a produce: smile on the void a produce: smile on the void (Hypnos - 2000) A product of a produce's fertile creativity, smile on the void transports alien otherworlds into your listening zone. A sublime convergence of smooth, spacebound synthtronics, occasional (nicely downplayed) neo-primitive rhythms, and environmental arrangements make for captivating listening. Seeping in on hovering drones of almost-tangible presence, smile on the void resonates in mysterious bliss, while subdued ethnicized drumming begins to patter below. Distant machinery seems to be operating somewhere beyond the glimmering nocturnal arcs and mists of the beautifully droning night curve (5:50). Laced with ephemeral highs, murky plasmoid soundshapes bubble and surge as the big sleep settles in; space-symphonics add a more-familiar majesty to the unknowable scenery. Buzzier electrons surround visions with criss-crossing beams of sound particles. The piece slips into upper registers as it develops. Flutelike streams are dappled with tinkling accents and thunderous activities when i woke up dreaming begins its drifting course into regions of lush musical breezes and percolating background synths. As gently transforming synthclouds spiral above, light-but-steady handdrum sounds patter through spirit room (12:08); a surprise appearance by scott fraser's serpentine guitar soloing adds a touch of contemporary Earth to the otherwise timeless place. I'm grateful to finally be exposed to the sonic world-shaping of a produce. smile on the void's gorgeously rendered and often sweetly tonal atmospheres seem to be field recordings from another planetary system... even though the journey's barely more than an hour, you'll want to stay longer and return often. 9.0! This review posted May 31, 2001 AmbiEntrance © 2001-1997 by David J Opdyke (except CD cover art, rights retained by original owners).