Album Notes

This is our very first album together and it has a very nice story to it. We first met at a Synthesizer Meeting organized by the Dutch 'Synth Forum' in 2006. There we started talking about synthesizers and synthesizer music and found out that we shared the same fascinations. As a result Michel signed up as Synth.nl in 2007 with Groove Unlimited.
We worked a lot in the studio together after that remixing and mastering. Since then we have become very good friends and we visit each other on regular basis. Also our wives, kids and even the dogs like each other. In 2010 our wives decided to rent a house together in the Belgian Ardennes for a weekend. We both brought a synthesizer and a laptop and tried to make music together for the first time and that went very well actually. We recorded quite some tracks there. After the weekend we decided that we should release this music on CD.
So we started on finishing the music together when we got back in our own studios. The result is this album called 'Refuge en Verre', which was the name of the house we rented. We got the inspiration for the music we played from the beautiful nature in the Belgian Ardennes and the nice time we had with our families over there. Most of the tracks were played live as improvisations in the temporary studio that we created in the rented house.
This album was released by Groove Unlimited at the E-live festival in Oirschot (NL) on the 9th of October 2010.
Ron Boots & Michel van Osenbruggen / NL


This release from 2010 offers 71 minutes of dreamy electronic music. Synth.nl is Michel van Osenbruggen.
In 2010, the Boots and Osenbruggen families rented a house in the Belgian Ardennes for a weekend. Ron and Michel brought along a synthesizer and a laptop and jammed together. The music they co-created became this album (with some finishing touches applied once the two returned to their respective studios).
Dreamy electronics conspire with sinuous rhythms, resulting in some very tasty tuneage. While atmospheric textures are utilized, they remain background elements, while numerous frontal riffs generate lush melodies that simultaneously exhibit a soothing disposition as well as a fairly restrained energy that manages to periodically ooze through and shine. Cycles are established and then embellished by additional riffs which ultimately flesh things out into a velvet flow punctuated by incidents of glorious drama. Strong attention is given to creating a steady stream of engaging melodies.
Rhythms contribute tempos, but the locomotion manifests in a subdued fashion, lending beats without becoming too overwhelming or hyperactive. While the majority of the tracks are calmly amiable, there are several occasions in which the music marshals authority and cooks with delightful results. One track is given a sultry demeanor by molten basslines.
These compositions display an easygoing sonic mood, one that exemplifies a comfortable collaboration. The tunes shine with congenial melodies performed with stately mastery.
Matt Howarth / Sonic Curiosity


Groove Unlimited nos presenta esta colaboración entre uno de los grandes de la música electrónica como es el holandé Ron Boots y un joven compositor que se ha mostrado muy prolífico en los últimos años como es el también holandés Michel van Osenbruggen, más conocido como Synth.nl.
"Refuge en Verre" es el título de esta colaboración y es resultado de un fin de semana que ambos compositores se pasaron con sus familias en las Ardenas Belgas, un lugar perfecto para descansar y disfrutar de la naturaleza, pero también para que la inspiración saliera a relucir como ha sido el resultado final.
"Refuge en Verre" son 8 fantásticos temas de buena música electrónica, donde ambos compositores sacan a relucir sus buenas maneras de interpretar y componer, hay que recordar, que nos encontramos ante dos de los grandes dentro de este estilo de la actualidad. Los títulos de los temas están en francés cada uno de ellos narra la experiencia de ese fin de semana desde su punto de vista, desde el primero que además es el que da título al disco "Refuge en Verre" y hace referencia al lugar de Bélgica donde los compositores pasaron el fin de semana hasta el último "Soleil Levant" inspirado en el hecho del temprano amanecer.
Sin lugar a duda, estamos ante dos de los compositores más interesantes de la actualidad, un hombre consagrado como Ron Boots y otro que viene demostrando trabajo tras trabajo todo su potencial como Michel Van Ossenbruggen.
Esta es su primera colaboración, aquí nos encontramos buena música electrónica con partes secuenciales, con curiosos samples, con ritmo, un disco donde se nota que hubo sinergías entre ambos compositores, un trabajo de esos que agradecemos todos los amantes de la música electrónica.
Roberto Vales / Ultima Fronteira Radio