Moody, affecting, and sometimes quietly startling...would send even Brian Eno to
author: Jack Rabid - The Big Take-over
The Big Take-Over Magazine (Jan 2001/Issue 47)
Review by Jack Rabid
Man, this is pretty. Helland is yet another accomplished ex-punk from the early '80s who has made the striking transition to atmospheric soundtracks. And he's not kidding when he says on the sleeve, "File under Ambient Instrumental Space Folk." Unlike most dreampop, this is just his carefully picked guitar with a fair amount of shimmery reverb on it (and the occasional blissed-out crash cymbal), but the shivering "trance"-like qualities of the repetitive signatures is apparent from the onset. Like music for a film, these instrumentals are a tapestry of far away yearning, with titles such as "Gazing at the Stars From the Floating Sea" and "Dark Wet Roads to Peace of Mind." While Scenic contemplates the Mojave Desert, and Toshack Highway floats on the water, Helland's eyes are skyward, into the infinite heavens, a wordless Carl Sagan with a shadowy touch and a stars-twinkling temperament. Moody, affecting, and sometimes quietly startling in its reach and scope despite its simplicity, Space Age Tranceology would send even Brian Eno to dreaming in his armchair. Excellent!
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author: Vmag - Feb. 2001 Review By Duke Aaron
Scott Helland's latest Space Age Tranceology, continues his mindbending travels through the audio-atmosphere. Scott describes his music as "ambient acoustic space folk" and as awkward as the phrase sounds it fits to a tee. Scott does nothing but impress. Space Age Tranceology finds this wonderful artist deep in a world of transcendental hypnosis. Each song here represents another world to visit; another plane of existence, another personal experience, yet they all work perfectly as one extended voyage.
"Gazing At The Stars From The Floating Sea," "Jupiter's Aquatic Highways," "Dark Wet Roads To Peace Of Mind," "Hesitant First Steps On The Deserts Of Mars," "Epiphany Trance," "Where The Sky Meets The Sea," and "Soldier Souls Hovering Over The Murky Depths" collectively make Space Age Tranceology more a vehicle of exploration than a CD. Acoustic, electric, and bass guitar coupled with a world beat undercurrent propel the listener into a higher plane. Clearly Helland is a unique craftsman. He puts forward a vision other musicians would (and maybe should) fear and does it all with a seamless grandeur.
Visit Scott at scotthelland.com and see what the fuss is about yourself. While you're there, hopefully ordering Space Age Tranceology, you might want to think about picking up Deep In It...Mood Rings and Motion Sickness.
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