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review by Bill Binkelman Having been a fan of A Produce since first purchasing his classic album, Land of a Thousand Trances, many years ago, I expected to enjoy this collection of both previously-released and session outtakes featuring him and his frequent collaborator from back then, Ruben Garcia. Even with that said, I was unprepared for how fantastic this collection wound up being, owing to the selection of songs and, probably, the sequencing order as well. Spanning a time period from September 1991 to July of 1993, the music features A Produce on synths and electronics while Garcia plays keyboards and synths. "Clear Pools" is, simply put, captivatingly lovely, featuring crystalline tones reverberating against a background of Eno/Budd-like minimal treated piano. "La Selva (The Jungle)" has tribal rhythmic elements (their presence is, of course, a foregone conclusion given the track's title). A Produce's rhythms and beats have always been one of his strongest suits; they are utterly unique both in execution and in how he makes them work in conjunction with the music. "La Selva" is no exception, as Gamelan-like tones and sensual sampled hand drums beat out an incessant, if not urgent, pulse while assorted liquid synths hum and coarse underneath and a plaintive piano strikes isolated notes hear and there. "La Samba Electronica" is one of my favorite tracks; the beats are delightfully eccentric, yet wholly accessible as they produce a shuffling tempo. I can't find the words to accurately describe how they sound, but they are combined with melancholic synths and shimmering plucked-harp notes. The song is catchy and light but the presence of minor scale tonalities also drapes the song in mystery and shadow - very very cool! Fans of more haunting ambient music will find jewels here too, such as the droning "Last Chance" (featuring eerie burbling liquid effects and a densely textured mix of background effects). Fans of A Produce will be happy to know that two if his signature tracks are included as well, those being "Reflect Like a Mirror, Respond Like an Echo," and "It Comes in Waves." "Reflect..." is another Harold Budd-like exploration of forlorn minimalism, although offering A Produce's and Garcia's unique twist on that subgenre. There are two different "takes" of "The Wall of Dali," which is not one of my favorite songs from Land of a Thousand Trances, but both versions fit well into the track sequencing, with their muted electronics and echoed piano. "It Comes in Waves" is, of course, brilliant. The arrhythmic struck bells, whirring electronic effects, and somber tonalities all working in toto to paint a darkly sinister yet compelling soundscape. I suppose if you already own every album recorded by these two artists, you may have to consider whether Early Sessions is "worth it" or not. Musically, it's certainly an excellent release. I have all of A Produce's recordings and I happen to think this is more than rewarding enough to warrant adding it to your collection. If you are unaware of A Produce or Ruben Garcia, and you enjoy moody, atmospheric ambient music (and you like the addition of reverbed/echoed piano in amongst the keyboards and synths, as Eno and Budd have done on some of their work), you'll almost certainly be blown away by this album. As an introduction to essential music, it's a perfect place to start. Highly recommended. (As an aside, if in my review it has come across as a rave only about A Produce and I have tended to ignore Garcia, that was not my intent and I don't doubt that Ruben Garcia played an integral role in this masterful music. Without knowing who played what specifically, it is hard to give each artist his appropriate due. My apologies to them both). |
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