Robert Miles
23am

THE REVIEW

"Robert Miles" stage name of the Swiss electronic composer "Roberto Concina".

This album "23am" deviates from the genre of the first "Dreamland". In "Dreamland", Miles had created a new genre in commercial dance culture: the "Trance/Dream" a genre that is still used by several DJs today. This genre is based on an electronic piano (Robert Miles' is the Bright Piano) that composes a simple and cyclical melody, and the classic dance rhythm is inserted gradually and progressively.

Not satisfied with this innovation "Robert Miles" continues his personal experimentation with his second album. In this "23am", he tries to create a symphonic electronic almost entirely abandoning the fast-paced rhythms of the previous work. The result is enjoyable, and listening to it even after 13 years (1997 was the release) proves to be modern and "ahead".

Let's move on to the tracks:

01- "Introducing" A short introduction very "Dream" full of "Ambient" sounds like thunderstorms and ethereal voices of women and newborns.

02- "A new flower" It's a continuation of the first track (even if, to be precise, all the tracks are linked together like a single musical experience).

In this track, we hear the birth of "A new flower," life, represented by the verses of a newborn baby. One of the best in the whole album.

03- "Everyday life" A very long track of 10:29 minutes. In this, all the new musical research of this album is synthesized. An ethereal voice similar to the one used in the song "Fable" with a sweet and progressive electronic accompaniment without ever reaching the hard percussion of dance. Truly beautiful.

04- "Freedom" Miles' unmistakable Piano reappears in this track accompanied by a nice minimal rhythm.

05- "Textures" A short rhythmic electronic track that anticipates the sounds of the 3rd album "Organik". Also, wind instruments are inserted in the final part of the song.

06-09 These 4 tracks are slightly inferior to the others. However, they are very listenable. Keeping in mind that this album should be listened to as ambient music as a musical background "Mike Oldfield" style.

10- "Full Moon" A beautiful evocative and dreamy track that then transforms into rhythmic with techno insertions (all still very soft).

11- "Leaving behind..." The last track is sweet and delicate. It ends with voices including Miles'. A stylish closure.

Ultimately, what can I say? I highly recommend this album to anyone looking for new and stylish experiences even in Electronic music.

On the other hand, I do not recommend this album to those who are only fans of Dance music because this album "23am" is very far from the sounds of the previous "Dreamland".