Backroads Music - A review by Lloyd Barde
2002 Summer Heartbeats Catalog
(08/2002)

DISORIENT
Richard Bone

   Bone’s new CD allows us to continue referring to Mr. Bone as “the artist who can do no wrong”! With the 10 culture-merging tracks of Disorient, Richard Bone beefs up his signature synthworks with heartier rhythm sections and warmer bass tones... a nice move! Like an oversized music box, “In Japa” tinkles in pretty piano-and-chimes, to be infused with sub-bass impulses. More distinctly exotic, “Barhoom’ works characteristically “ethnic” sounds into a stylized swirl of drones, drums cymbals and soft though-spirited flutations. Eastern-ish strings pluck and drift easily above ‘Sudanaram,’ buoyed by the breezes of faint vocal currents and a light rhythm. The faraway roar of ‘The Inland Sea’ is awash with slow tonal cycles, stringy counterpoints and twittery birds. Strange bedfellows play together nicely in ‘Intricate Autumn,’ where urbane piano lounginess is backed by the more-primal nature of jungle drums. Seductively throbbing percussion invigorates the brass-and-string sounds of ‘Arabaya.’ ‘Patterns of Motion’s’ gamelan-esque bongs are spattered with wandering beats and tinkling ivories. Sassy and sedate combine on the funky bass and elegant orchestral floes of ‘Buddha’s in Baghdad’, a fitting endpiece. Nothing actually Disorienting about it, unless you’re befuddled by its magical gentleness...
   Richard Bone interweaves his restrained, sometimes-nearly-minimal electronic music with a slightly revved-up sense of rhythm-play. There are tracks that O’Hearn fans will even flock to. Very well done, though perhaps too “light” for the hardcore experimentalists, but a fine diversion for most ears, and a must-own for Bone fans!

Lloyd Barde