Sinoia Caves - The Enchanter Persuaded '2006

Tracks list

The Enchanter Persuaded, the debut album from Black Mountain keyboardist Jeremy
Schmidt (billed here as Sinoia Caves), is a nice example of the early-21st
centurys fascination with synthesizers. Unlike his contemporaries, who tend to
echo new wave acts, Schmidt draws inspiration from a different pack of synth
gods -- bands that boasted cosmic monikers like Tangerine Dream and Hawkwind,
musicians who wielded their Moogs and Mellotrons like mighty swords. And as
such, this album shouldnt be viewed as a particularly innovative work but rather
as an adept tribute to the analog wizards of the mid-70s and early 80s. The
standout tracks here are the soundscapes, which echo Tangerine Dreams Phaedra
both in terms of the vast aural territory covered and in terms of actual length.
Dwarf Reaching the Arch Wonder and Sundown in the New Arcades (Milky Way Echo)
make for over half an hour of galactic terrain built on sheet after sheet of
analog synth and Mellotron effects. Theres a definite sense of composition here;
every whoosh and drone serves the structure, and Schmidt does a good job of
keeping these sprawling compositions under tight rein. Shorter, acoustic guitar
and vocoder-knit tracks like Naro Way and Through the Valley are a nice break
from the epic stuff going on elsewhere, and theyll probably draw more than a few
comparisons to some of the tracks on Airs 10,000 Hz Legend. From the druggy
green cover art right down to the humid, slightly grimy production, The
Enchanter Persuaded is a convincing period piece, not to mention a fitting
showcase for Schmidts impressive synth sorcery.

Tracklist:
01. Sinoia Caves - Dwarf Reaching the Arch Wonder (16:07)
02. Sinoia Caves - Naro Way (2:37)
03. Sinoia Caves - Through the Valley (3:45)
04. Sinoia Caves - The Wicker Chair (2:50)
05. Sinoia Caves - Sundown in the New Arcade (Milky Way Echo) (18:52)
06. Sinoia Caves - Evil Ball (6:06)

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