THE CALL OF SHIVA VOL. 1 (2005)

 

Total time: 72:55

Recorded: 2005
Distributed: 2005

REVIEWS

With a title like that you would expect this album to be full of Eastern promise but such influences, when used, are usually rather subtle.

A rapid sequence propels ‘Pole Shift’ into life. Another even more retro sounding sequence falls into place. A third line of pulsations joins the existing two- heaven! A metronomic bass rhythm adds even greater bight as the sequences morph in all directions. The volume increases and things become more intense only to start subsiding in the eighth minute as we are left with a gentle restrained rhythm and lovely atmospheric touches. I thought that would be how we finished but no, with two minutes to go the sequences are fired to life once again, sounding even more Berlin School than ever though with a more contemporary rhythmic backing.

‘Great Ancient Gods are Coming’ is a suitably majestic with some lovely deep pads and tinkling effects. All very moody stuff but with a nice syncopated finish.

‘In Search For A New Land’ kicks of with a superb mid paced sequence which contrasts beautifully with slow haunting backing. A second sequence moves into position but this is also delicate. The whole track so far has a rather crystalline feel to it. Lush pads swell in the background as yet more pulsations join the fray but somehow even with so much going on things don’t sound over cluttered, instead subtlety is the order of the day. In the eighth minute all descends to tranquillity with just the odd drone and cosmic touch here and there. This lasts for about a minute and a half before the mood changes completely as strident drums enter, a playful lead line skipping between the beats. Again this is a short lived section however as a couple of minutes later we return to another atmospheric interlude out of which fresh sequences emerge accompanied by a dreamy lead line. A harder edge very slowly starts to materialise, then rhythm returns but it’s all still fairly restrained.

‘Sinai (Original Edit)’ bounces into life with yet more sequences – this time belting along at quite a pace right from the off. The contrasting lead line possesses the most ‘Eastern’ influenced moment on the album, adding that air of mystery as the pulsations slowly gain added impetus. It is one of those track were element after element is added with very little being taken away along the journey. In such a way tension and excitement are gradually heightened. By the ninth minute the rhythms are starting to dominate, really kicking up a storm.

We finish with the most Berlin School track on the entire album ‘Magic Circle’. A classic bass sequence mixes with a second wonderfully complex more melodic one. It all has something of a Schulzian feel. The sequences take a break in the fourth minute only to return a minute or so later, new ones coming, old ones departing in a wonderful avalanche of pulsations. There is a real twist in the last two minutes however as a dance beat erupts! Not sure if it really works, I will let you decide but overall this is one of INDRA’s finest albums.

2006 David Law / Synth Music Direct

‘Pole Shift’ starts with a highly dynamic high register sequence that, even after just a few seconds, makes your heart beat faster with anticipation as it quickly builds in intensity and melody. A certain Frenchman at his peak comes into mind here. Gradually percussion is introduced and the track pulses with movement and power. This is music to listen to very loud in the car whilst hurtling down the motorway at great speed, at the eight minute mark there is a dramatic drop in key which conveys the white knuckle rush of a roller coaster as it dives headlong. Then unexpectedly at nine minutes or so the track winds down and becomes serene and soothing but soon a bass sequence starts to emerge as the track starts to build in momentum again – Indra is firmly in control and is teasing us with his control of mood and pace.

Next we have ‘Great Ancient Gods Are Coming’, awakened from their slumber and heralded no doubt by this amazing music. A long atmospheric beginning conveys a sense of standing by the sea somewhere exotic and watching the sun rise and shows also that Indra is equally at home in more ambient and relaxing realms too. Relaxing aquatic sounds and pads provide a real place of beauty and space for your mind to wander and explore. The change in mood from the breathtaking pace of the first track is remarkable. At just over the eight minute mark, some subtle percussion is introduced but this isn’t intrusive and doesn’t shatter the sense of serenity and peace created so far by this track and the track continues to it’s peaceful conclusion.

‘In Search For A New Land’ quickly sees the introduction of a melodic sequence that provides a solid base over which a gated lead line starts to weave it’s magic. The reflective mood of the previous track is continued. At well over 20 mins, this is the longest track on the album and provides a vast sonic panorama for the listener to explore. Coming up to the 10 minutes and tribal drumming starts to break through and the track starts to pick up tempo and pace a little but it’s still very blissful. By about the 15 minute mark, a change in sequence introduces a more other worldly feel and the over mood is quite hypnotic.

Then we have ‘Sinai’ pulsing sequence starts the adrenaline running again and adds a melancholy sense of power over which an arabesque lead weaves it’s spell. By the third minute, the track starts to increase in urgency and tempo and the track develops an almost rave like feel that is mesmerizing. A very sultry, moody and intense piece of music that showcases INDRA’s ability to create a real vibe of exotic mysterious beauty.

‘Magic Circle’ sees a Jarresque anthemic beginning that plays on the anticipation factor, you are almost willing the inevitable percussion to kick in but at the four minute mark, you realise that INDRA is once again toying with your expectations as he changes direction drastically and takes you down a more ambient and atmospheric route. However you can still hear the anthemic sequence bubbling away under the surface, getting louder. Indra keeps building the intensity until it becomes almost unbearable. It’s not until after ten minutes that he takes the foot off the brake and really lets rip but oh boy! is it worth waiting for or what? This is a real craftsman and artist at work. You listen to this album and realise that this is why it’s almost insulting just to sum him up as a KS/Jarre wannabe.

Listen to the Call of Shiva vol.1 album with an open mind and you will be pleasantly surprised and awestruck, I promise. Call of Shiva vol.1 is a fantastic album that I cannot recommend highly enough to you. It will be interesting to see if volume 2 delivers more of the same or if it takes a different route.

2006 Endorphin

To look at the misleading cover, you would swear that this CD must be Eastern new age meditation music. In fact, this is a first-rate Teutonic sound fest for fans of Klaus Schulze and the like.

‘Pole Shift’ sets the tone right away, with rapid-fire sequencing, bright and crisp. Approaching the 4:00 mark, synths come whooshing in like the wind, and it drops a key to keep things fresh. The pace is so brisk that it almost seems techno, but the beats aren’t that heavy. After several minutes of pure energy, the rhythm drops out entirely, downshifting into dreamy atmospheric mode. But this only lasts a minute or two, and a bass line picks up the hypnotic sequencing again, joined shortly by the drums again, though the energy stays at a more moderate level to the end.

‘Great Ancient Gods are Coming’ is all-out space music, full of tinkling electronic effects and floating pads. It feels like Timewind or Moondawn, great retro stuff. Haunting string pads take over midway through, very powerful. INDRA really allows this expansive number to breathe, not introducing any sequencing until the last couple of minutes, and even then it merely enhances without taking over, brilliantly done.

‘In Search for a New Land’ starts at a moderate tempo, again chock-full of wonderful vintage sounds. Clocking in at nearly 21 minutes, this is yet another high point on a disc full of them. The mid-tempo segment gives way to a drifting piece, followed by a shuffling beat and hip synth lead with a jazzy feel. The drums really come forward in the mix toward the end, but somehow do so without getting in your face – it just sounds cool, like it’s supposed to be there.

‘Sinai (original edit)’ picks up the tempo back to where it began on ‘Pole Shift’, as does ‘Magic Circle’. After a soft beginning, the latter one threatens to spiral out of control, thumping fully into dance floor territory, but I don’t mind. It’s a great end to a wild and fantastic ride.

2006 Phil Derby / Electroambient Space

Betrachtet genau die Cover der beiden The Call Of Shiva vol.1 – CD´s…. Und … was glaubt Ihr … Meditationsmusik?
Nein ! Wirklich feinste Musik im Stile von Klaus Schulze :-)) Diese weiten Flächen , der stetige , gleichbleibende Rhytmus im Hintergrund , Sequenzer

…. WOW , wirklich beeindruckend.

2006 Uwe Sasse

 

 

Lorsque vous regarderez la pochette de The Call of Shiva, autant les volumes 1 que 2, ne vous laissez pas berner par cette pochette aux allures mythique Indien. Loin d’être inspiré par une quelconque religion Hindoue, The Call of Shiva est un cd puissant aux mouvements aléatoires et complexes, dans une atmosphère survoltée. L’un des bons titres, qui respecte l’essence de la Berlin School jusqu’à la plus éloignées de ses frontières imaginaires, depuis fort longtemps. Un voyage intemporel, avec la sonorité d’aujourd’hui, que peu d’artistes sont capables de nous faire vivre. INDRA persiste, et signe un autre monument de MÉ. Lui qui commence à nous habituer de ses petits chefs d’œuvres.

‘Pole Shift’ démarre avec une ligne séquentielle carillonnée qui voltige avec grâce et voluptuosité, sur un mouvement spiralé qui monte et descend en douceur. Claquantes, les percussions maintiennent un tempo nerveux qui modifie subtilement sa course sur des notes limpides, qui se détachent du mouvement séquentiel. Un beau Berlin School, avec toute sa noblesse sur un rythme qui dérape pour croiser une atmosphère vaporeuse, histoire de refaire ses forces et repartir avec plus de luminosité.

Sur une mer cosmique, aguichée par des sirènes astrales ‘Great Ancient Gods Are Coming’ flotte sur un doux mouvement atmosphérique. Le synthé berce ses lames orchestrales avec profondeur et sérénité, alors qu’un superbe séquenceur émerge et agite la marée, qui tourbillonne en se repliant sur ses sillons.

L’intro d’In Search for a New Land fusionne une séquence modérée, genre ‘Pole Shift, avec la quête vaporeuse de ‘Great Ancient Gods Are Coming’. Un alliage parfait qui démontre la subtilité des genres chez INDRA. Le mouvement progresse sur un souffle mellotronné discret jusqu’à la 9ième minute, où une brève pause atmosphérique ramène le mouvement à la case départ. C’est sous d’intenses roulements de percussions et un tempo ‘’groovy-jazz‘’ que le titre repart. Encore sous le joug du génie Roumain, cette séquence permute à nouveau, pour devenir plus suave et reprendre son mouvement initial, avec plus de mordant. Un excellent titre où Indra nous démontre son habilité à évoluer sur des rythmes complexes avec limpidité et aisance. Sinai débute avec une pulsation séquentielle endiablée. Un rythme débridé, nourri par de superbes effets sonores métalliques et un synthé arabesque qui souffle des solos tortueux. Indra joue avec les rythmes et développent des atmosphères industrielles sur une texture sonore aux ornements d’un Moyen Orient très conservateur. Un titre puissant qui étonne par la spontanéité des tempos et qui mystifie par sa beauté exotique.

On se remet à peine de cette séquence survoltée que ‘Magic Circle’ nous entoure d’une aura séquentielle tout aussi puissante. Nerveuse, une ligne séquentielle basse et mordante serpente un mouvement vrillant qui joue avec les tempos, aussi flexibles et imprévisibles que des montagnes russes. Tantôt frénétiques, tantôt atmosphériques, les rythmes s’entrecroisent pour terminer le bal des insoumis à une rectitude rythmique sur des hymnes ‘’trance ‘’. Un excellent titre pour terminer un opus percutant qui plaira à tout amateur de MÉ, tant la Berlin School que la progressive.

2006 Sylvain Lupari / GOD