Detailed Reviews [Infinitwav - 2017 - "Humans"]

Prolusion. US project INFINITWAV is the creative vehicle of composer and musician Stephen Latin-Kasper. Citing National Geographic's genographic project as a source of inspiration, The music of Infinitwav's debut album was developed from 2014 and onward, and in 2017 the final result was self-released as the album "Humans".

Analysis. Vinyl albums have become quite the fashion statement, and while sales of that format is picking up it still represents a fairly minor revenue source for musicians. Especially as producing them is rather much more costly than investing in a CD productions. So thumbs up for Latin-Kasper to go for this format, as it is something of a daring move - at least on a financial level. What we have here is an instrumental album, and one that does rather correspond to the creator description of containing facets from classical music, jazz and rock. Elements and details from all forms are represented on this production, but with one important detail to note: Just about all instruments appears to be played by way of synthesizers and keyboards. The compositions themselves are just about all what I'd describe as pleasantly ongoing affairs, usually with two or more instruments giving contrasting roles ion some manner or other, most commonly by way of lighter toned and darker toned modes of delivery, but also with rougher sounds paired with smoother textures. Carefully surging synthesizer sounds, circulating instrument patterns and occasional drones makes up the greater majority of the contents, backed by steady ongoing rhythms and a nice and steady bass. Musically we venture forth from the opening landscapes with arguably more of a tribal character to them to the final creations that have a harder, more futuristic and rock era tinge to them. The album develops quite nicely in that context, even without words present we are taken on something of a journey.A fact that isn't at all difficult to comprehend. What will make or break this album in the ears of the listener are the sounds used of course. There's no denying that there is something clinical and synthetic about this creation, and as a somewhat jaded reviewer I have a hard time listening to emulated instruments as I always miss the sounds of the real thing. In some ways I guess Infinitwav is comparable to Alfred Mueller's Soniq Theater in that respect. Infinitwav appears to make use of better quality sounds, but the drawbacks are similar. That being said, if comparing the two I'd say that Soniq Theater is a bit more loose and organic, while Infinitwav is more clinical and precise. And while the music of the two comes from slightly different places, Id hazard a guess that those who enjoy the former will also enjoy the latter - and vice versa.

Conclusion. Infinitwav have created quite the ambitious debut album with "Humans", a conceptual story told with music rather than words, and released on a vinyl LP as well. Musically we are in synthesizer provided, instrument emulation territories, where the expression draw in influences from classical music, jazz and rock into a totality which in many ways reminds me of long ongoing German venture Soniq Theater - albeit music of this kind made with a larger budget and with more of a clinical approach. Still, if you find music of this kind to be generally interesting, this is an album that warrants an inspection at some point.

Progmessor: August 28th, 2018
The Rating Room