released August 1, 2023

label: Terrainflight TF022
release date: 1st Aug 2023

track listing:

1. twilight trail 11:21
2. berlin school for four pianos no. 1 06:48
3. testcard 15:16
4. green twilight 12:32
5. berlin school for four pianos no. 2 12:52
6. the magnetism of thought 07:05


dave pearson: keyboards, sequencer and drum programming, bass guitar, lead guitar


photography: alex pearson

all composing, mixing and mastering in the digital domain at terrainflight hungary
between may 2023 and jul 2023

written & produced ©℗ 2023 by dave pearson


thanks: my wife and family, and everybody else who has helped to
encourage and support my music over the years

contacts:
terrainflight: [email protected]
dave: www.computerchemist.com


If you want to hear more things more often, buy me a coffee? ko-fi.com/computerchemist


REVIEWS

Jerry Kranitz
Jerry published the spacerock zine Aural Innovations from 1998-2016, and is the author of Cassette Culture: Homemade Music and the Creative Spirit in the Pre-Internet Age.

Soundtrack to my Thursday morning work day is the latest from Dave Pearson’s Computerchemist, titled Green Twilight. It’s all Dave on keyboards, sequencer and drum programming, bass and lead guitar. I like the Berlin school with rockin’ vibe. KILLER space-prog, bouncy funky syncopations with tantalizing melodies, dreamy piano concertos in the cosmos, and thematic symphonic soundtrack explorations. Beautiful!
Pre-orders for the CD and download are at the Computerchemist Bandcamp site. Release date August 1, and one track available to stream now.

Jerry Kranitz, 27 July 2023




Michael Shipway – Sequences Podcast
Originally formed by Mick Garlick nearly 30 years ago, Sequences Electronic Music has always been a platform for the non commercial side of EM. Since 2012 it has become a regular podcast on iTunes, Mixcloud & Soundcloud.

Hot on the heels of the excellent “mysterious cave of eternal theta” comes this latest release from computerchemist. The opener “twilight trail” sets the scene with some super Berlin School sequencing, including the requisite ratcheting, as well as big pad sounds, electric piano, mellotron strings and a nicely over-driven lead guitar which puts in an appearance with some laid-back drums to create a rich Berlin School track with a rocky edge. A wonderful way to spend 11 minutes and 21 seconds.

The mood is changed with the appearance of “berlin school for 4 pianos No 1” which as you might guess, sounds like the interaction of 4 pianos, each playing Berlin School type sequences. Quite experimental and ultimately successful. Berlin School ‘normality’ returns with “testcard” which at over 15 minutes proves to be the longest track on the album. The funky feel to the arrangement pushes the track to the edges of Berlin School but all the ingredients are still there, including sequences, mellotrons and synthesisers. Together with drums, it proves to be one of the more lively tracks and includes an annoyingly effective earworm that will attract you back again and again.

The title track “green twilight” starts in an atmospheric vein but together with a ‘tribal’ feel rhythm and some heavy sounding synthesiser chords it builds slowly to a crescendo before acquiescing to some evocative choirs and distant animal howls. An excellent track and worthy of its pole position for the album title crown. The return of “berlin school for 4 pianos” but this time as “No 2” again showcases the style and moves forward from those ideas in “No 1” using Berlin School style sequences on pianos. Again, quite experimental and ultimately successful. With soaring lead synthesisers, guitars, mellotrons and drums, the grand finale is provided by “the magnetism of thought”, the most rock oriented track on the album and a fitting closure to this journey through the Berlin School world of the album.

Although still firmly rooted in the Berlin School genre, “green twilight” moves into rockier sounding territory than its predecessor had occupied. However, the quality of the recording is still as high as ever and the variation between tracks provides interest that will demand many repeat listenings.

Michael Shipway, Sequences Podcast, 2 August 2023




Bruce Gall – Atmospheres
Bruce Gall, your host on the weekly EM show ‘Atmospheres’.

Computerchemist does not stand still for long and is always musically on the move. His second album in 2023 brings us more of what we have come to expect from Dave Pearson and it’s all a mix of his favourite styles of music! We get a couple of surprise (in my humble opinion) piano exercises, almost classic in style at times, in the tracks “Berlin School For Four Pianos Parts 1 & 2”.

There’s the very accessible and catchy “Testcard” and not forgetting the wonderful Berlin School/krautrock/prog rock sounds of “Twilight Trail,” “Green Twilight” and “The Magnetism Of Thought” that computerchemist is very adept at producing. As always Dave composes, plays, mixes and masters the whole shebang! Very worthwhile taking an hour or so to revel in.

Bruce Gall – Host of Atmospheres (www.mixcloud.com/synthbruce), 2 Aug 2023




Alfred Arnold – EMpulsiv.de (EN)
EMPulsiv.de, a german language webzine devoted to Electronic Music around the world.

There is a lot of experimentation in chemistry, and the experiments don’t always produce what you expect – sometimes these unexpected results are useless, but sometimes they also lead to new insights. Of course we don’t know whether ‘Computerchemist’ Dave Pearson’s latest album had a similar origin story, but it was surprising when “Green Twilight” was released just a few weeks after its predecessor.

Dave’s new album is anything but a simple sequel: hard fans of the Berlin school who were enthusiastic about ‘Mysterious Cave of Eternal Theta’ should listen to it first before purchasing it. Right at the start of ‘Green Twilight’, Dave follows similar paths as he did on ‘That Which Prevails’. Electric guitar and drums take us to the border area between electronic and progressive rock, which Tangerine Dream had already crossed at the end of the 70s. If you don’t switch off immediately and give the remaining tracks a chance, you can see that the Berlin school also provided the concept here – both in terms of the (appropriate) length of the six tracks and the basic musical structure.

Sequences cannot only be created with the (electronic) sequencer, as other great musicians have already demonstrated this in the past. The order of the tracks on the album also seems to be anything but a coincidence: a certain symmetry and plan can be seen, especially in the two piano-dominated pieces. On ‘Green Twilight’ Dave Pearson once again shows that he is at home in several genres and knows how to combine them with each other. The title “Green Twilight” is certainly justified, even if the result is anything but dubious. Anyone who listens to this album with open ears and minds can once again discover how diverse the Berlin School can be used as a reagent. We’re excited to see what experiments Dave Pearson will succeed in his Hungarian labs next!

Alfred Arnold, EMpulsiv.de, 26 August 2023




John Shanahan – Hypnagogue
Hypnagogue: Since 2009, every two weeks, the Hypnagogue Podcast has guided listeners through 90-minute trips into the worlds of ambient, electronic, and contemporary instrumental/New Age music.

Computerchemist offers up another set of Berlin School-style rockers on “Green Twilight,” and once again delivers meaty, nostalgia-fueled goodness. For me, the money shot here is “Testcard,” a runaway rocket of sequencer-fortified funk that’s just a pleasure to groove to. Dave Pearson’s keyboards are the star here, kicking a solid 70s jazzy vibe against a backdrop of pulsing sequencers and high washes.

The drum-driven title track switches gears from edge-of-primal thunder to pure TD worship and features Pearson’s fiery guitar—always a highlight of a Computerchemist jam. Another worthy addition to an impressive array of albums.

John Shanahan, Hypnagogue Podcast, 1 November 2023




Paul Baker – Soundscapes
Paul Baker, reviewer for Classic Rock Society, host of “Soundscapes” broadcast on ARfm, Phoenix Radio, LKCB Classic Rock Canada and Radio Tamworth

I’m somewhat behind the curve only just getting around to penning some thoughts about an album that is probably one of the best Computerchemist has produced thus far! And there have been some very, very good ones.

From the exploratory feel of the opener Twilight Trail to the magnificence of the closer The Magnetism of thought, this is an album to dive into and allow the music to give the equivalent of a big hug!

In we go, opener Twilight Trail starts as you’d expect from this particular artist, but soon expands out into an rhythmic soundscape, building layer by layer, rocking, twisting, turning, then slowly winding down, not too much, but just enough to allow you to catch your breath before the end.

Now the two tracks that took me a while to ‘hear’, Berlin School For 4 Pianos 1 & 2. Don’t let the tinkling ivories fool you, these tracks are a journey for the ears. Dramatic music landscapes that promise something special. Then there it is, full on rhythm with expansive keys and orchestral feel, punctuated by full on bursts of electronic splendour and piano gives way to a more electronic sound but that piano is still there supplying the underlying drama to both tracks.

Testcard is a delightful, full on shot of ‘electro rock’, is that a phrase I dare use? Slightly reminiscent of the 80’s maybe, but who cares, this rocks! With occasional claps to emphasise the foot stomping rhythm, add the splendid earworm, who could ask for more?

Green Twilight has a under pinning African style drum sound that builds and takes you along on another musical adventure, let you mind build the pictures from the music, simply marvellous. You still get the expected sounds, but there are other elements that add to the spice, (no sorry, you’ll have to listen for yourself, I’m not giving that away!).

So to the closing track, The Magnetism of Thought, just one thing to say here, simply marvellous! Oh OK, may I can add, powerful & delicate, intriguing and other superlatives, but this is probably my favourite Computerchemist track to date, it has everything for this pair of ears.

A simply marvellous album from an artist who continually strives to push boundaries and change the perception of electronic music.

Paul Baker, Soundscapes, 1 November 2023




Alfred Arnold – EMpulsiv.de (DE)
EMPulsiv.de, a german language webzine devoted to Electronic Music around the world.

In der Chemie wird viel experimentiert, und nicht immer kommt bei den Experimenten das heraus, was man erwartet – mal sind diese unerwarteten Resultate nutzlos, aber ab und an führen sie auch zu neuen Erkenntnissen.

Ob das neueste Album von ‘Computerchemist’ Dave Pearson eine ähnliche Entstehungsgeschichte hatte, wissen wir natürlich nicht, aber überraschend war es schon, als “Green Twilight” nur wenige Wochen nach seinem Vorgänger veröffentlicht wurde. Dabei ist Daves neues Album alles andere als eine einfache Fortsetzung: Harte Fans der Berliner Schule, die von ‘Mysterious Cave of Eternal Theta’ begeistert waren, sollten vor dem Erwerb erst einmal probe hören. Denn direkt zum Einstieg auf ‘Green Twilight’ wandelt Dave wieder auf ähnlichen Pfaden wie auch schon zum Beispiel auf ‘That which Prevails’. E-Gitarre und Schlagzeug versetzen uns in den Grenzbereich zwischen Elektronik und Progressive Rock, den Tangerine Dream schon Ende der 70er durchwandelt haben.

Schaltet man nicht sofort wieder ab und gibt auch den restlichen Titeln eine Chance, so kann man aber erkennen, dass auch hier die Berliner Schule das Konzept vorgab – sowohl was die (standesgemäße) Länge der sechs Tracks angeht, als auch das musikalische Grundgerüst. Sequenzen lassen sich eben nicht nur mit dem (elektronischen) Sequenzer machen, das haben ja auch schon andere große Musiker in der Vergangenheit demonstriert.

Auch die Reihenfolge der Titel auf dem Album scheint alles andere als ein Zufallsprodukt zu sein: besonders anhand der beiden Piano-dominierten Stücke lassen sich eine gewisse Symmetrie und ein Plan erkennen.

Auf ‘Green Twilight’ führt Dave Pearson wieder einmal vor, dass er in mehreren Genres beheimatet ist und sie miteinander zu kombinieren versteht. Der Titel “Green Twilight” hat also durchaus seine Berechtigung, auch wenn das Ergebnis alles andere als zwielichtig ist. Wer dieses Album mit offenen Ohren und Verstand hört, kann wieder einmal entdecken, wie vielfältig die Berliner Schule sich doch als Reagenz einsetzen lässt. Wir sind gespannt, welche Experimente Dave Pearson als nächste in seinen ungarischen Laboren gelingen werden!

Alfred Arnold, EMpulsiv.de, 26 August 2023