NYX

2 reviews for NYX

1. Planetorigo – November 22, 2014

   Planetorigo Review

   Callisto is a UK duo consisting of David Wright and Dave Massey, who are known not only for their Callisto work but also for other projects within the electronic music scene, not least Code Indigo and the record label AD Music. Even with Callisto’s relatively limited discography, they have gained wide recognition in the Jarre / Tangerine Dream / Vangelis camp, and now their second studio album Nyx is available (it’s their third album after Signal to the stars in 2004 and the live album Hampshire Jam in 2009). The album is made up of four tracks (very long ones) and the bulk of the music can be described as rhythmic, thumping and trancey, supported by melodic hooks, soundscapes and sound effects. Each track, as long as they are, are given time to develop and grow, and every track has a wonderful epic feeling to them; first they let you get into the mood, then they keep you rolling and jumping and running mentally along to the sequencers. It’s a beatiful ride, very energetic and alive. Genre wise Nyx is bridging the gap between classic proto-trance Berlin School music and contemporary dance music, which is not unique but not always done with such class and honest felt vibe as here.

   The production is crisp and clear, but not too crisp; sounds are well rounded and placed, as one expects from the two Daves, and both contemporary sounds and classic analogue ones can be heard. Over the years I have found some AD Music albums to sound too sweet and fluffy but this is certainly not the case here. Nyx is simply excellently crafted, from overall song structures to individual songs. There are no weak tracks, and the only thing I am left wanting are some bigger themes or melodies, as they are lacking completely; there are plenty of smaller melody hooks but some epic themes along the lines of Jarre or 1970s Tangerine Dream would not be out of place. Nyx is the kind of album that lends itself to that and it seems that it’s the only aspect that has been left out; everything else is here, from Berlin School sequencers to space beats and ambient soundscapes (though the latter only makes guest appearances here and there).

   In its genre, Nyx will be one of the best albums of 2010 even though it has one major flaw; it forces me to play it so often that it prevents me from listening to other albums this year.

2. Stefan Schelle (Music-Zirkus) – November 22, 2014

   Review by Stefan Schelle (Music-Zirkus)

   Callisto is the project of electronic musician David Wright with Dave Massey. In 2004, the duo released the studio album “Signal To The Stars before,” which had the typical British electronic sound and the flair of David Wright. A full six years later, they follow-up it with “NYX”.

   “Signal To The Stars” was epic, spherical and spacy electronic music, which is like a soundtrack. The new album has significantly more power and with a lot of emotion which it immediately showed at concerts in England (Hampshire Jam 2009) and the Netherlands (E-Day 2010). The “NYX” Callisto is an album that you have to have as an electronic music friend. It gives you goose bumps with driving melodies and harmonies that infuses the music with irresistible rhythms. This is music where you can lose yourself completely.

   Four pieces with times between 15:05 to 22:26 minute “NYX” has to offer, which are connected together perfectly. It starts with the 17 minute “The Cyanide Virus”. This track starts at first very spacey and behaves, as one would enter the orbit and move slowly into space. But after two minutes of the second stage then ignites and the sequencer start to throb, Callisto is slowly gaining speed and after five minutes the burning hypnotic stage catches fire. From here the listener is literally in a trance. This first track is a sensational opener, but the best is yet to come!

   The second piece is entitled “The Darkness Of Night Part 1” and begins slowly and gently. In the beginning, it is simple and romantically dreamy, with wide melodic lead line, which style one knows immediately from David’s solo discs. The following is a lounge-passage in which there are vangelis like, ethnic style sound samples that gently caress the listener through the synth passages. After 17 minutes of bliss, a rhythm and the sound not dissimilar to Tangerine Dream. But this is only the prelude to the seamless subsequent third track “The Darkness Of Night Part 2”.

   This second part is a sensational blast. Sound and rhythm hit me each time, again and again, This piece was already one of the highlights of Callisto presence at e-day in Oirschot on 05/22/2010. A mixture of David Wright / Code Indigo and Geigertek was offered then, and here on Nyx that piece is here played to perfection. Slowly, the piece develops and offers the full length of almost 20 minutes of goosebumps that go off the scale. Incredible electronic music!

   The last track, more than 22 minute long is “The Lighter Side of Gravity” and it feels at first like Space music or the soundtrack for a science fiction movie. The first moments is less about melodies, but instead builds strange futuristic moods. Then after about three minutes, the sequencer sets the clock and it’s clear that the rhythms have begun. It’s light for the first six minutes, then begin to burn and ignite furiously and develops into yet another a fascinating track that has high potential for total addiction.

   “NYX” by Callisto is for me, one of the best albums in 2010 and is perhaps the best work to date of 2010. Anyone who likes electronic music, and the music of David Wright or Code Indigo, must listen to NYX.