Wave World at the Alpha Centauri Festival, March 25 2000, Huizen,
the Netherlands
Concert Review
The main act was something special. At the Quantum/Groove Festival, October
30, 1999, the world had already been introduced to the breathtaking computer
graphics that support the music of this Dutch duo (or is it the other way
around?). At the Alpha Centauri Festival, Rolf van Slooten's movie was
finished, and the show of Gert van Santen and Harry Kessels, dressed in
monk's habits, was complete. Again the brilliant science fiction images and
the overwhelming ambient music of this duo, were very impressive. One of the
best electronic concerts ever! These are the moments that make this genre
very much alive!
Paul Rijkens for IO Pages
Wave World at the Quantum/Groove promotional festival, October 30 1999
IO Pages:
The concert by Wave World at the Quantum/Groove promotional festival was an
immense surprise. The fantastic synthesizer sounds by this Dutch duo were in
perfect balance with Virtual Factory's brilliant, big screen 3D graphics. In
order to create these images, computers have been calculating for many
months. Wave World consists of Harry Kessels and Gert van Santen. Gert
previously won a contest, organized by the influential German magazine
'Keyboards'. This resulted in a co-production of his track 'Biosphere' with
Klaus Schulze. Wave World's debut album 'Species' contains extraordinary and
unique music. In fact, it's one big feast of dazzling, dreamy electronic
soundscapes. Sometimes vocals are used, reminding me of 'Dead Can Dance' and
'Bel Canto'. Yet we can speak of an unmistakable 'Wave World Style'. The
album tracks are a bit more laidback than the songs performed live. I
consider 'Species' an absolutely brilliant album, with sometimes
exceptionally intense music. The recordings are excellent. The mastering was
done by Peter Brussee in his Q Point Digital Audio Studio. Peter is known
for his work for the SI label. For me, 'Species' is THE electronic album of
1999. Unsurprisingly, Wave World has been contracted as the main act at the
Alpha Centauri Festival in Huizen on March 25, 2000. Furthermore, a tour is
being planned. In my opinion, Wave World is heading for a bright future. The
same goes for Quantum Records.
Paul Rijkens for IO Pages
Impressive journey through a virtual world
Wave World in theater 3-in-1, Huizen, October 30, 1999.
Written by Eric Hol
Saturday October 30, 1999. Around 200 fans of electronic music have
gathered in 'Theater 3-in-1' in Huizen, The Netherlands, to attend the
evening program consisting of acts by Wave World and Ron Boots. During the
day, there has been a lot of talk about it, and many other visitors tell me
they are looking forward to the Wave World concert. There's a special
corner with Wave World merchandising and CD's, a promotional video and
review leaflets of their debut CD 'Species'. It is only three weeks ago
when the so-called 'E-live' festival was held in Nijmegen. E-live is still
the largest Electronic Music (EM) festival in this part of the world.
However, for real EM die-hards from all over Europe, this was no reason for
not undertaking another journey to The Netherlands. At mentioned E-live
festival, Wave World had caused quite a stir with a stunning promotional
video that would have to lure visitors to their first big performance here
in Huizen. Considering the relatively large number of visitors, it seems
they succeeded. The fact that Wave World has worked with the King of EM
himself, Klaus Schulze, has indeed triggered my curiosity, therefore this
is now the time for me and other EM-insiders to witness the official Wave
World premiere which has been broadly announced as a 'unique audiovisual
experience'.
At a quarter past seven, after an introduction by festival organizer Eric
Snelders, the lights are dimmed and the curtain opens. Alien voices are
heard in the dark. A sound palette of bells, wooden blocks, giggling
children, and boreal forest sounds is followed by prophetic phrases spoken
by vocalist Harry Kessels. I'm told later that this unknown language was
adopted from some of the Wave World inhabitants. Gradually, a starry night
illuminates on a gigantic film screen, where planets are sliding by and
where we are floating in between meteoric rocks and fluorescent
yellowish-green-amber milky ways. Throughout the next hour, we find
ourselves as co-pilots in the cockpit of an extraterrestrial exploration in
a far away galaxy. We are witnesses of a surrealist exploration on a
strange greenish world with bizarre creatures slowly gliding by above blue
sees, floating through misty forests or laying eggs in fairy-like swamps.
The computer graphics, designed by Virtual Factory, are absolutely
mind-blowing. They form a perfect unity with the music, which is often
cosmic, at other times experimental or symphonic, and sometimes even
danceable.
Time after time, special elements are being introduced. Gert van Santen
creates exotic sounds by using an electronic wind controller. Harry Kessels
controls the two antennas of his theremin like a magician. There is no
single point in time when this outer-worldly atmosphere disturbed by breaks
or silence. In fact, the concert can be considered as a 77-minute symphony.
From the combination of complex compositions, crystal clear sounds, warm
accords and awesome effects, it becomes evident that the duo must have
spent quite a lot of preparation time on this premiere. Furthermore, their
live solos and effects fit very well within the rest of the music,
resulting in a beautiful oneness.
Apparently, I am not the only one with a very positive opinion of this
first big Wave World gig. As soon as the last sounds have faded away and
the lights come on, Wave World gets a thunderous applause, and some people
even give them a standing ovation. For me, Wave World is the big surprise
of this festival. A new great electronic act was born. From an audiovisual
viewpoint, Wave World is original, innovating and refreshing. As far as the
music is concerned, although there might be some overlap with e.g. Robert
Rich, Klaus Schulze or Radio Massacre International, the sound sculptures
of Wave World definitely have a character of their own.
After the concert, at the Quantum Records stall, many people are taking the
opportunity to buy Wave World's debut album 'Species', or their T-shirt
with a Wave World mountain landscape. From a short conversation with Gert
van Santen and Harry Kessels, I learn that Wave World immediately has been
booked for two new concerts: at the National Film and Television Academy in
Amsterdam on December 3rd, 1999, and as main evening act at the Alfa
Centauri-2000 Festival on March 25th, 2000. Well-deserved!!
