DAVEY, ALAN 
469497
CD
FINAL CALL (SYNTH ALBUM BY HAWKWIND MEMBER)

STYLE/LINK:HAWKWIND

An instrumental solo CD from long time Hawkwind member Alan Davey, and for ‘Final Call’ he has created 10 fantastic instrumental cosmic trips, mixing atmospheric space-synth music and throbbing sequencer driven rhythms, combining space and dynamics in equal proportions. Using banks of swooping synth layers/melodies, organ, bass, ad percussion for the chugging Hawkwind-esque space-rock flows, and dreamy keyboard textures with occasional choral effects worthy of 70’s Tangerine Dream for the more celestial sound paintings, Davey has created a gem of an album that is equally essential for space-rock and synth/electronic fans alike. With not a wasted moment on the entire set, it’s the kind of album you will find yourself playing in the dark at night as much as for deep feeling atmospheres during the day - A simply awesome fifty minutes worth of psych soaked, electronic-based music.

‘Final Call’ starts with ‘Shahadah’, a five-minute track that opens with a passage of atmospheric music that revolves around a strong electric bass line and banks of swooping synth layers, with the added touch of distant percussive – a combination that manages to combine space and dynamics into a really effective intro to the album. A brief, distant Arabic style chant comes in as the track starts to open out, giving a sense of real atmosphere to the rapidly expanding soundscape, as throbbing sequencer rhythms, cascading swirling synths swoops, thunderous bass and Hawkesque guitars come in to propel the track forward. More banks of synths and throbbing sequencer notes add the final layer to the overall effect of this driving instrumental space-rock trip, which now combines space and sheer power in one mighty hypnotic brew – a superb opener! ‘Sawn’ provides echoed drums, a deep bass undercurrent and a gorgeous string synth flow – a real multi-layered passage, providing a feel that is positively heart warming, while at the same time continuing the spaced-out/emotional feel of the album so far. For five fantastic minutes the synths just fill out all around, creating a truly wondrous slice of instrumental brilliance with choral effects worthy of seventies Tangerine Dream - as wide-eyed a set of satisfying, flowing synth layers as you’ll find. ‘Cloud Watching’ opens with brief synth wind effects, then waves of gorgeous flowing symphonic synths drift over the soundstage, with organ-like drones and angelic heavenly voices filling the air in a beautiful relaxed style. As more flowing synth lines are added the sound fills out and creates a strong sense of deep space atmospherics as sounds come and go around the main, multi-textured, synths-filled heart of the piece, which gradually builds and billows out majestically right to the end. ‘Bird Nebula’ continues the warm spacey feel during the opening minute, then a slice of chugging space-rock fades in over the horizon and enters the soundstage, this time with a resonant undulating synth bass line circling overhead. A sweetly singing guitar line introduces another on the crunchier, riffing variety, and this eventually takes centre stage as the more dynamic percussive and steaming electric bass cruises in through the cauldron of delights, with swooping synth melodies, string synth backdrops and space effects filling out the sound to perfection.  Track 5 (‘Salah’) is a more “out there” piece of synths-dominated instrumental music with a really deep bass line rumbling along underneath, while assorted synth layers, gong textures, echoed percussives and effects, rumble, soar, swoosh and bubble away to create a cauldron of dark sea effects and deep space textures for over five magical minutes, before the album suddenly launches into a classic slice of Hawkwind-esque space-rock, as we get a reworking of Davey’s classic ‘Sputnik Stan’, now titled ‘Stan’s Orbital Salvage’, here with some strong, resonant electric bass work leading the way while drums, synths and synth swooshes/effects fill out the mix in classic ‘Silver Machine’ fashion, in fact this would have made a great follow-up to that track, all those years ago – it’s got that sort of feel and atmosphere and sense of urgency mixed with a space-rock sensibility that few others can exhibit, before it slows to a really beautiful melodic finale with guitars and synths drawing the awesome seven minute piece to a slow climax. Following this is ‘Zakah’, a multi-textured piece of synth-dominated space-melodies with an organ/bass sounding drone rumbling along in the distance while high-flying, dark layers of synths, choral textures and swirling electronics soar above the equally dark, resonant undercurrent, to produce a truly deep passage of ambient space music. ‘Black Light’ slowly flows in with floating layered synths surrounded by little melody lines weaving in and out of the electronic textures. This builds into a rich textural range as the track soars slowly to the skies and out into the uncharted regions of the cosmos. ‘Many Voices’ gets even deeper with a mix of gorgeous string synth lines set against a backdrop of dark slowly undulating percussive-like rhythms and develops into a spacious slice of deep synth space music that will have you in awe at its mix of emotional choral synth textures and instrumental intensity. The track cross-fades in the final track: ‘Hajj’ - again a mix of synth layers, drones, melodies, bubbling space effects and deep flowing bass textures.

Weight: 150.00 g