Release data:

Peter Mergener – Passage in Time
CD, Cue Records, 1991

After his first successful solo-album “Creatures”, Peter’s second album – which followed very quickly after his debut cd- is again one dealing with a concept. The musical story of “Passage in Time” involves the matter of time, the history of mankind and transitoriness.

Once more, Peter is able to create nice imaginary atmospheres, and the moody entrance to it (“Voices of the Earth”) feels a bit like stepping in time machine. Mergener’s typical multi-layered sequencer patterns, powerful drums and melodic synth pads make up the title track, after which we move into the warm spheres of the nice well-rendered “Mechanical World”.

The nice evolving track “Military World” reflects on Peter’s debut album, and comes up with a tasty sequencing, drums and melodic lines. The music takes a short theatrical turn with the organ sounds of “Lost Paradise”, but this piece doesn’t really get off despite the sequencer pattern in the second half and the melange of sound sketches.

After a short nature-inspired interlude, the soft dwellings of the well-composed “Harmony with Nature” get company of saxophone, an instrument I think doesn’t go well with electronics.
Fortunately, the melodic track “Praise” is a nice effort with its proper layering of synth and choir pads, rhythms and complimentary guitar by Achim Elsen.

Although the realm of Software is still present, “Passage in Time” is proof Peter Mergener is further refining his own sonic canvas.

Website: peter-mergener.de

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