Ras.Al.Ghul - Sinmatic Layers

Rasal A'Sad - Space Scape

Portugal's This Co label have two releases displaying the varied electronic output of Rasal A'Sad and Ras.Al.Ghul. Sinmatic Layers by Ras.AL.Ghul features digital excursions with soft synth washes and hypnotic rhythms. It's voiceless (in fact, there's no samples either) and falls into the contemporary electronica category. Drum and bass rhythms feature, as do dub beats and occasionally some more dissonant sound sources enter the fray but in the main this is melody led electronic music.

I much more enjoyed the beatless ambient soundtracks from Rasal A'Sad on Space Scape. Over the course of 49 minutes and 4 tracks (although only three are listed on the sleeve) the listener is treated to drifting electronics where sounds glisten and ripple, echo and reverberate. The second track features a dark space age swirl while the final piece is motionless and emotionless sound. And given the use of silence it's barely there at all. Brian Eno's music has set a precedent for this sort of thing but given the others working in this field Space Scape is an interesting release.

Rasal A'Sad, Sci-Fi Industries and Beggarly Bannister perform at the Fonoteca Municipal De Lisboa on the 17th May. For more information go to www.thisco.net