It's not entirely clear if Ohio's Jacoti Sommes is travelling to Mars or leaving it. Either way, his newest effort, Travel Time, is a fun futuristic space journey that probably takes place in a cargo-hold-turned-dance-club of some space cruiser that is loaded with synths from the 1970s.
Opening track "Mars" is a sweeping ambient piece indicative of an arrival or departure. This is followed by an electro blip-and-bleep groove in "Subblue" that is more about observation than full-out party. After a brief ambient interlude, we arrive at the funk-infused, electro-bathed throwdown. "Pulse Start" takes a bit to get moving, but dynamite bass lines and classic synth arpeggiators make a convincing bid to rule the universe. The track is a body mover in every sense and is followed by the equally impressive "Push On," a groove that borrows '70s style, '80s sounds and '90s pop sensibility.
The fun overfloweth, but all is not well on this journey, despite the next track stating otherwise. "Everything Is Fine," to be sure, is another giant, a piano-infused track with an excellent flow. But it ends rather abruptly and the rest of the tracks never recover, as they feel unfinished.
In the end, Travel Time has moments of sheer joy. The only complaint is that our space party seems to peeter out before we reach our destination.
(Orange Milk)Opening track "Mars" is a sweeping ambient piece indicative of an arrival or departure. This is followed by an electro blip-and-bleep groove in "Subblue" that is more about observation than full-out party. After a brief ambient interlude, we arrive at the funk-infused, electro-bathed throwdown. "Pulse Start" takes a bit to get moving, but dynamite bass lines and classic synth arpeggiators make a convincing bid to rule the universe. The track is a body mover in every sense and is followed by the equally impressive "Push On," a groove that borrows '70s style, '80s sounds and '90s pop sensibility.
The fun overfloweth, but all is not well on this journey, despite the next track stating otherwise. "Everything Is Fine," to be sure, is another giant, a piano-infused track with an excellent flow. But it ends rather abruptly and the rest of the tracks never recover, as they feel unfinished.
In the end, Travel Time has moments of sheer joy. The only complaint is that our space party seems to peeter out before we reach our destination.
