WUME - Distance

AL (ALBERT SCHATZ) from BIRD NAMES and Wham City artist APRIL CAMLIN used to be called ALTERED STATES, then they were called WUMME (presumably named after German city where Faust formed), and now theyve dropped an m and theyre simple called WUME (prounounced woom). Regardless of what theyre calling themselves these days, Wume are currently making some of the most tasteful (read: not cheesy) music under the mutant new age music umbrella. Bits of Wumes debut LP couldve scored 2001: A Space Odyssey, or more contemporaneously, Moon perfectly! The influence of synth maestros and Krautrock legends like Cluster, Brian Eno, Popol Vuh, Klaus Schulze and Tangerine Dream is very apparent, but Wume have taken these influences and combined them with what can only be described as a Goblin / John Carptenter-esque cinematic quality that puts them in a league of their own. Distance may be a document of new, new age music, but it aint no drone record. Wume wisely chose to keep the motorik beat. If Simeon from Silver Apples had been slipped more Benzos, Contact may have sounded a lot more like Distance. Eash listen definitely makes the heart grow fonder. Edition of 200 copies.