Album Notes

About The Album...

September 2006 . Author © Michael Bugeja .

Two albums in the space of eight years may seem a bit sparse in terms of output to some, but in Brian Vassallo’s world, quality and essence have always been at the helm of each and every piece of work he does. And if you’re thinking you’ve heard of Vassallo somewhere or other, think back to 1998, when he released Beyond. The album has been critically acclaimed both locally and abroad, mainly for its electronically constructed cosmic ambience, and continues to attract a variety of audiences – from New Age to Chill-out to Ambient. Incidentally, Vassallo was also among the first Maltese musicians to establish an online presence with a sizeable foreign following, and it is the feedback he has received through the internet that has inspired and motivated the release of flashback, his second album.

When compared to Beyond’s cushioned layers of soaring digital sound, Flashback is however, something a mixed bag. For his second outing, Vassallo, a big Jean-Michel Jarre fan by his own admission, has opted to alter his vision beyond the ethereal and infuse more rhythm in his music. The result, somewhat inevitably, bears several references to the French electronic wizard’s style (particularly opening track Senses) but the presence of more prominent beats is more akin to Orbital’s epic electronica than Jarre’s soundscapes. More importantly, however, Vassallo has successfully preserved his own timbre by balancing the various aspects of his new record into one eclectic yet cohesive electronic expedition that should increase both his profile and following significantly.


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Author © Wednesday Elektra .

It's amazing how music from different areas of the world transcend boundaries. BRIAN VASSALLO is a Maltese musician and producer who creates an astonishing array of atmospheric electronic music. Electronica, no matter where you are in the world seems to have the same basic sound and structure, but BRIAN's music is powerful, bold and dynamic in a delicate way. His song "Are We Alone?" (from his first album "Beyond") is haunting, with it's progressive drones and twinkling side effects mixed with various electronic sound waves. While "Nights Tranquility" (from his latest album "Flashback") though it has a soft undertone, is still shockingly strong with it's backing beats and various key tones. "Reflections" (also from "Flashback") brings about the more drum 'n bass meets EBM style of electronica, with a rhythmic pattern of drum beats overlapped by layers of keys and synths. Even though I'm not a huge fan of electronic based music that leans towards the soundtrack/sonic/sound waves side, I did enjoy all of BRIAN VASSALLO's tracks and no doubt his full length albums would be something to behold.