Land Of The Rising Sun is a new CD of synth music from Berlin Heritage.

WIth a group called Berlin Heritage, you probably expect to hear some old-school analog synth sounds and Berlin School style sequencing – and Land Of The Rising Sun delivers.

The first track, Long Journey To Different Temples, for example, is an epic 34:50 sonic trip through intricate sequences, washes of synth strings, vocal synth pads, deep drones, Minimoog solo explorations – and more sequences.

The next track, Spectral Enso, is an extended drone piece. It mixes gentle sequences and phased synth pads to create blissful textures. Zen seems like it could be a lost 70’s synth music classic. It’s structured in an A B A form, starting with drones and Mellotron-style flute a la Tangerine Dream’s Sorceror, building to a more propulsive sequenced section with Minimoog soloing and then returning to the more reflective mood of the beginning.

The album ends with Flying Cranes in Slow Motion, the shortest track on the album at 8:27.  The track has a relaxed, hymn-like quality. Synth organ/string pads are used in slowly changing chord progressions, over a deep bass pedal point. These are accented by quiet, percussive synth notes that create an effect almost like distant birds.

Berlin Heritage’s Land Of The Rising Sun harkens back to the classic synth music of the 70’s, evoking at times artists like Tangerine Dream or Klaus Schulze. But, rather than sounding imitative, Berlin Heritage uses vintage sounds to create a ‘second generation Berlin School’ sound, taking some of the best elements of classic Berlin School synth music and looking forward, instead of back.

Land Of The Rising Sun is available via Amazon or the Spheric Music label site. Audio demos are available at the Spheric site.

Tracks:

• Long Journey to Different Temples 34:50
• Spectral Enso 10:00
• Zen 16:20
• Flying Cranes in Slow Motion 8:27