Parallel Life

Amazon.com
There's much to like in this dreamy full-length debut by multi-instrumentalist Alex McGowan and vocalist Regina Dannhof. Maybe it's McGowan's moody bass lines and buttery trip-hop atmospheres. Or maybe it's Dannhof's anesthetizing voice, which moves from moan to coo to whisper and back again. Put simply, the Starseeds make trip-hop of the Portishead-Hooverphonic-Sneaker Pimps variety, only they do it very quietly, like the Cocteau Twins on Quaaludes. There's a spacy, ambient aesthetic at work on Parallel Life that eschews pop hooks in favor of a smooth-textured, almost narcoleptic flow--and that's a compliment. Dannhof has a wonderfully ethereal voice that floats above McGowan's softly burbling synths and languid beats on such standouts as the title track, the very pretty "Behind the Sun," and the more densely mixed "Heavensairportcoffeeshoprestaurant." For most, Parallel Life will seem like a relaxing disc of the chill-out kind, but, with its hidden treasures of sound, it's one that will also reward deep listeners. --Steve Landau

Parallel Life,The Starseeds,Millennium Records,Ambient Techno,Dance Music,Electronica,Pop,Popular Music

Average customer rating: a parallel life A few outstanding tracks - the rest very average! score me the ages! Regina The Starseeds are forever among us!

Parallel Life The Starseeds Manufacturer: Millennium Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Ambient | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music General | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music Electronica | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music General | Dance Pop | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music Similar Items: There Is Enough for Everyone Ether Omnimotion Between Here & Now Terra Firma ASIN: B00000G14S Release Date: 1999-01-12

Tracks:

1. Parallel Life
2. Behind The Sun
3. Timequakes
4. Sonne Mond Und Sterne
5. Heavensairportcoffeeshoprestaurant
6. Subspace Radio Signals
7. Regina From The Future
8. Earth Moon And Stars
9. Elsewhere

Amazon.com

There's much to like in this dreamy full-length debut by multi-instrumentalist Alex McGowan and vocalist Regina Dannhof. Maybe it's McGowan's moody bass lines and buttery trip-hop atmospheres. Or maybe it's Dannhof's anesthetizing voice, which moves from moan to coo to whisper and back again. Put simply, the Starseeds make trip-hop of the Portishead-Hooverphonic-Sneaker Pimps variety, only they do it very quietly, like the Cocteau Twins on Quaaludes. There's a spacy, ambient aesthetic at work on Parallel Life that eschews pop hooks in favor of a smooth-textured, almost narcoleptic flow--and that's a compliment. Dannhof has a wonderfully ethereal voice that floats above McGowan's softly burbling synths and languid beats on such standouts as the title track, the very pretty "Behind the Sun," and the more densely mixed "Heavensairportcoffeeshoprestaurant." For most, Parallel Life will seem like a relaxing disc of the chill-out kind, but, with its hidden treasures of sound, it's one that will also reward deep listeners. --Steve Landau

Customer Reviews:

a parallel life.......2005-09-10

This music, especially "a parallel life" and "behind the sun" are exceptional examples of esoteric music that allows one to really transcend the limitations of this tough reality. They create surreal mental imagery that is superior and I have been listening to Space and ambient music for over 30 years. A rare and unique addition to any serious music lover's collection that involves celestial sounds and euphoric beats.

A few outstanding tracks - the rest very average!.......2005-01-27

I owned this CD once. I wished I had kept it as it is now worth quite a bit. I copied the only three 'worthwhile tracks' - Behind the Sun, Heavensairportcoffeshoprestaurant and Parallel Life - and then traded it in at Ye Olde Used CD store. For those of you who have only heard the above three tracks, before you put out $40+ of your hard-earned cash, know that there is at least one soul out there who thinks that the rest of the CD is so-so!

score me the ages!.......2004-05-12

Don't worry, I gave the follow-up CD 4 stars too! This freshman effort is stellar (pun intended)! Pure-quality vocalist trip-hop combined with slow-motion breaks defines this duo.

The first disc is a planetarium-show soundtrack; this second is Black Box Recorder on Soma! Sensual, slippery, sweet & spacy. Seduce someone with music that scores the ages!

Regina.......2003-10-13

What do you think? We found each other again in New York..

I keep wondering what the future holds..

Your music is great, it comes from a Beautiful soul, thank you for your contribution to our new world.

Can't wait till you find this someday..

Unconditional Love
Michael

The Starseeds are forever among us!.......2003-08-09

I don't feel like I can elaborate much more on what has already been said by almost every other reviewer here, except that Parallel Life is a manifestation of utter musical perfection. If you listen carefully, you will hear sounds you never caught the previous time around, the previous one before that, etc, etc. The highly dreamy, complex rhythms and soundscapes coupled with Regina's breathy, unearthy vocals will transport its listener to a faraway galaxy in the midst of unfathomable glory and awe. The music is so spacey and cosmic, yet utterly warm and sensual - a highly unique effect that no other artist can create. While the album is now scarce, buying it used here is worth every penny, as is purchasing the (currently) in print double-cd version which contains their brilliant follow-up album along with it. In a nutshell: Words like "beautiful" do not even come close to doing this album descriptive justice by a lightyears distance.

Average customer rating:

Red Shoes: Music From the Films of Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger, 1941-1951 Manufacturer: Cd41 (UK) ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Offenbach | Offenbach, Jacques | ( O ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Vaughan Williams, Ralph | ( V ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Vaughan Williams, Ralph | Composers | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Romances | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music French | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Movie Scores | Soundtracks | Styles | Music Movie Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Styles | Music General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music Similar Items: The Red Shoes - Criterion Collection Snakes & Arrows ASIN: B000068PVB Release Date: 2007-03-20

Tracks:

1. Archers Ident
2. 49th Parallel: Prelude
3. 49th Parallel: Epilogue
4. Matter of Life and Death: Prelude/This Is the Universe
5. Matter of Life and Death: The Waiting Room/Washed Ashore
6. Matter of Life and Death: Prelude/Stairway to Heaven
7. Airman's Letter to His Mother: Narrative by Sir John Gielgud
8. Life and Death of Colonel Blimp: Prelude
9. Life and Death of Colonel Blimp: War Starts at Midnight
10. Life and Death of Colonel Blimp: Commando Patrol
11. Canterbury Tales: Prelude
12. Canterbury Tales: Toccata and Fugue in D Minor
13. Red Shoes: Prelude
14. Red Shoes: Ballet Music
15. Black Narcissus: Prologue
16. Black Narcissus: Composed Sequence
17. Gone to Earth: Prelude
18. Gone to Earth: The Tryst
19. Gone to Earth: The Hunt
20. Small Back Room: Composed Sequence
21. Small Back Room: Epilogue
22. Tales of Hoffman: Orchestral Tuning

Album Description

22 tracks. THE RED SHOES is a 74 minute collection of rare original soundtrack recordings from the classic films of Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger (The Archers), made between 1941 and 1951. Those featured include: 49th Parallel (1941) Ralph Vaughn Williams (aka The Invaders) Stairway to Heaven (1946) Allan Gray (aka A Matter of Life & Death) The Life & Death of Col Blimp (1943) Allan Gray A Canterbury Tale (1944) Allan Gray / JS Bach Black Narcissus (1947) Brian Easdale The Red Shoes (1948) Brian Easdale Gone to Earth (1950) Brian Easdale (aka The Wild Heart) The Small Back Room (1949) Brian Easdale Tales of Hoffman (1951) Jacques Offenbach. As well as digitally restored original soundtrack music by the undervalued Gray and Easdale, this carefully researched CD also features a number of rare associated recordings, including John Gielgud's reading of An Airman's Letter to his Mother (1941), the lively quickstep Commando Patrol from Col. Blimp and A Canterbury Tale, and a superlative rendering of Bach's Toccata and Fugue in D Minor, recorded by Albert Schweitzer in London in 1935, also featured in A Canterbury Tale. The booklet features detailed notes on the films and their accompanying scores, and well as biographies of Allan Gray and Brian Easdale. The CD is a must for all with an interest in vintage film soundtracks and British light/orchestral music, as well as the dazzling vision of Michael Powell and his musical collaborators.

Average customer rating:

Changes in the Rhythm of Life Manufacturer: Parallel Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music ASIN: B000CK9U0E

Average customer rating:

Parallel Love Inoue Yosui Okuda Tamio Manufacturer: For Life ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Japan | Far East & Asia | International | Styles | Music General | International | Styles | Music International | Imports | Stores | Music ASIN: B000JVS4X0 Release Date: 2007-01-01

Average customer rating:

THE BEST IN TODAYS CHRISTIAN ROCK : YOURS - TOBYMAC / COMETOGETHER - THIRD DAY / HORIZON - 38th PARALLEL / GIVING IT OVER - THE NEWSBOYS / FIREPROOF - PILLAR / FLYING BLIND - DAILY PLANET / SONG X - ESAT WEST / DO WHAT YOU SAY - THE BENJAMIN GATE / YOUR SWEET VOICE - PAUL COLEMAN TRIO / WHAT LIFE HAS - DENISON MARRS / TONIGHT - PAX217 / OUT OF MY MIND - GS MEGAPHONE various ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD ASIN: B000PJ5QAA

Average customer rating: Worth Investigating a prog discovery!

After Life Cycle Parallel or 90 Degrees Manufacturer: Cyclops Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Progressive Rock | Progressive | Rock | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Progressive | Rock | Indie Music | Stores | Music Rock | Imports | Stores | Music ASIN: B000009RXA Release Date: 1999-04-13

Tracks:

1. Afterlifecycle: Introduction
2. Afterlifecycle: Dead On A Car Park Floor (Part 1)
3. Afterlifecycle: Afterlife What? (Part 1)
4. Afterlifecycle: Gears Meshing With Dandelions
5. Afterlifecycle: Dead On A Car Park Floor (Part 2)
6. Afterlifecycle: Moving Lights In A Tunnel
7. Afterlifecycle: Afterlife What? (Part 2)
8. Ithinktherefornothing: Music For Burglars
9. Ithinktherefornothing: Cogito Ergo Zip
10. Ithinktherefornothing: If We Fail To Respond
11. Run In Rings
12. Coming Up Roses
13. Afterlifecycle (Conclusion); Lifecycle
14. Bonus Tracks: Flower King Of Flies
15. Bonus Tracks: The Third Person

Customer Reviews:

Worth Investigating.......2001-08-26

Consider PO90 as Cyclops Records' penance for all the whining neoprog schoolboys they've set loose on the world (Grey Lady Down, Jump, Primitive Instinct, etc). Don't get me wrong - this is a neo band of sorts (albeit a VERY VERY GOOD neo band). Two keyboardists in front, who complement each other rather than compete; Andy Tillotson's Hammond flourishes over Sam Baine's synthwork create some atmospheric and exciting sound canvases. Guitarist Graham Young isn't called on to do too much, but he makes the most of what moments he does get to blow: he's a fluid, graceful player. Lyrics are likewise a cut above the usual neo fare. Of course, it isn't as if we haven't heard these plaintive existential sighs and visions of dystopia on a hundred other albums, but they're well-written & economically evocative (most prog lyricists try to kill you with displays of big words and epic concepts - the Topographic Oceans Syndrome). AFTERLIFECYCLE is P090's debut, made up of two massive, multi-part epics, "Afterlifecycle" & "Ithinkthereforenothing", and a handful of standalone, if equally long, tracks - including an enjoyable Nice cover ("Flower King of Flies"). The title epic is the best thing on here; the opening section, both keyboardists slowly building and churning up to the main riff, being especially satisfying. And most of the rest of the cd is equally worth hearing, a few lulls and dead patches notwithstanding. While an occasional burst of electric andrenalin would probably have added something here, there's more than enough meat on the carving board to adequately feed your head. Final note: many people (including the band) mention Peter Hamill & VDGG when dissecting the Parallel sound. I can't see more than passing similarities myself, but give em credit for namedropping a good band!

a prog discovery!.......2000-07-10

I'd just like to tell you that this album is worth to be heard if you like prog and long tracks. I've just discovered this group through this album (thanks to internet!).According to me, the first track("dead on a car park floor") sounds like Tears for Fears. The other tracks have lots of things with Pink-Floyd in common.If you want more informations about Parallel or 90 degrees, see the web site where you'll can listen to samples on MP3:deltamonsoon.demon.co.uk.

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