3.5

Release data:

Mako – Meeting with the Sea
LP, Seagull Music, 1984

Mako is the alias of the Austrian musician Manfred Batko, who used the first and last two letters of his real name for his artist-name.

The concept album “Meeting with the Sea”, made using a 4-Channel taperecorder, was originally meant as a 1983 Christmas-present to his friends, which included Heinz Strobl (aka Gandalf). After hearing the music, it didn’t take the Heinz very long to propose Manfred to release it on his own Seagull Music label.

I’m thankful this has happened, as the dreamy, fairytake-like music captured on this vinyl recording is of a lush and emotional nature, which blends nicely with the sounds of the sea.
Composed between October and December 1983, each side offers one long composition and a few short ones, on which the warm sounds of vocoder, synths and typical ’80’s sequencing create a moody and open atmosphere, here and there topped by some tasty soloing.

These well accomplished symphonic tone poems, produced by Gandalf, are a well kept secret, so if you can get your hands on a copy, make sure you grab it.

You can see what reviews I have done of this artist on the Mako artist page