This debut Tarotplane release is absolutely recommended for fans of classic Kosmische music, proto-ambient works as well as challenging post-rockin’ adventures.
PJ Dorsey is a musician from Baltimore, MD who formed the modern psychedelic electro rockin’ project Tarotplane. I discovered his first album published by Aguirre some time ago. It made a great impression, reviving musical memories of my teenage years when I was completely amazed by 70s German space rock and cosmic music (from the Berlin school of electronic art, to the Düsseldorf motorik electronic minimalism, and to the more progressive ethno-folkish vibe of Bavarian bands.)
Tarotplane is part of the krautrock revival which elevated in the 90s with bands such as Metabolismus, Cloudland Canyon, Silvester Anfang and Electric Orange et al. Listening to his first Tarotplane release, one can sense the brooding, epic and lysergic electronic ambiences already caught by the glorious years of the Der Kosmische Kurier label, especially experimental acid jams delivered by the quartet Dierks / Dollaze / Gottsching / Grosskopf with guests.
The conceptual background of First attempts to activate symbols, visions and motifs linked to spiritual sciences and alchemical mysticism. The purpose is founded by allegories, projective then expressive mental figures. The atmospheric soundscaping explorations developed in the two pieces perfectly encourage a hypnotic and mesmerizing state of playful meditation. The first chapter (“Excursions 1 – Formless Projections Of Inner Light”) introduces the listener in a highly vibrant neo-shamanist droning ambience, made of static, then undulating electronic frequencies. Some buzzing ragadelic grooves come to the fore to finally be melted with phrygian electric guitar chords. The second chapter (“Excursions 2 – Sacramental Circles & Liquid Dreams”) offers at the same time a more bucolic and enthralling space-rock trip for gorgeous echoing guitar melodies, samples, cosmic noises and freaky electronic signals. This debut Tarotplane release is absolutely recommended for fans of classic Kosmische music, proto-ambient works as well as challenging post-rockin’ adventures.
First is available on Aguirre.
Sidenote: PJ Dorsey was the inspiration behind igloomag.com and owner/founder of the now defunct S://kimo Music online shop in the 90s.
