Conjure One

After years of working in Canadian industrial pioneers Frontline Assembly and more recently founding ambient electronica superheroes Delerium, Rhys Fulber has finally come out with a full-length solo effort. In the tradition of Delerium, this disc certainly fits the mould of moody, ambient electronica — at times almost sounding as if somehow the next Delerium record accidentally got packaged in the wrong sleeve. What makes this Fulber’s own, however, is the collection of vocalists and session musicians he’s decided to bring into the studio with him. Here, Fulber has assembled a diverse mix of voices from around the globe, which include Poe, Sinead O’Connor, Israeli singer Chemda and Argentina’s Marie Claire D’Ubaldo. Guest players are also in tow, with contributions from the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra and Tom Halkenborg (aka Junkie XL). The result is a multi-faceted ambient pop record with a world feel. "Tidal Pool” and "Redemption” bring vocalist Chemda’s Middle Eastern influence, while O’Connor’s characteristic Irish-ness gives a Celtic feel. D’Ubaldo’s vocal work on "Manic Star” is the disc’s moment not to be missed, as her beautiful harmonies and soaring melodies carry this tune beyond its potential. Of course, all of this complements Fulber’s fine programming; it’s almost as if he lays down the initial large strokes on the canvas and the others fill in the details. Some songs build slowly, rising in a gradual crescendo to a potent climax and then softly wind down to a mere heartbeat. Others slink along in a more sultry way, seducing the senses in a much more subtle fashion. Conjure One is a very elegantly constructed album.