Nodens Ictus - "Spacelines" (Stretchy 2000, CD2, UK)
From Aural Innovations #13 (October 2000)
Nodens Ictus was an Ozric Tentacles side project started in the late 80's by Ed and Joie with some input from Merv, who played ambient chill-out tunes for the Club Dog and other clubs. These recordings date from 1986 to 1989, with two tracks from the year 2000. The one most noticeable thing about this CD compared to the two tapes that the band produced (The Grove of Selves and Live at the Club Dog) is the sonic production quality. How they cleaned up the old analog tapes is amazing. For those who have heard the ambient sounds of Another Green World or Phil Thorten (of Mandragora), this is mostly in that kind of style. Some of the material is very new agey. The band mix in cool samples from the rain forest, little strange things here and there but mostly it is sweeping synth sounds with minimal percussion, although there are some programmed drums on some tracks, like the second track, Spacelines. Spacelines also has some strings and harp and sounds very much like an Ozrics outtake. Some tracks like "The Gong Of Ra" create a sort of atmosphere of traveling from one time or place to another in a very cool way. Overall, it is an excellent chill-out CD but for those who might be expecting uptempo Eat Static, Wooden Baby or Ozrics style stuff, this is not it. I look forward to the rest of the two tapes to be released as well.
Reviewed by Scott Heller