ZIFF: Stories (1995; Angular Records SKAN 8200.AR) 71m 
      Sanctuary (1997; Angular Records SKAN 8205.AR) 69m 
==================================================== 
ZIFF are a new German band on Angular Records, one of Musea's new divisions. 
The band is a quartet of Achim Frick (guitars, vocals), Marco Vogel 
(keyboards), Michael Gross (bass) and Ralph Krinke (drums). Second generation 
neo-progressives, the music is characterized by a steady beat, biting 
metalish 
guitar and digital synth. Except for a brief instrumental opener on 
_Stories_, 
all songs have English lyrics (one song in German on each album). The singing 
isn't as bad as some I've heard but I certainly can't find anything good to 
say either. _Stories_ consists entirely of songs in the 3-7 minute range. 
_Sanctuary_ consists of several 5-8 minutes songs, one 11 minute cut and a 21 
minute suite called "The Lost Universe." In this song, the band makes all the 
expected moves right on queue.  Nothing new, very predictable. (You knew I 
s
going to say that, eh?) 
 
Eternity X: The Edge (1997; Angular Records SKAN 8206.AR) 74m 
========================================================= 
Eternity X is a young American quintet of Jeff Shernov (guitars, vocals), 
Jamie Mazur (keyboards), Zeek (bass, vocals), Jimmy Peruta (drums, 
percussion) 
and Keith Sudano (lead vocals).. Second generation neo-progressives, the 
sic
is characterized by a steady beat, biting metalish guitar and digital synth. 
The power chords and speed solos are in full force. The compositions are a 
little more diversified than ZIFF but I still found them particularly 
uninteresting and definitely not challenging. None of the songs are 
instrumentals. Most of the 11 tracks are in the 5-8 minute range and one 
stretches out to 10 minutes (but the number of original ideas amounts to 
zero).The band makes all the expected moves right on queue.  Nothing new, 
very 
predictable. (You knew I was going to say that, eh?) 
 
http:// www.eternity-x.com 
 
 
------------------------------ 
 
From: Mike Taylor  
Subject: Electric Orange, Nine Invisibles, Caja de Pandora, Delirium 
Date: 09/17/97; 6:24:55 PM 
 
Electric Orange: Cyberdelic (Delerium Records DELEC CD 041) 73m 
=========================================================== 
Imagine a fold in the spacerock-zeit continuum that allowed Can, Amon Duul II 
and Faust to emerge into the '90s rave scene and ply their experimental 
trade. 
That fold would be called _Cyberdelic_. Electric Orange is the mastermind of 
Dirk Jan Muller, along with Dirk Bittner.  A few scattered guests contribute 
guitar, bass, drums or darbuka throughout the eleven tracks of the disc. 
Muller's compositions wrap '70s analog krautrock vibes around trip-hop, dub 
and other techno beats. With surprises at every turn, nearly any style of 
music is fair game in the Electric Orange dimension. A perfect example is 
"Funny in the Bathroom" that processes a sample of '30s jazz with '70s R&B, a 
jazzy guitar solo through a filter of adventurous spirit ala Can. Even more 
in 
line with the experimental '70s space rock scene is "Sweet Absurd," a cosmic 
melange of mumbling voice samples, harrowing organ, processed drums and other 
percussive samples. "Sweet Absurd" could have easily come from an early Can 
album. "Steal No Egg" sizzles with classic krautpsych and maniacal vocals. In 
the background of the cut is the crackle and pop of dirty vinyl, an idea that 
runs counter to ultra-clean techno. "Mother's Cake" alternates between Dzyan 
circa "Electric Silence" and '70s funk. Despite this diversity and 
inventiveness, _Cyberdelic_ reflects Muller's love of the '90s dance scene 
and 
the techno beats run the gamut from trip-hop to trance, jungle to dub 
throughout the disc. I've not had much personal luck meshing my tastes with 
this scene but _Cyberdelic_ comes closes, thanks to Muller's creativity and 
invention, particularly for the middle part of the disc (songs 3-8). Here, 
the 
beat often subsides and a person can feel the cosmic fabric warp the brain. 
Still, by the ninth song (50 minutes into the disc), I've grown tired of the 
beat and am ready to move on to something else.  _Cyberdelic_ is a 
category-defying album that I recommend without reservation to those into the 
techno scene. If you'd rather skip the trip-hop stop, then I suggest you wait 
just a little longer for _Electric Orange_, Muller's first album soon to be 
reissued by Delerium. 
 
Nine Invisibles: pureheadspace (1996; Delerium Records DELEC CD 053) 71m 
==================================================================== 
From the wreckage of the Ship of Fools comes Nine Invisbles and their 
_pureheadspace_ debut. I've not heard the Ship of Fools albums but I hear 
they 
were a very cool psychedelic/space rock band. Which means they were nothing 
like the Nine Invisibles are now. The Nine Invisibles take a much more techno 
approach, mixed with world music, dub, etc. In fact, the Nine Invisibles have 
trademarked their dub/world/techno/trance mix as "Tribernetics." (tm) The 
space-rock that infuses much of Electric Orange's _Cyberdelic_ is not heard 
on 
_pureheadspace_, which made the album a much less enjoyable listen for me. 
When I look at techno as a form of synth music, I can often find much to 
enjoy. I have heard some way cool sounds and arrangements that absolutely 
floored me. The non-stop beat eventually wears me out, however, and I have to 
change listening mode to something else. So, even though Nine Invisibles do 
some way groovy synth things, combined with other influences such as world 
musics, I grew weary well before the disc reached its end. Still, "social 
narcotics" reminded me of some of Mandragora's recent work on Temple Ball and 
so forth. Many of the songs flow together to create longer, trance-inducing 
high-energy suites. Regardless of my dislike for the beat, Nine Invisible's 
album is richly textured. Pat Fulgoni from Kava Kava lends his vocals to 
"power of the sun." 
 
http://www.delerium.co.uk 
delerium@mail.bogo.co.uk 
 
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