Musique de Chambre
2008
The new album “Musique de Chambre” has even more
refinement. His use of the sound library of the Vienna orchestra
is amazing. Like me Serge Blenner must be a perfectionist. He
brings us some heartbreaking melodies on this album. Have you
ever been brought into tears...simply because the music you are
listening to is so beautiful?. The album opens with “Balance”.
Besides that you will recognize the Serge Blenner footprint, he
has his own unique style, you will notice the warm deep sounds
of the orchestra strings and the crystal clear voice of the vocals
without words. This recording has a great sound quality. Blenner's
music seems to be in balance on this album. The next two tracks
are simply wonderful. “Les Perles” is the perfect
mix of warm orchestral sounds and romantic melodies with a little
French touch. The second one “La Source” is my favorite
track of this amazing album. The ultimate romantic Blenner track
with heartbreaking melodies. The combination of warm strings,
a delicate female voice, romantic piano playing and tasteful synth
sounds does it for me. “Les Perles” and “La
Source” are hitting me like an arrow straight into my heart!
When I listened to it for the first time I had tears in my eyes...Music
can be so beautiful!. Maybe I'm a sensitive person but nowadays
this is not happening very often when I listen to new music. So
I think it is the best compliment you can get as a composer of
contemporary music. When listening to this album you often forget
that you are listening to electronic music...This is because Serge's
music is warm, romantic and full of emotion. Serge Blenner is
still the master in electronic orchestration. This album is about
Chamber Music and often has a light and romantic character. You
can fly away on it's beautiful and romantic melodies. The album
is beautiful in balance and sounds great. For me “Musique
de Chambre” is the best Serge Blenner album up till now...Serge
Blenner has surprised me with this album. I thought it's predecessor
“Miroir de Soi” was the ultimate romantic electronic
album. But “Musique de Chambre” has even more refinement.
I will never forget the moment when I heard “La Source”
for the first time...it goes straight for the heart!
© 2008 Douwe Fledderus, www.progvisions.net
(Netherlands)
On his brand new album (the 17th since 1980) Serge creates dramatic,
symphonic electronic music filled with rhythmic energy, powerful
arrangements and effectual touches. In these times of electronic
noodling and minimal creativity this album contains music that
overflows with imagination, energy & brilliant melodic tone
colors.
© 2008 A. Patterson, www.eurock.com
(USA)
Serge Blenner, a Frenchman who already lives and works in Hamburg
(Germany) for years has an unique place in electronic music. Don’t
come to him for sequencerpatterns, Mellotronsounds, space sounds,
soundscapes or big solo’s. His records, especially those
from recent times, are for the biggest part influenced by modern
classical music and ethnic music. On "Musique de Chambre"
(Chamber Music) he goes deepest exploring the classics. When I
read the title, I had a slight thought that he might have recorded
an album with a real chamber orchestra. Well, this not the case
but he does uses a sound library of samples from the VSL Vienna
Orchestra. I hear hardly any difference with real acoustic instruments.
A compliment is on its place for the makers of the samples and
for Blenner. The pieces on Musique de Chambre have a lot of strings,
harp, wind instruments, pianosolos and female operatic voices.
Next to this, we hear the usual French atmosphere, sometimes in
the form of a accordion. Again this leads to a diversity of wonderful
tracks like "Les Perles", "La Source" and
"Des Visages" that sound almost like filmmusic and compositions
like "Une Présence", "Logica" and "Novum"
that are built up as pure classical pieces. You must like this
music and open up for it. If this is the case, than this is a
great listening experience. And that is not only for fans of electronic
music but also for lovers of classical music.
© 2008 Paul Rijkens, Dutch
progressive rockmagazine iO Pages (Netherlands)
"Musique de Chambre" is the 17th album by the French/German
musician Serge Blenner, who lives in Hamburg for quite some years
now. The 12 tracks on the 24-bit audiophile recording are completely
composed on a virtual chamber orchestra of electronics, for which
Serge applied e.g. VSL Vienna Orchestra, Bela D Media Divas and
Multitrack Digital Sequencing as a sound library. The music blends
delicately atmospheres of emotion and melody, in which a whole
range of classic instruments are applied, ranging from harp and
piano to strings, soprano voices and various wind instruments.
Especially the track "Symbiose" has a very nice, uplifting,
enthralling effect. Of course one can argue that these all sounds
(Musique de Computer) are artificial, but the outcome is overall
relaxing and well executed. Those who love a strong classical
approach towards electronic music should check out this recording.
© 2008 Bert Strolenberg, www.sonicimmersion.org
(Netherlands)
With "Musique de Chambre" Serge Blenner publishes his
seventeenth and most demanding work. On this new album the master
of electronic music sends a complete virtual chamber orchestra
on stage. Came out is a sound enormous music - full of soul! Serge
Blenner creates it to breathe the electronic music life. The sensitive
and melodic tracks device the listeners into dreams while listening
the wonderful and filigree piano, the blowers and the pearling
chimes, of "Les Perles" or the urgent soprano voices,
the harps and the string players of "Symbiose". It is
a very special sound of classical music, created by an extraordinary
composer.
Sweeping work of this French artist, his album is number 17 and
possibly the best of his career and arguably the most classic.
Believe it is all made up for it by computer using asound library
of the Orchestra of Vienna and a library of voices of divas. Other
programs have used the Qbase and a Pentium IV processor to recreate
this wonderful work. Listen to a refined and smooth vocal voices
that make us shudder with excitement by creating a totally contemporary
work with an air-filled romantic melodies. Blenner have been turned
into his last works on classical composer moving farther away
from his earlier work more synthetic.
Miroir
de Soi 2004
“[...] La musica di Blenner penetra così la persona
e le dà modo di guardare dentro di sé da spettatore,
pur vivendo il tutto in prima persona. Al di là delle passioni
e gusti musicali personali, credo che questo CD possa essere ascoltato
da chiunque, è validissimo, ben strutturato e molto espressivo.
I più liberi di cuore e di mente credo possano trovare molto
di più di un semplice ascolto, e potranno usare l’album
in molte occasioni di vita che si attraversano. Provare per credere”.
© 2005 Stefania Carezzoli, www.21stcenturymusic.it
(Italian)
“Blenner was vaguely well known 20 years ago as one of many
European keyboard artists associated with the Sky Music label in
Germany, a company who Iifted one, maybe two fingers (not much more)
to promote its material properly overseas. Well from the looks of
things he never went away, having added numerous recordings to his
discography throughout the 80‘s and 90‘s. Nowadays he
mostly uses samplers to create a lush symphonic music of grandiloquent
beauty. Piano (sampled) and acoustic guitar, along with orchestra
percussion, round out the sound spectrum here, on 12 mid-length
tracks that span a moody breadth of emotions, all of which hark
back to the late Romantic era symphonies and tone poems of classical
masters such as Strauss, Berlioz, Mahler, etc. Blenner‘s compositions
approach a Vangelislike demeanor in how they effortlessly scale
the heights of mountains and descend the caverns and valleys of
musical expression. But where Vangelis delves into darker territory
with oblique idiosyncrasies, the Frenchmans gesture stays close
to the surface, reluctant to abandon the simplicity of a well-defined
prominent melodic shape to carry his message. He handles the technology
well enough to create the effect of an orchestra. Close the eyes,
relax, and it is easy to imagine “Miroir de Soi” as
a very exciting soundtrack work to a fantasy movie. In that respect
the CD is a rousing success, and I give it a good score, although
I usually prefer something with more quirks”.
© 2005 Michael Ezzo,
wwww.expose.org (USA)
“The most recent album from Serge Blenner features 12 tracks
of electroacoustic music. Digital creations that sound like symphonic
movie scores or soundtracks to romantic picnics in a park. While
all instruments are performed by synths, samplers or computer software
the overall sound of the album is acoustic guitars, strings and
piano. This makes it less “electronic” in the traditional
sense, and the structures of the songs are symphonic soundscapes
[...]. My first meeting with Blenner's music was “Equateur”
over a decade ago, which in my memory rests as a more electronic
album than “Miroir de Soi”. It's interesting to see
how the artist has gone back to a more traditional sound as and
when music technology becomes more complex [...]”.
© 2005 Glenn Folkvord,
wwww.electronicshadows.net (Norway)
“Miroir de Soi” is the successor of “Virtualis”.
I described that album as a beautiful romantic album for a much
broader audience. And I said that Serge Blenner has found the ultimate
mix of electronic and classical textures. “Miroir de Soi”
has even more refinement and is up to now his most romantic album.
You can find unprecedented beautiful melodies on this album. [...] Sometimes
this electronic orchestra swells up to a big climax. In the romantic
“Janvier” Blenner makes tasteful use of a virtual guitar
sound (listen also to “Estival”). The melody of this
track is unprecedentedly nice … it is pure beauty. This also
counts for the slow third track “Exlibris”. Only for
the first three tracks, you have to buy this album if you like electronic
music with lots of melody and beauty. But I will say it once more;
Serge Blenner’s music absolutely doesn’t sound electronic! [...] With
“Miroir de Soi” Serge Blenner released again a beautiful
album full of warm, romantic and classical electronic music. Like
on “Virtualis” you find different atmospheres and electronic
textures on “Miroir de soi”, all delicately arranged.
If you like the romantic and melodic side of electronic music I
can recommend this album to you. And the electronic orchestrations
of this unique composer are amazing”.
© 2004 Douwe Fledderus, www.progvisions.net
(Netherlands)
“Serge Blenner hat sich auf seinem neuen Album selbst übertroffen.
Allein mit Synthesizern, Sampler und Sequenzer schickt er ein ganzes
Orchester ins Rennen. Die opulenten, sich weit öffnenden Werke
strotzen nur so vor Kraft und könnten ohne weiteres so manchen
Hollywoodfilm vertonen. Auch wenn sie sich in ihrer Art recht ähneln,
zeugen die in sich geschlossenen Kompositionen von großem
Talent und dramaturgischem Fingerspitzengefühl [...]”.
© 2004 Falk Lenn, www.moderne-klangkunst.de
(Germany)
“Serge Blenner [...] has a unique place in the world of electronic
music. His music is totally incomparable with what others do and
that makes it so interesting. After he started experimenting with
high-grade equipment like the PPG Wave Computer in the early eighties,
his music has slowly grown into a specific sort of classical music.
“Miroir de Soi” (“Mirror Of Self”) is perhaps
his most classic album to date, perhaps also his most romantic.
Beautiful orchestral parts, pianopieces, acoustic guitars and a
lot of atmosphere have an important place on “Miroir De Soi”.
It surprises me that Blenner (as far as I know) isn’t a well-known
composer of filmmusic by now because his music is excellent suitable
for this. Very beautiful are tracks like “Le Miroir”
(nice melody), “Exlibris” (very romantic), “Projection”
(a great recording) “Illumination” (darker), “Estival”
(great samples of stringinstruments), “Les Méandres”
(could have been music of a French film from the seventies) and
“Les Anges” (samples of churchbells and fine choirs).
This is very special”.
© 2004 Paul Rijkens, E-dition
(Netherlands)
“In "Miroir de Soi", there is a great variety of
styles, colors, emotions, that Serge Blenner is able to reflect
in his compositions. The music is melodic, with cosmic touches and
others typical of Classical Music. Several pieces are dominated
by a majestic character. Others sound mysterious, sinister, like
for instance "Illumination". A certain nostalgic air is
present in most of the themes. The orchestrations are very well
built, enhancing the impact of the music. The use of synthesizers
enhances the nightly, sensual atmospheres, that appear in some of
the compositions, and is likewise useful as a vehicle for innovative
ideas”.
Hector Jordan, Amazing
Sounds (Spain)
“Der Elsässer und Wahlhamburger Serge Blenner [...] setzt
weiterhin auf ausschließlich digital generierte Sounds [...],
lässt dabei jedoch sämtliche Techno- und Post-Techno-Stile
außen vor. Keine Spur von Clicks & Cuts, und gebrochene
Beats sucht man vergebens. Stattdessen türmt Blenner auch in
den 12 Tracks seines 15. Albums sinfonische Klanggebirge auf, in
denen Jericho-Trompeten schallen, die Strings nicht selten dissonant
flirren und Pauken wie in Wagners Bayreuth donnern (Tipp: Track
5 "Illumination"). Mehr virtuelles Drama geht nicht”.
Albrecht Piltz, Keys,
Juli 2004 (Germany)
Virtualis
2001
"Great new album for this French artist, who wants to show
in music all a series of sensations from Latin word “virtus”,
not like ethical sense but existential and creating. From that here
12 very good tracks in a flight over classical sounds, running with
electronic and to go inside in the drops of rare voices [...]. Listener
is capturated by the melody so sweet and strong in the same time,
soft parts and others more rhythmical. Wonderful “Splendeur”,
fabulous ouverture to hear all the music developed for an hour about.
Very good the sound of cello, often important to build the track.
Again, Blenner has composed a rainbow of colours in music, and we
can only leave ourselves to caress by its notes".
© Stefania Carezzoli, www.21stcenturymusic.it
(Italian)
“...und mit “Virtualis” möchten wir Euch das aktuelleste
Werk dieses Ausnahmekünstlers vorstellen. Seine Musik ist eine Welt
aus klassischen Sounds, harmonisch gepaart mit synthtischen Klängen
sowie ab und an ein paar choralen Klängen und einigen französischen
Gesangseinsätzen. Serge Blenner versteht es perfekt ein sehr warmes
Ambiente zu erschaffen aus musikalischen Komponenten die nicht besser
hätten zusammenfinden können. - Klasse!”.
© 2003 Synthetics
magazin (Germany)
“...In the year 1986 I bought my first Serge Blenner album
entitled "La Dimension prochaine". I liked it so much,
that I have always followed the works of this man. His warm, romantic
and classical electronic music touched my heart. However it was
often difficult to get his albums, I managed to get my hands on
most of his titles. He is one of the few people who can create with
synths and samplers warm electronic electronic music. And he is
a master in creating classical orchestrations with his synths. His
previous album "Ars Oratoria" is a classical masterpiece!
As usual the titles of the tracks are given in English, French and
German languages. This is probably because he is born in France
but lives and works since 1975 works in Germany (Hamburg). He also
writes little poems which from time to time are showing up on his
albums. Always spoken in his native language French. This together
with his Satie like piano playing gives a beautiful and romantic
atmosphere. The piano melodies are just amazing. You can float away
on them; Serge understands the importance of melody in music. On
his latest and seventeenth (!) album "Virtualis" we get
an hour of electronic music with beautiful classical orchestrations
(electronic!) and amazing melodies [...]. This album consists
out of different atmospheres and electronic textures delicately
arranged by this remarkable modern composer [...]. I just love
those melodic and romantic jewels only Serge Blenner can make [...].
He has made a beautiful romantic album for a much broader audience.
He seems to have found the ultimate mix of electronic and classical
textures. This composer has a unique style and his arrangements
are just ("Magnifique") magnificent. If you are open minded
to classical and electronic music (and progressive fans must be!)
please listen to Serge Blenner´s music”. ©
2003 Douwe Fledderus, www.progvisions.net
(UK)
“In seiner nunmehr zwölften CD seit 1988 zieht der in
Hamburg lebende Franzose Serge Blenner alle Register: hier treffen
gut programmierte Orchestersequenzen auf synthetisch erzeugte und
gesamplete Instrumente aus aller Welt: Flamenco-Gitarre, Akkordeon,
orientalische Blas- und Saiteninstrumente, lateinamerikanische Percussions,
etc. Die unterschiedlichen Musikstile verschiedener Kulturen der
Erde werden mit Respekt und Feingefühl in den westeuropäischen
Hörgewohnheiten angepassten Kompositionen eingebettet [...].
Im aufwändigen 20-Seiten-Booklet sind neben den Übersetzungen
der in die Stücke franz. lyrischen Verse Blenners Ölbilder
und Bleistiftzeichnungen von Volker Fleischer zu sehen, [...].
Blenner beweist in dieser Veröffentlichung, dass am Computer
erzeugte Musik keineswegs maschinell und kalt klingen muss. Seine
Musik steckt voller Leben”.
© 2003 Falk Lenn, www.moderne-klangkunst.de
(Germany)
"Richly-realized exotica travels the world via influences from
many lands, ages and musical styles, always keeping it clean even
in its darker moments. Majestically emerging "Splendeur"
(2:33) rises in shimmering synthcurtains, laced with opera-esque
choruses, while pseudo-ethno rhythms set an ever- moving stage.
"Oriental" doesn't deal with cliched sounds from that
direction, instead presenting an opulent Byzantine/Broadway construction.
A wavering mirage for your ears, dreamlike "Optique" (5:48)
drifts upon lush undulations of synth instrumentation and bubbling
percussive ripples".
David J Opdyke, AmbiEntrance
(USA)
"In the twelve tracks included in this CD, Serge Blenner shows
once again his good work in the ambient and contemporary musical
universe. He himself explains this album as the 15th. chapter of
what he calls "Computer Acoustic Music". The remarkable
combination of electronic textures with orchestral passages the
artist realizes results in a successful creation wrapped in sophisticated
melodies brimming with poetry".
Mireille Aubert, Amazing
Sounds (Spain)
"The French musician Serge Blenner, who has been living in
Germany for many years now, has a unique place in the world of electronic
music. His music is totally different from what we hear normally
in this musical style. In the fifteen records he made in about twenty
years he developed himself into a composer of extremely original
music and sounds. This has lead to excellent records as "Equateur"
from 1988, "Cosmos" from 1990, "Symbolique"
from 1993 and "Ars Oratoria" from 1999. Blenner´s
music is being created from all kinds of samples from western and
non-western instruments and sounds. It can be heard clearly that
he is not somebody who just sits behind his equipment and just knocks
of music from his sleeves. All compositions are well considered
and build up with care and conduct. The twelve pieces on "Virtualis"
are very different in atmosphere and construction: orchestral bombast,
spherical pianomelodies, native sounds and French texts, which are
sung or told with a warm voice. "Splendeur" with its wonderful
stringsounds, a women´s voice and a calm rhythm can easily
be used as filmmusic Harps and cello's introduce "Lumière"
in which Blenner speaks a text. "Oriental" is a strong
case of Arabric orchestral music. Blenner's samples are really great.
This can also be heard very well in the dark and menacing "Elan
Vital" in which the acoustic guitarsound is brilliant. The
last three pieces on the CD, "Erato", "Les Muses"
and "Vivace", bring him closer to his earlier, more rhythmic,
albums but bit a bit of a loungefeeling to it. Though "Equateur"
and "Cosmos" are still my personal favourites, with "Virtualis"
Blenner proves still to be one of a kind in the world of electronic
music. His fellow Frenchman Jean Michel Jarrecan take the shine
out of him".
© 2002 Paul Rijkens, Dutch progressive rockmagazine iO Pages (Netherlands)
"Serge Blenner is one of the long time great of Euro EM. His
first album was released in the golden age of the 1970's and still
today he keeps on producing great music. This brand new album contains
all the classic Euro electronic elements - brisk sequences, dramatic
melodies and dense symphonic textures, all refracted by Blenner's
mastery of the technical medium, into a prismatic collage of multi-hued
timbres. Be it up tempo, or dark ambient, Serge will provoke the
space between your ears with "Virtualis".
Archie Patterson, Eurock (USA)
"Nach nahezu 20 Jahren im Dienste der Kunst-Elektronik weiß
Serge Blenner genau, wie sich kalten Maschinen humanoide Klänge
entlocken lassen. [...]. Doch Blenner steckt in einem Dilemma:
mit seiner hoch entwickelten, an Kompositionsmustern der modernen
Klassik orientierten Ästhetik, für deren Verständnis ein oder zwei
Musikhochschulsemester nicht von Übel sind, zielt er am Massengeschmack
vorbei. Das tut uns leid für die Massen, denn ihnen entgeht eine
ebenso intelligente wie beseelte elektronische Musik, die ganz ohne
"EM"- und "Dancefloor"-Stereotypen auskommt
und mit immer neuen Überraschungen aufwartet. [...]. Nicht
jeder aber liebt solch heißkalte Duschen - der Grund wohl, weshalb
Blenners Brillanz noch immer nur von Connaisseuren gewürdigt wird.
Für sie allerdings ist "Virtualis" der reine Ohrenschmaus".
Albrecht Piltz, Keyboards (Germany)
Ars Oratoria 1999
"Ars Oratoria is, in my opinion, simply great! A contemporay
work, a piece of music which mix ambient, orchestal and chamber
music sound with electronic elements. Great!".
Rafa Dorado, Margen
Magazine (Spain)
"Ars Oratoria" released on his own label, it's one of
the best works he's done in some time. A series of spatial tracks
it ranges the full electronic spectrum from space music to orchestral,
symphonic to progressive ambient. In all 72:46 of pure EM magic".
Archie Patterson, Eurock (USA)
"God, this is really good! The disc opens in dramatic fashion
with a real synth orchestral extravaganza a six minute dramatic
piece that sounds like it's been lifted out of some high tension,
action movie quite a surprise indeed!... One thing is for sure,
this CD is very different from any other Synth music CD doing the
rounds at the moment - the music has a very strong, almost orchestral
feel at times, it is dynamic, grandiose and attention grabbing with
loads going on as classical and cosmic music meet head on to create
a vibrant new sound that I don't think anyone will be expecting.
Hell, he even brings an infectious sequencer rhythm in half way
through a sweeping synth orchestral passage and it really does work.
Overall, I think this is a truly inventive, melodic, adventurous
work that is extremely easy to get on with, once you get over the
initial shock, and it's great to hear someone in the 'EM' field
going out and doing something completely different and making such
a great job of it too!".
Dave Shoesmith, Compact
Disc Services (UK)
"I haven't followed Serge Blenner for some years now but this
album has completely blown away my ears. The interesting thing about
Blenner is, that he always works without any influences from trends.
Without restrictions he makes the music he wants to make and that
is an unique sound. The best results can be heard on albums like
"Equateur" from 1988 and "Cosmos" from 1990.
All of Blenner's music is built on the best samples around. This
results in a bombastic, almost Wagnerian, classical style. Take,
for instance the first track "Organique" which also has
touches of Stravinsky. Brilliant. Sometimes, as in "Arabèsque"
and "Côte d'Ivoire", there are also some ethnical rhythms
and in other pieces a romantic piano can be heard. Some of the tracks
as "Culliculum", the fantastic "Evasion" and
"Mythique" have such a gloomy atmosphere that they almost
can be used as a soundtrack for a film about World War II. Again,
the orchestral sounds are not to be seperated from the original
instruments". © Paul Rijkens
(Netherlands)
"...So ist "Ars Oratoria" (zu deutsch: die Kunst
des Ausdrucks) der bisherige Höhepunkt der Blenner- schen "Zumutungen"
an sein Publikum - Intelligenz ist gefragt, ein Musikstudium wäre
nicht schlecht... denn seine Musik ist ein Kopffilm par excellence
- einer für klare Köpfe".
Albrecht Piltz, Keyboards (Germany)
"This new studio album from Serge Blenner combines short movements
and interludes with more standard length compositions that are hard
to equal in their excellence. If you have not closely listened to
a Blenner album, treat yourself !".
Bradford Warner, SoundDesign
(USA)
"His album is a good example of the excellent imagination of
Serge Blenner. His music is characterized by a great diversity of
ideas and emotions. From the precise instant of the beginning of
the album, we witness a display of creative, sonic energy of a high
degree. In his very personal style, the artist takes us through
a voyage to amazing worlds, full of emotions and adventures. During
the 21 themes that constitute this release, we can perceive elements
of Classical Music, Ambient, Space, World Music, and others from
different origins. The pieces are very innovative and complex, yet
at the same time they are easy to listen to".
Edgar Kogler, Amazing
Sounds (Spain)
"On the track "Organique", French composer Blenner
Serge takes the experimentalism of the Beatles "Revolution
# 9" and melds it with the bewildering arrangements of Bob
Graettinger. Serge starts off where groups like Sonic Youth and
Dead C (at their most explorative) left off and ventures into new
classical territories rarely attempted by modern composers.Blenner
Serge might fall into the category of "incorrect music"
(AKA "difficult") sounds and tunes that are so awful,
wretched and oddly unique that they carry a peculiar charm about
them. Think the Star Spangled Banner crossed with a funeral dirge
and you'll get a feel for what Serge is all about".
David McGurgan, CD
Now (USA)
Amour 1997
"So ist dieses Album ein Geheimtip für Hörer, die
von zeitgenössischer Musik mehr als nur seichte Unterhaltung
erwarten".
Oliver Stegger, Musikwoche (Germany)
"The artist offers us his mastery at creating a work full of
beauty and mystery, with melodies that in some accasions tend to
be of a melodic romanticism, while in other instances they have
an enigmatic, or even a dark air".
Jorge Munnshe, Amazing
Sounds (Spain)
"Amour is what many musicians strive for their entire career
- a moving, yet restrained work that can simultaneously reveal artful
sensitivity and technical accomplishment. From the opening melancholy
melodics of "The Deserts", that could serve well as a
motion picture´s opening title soundtrack, to the resplendent
tones of "Voyage", Blenner leads the listener through
a variety of well wrought sound- scapes. "Amour" may be
one of Blenner's finest albums to date, which is saying quite a
bit in a solo career spanning nearly 2 decades".
Bradford Warner, SoundDesign
(USA)
Vision et Poésie 1995
"...the whole thing is conducted with equal talent and subtlety.
Doubtlessly an aesthetic music".
Fréquence (France)
"Upbeat rhythms, sparkling melodies, and some characteristically
grand chord patterns make "Vision et Poésie" yet
another fine creation by Serge Blenner. While his French counterpart
J-M Jarre has been bringing spectacle to the majority of Europe
over the last few years, Blenner has been making an impact in subtler
style. Evolving his hard to categorize sound with everything from
orchestral samples to human voice, Blenner remains the more sonically
adventurous of the two, despite remaining very accessible in style".
Bradford Warner, SoundDesign
(USA)
La Vogue & Magazin Frivole 1995
"This CD gathers together, in a very much expected re-released
by Serge Blenner´s fans, his two first albums, released in
1980 and 1981 respectively. These are two legendary works, where
the composer proved his great imagination by creating a powerful
electronic music...".
Jorge Munnshe, Amazing
Sounds (Spain)
Musique Esthétique Vol.2 1993
"This is a compilation of tracks from three previous albums
(1985-1987) plus two unrealeased tracks... here he offers an hour
of fourteen soundtracks each resplendent in vibrant, colourful synthesis...
an introduction to his many talents".
Graham Needham, Cyber
Noise (England)
"...wer mit Herz und Hirn hört wird bei dem Wahlhamburger
aus Frankreich immer fündig. So auch hier: In "De l´Occident"
und "Cameleon" (die zwei unveröffentlichten Aufnahmen
des Albums) verbinden sich aufs Schönste klassische Symphonik
und elektronische Klangvielfalt. Blenner bleibt eben Blenner.
Gut so".
Albrecht Piltz, Keyboards (Germany)
Symbolique 1993
"This is impressive music to admire. The compositions are all
varied and strong, almost a symphony of music as the moods and movements
change, mixing the styles admirably, creating an aureal sound- track.
A magnificient album from France´s best known secret".
Jim Cornall, Trax (Canada)
"Another great album from this French born man. "Symbolique"
is yet another superbly sculptured album that I enjoyed from beginning
to end. Twelve purely defined compositions that are played and recorded
with a finesse that takes the breath away, superb !".
Graham Needham, Cyber Noise (England)
"The latest release from the French synthesist who has long
laboured in the shadow of Jarre, but who seems to have eclipsed
him in inventiveness and diversity. This work harkens back to the
melodic days of "La Dimension Prochaine" and such, melodic
electronic music at its most pleasant".
Dirk Dra, (USA)
Libération 1992
"...Der Meister der elektronischen Symphonie... Nichts was
den Stempel "Blenner" trägt, erinnert auch nur von
fern an die Produktionen der Konkurrenz".
Albrecht Piltz, Keyboards (Germany)
"This album is an incredible voyage into the world of atmospheric
synthesis and soundtrack emphasis and it is basically brillant.
Very, very highly recommended".
Graham Needham, Cyber Noise (England)
"This is the latest release from the French synthesist. His
music has matured to a good degree from the fluffy, upbeat works
of the early eighties, two of which were released domestically.
"Liberation" features much more varied and intelligent
usage of synth textures, giving the tracks a orchestral, neo-classical
feel, sprinkled with sequenced, rhythmic melodies in the background.
Blenner shows that the adventu- rous spirit is still alive in the
French electronics scene. The fifteen tracks span just a bit more
than 72 minutes, utilising the capacity of the media to good effect,
which, in my opinion, is also a positive thing. In summary, this
is high-quality electronic music that should appeal to those who
enjoy the Berlin electronics sound, Jarre, and prior Blenner output".
Dirk Dra, (USA)
Babylone 1991 "Wer
einmal in "Babylone" hineingehört hat, den wird dieses
Album lange Zeit nicht loslassen, allen anderen entgehet eine
der spannendsten Veröffentlichungen der letzten Zeit".
Albrecht Piltz, Keyboards (Germany)
"The Foreman of Gentle sounding Eurodigitalism, Serge Blenner,
has given a new portion of classical- oriental bytestream on his
later laser-disc...the greatest merits of this disc-among ambitiousness
and musicalness- are in its airy and light form".
Jaakko Reäpuu (Finland)
Cosmos 1990
"Damit hat Blenner endlich eine Tür aufgestoßen,
hinter der sich auch für einige seiner Computermusik kollegen
die Zukunft des Electronic Pop verbogen gehalten haben könnte.
Kompliment. Weiter so". Winfried Dulisch,
Keys (Germany)
"We are talking about a remarkable composer, Blenner has his
own and clearly recognizable style. "Cosmos" isn´t
background music, it isn´t electronic entertainment. It is
unashamedly ambitioud serious music of the 20th century, that grafities
its listener with intensive musical experience".
Jussi, Niemi (Finland)
Equateur 1988
"Der Franzose kann mit elektronischen Klangerzeugern umgehen,
beherrscht aber auch das komposi- torische Handwerk souverän.
Die vollständig digital Produktion ist klanglich ein Schmankerl".
Harald Keppler, Stereo (Germany)
"This French-born genius living nowadays in Hamburg is extremely
interesting, for he composes exclusively with synthesizers and computers...
for Blenner´s not in the least a sound-painter using riffs,
but a composer".
Bulk, Rumba (Finland)
Musique Esthétique 1988
"Die 12 Stücke des Samplers entstammen zu je einem Drittel
den 1985/86/87 veröffentlichten Blenner Platten. Gerade in
diesem Überblick zeigt sich das einfallsreiche kompositorische
Können des in Hamburg lebenden Franzose. Blenners Musik hat
Spinnennetz-Format einmal gefangen, kommt man kaum mehr los. Und
ich fliege gern hinein".
Keyboards (Germany)
"...superb CD compilation...The track on this selection are
indeed well worthy of inclusion and I´m sure this disc will
be a best seller. Highly recommended".
Compact Disc Service (England)
Les Architectes du Temps 1987
"Der Franzose ist ein Meister der Fusionen, Blenners verspielte
Interpretationen und glasklare Klänge manifestieren einen eigenständigen
Charakter, sie transportieren eine Atmosphere sehr persönlicher
Inspirationen".
Fachblatt Musikmagazin (Germany)
" ...Serge Blenner´s newie is quite good... I know that
to the average synth music collector it will be an essential purchase".
AF, Audion (England)
La Dimension Prochaine 1986
"...der Unterhaltungswert seiner Stücke ist dabei unzweifelhaft
hoch...in einem übernatürlich großen Raum staffelt
er vorzüglich jede einzelne Syntheziserlinie. Die Durchhörbarkeit
ist dadurch phantastisch".
Kai Holoch, Stereoplay - die Perfekte 07/86 - (Germany)
"Although a major force in the European Music scene, Serge
Blenner´s unique lyrical romantic style can best be traced
to his French roots".
Billboard (USA)
"Looking at the tape overlay, the first impression you'll get
is a weird one as it suggests one's mind consciousness opening to
another dimension. As you listen, this music will undoubtedly do
this to you. The upbeat music follows in the steps of J.M. Jarre's
European sound but has even more to offer than a chain of sequences.
With four selections on each side (rarely less than four minutes
apiece), you'll definitely get your fill. I'd tell this Frenchman
that it was a good project to produce, and should be proud of it...Good."
Alex Rad, All Music Guide (USA)
Plaisir Ardent 1985
"...fliessende Ambience-Musik zum verweilen und traumen...
liebevoll verspielt mit französischem Charme und Leichtikeit.
Sehr sorgfältig aufgenommen und perfekt produziert".
Music Scene (Schweiz)
Fracture Interne 1982
" ...Seine zwölf kurzen Kompositionen sind hingehauchte,
barocke Fragmente, schöne Hintergrunds musik die seltsam unfertig
wirkt und nur für den Augenblick Sinn ergibt und Bestand zu
haben scheint".
Franziska D. Graf, Sounds (Germany)
© MdeC Editions
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