Joel Kanning – UFO2 Review

By BT Fasmer - November 8, 2017
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Many years ago, in 2009, an album called «Ubiquitous Frequency Oscillation (UFO)» by Joel Kanning landed in my CD player. It was a bit like witnessing a UFO landing. Never had I heard the sound of Enigma emulated so well. Even Michael Cretu was impressed by Joel’s remix of the Enigma song «Downtown Silence». Now, 8 years later, «UFO2» is here. Is the second UFO encounter just as powerful as the first?

In New Age music there are, like in most genres, different schools of sound. Prominent artists and groups are said to be responsible for a specific expression. «The Enigma sound» is a label many artists use on their music, but few does it well. Michael Cretu’s style of pop, ambient and New Age music is extremely hard to imitate.

Unique music

Before proceeding I must stress that Joel Kanning’s music project is not an Enigma copy or tribute band. Yet the Enigma comparison is important because it shows the level of quality on Kanning’s studio work (Joel has released three albums so far. «Nobis» was his first, released back in 2001). It also gives his music relevance to Enigma’s millions of fans.

The album starts with an Enigma style intro. «Departure» is an eerie piece with sounds of an old gramophone, a distant vocal (I think the voice says «your life is just a dream») and some rich synth pads. Track two, «Cosmic Rhythms», is a wonderful pop-ish song with a groovy female vocal, and some tasteful ethnic and Gregorian samples. It takes a bit to get use to theme, which consists of a few strange, alien sounding vocals. It is pretty and ghostly at the same time. The song has genuine hit potential. With Anggun’s vocal, like on “The Fall of A Rebel Angel”, an perhaps some Universal Music post-production magic, it would have been MTV ready in two hours or less!

Powerful and loud

«Redshift» is a marvelous song. It has such power, such enormous, raw energy. It is loud, like standing close to a big machine. The drumbeat is equally hard. The ambient melody is very well mixed. Some listeners though will find this track to be a bit too much. Next track out, «Dawn of time», is more meditative with ethnic samples and a laid-back guitar. Here I can’t help adding yet another Enigma reference; it sounds like Jens Gad’s electric guitar (If that is not a statement of quality, I don’t know what is).

Song 5, «Proles Neptunia», is, in short, a masterpiece. It starts a bit reluctant, but the song grows and develops. The analogue synths and the male vocal sounds amazing. It is a quite complex song, belonging in the crossing point between pop and New Age music. If a new mega star was to emerge from our genre, this is the expression he or she would have. Chilled, atmospheric, soulful – but still safely within the boundaries of pop. «Terra Paradisium» is also a brilliant song. It includes a fresh mix of samples (just make sure not to ask question regarding the unbelievable ethnical diversity of the singers). In style it reminds of Karunesh or Guy Sweens. «Universal Language» is another winner. I could listen to it all day.

The Great Unknown

The next three songs, «Sea of Tranquility», «Secret of the Stones» and «Suspended Animation» have a chilled vibe, perfect for dreaming and thinking. One of my favourite songs on the album is «The Great Unknown». I love the deep rhythm and the intricate synth leads. Going into the unknown seems like a great idea. Talking of walking; next track, «Wanderlust», has a great ambient feel to it.

The last track is called «Endless Journey». Yet again I’m amazed by Kanning’s ability to build a melodic structure around complex ethnic samples. Eric Mouquet/Deep Forest, or the before mentioned Michael Cretu, couldn’t have done it better.

In conclusion: When Joel’s album «Ubiquitous Frequency Oscillation (UFO)» was released I thought that this was the start of a massive success for this artist. Listening to «UFO2» all these years later, I feel sad that it wasn’t. «UFO2» is in every way a magnificent recording. It is a must for Enigma fans, but anyone who is into New Age music will appreciate this album. If Michael Cretu were to retire today, Joel could take over the Enigma project and release platinum selling albums easily. Joel could even take the project further. That is not an enigma.

Score: 95/100 – See how I rate music here

Joel Kanning – UFO

By BT Fasmer - October 16, 2014
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Albums are often released labeled as “sounding like Enigma and Deep Forest”, but this reviewer finds that these albums rarely are on par with masters such as Michael Cretu and Eric Mouquet (the men behind Enigma/Deep Forest). Some of these albums are quite good, but hardly more than that. But sometimes it happens that a new star is born, and one artist that deserves to be mentioned in the same breath as Cretu and Mouquet is Joel Kanning. His 2009 album UFO, or Ubiquitous Frequency Oscillation, is a true feast for fans of the above mentioned artists.

An Enigma album is, as you know, all about sound design – which also was the reason for Enigma’s enormous MCMXC A.D– success. The sound design was in the album’s beginning, Sandra’s whispering “turn off the light, Take a deep breath and relax… Start move slowly, very slowly, Let the rhythm be your guiding light” – and then the creative use of Gregorian chants.

The overall sound design is also something one must mention about Joel Kanning’s album. Here too is an intro with some interesting samples (UFO-man talking, saying something like “I am a visitor”), and there is also an Enigma-like ending with a Deep Forest-like selection of ethnical samples.

Here I must stress that UFO is not an Enigma/Deep Forest copy. Not at all. Joel Kanning is, as we shall discuss, taking the sound design of these two artists to a new level. Still, it must be said that Kanning is venturing into a world of sound that these two bands created – and then left! Michael Cretu did never return to Gregorian Chants of 1990. (Kanning did, by the way, create a remix of Enigma’s Downtown Silence which received 2nd Place in a competition – and he has also remixed some of Eric Mouquet’s Deep Projects songs).

The soundscape we are talking about here is created by synth pads (I would guess sound banks close to Yamaha VL1 and Roland VI), sharp strings & plucks, a lot of reverb, a tasteful selection of ethnical samples and bass drums and hihats close to club/euro dance (but with a lower BPM). This is the soundscape all Enigma fans love, and it has been imitated by many artists. The true art in Kanning’s UFO is the creative reuse of this soundscape.

The first song on the albums is called Travellers. It has a nice larger-than-life feel and the Gregorian Chants fit perfectly. Next track out, Ashima, has a more chilled approach. The piano and the strings, yes the whole arrangement, sounds divine. UFO is in all respects a very professional release, and the mastering is nothing but impressive; here is a rare attention to details. The best track on the album is in my opinion One World. It is an example of ethnic fusion, with its soulful samples and beautiful guitar melody. It has the intensity of songs like Why!... and T.N.T. For The Brain from Enigma III.

What makes Joel Kanning different from Enigma and Deep Forest is, apart from the lack of vocals, a less complicated atmosphere. It is simply more chilled, without the mixed emotions of Enigma’s Silent Warrior or Deep Forest’ You will be ready. It is just not that deep, not that enigmatic. But that might be a good thing if you are looking for relaxation music. As a new age music radio host I couldn’t have been happier with this album. All of the songs are interesting and have a nice build up.

Yes, UFO is indeed “sounding like Enigma and Deep Forest”. But it also has an identity of its own. To quote the Enigma III title, Le Roi Est Mort, Vive Le Roi! (French for “The King is Dead, Long Live the King!”). Except, Cretu and Mouquet are still alive, well and producing music. But they have left this particular soundscape behind – and here Joel Kanning is the new king.