CD Review

Oceans In Space is a one-man act also known as the protean Ben Weber. With a Stick in two hands and synthesizer controls in perhaps two others, Weber guides us on a labyrinthine expedition both alien and familiar through the twists, turns, and wide-open spaces of "Mechanics of Astral Dynamics: Live."

Performed in the studio without overdubs, "Mechanics" is a work of whisper-quiet subtlety. Though Weber's fingers explode now and then into impressive rips and runs, nothing is extraneous or forced. There is no bravado or pretension, only fluid tapping so tactile that you can hear skin on steel, steel on wood, wood on skin. This is particularly impressive in Weber's acrobatic two-hand tuttis and hornlike turns, which summon the octavia of Wes Montgomery, the haunting jangles of Michael Brook, and at times the dazzle of Al DiMeola.

Weber mixes consonant with tense modality reminiscent of "Birds of Fire"-era John McLaughlin. Occasional atonality and cascading diminished Fripperdoodles add some darkness and shadow to this swirling palette, a bit like Trey Gunn's "Joy of Molybdenum" but without the moody cynicism. Steve Hillage also comes to mind, the way Weber blends the organic timbre of live fingers on strings with the synthetic lushness of electronics. In fact, throughout this airy synthscape, Weber's Stickup-equipped 10-string remains notably clean and uneffected. There's some juicy phase shifting here and there but no wailing distortion or other tweezy clamor. All the better to hear Weber's masterful continuity of active tapping integrated with mechanical loops, bloops, and beats. The mesmerizing flow is never interrupted.

This is remarkable given Weber's live-in-the-studio recording techniques. He conjures a tesseract of sound and rhythm while playing Stick and twiddling knobs -- swelling here, cross-fading there, looping hither, and spooking yon -- all at the same time. Some of the synth parts are triggered by MIDI Stick, others by keyboard.

Motions and textures range from sensorially groovy ear candy to seriously eerie groove candy. At times Weber's Stick passages are instantly recognizable -- seasoned tappers might even say cliché -- but this won't bother you unless you believe an instrument should not sound like itself. More important here is the spirit, and for Weber that's the spirit of sonic and rhythmic adventure.

On casual background listen, the album might seem desultory, but lean in closer and you'll hear a detailed thematic construction. Each track flows seamlessly into the next, like scenes in a play with main characters alternately sharing center stage. "Mechanics" is essentially a two-character play: clean, woody-sounding Stick (manifested in a three-part title track spread nonconsecutively throughout the album) and ethereal, simmering synths. On track 6, "Flight of Realms," the two come together in a symbiotic dialog that is the highlight of Weber's on-the-fly performance (don't miss the tri-tonal groove near the end). It's even more impressive when you realize he could pull all this off before your very eyes in a coffee shop or club.

The tune "Gates of Forever" is a stew of trip-hop beats and fascinating panning percussion. Any of you Southern California fans the KCRW radio show "Metropolis" will feel right at home. "Florescent Blue Lava" mixes Cage-like string and background noise with devilishly arpeggiated Stick figures that sound as if Robert Fripp has hijacked Andreas Vollenweider's harp. "Bubbling Springs on Neptune" combines radio static and industrial beats with beautiful floating synth pads. The furtive conspiracies of Gunn dwell in the scritchy-scratchy fizz and watery gurglings of this track, and again later in "Infinite Space of Being." The latter adds Jan Hammerish synth soloing over Atari-like blips and pweew-pweew missile fire as if from the electronic version of Battleship. And check out "Mechanics Pt. 3" for more DiMeolan staccato flurries.

Saving perhaps the best for last, Weber wraps it up with "Ancient Ricefields of Japan," a lyrical, medium-groove treat in the hypnotic and unassuming vein of Gunn's "Take This Wish." This closing track is mostly just a simple salad of Stick and drums, but its impression is as vast as its title promises. Gorgeous dyads and sinewy triplets dance over a quiet bass motor, and together they march out in a soft fade that will make you eager for the next journey.

Get to know Oceans In Space at san-com.com/oceansinspace.html

John
johnedmonds.net