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Mirko Ruckels brokers the truce between the secular world of technology and the spiritual plane of music. Recording under the name deepspace his vast body of work comes from efforts to preserve the individual self from the colliding course of The Universe. Water Planets (97:43) reveals and conceals just enough. Its Electronic designs convey delight, wonder and a New Age nostalgia that fails to fade - all rooted in a Sci-Fi aesthetic ably powered by an active imagination. The music here is warm, shimmering and curvaceous. Through sonic imagery ignited by gleaming synthesizer pads and effects Water Planets plays with great fire and focus. Opening up an abundant expanse we take time to take in passages of beauty and brilliance. Rounded string pads extend above the dramatic rumbling of a deep set bass - leading the listener further toward the center of this cosmic sonic realm. Summoning sounds of orchestral heft our spacefaring romp deploys spectral synths, hallucinatory turbulence and untamable forms. In a few areas the sequencers kick in and so we are treated to a delightful acceleration - reminding us that when adventure beckons we must embrace the call. With its planet pads, delicate atmospheres and galaxy sized harmonies the 24 realizations on Water Planets contain just the right amount of celestial drama. Fully and effectively conceived, at the still center of this engaging work lies the fantastical - and from these delicate shadings the spirit of the musician improves the spirit of our times.
- Chuck van Zyl/STAR'S END 1 January 2026 |
