Jeffrey Koepper is a new artist to me, though according to his press release he has been making electronic music since the 1980s. His first solo CD, Etherea came as quite a pleasant surprise for me. Jeffrey has an analog synth collection to die f or, and he's unafraid to use all of it--I've a feeling gearheads will enjoy this music on a completely different level than I am capable of. Even if you are musically ignorant, as I am, you will find more than enough to enjoy in these sublimely textured seventy-two minutes.

Take a deep breath of Etherea, and you will find yourself entranced by carefully woven sequences, light, warm atmospherics, and cascading, slow melodies. The first track, "Between Dreams" marries slow sequences with "breathi ng synth" lines, creating an effect not unlike entering the dreams of the title. The track builds sonically, gradually introducing some rich bass tones and electronic percussion, reminding me strongly of many tracks on Thom Brennan's Mountains alb um. As we'll hear, much of Etherea would not be out of place on a Steve Roach or Brennan CD. This is not idle copy-catting--Koepper does it just as well as these two classic artists. So well, in fact, that I feel his tracks are often indistingui shable from similar work by those I've mentioned. A perfect example of this, track two, "Distant Light," sees Koepper operating in the desert ambiance of Roach releases like Quiet Music and Western Spaces (minus the quite newage sounds from Kevin Braheny). I also detect a very pleasant similarity to A Produce's epic track "A Smooth Surface." It's easy to imagine drifting off to sleep with this track, or perhaps gazing upon a static landscape that appears to shift ever so slowly the longer you look at it.

Koepper's interest in rhythmic sequencers comes to the fore during tracks three and four--both recall flighty drifts along azure skies or crystal-clear ocean surfaces. Track three, "Timeless" reminds me of Michael Hoenig's classic work; sequenced and possessing a liquidity unusual for this electronic sub-genre. "Spiraling" follows these two tracks, reminding the listener that ambient drift can be very, very trippy as well. Fantastic spiraling synths swirl about the listener, rather li ke a momentary drop in altitude, following the warm air currents of the total album. Fans of David Parsons' atmospheric driftwork will enjoy "Silent Age" as Koepper pilots us ever higher to more mysterious terrain--is that subtle phasing I hear? Perhaps there is an ancient settlement resting atop the mountain range we drift above, but it is difficult to say whether or not it is inhabited. Track seven, "Passages," was a slight misstep for me; the sequences were a bit too metronomic and familiar. I foun d that they detracted from the fine atmospheres of the track, instead of propelling them forward over the six and a half minute duration. Tracks eight and nine follow a similar slowly sequenced, and fairly static mien, working as a slow, pleasurable drift into the climax: "While We Sleep." Unquestionably, "While We Sleep" is one of the strongest atmospheric floaters I've heard since Jonn Serrie's classic "Stratos." Almost fourteen minutes of enthusiastic abandonment on waves of hypnogogic ether. This track stands alongside classic ambient atmospheres in its depth, foggy ambiguity, and sheer beauty. The misty ambience is almost palpable. It's quite easy to imagine oneself in nearly any introspective situation hearing this track and feeling an overwhe lming sense of pure mind-drift--certainly a calling card of the best ambient music has to offer. Frankly, this final tour de force is worth the price of admission alone.

As a totality, Koepper has created one of the most intriguing and professional-sound ing debuts I've ever heard. Also of note is the added cache of crisp, clean Steve Roach production work on the disc. This is the kind of release that will appeal to fans of both Berlin School electronic and the light stratospheric forms of ambient music, rather like Craig Padilla’s fine Vostok. I cannot recommend Koepper’s CD highly enough to fans of Roach or Thom Brennan. As a whole, the music, professional packaging and art, and the excellent production make Etherea an ambient debut not to be missed. I've a feeling this is an artist to expect great things from in future.

Etherea is released on Koepper's own imprint Air Space Records, and is available on his site.

since July 15, 2003