Spectrum Pursuit Vehicle

Chronique

Spectrum Pursuit Vehicle is 74 minutes of subtle electronic music from synth pop legends of yore Vincent Clarke and Martyn Ware. The music, spatialized using 3-D visualization software and audio processors, originally appeared as part an art installation in London, where a white cloth room saw the colors designated in each song title cross-faded to create infinite hues. Clarke and Ware crafted the music to "promote profound relaxation," and they specify in the liner notes that it's best heard via headphones at dawn or dusk. The song titles give a good idea about the overall sound of their respective tracks. "White (You Are in Heaven)" combines the sound of someone moving their hand back and forth on a large harp with chirping birds and background synth notes that recall the Vangelis soundtrack to Blade Runner. "Yellow (You Are on a Beach)" and "Red (You Are in the Womb)" mimic the sounds of ocean waves and heartbeats respectively layered over strummed guitars and more synth tones. While the album might not express the personalities of its creators, there are still moments of great emotion. "Green (You Are in Heaven Again)" is reminiscent of the pristine sorrow of early New Order or a calmer version of Angelo Badalamenti's Twin Peaks score. Though fans of Erasure and Heaven 17 might feel a bit lost in this ambient, almost new age creation, the album delicately works toward and achieves its goal of facilitating relaxation. It's an album that would be perfect for any sort of stretching, yoga, or meditation routines.

© Tim DiGravina /TiVo