The Nomad Project present us here four different singles that will be part of an upcoming EP. An short set of songs that returns seeks to evoke the adventurism of Kraftwerk and the like but through simpler and more modern tools.
Calm soothing piano meets video game inspired keys, electronic percussion and on occasion some distorted keyboard sounds. There is a bass guitar that appears on “Go to the Moon” very briefly and various other instruments that come to form one layer before disappearing. The whole compilation focuses on a main motif that is then met with another two or three layers and a basic syncopated beat that remains constant while each song progresses. The modus operandi of each of these four pieces seems to be to introduce the central motif consisting of a cadenced chord progression and then progressing through a variations until deconstructing all the layers down to that main motif.
“Forward and Upward” is possibly the best song here as it progresses in narrative fashion effortlessly and rather than working back to the central motif it take the fully developed iteration and maintains the same layer but develops the higher harmony so that the piece is instilled with a sense of climax and conveys feeling of ready to fly towards the unknown on some technological marvel.
“Supernova” progresses in the same way with its multiple layers but loses focus at the half way point for a transition to a bridge that is related to the main set of melodies but feels out of place and just an easy tool to reintroduce certain ideas. “Ronnie’s Spaceship” is too short to fully develop and almost feels like a lounge jazz due to it. The songs in general ultimately suffer from being too short and not having the time to further guide the listener into exploration. The Nomad Project should focus on not only reintroducing layers like they do well but to to take existing ideas and to slightly vary their melodies while progressing forward.
This compilation is a short and fun listen that works well when one doesn’t have the time to fully immerse themselves into more complex electronic works like Oxygène. Though this compilation is incredibly flawed, it shows the necessary ideas and ambition to believe that better pieces will come from this artist.
Look at that cover. More ball earth propaganda. Anyway, Antti Boman is in this: https://pharaohoverlord.bandcamp.com/album/zero
Nice write up man. I really liked Forward and Upward. You namedropped “Oxygène” and I’m a little surprised. Simplistic and kinda fun but with very little substance… Used to listen to it as a kid… Totally gforgot about it… wait a minute… *Listening to it right now*… Oh yeah, gosh, I remember… Bored already… How would you position JMJ as compared to, say, Tangerine Dream, which you seem to worship as much if not more as I do?
I listened to an oxygene album once and it sounded like Mario Kart. fun, sure, but as a standard metric for electronic music, pretty weak
maybe point me in the direction of his best album and prove me wrong
I personally have a slight preference for sophomore follow-up Équinoxe, however it’s probably not that significant of a departure stylistically or qualitatively to convince skeptics.
I am admittedly rather unfamiliar with the rest of JMJ’s extensive works, barring the third record Les chants magnétiques which is decent but already a major step down from the first two.
I can’t speak for the personal taste or “worship levels” of Nic (the author of this specific article).
However I am the author of this guide: https://www.deathmetal.org/analysis/a-guide-to-electronic-music/
As my descriptions therein essentially state, JMJ’s first two albums are very good (although admittedly on the more accessible side of things). Tangerine Dream however, is an entirely different ballpark (or perhaps, galaxy??)
If we want to us this sort of schoolroom grading terminology, I’d say JMJ at his best is B+ (maybe A- on a good day), whereas TD is the quintessential A+ Electronic act.
Darn it! This time, I put down my sword as I don’t entirely disagree with you guys! Hahaha.
Joke aside, Tyrell, your guide was a very welcome treat.
Keep up the great work.
Thanks.
You are very welcome.
I sincerely appreciate all compliments, I certainly never imagined I would be doing this even six months ago!
Speaking of the guide, the long-awaited sequel is in the works!