Gert Emmens: Akai AX80, Akai SGv01, Boss DR-660, Doepfer MAQ 16/3, 2* Elektor Formant modulars, EMU E6400 Ultra, EMU Proteus 2, EMU Vintage Keys Plus, Korg MS-2000, Korg Wavestation EX, Memorymoog Plus, Minimoog, Moog The Source, Moog Sonic 6, Moog Taurus MK1, Novation A-Station, Novation Nova, Philips Philicorda GM-751, PPG 1020, Roland MDC1, Roland MVS1, Roland SG-32, Transidrums U77, Vermona ER9, Yamaha AN1x, Yaqmaha SY85
Jan Dieterich: guitarsolo's (Fender Stratocaster)

Outside photo of Gasometer: Karola Kohler
Inside photo of Gasometer: Gert Emmens
Photo of Jan Dieterich: Leo Bakker
Photo of Gert Emmens: Frank Emmens

Coverdesign: Kees Aerts and Gert Emmens
Artwork: Kees Aerts

The newest release by Gert Emmens, like all his recent output, was released by Groove Unlimited and is available directly from them. It consists of basic material prepared by Gert for his live performance at the Gasometer in Oberhausen, Germany. The tracks are named simply Part 1 through 7 which is a tradition of sorts for EM records. The first part begins with mysterious pads. It's probably the darkest music I've heard from Gert in a while and it's quite excellent too. A mournful Mellotron flute cries on top of the electronic backdrop. An excellent tinkling sequence then starts, joined by yet another simple sequence and more tasty pads. A more punchy bass sequence begins in the melodic mode, as various synth sounds come and go. A rhythm starts, together with a melodic theme - so simple and yet so beautiful. This is flowing melodic EM of highest order. The rhythm subsides and we are confronted with a rich and lush symphonic section that sounds almost Classical in its grandeur. A smooth transition leads us to Part 2 that is greeted by optimistic sequences and Mellotron choirs. A soft rhythm starts, supported by bright symphonic synths. Again, there is a great melodic quality to this material. A tasty guitar solo is a nice extra and it combines perfectly with Gert's textures. A symphonic Minimoog solo follows, sounding very emotional and cosmic at the same time. The third part begins with dark textures and rumbles. However, it's not long before we hear an upbeat sequence coming forth. The track then progresses in typical Emmens fashion, with relaxed rhythm, crisp sequences and flowing pads. A melody cries on top, sounding very epic and even Symphonic Rock-like. A Minimoog solo follows, and then some layered Mellotron strings. From the dark depths of atmospheric effects and drones we get to Part 4, which is welcomed by ultra rich symphonic synths in the 1970's fashion. A slow bass sequence is revealed, punchy as ever. It is combined with absolutely stunning cosmic analogue textures (reminds me on some Craig Padilla tracks I've heard). This is a new style for Gert and a very very welcome change if you ask me. In fact, I was blown away by this track. It's still melodic, but darker than the usual fare and it's got some new interesting sounds, some of them of decidedly cosmic character. And those sequences are as perfect as they get. The track ends with great deep Philicorda chords (I think Gert should use more of this wonderful instrument) and mysterious female choir. The sounds of rain serve as transition to the next part. Didgeridoo-like drones give way for an upbeat and crisp sequence which is then joined by familiar 'tron sounds. Excellent relaxed rhythm starts, combined with warm analogue pads and some subtle fx. Typical Emmens lead line is followed by a tasty guitar solo. Very nice! I also like the closing ambient part, with a mournful Mellotron flute and excellent resonant sounds. Part 6 begins with some wind effects and reflective pads. A bass throb is heard underneath which gradually grows into a sequence, as the Mellotron strings sing their mysterious song. A bright melody is heard than harkens back to the style of Gert's previous album, "A Boy's World". The rhythms are different, though, and very interesting they are, too. A solo cries on top, played with real expertise. I like it when Gert lets rip on an analogue synth, I just wish his solos were longer. I can imagine two or even three minutes, filled with Gert just soloing on his analogue beast in his usual harmonic way. That would be great to hear. Anyway, back to the track. A more experimental section follows, with resonant noisy sequences and various dark sounds. After a while, a typical several-note Emmens melody comes, sounding simple but very effective. Mellotron strings and darkish bass notes bring this long track to a halt. The cosmic analogue-scapes return at the beginning of the last part. Very soon a sequence comes in, along with lush pads. This is more or less a formulaic track, which relies on floating sequences, pads and richly symphonic melodic themes played on synthesizers. However, we also get a little extra with the addition of a reflective guitar solo by Jan Dieterich. In many ways a typical Emmens album, "The Nearest Faraway Place Vol.1" is significantly darker than most other recent works by Gert. There are some new tasty sounds and the addition of a guitar player was a welcome extra as well. The best track: Part 4. Why? I just love the darker side of Gert, I guess. Besides, I also thought it showed a new style, more cosmic and "psychedelic", at least the first half of it. All in all, another winner from one of the most significant Dutch EM musicians.

Endlich ist es da, das heiß ersehnte neue Album von Gert Emmens!
"The Nearest Faraway Place Volume 1" bringt uns auch optisch gleich wieder in "Europas größte Keksdose" zurück. Schon das Cover lässt keinen Zweifel, wo die Musik spielt: Im Gasometer Oberhausen. Dort trat unser holländischer Freund Gert Emmens nämlich am 10. November 2007 auf - bereits zum zweiten
Mal ein Exklusiv-Gig live für schallwende. Schon allein dafür gebührt Gert ein großes Dankeschön!

Da nach über vier Stunden in Eiseskälte (9° C!!!) leider viele Zuhörer die Blechbüchse schon wieder verlassen hatten, kamen nur noch wenige in den Genuss eines richtig tollen Konzertes von Gert. Selbst kurz vorm Erfrieren, ließ er es sich nicht nehmen, seine Hardcore-Fans, die so lange ausgeharrt haben, mit seiner Musik zu belohnen. Damit aber auch der große Rest seiner Fangemeinde nun nicht leer ausgehen muss, hat Gert Emmens dieses Konzert als Grundlage für sein neues Album genommen. Die "Basics" wurden exklusiv fürs Gasometer-Konzert im November komponiert. Feinschliff und Solo-Einspielungen erledigte Gert dann anschließend im heimischen Studio in Arnhem. Die improvisierten Soli stammen übrigens von einem Minimoog ...''The Nearest Faraway Place - Volume 1" besteht eigentlich aus einem langen Track von fast 71 Minuten. Um der Hörerfreundlichkeit Willen hat Gert dann aber doch sieben Trackmarks gesetzt. So ist es jedem selbst über-lassen, die Musik als Ganzes zu hören oder Titel für Titel. Ich erfasse die Platte lieber als fertiges Gesamtkunstwerk. Drum möchte ich auch nur auszugsweise einige Teile der Komposition extra hervorheben.
Die Scheibe beginnt natürlich mit dem Gasometer ureigenen Hall-Erlebnis.
Nach etwa drei Minuten setzt Gert dann meine heiß geliebten Glöckchen ein.
Nicht nur dadurch bekomme ich Gänsehaut. Irgendwie wird mir bei der Musik wohlig warm. Es entsteht überhaupt keine frostige Atmosphäre, die der ausgediente Gasbehälter eigentlich ausstrahlt. Spätestens beim zweiten Teil beginnt bei mir der Flug durch Raum und Zeit.
Dieses Stück könnte doch glatt ein Ohrwurm werden. Ich gleite voller Leichtigkeit dahin und hänge meinen Gedanken nach bis ein heftiges Gitarren-Solo einsetzt. (etwa nach fünf Minuten im fünften Teil .) Super! Genau DAS ist es! Diese Gitarre. Hervorragend gespielt übrigens von Gerts langjährigem Freund und musikalischem Weggefährten Jan Dieterich.
''The Nearest Faraway Place - Volume 1" ist im Übrigen das erste Gert Emmens-Album mit Gitarrensoli. Aber ich hoffe, nicht das letzte .
Und mit Part 7 schließt sich dann auch der Kreis. Schon fast sakrale Töne, untermalt immer wieder mit pointiert eingespielten Gitarrensoli, die Musik schwenkt von Dur auf Moll um. Ein gelungener Abschluss der bestens zur mystischen Atmosphäre dieser überdimensionierten Blechdose passt.
Ich finde Gerts Tasteninstrumente zusammen mit Jans Gitarren bilden eine perfekte Symbiose im Klangkosmos.
''The Nearest Faraway Place - Volume 1" ist eine rundum gelungene Platte, die eine berechtigte Hoffnung auf Volume 2 aufkeimen lässt.
Danke, lieber Gert, dass du nun auch ein schallwender bist. Es ehrt unsimmer, so tolle Musiker in unseren Reihen zu haben!

Right from the gorgeous opening with lush swirling backing and lovely flutey synth then melodic loop and bouncing sequences this album overflows with pure class. Gert has always been able to combine his skills for sequencing and melody (and there are loads of both here) better than almost any other solo artist. Some excel in one department, some in another but he has the full package. This isn't heavy stuff, just exciting, positive, body moving music that will get under your skin and demand to be played time and time again. Subtle guitar work courtesy of Jan Dieterich gives those moments where he appears individual character that separates it from the other Gert Emmens tracks. Jan imparts just the right amount of colouring without ever really letting rip, enhancing Gert's own leads rather than battling against them. There is a great deal of syncopation but as with all the other elements here it is pitched at just the right level so as not to bludgeon everything around it. This is an album to simply enjoy, ideal for a summers day or to take on holiday. In some ways it reminded me a little of Chris Franke's 'Pacific Coast Highway' but with the tracks being longer here there is more time to develop and really get into each piece. No great effort is required on the part of the listener, just lie back and enjoy. File under mellow pulsations and rhythms.

Bert Strolenberg www.sonicimmersion.org

This cd, the first part of a trilogy, contains the music Gert composed for the Gasometer concert-gig on November 10^th, 2007 in Germany. The outcome is an uninterrupted 71-minute piece of music, for which Gert invited a guitarist to add a few fine guitars licks here and there.

The sonic content on “Nearest Faraway Place Vol. 1” continues in the fine tradition Mr Emmens offers us for quite some years now: warm, analogue synth-pads, catchy vintage sequencing, some very fine solo-leads, fx’s and additions drums and percussion, which all take the listener away by no chance. In a certain way, there’s this moody, easy-going feel layered over the properly executed music (one can almost feel the joy Gert must have had making it), although there are several dynamic peaks to be found as well .

This album really makes me look forward to the other two parts.

Congrats Gert, you did another fine job!

translation in English:

In August 2007 Gert Emmens had a computer crash and lost about 110 minutes of new solo music (with a lot of tracks having a symphonic character) and about an hour of Emmens & Heij music. When preparing for a concert, the Dutchman decided to try to recapture the music that was in his head and to postpone the symphonic pieces.
“Existing” pieces were added with new ideas. This lead to a piece of music of approximate 70-75 minutes long. The title ”The Nearest Faraway Place” was one Gert wanted to use for a long time. It is an inspiring, mystical, title. One that was used earlier by the Beach Boys, one of Gert’s favorite bands. Volume 1 means that there will also be a Volume 2 and Volume 3.
”The Nearest Faraway Place” is Gert’s most “Berliner Schule” album until now. Everything is there: the sequences, the Mellotron sounds, the MiniMoog solos, the atmospheres and Gert’s ancient drumboxes. But, most of all, his melodically approach of electronic music is there. To make the tracks more radio-friendly, it was decided to use track-indexes. A somewhat new thing for Gert is the use of a guitarist in the name of Jan Dieterich. He does a great job adding some excellent solos which sometimes gives a little hint of Pink Floyd.
”The Nearest Faraway Place 1” has become Gert’s best album. And there are still two volumes to go!

Die Basis hat Gert für das Konzert am 10. November 2007 im wohl höchstem Kühlschrank Deutschlands, dem Gasometer in Oberhausen komponiert, gespielt und in seinem Studio dann noch den "Feinschliff" hinzugegeben. Sehr sphärische , ruhige Klänge umgeben mit der einzigartigen Akustik des Gasometers machen diese CD zu einer lohnenden Anschaffung.

Das Gasometer in Oberhausen ist nicht nur von Außen ein beeindruckendes Gebäude, im Innern weist es durch seine Bauweise zusätzlich eine unglaubliche Akustik auf. Dieses Phänomen wird seit einiger Zeit von Musikern genutzt, die sich den räumlichen Klang und den Widerhall für ihre Musik zu Nutze machen. Der Niederländer Gert Emmens trat am 10.11.2007 in dieser ungewöhnlichen Location live auf, bei der die Musik für die vorliegende CD mitgeschnitten wurde. Leider war mir bisher aus Termingründen ein Besuch eines Konzertes im Gasometer verwährt, so dass ich mich auf den Klang der CD beschränken muss.

Voices from unknown lands, the call of endless space and the pulse of our time are interlaced in the music of Gert Emmens. It is cosmic and at the same time it is very earthy. And his music is a very powerful. It infects the listener with its vivid energy.
Gert Emmens’ new album brings feelings of freshness and simultaneously recalls the best samples of classical electronic music. It has a strong melodical basis around which the composer draws up his improvisations. One hour and eleven minutes run very insensibly with the colorful music of Gert Emmens. His album "Nearest Faraway Place Volume 1" is undoubtedly not just an addition to the artist’s rich discography but also to the collection of any ambient/electronic music lover. It is a creative perception of our contradictory and rapidly changing world.
The passage of time accelerates quickly. Feel it and prepare for the changes with the pulsatory and emotional music of Gert Emmens.

This CD from 2008 features 71 minutes of luxurious electronic tuneage.
Accompanying synthesist Emmens on this release is Jan Dieterich on guitar.

This music moves swiftly from an ethereal opening into more substantial tuneage with accreting loops of delicately fabricated tones and sedate e-perc. Lavish electronic sweeps enter the mix, accompanied by keyboard riffs that goad the harmonic flow into more melodic character.
A wondrous blend of crystalline and rumbling sounds balance this music, but the emphasis is definitely on the type of notes that shimmer in the air with regal extravagance. These sonic structures establish a buoyancy whose lift continues to divorce the audience from any earthy vantage, delivering the listeners to incredible altitudes where vaporous textures caress and calm. Auxiliary tonalities meld together, forming complex tapestries of glorious sonic optimism. Emerging from these interweaving configurations. pleasant riffs strive to infuse everything with a sense of pleasant grandeur.
Percussion plays a vital role in this tuneage, but its effect is temperate and luxurious. The rhythms are immersed in the textural flows, lending propulsion without overwhelming the music with their authority. The guitar coexists nicely with the electronics, rarely reaching a strident definition.

These compositions are luxurious and appealing, tickling the audience’s outward urge and bolstering a sense of cosmic curiosity. The tuneage flourishes with a puissance that is infectious despite its restraint.