained chord pulsatations of that epoch, without reverting to 8-bit crunches and popcorn-popping algorithms.

This is an album that permeates with fond plaintive memories of the Korg MS2000 and Roland Jupiter 8, redolently soaking-up the ambiance and atmosphere of composers like Michael Kamen, Harold Faltmeyer (The Running Man springs to mind) and John Carpenter, whilst also creeping in the odd appreciative nod towards kosmiche pioneers like Cluster (especially around the time of Sowiesoso).

Whether Three Fields has any special affinity with the Pantone colour 557, or dreams of rowing for the reverent, elite, Cambridge Blues, he gives little away; hiding behind a poetic and vague ascetic of dreamy allusions to both natural phenomenons and ambiguous environmental descriptions.

Synthesizers dominate of course, but there is also quite a strong presence of deftly-played, reverberating, piano that gently cascades and tickles- out a stream of moving melodies, against the backdrop of elegiac washes. The sonorous bassline pining, incipient, Low Grey Sky, even features a classically-plucked acoustic guitar that adds a brief waft of Mediterranean blues to the electronic palette.  There is a constant quality to each composition, and varied set of influences on offer throughout: Opener, Aurora chimes with a shimmering glow, set against a Klaus Schultze-esque ambient background, whereas, the pre-set entitled, Chorus Synth, echoes with traces of Sven Vath’s Harlequin, and brooding, misty icicle effect, Highlander tones.

A veritable mixed feast of stewed sophisticated 80s sounds, flowing tides and sonic nostalgia awaits the listener on this pleasant, reflective 8-track score.

DV