3.5

Release data:

Hashtronaut – The Lambda Variant
CD-R/DIGITAL DOWNLOAD, Flightlog Restricted Recordings, 2006

Hashtronaut is the artist name of UK-based synthesist/guitarist Michael Daniel. His fifth album “The Lambda Variant” comprises two lengthy pieces of 26 and 24 minutes each, both heavily influenced by the Berliner School style of Klaus Schulze.

The title track starts out smoothly with bell tones and repetitive motivs, ending up in nice enigmatic shapes and sequencer patterns with an unhurried synth solo hovering over it.
After a quiet introduction, “Church of Lambda/Lambda Ritual” (which sounds like an improvised live track to my ears) is soon set in motion as the rhythms and sequencers show up, ending up in a kind of electronic/psychedelic spacerock. The most exciting part showing up in the raw energy of sounds though are the lenghty and lively executed Klaus Schulze-like synth solos alongside sparkling effects. It give the music a pleasant boost, although the outcome offers much less variation in comparison to the first piece.

“The Lambda Variant” was re-released in 2007 on cd-r through the EEMC-label with a different cover, but meanwhile the recording has also become available as download through MusicZeit.

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