Terra Nine 'Heart of the Matter' Review

Artist: Terra Nine

Title: Heart of the Matter

Label: Iboga Records

Released: 13^th January

This will be the last review on the blog for the foreseeable future. I simply don’t have the time or the enthusiasm to build new connections and keep the blog as fresh as it should be. I’ve wound down the interviews for a good while now as I feel there are only so many questions you can ask. I’d like to thank all the artists, djs and labels who’ve contributed over the years and will continue to host the Chill Out Sessions show every last Sunday of the month on Boxfrequency.fm

I first came across Mike Wescott A.K.A. Terra Nine on the Ajana compilation ‘A Magical Journey’ since then I have enjoyed many of his productions and promoted two nights where they have played as Terra Nine and their progressive trance side project Sirius Music. Mike uses a self built electric viola to trigger synths sounds on software very much in the fashion of Steve Hillage in System 7 with the guitar. The end result is a heavenly fusion of classical, dub, ambient trance and psychedelic breaks complimented live by vj Intelliki.

This new release begins in the stereotypical Terra Nine fashion with ‘Waveforms Out The Window’ where the electric viola is blanketed over skippy percussion and a growling low frequency synth voice. This is followed by 'The Present Moment' which features less stereotypical Terra Nine spoken samples, plucked viola amongst a dubby ambient feel. At this point we reach the title track a chilled and summery piece with glitchy psychedelic fx and stuttered drum rolls before it really takes off with choice spiritual spoken samples over Arabian influenced psy-dub! I have to say this track is right up there in my opinion as one of Mike’s best productions.

After the last track I suspected it could only go downhill here on in. However, the next track ‘One Da Da Da’ continues with the Spiritual spoken samples but with more of a dreamy feel, piano and little tweaks of the violin and only falls slightly short as a contender to the title piece. The final track ‘Flying’ has more of an ambient trance feel to it and combined with the electric viola creates an ethereal feeling that is apt to it’s chosen title.

Overall this is a strong release and it’s definitely the last three tracks that work for me. Especially, the title track which is a bit of a change of direction for Terra Nine and a welcome one in this instance as it’s such a good track.

Reviewed by Woodzee

Links

https://www.beatport.com/release/heart-of-the-matter/1907722