Momenti Felici

A fleeting moment of commercial promise. Released by Virgin's Venture label
 
Roedelius has been steadfast in his refusal of business logic of any kind. But on this, his first straight-to-CD release he seems mindful of the access that Virgin's fledgling Venture label provided to the High Street Megastores. Momenti doesn't break new ground but is a slick 'pick n' mix' showcase for his rapidly expanding musical range. Some nice loops, a bit a piano, a brace of duets with Czjzek's sax. Nothing that's not been tried before, but this was a first introduction to Roedelius' work and the sensuous bubble-bath production - lathered up by Eric Spitzer Marlyn - is in keeping with Venture's luxuriant packaging. If that sounds like damning it with faint praise, it still has more verve and grit than Venture's US counterpart, the new age label Windham Hill.The grand piano etudes "Aufgewacht" and "Capriccio" wear the genteel texture of classic music but let up with the propulsive fury of Krautrock at its best.

Source: Stephen Iliffe