Keyboard Magazine - A Review by Jim Aikin
(05/02/02)

DISORIENT
Richard Bone

        Was it William Blake who said, "The fool who persists in his folly will become wise?" No matter: Richard Bone is no fool, but he has persisted in what some would consider folly, and he has become wise. His latest instrumental CD blends world sonorities with subdued but catchy electronic beats in a way that's consistently worth listening to. It's soothing, but not too soothing, and the mixes are crisp and airy, with a full but unobtrusive low end.
        To spot the folly, you have to read the liner notes. Some synthesizer artists hide their equipment lists (for fear of alarming the Great Unwashed, I suppose), but Bone is right up front: The whole CD was recorded direct to DAT using half a dozen MIDI modules, including a totally ancient Roland sampler. His sequencer, believe it or not, was an Ensoniq ESQ-1. If you think MIDI is over the hill, you really need to listen to what Bone has been able to do with such a minimal setup.
        What makes the CD work, though, isn't the technology. Bone has something to say, and his compositions unfold in an organic way. It's a tough gig, but he makes it sound effortless.

Jim Aikin, Keyboard Magazine