Review of "Mix the Signals" in Electroambient Space by Phillip Derby 

Frank Roodzant "Mix the Signals"

7 tracks, 60.29 mins.

It's easy  for self released  EM  projects to get  lost in the dust  of the  "proper  releases"

in  somewhat  wider distribution on Groove, Neu Harmony, Quantum, etc. To overlook

this homegrown project by Dutch synthesist  Frank Roodzant would be to miss what he

aptly  calls  "A mix of  good old Berlin school, spacemusic, symphonic melody  and  my

own ideas of Electronic music". So he's written a pretty consice review  for  me already.

"Aliens among us" has  a  really  cool  little bubbly  clicking  sound  that  goes  into a

majestic symphonic intro  that  is full of  Vangelis bombast. Cutting to an  acoustic guitar

synth sound makes for a beautiful contrast.

Next is the wonderful  "Was sich liebt, das neckt sich", a 15 - minute epic that has a

perfect  intro, main  theme, melody  and  wonderful  electronic  sounds  and  treatments.

It is  a  feast  for  the ears  and  mind. There  is  nothing  heavy - handled, transitions are

effortlessly smooth, everything is done just right.

"Fabelhaft" continues  the trend  with  a  wonderful  sequense  starting low  in the mix.

Synths sweep through in Jarre-like fashion  from perhaps Equinoxe, then big drums and

pads bring recent  Klaus Schulze to mind. Soaring strings toward the end are beautifully

rendered.

Dramatic piano surprises in "The Outerworld system Part 2", but is nicely done and

eventually surrenders to the synths that move front and center as they do throughout the

album.

"Laura-Sophie"   is made  for  the  dance floor, a little over the top  perhaps  but  it's

only one track so I don't mind much at all.

"Other worlds"   with its soft textures and light mood finish off this great debut.

Phillip Derby

Electroambient Space

http://www.electroambientspace.com