People can express themselves through art. Art exists in many ways: painting, sculptures, poetry, film, dance, music, etcetera. There is a link between all these artforms and on many occasions artists are influenced by other forms of art. Groove Unlimited combines Dutch masters of painting with Dutch masters of electronic music. In a way, making music is also a form of painting with sounds. A fine initiative that can be regarded as the follow-up of the I-series. Ten musicians choose a painting they are influenced by of/and feel connected to.
The album opens with perhaps the most well-known Dutch painting: "Nachtwacht” of Rembrandt, put into music by Synth.nl (Michel van Osenbruggen). It is a quiet Vangelis-like piece with fine piano melodies. His music grows and grows.
Now here’s a very nice art concept album initiated by Synth.nl (aka Michel van Osenbruggen), aptly called "Dutch Masters", meant to further promote the Dutch synthesizer music scene. Ten talented Dutch synthesists were offered to collaborate on this project, for which they all derived core inspiration from a painting by a Dutch master painter, later on transforming that into a unique, vibrant composition. The outcome in my opinion offers the best of both worlds, the ancient meeting the modern, offering some lyrical, airy, moving and romantic sound imaginaries of which the strong album opener "Nachtwacht" by Synth.nl is already great example.
Put into music the inspiration and comprehension that you have from a painting of a painter from our country, such is the basic idea of this new Groove Unlimited album. This rather original concept, and very audacious, germed in the mind of Michel van Osenbruggen (Synth.nl) and leads in the form of compilation album entitled "Dutch Masters Vol.1". Now, I don't really know my history of art, thus I cannot judge the degree of comprehension that every artist can makes from a painting, but I do know music enough to admit that there are great inspirations among the 9 countrymen of Michel who agreed to take up this artistic challenge. An album compilation represents as many ideas and orientations which emerge that styles which intertwine and "Dutch Masters Vol.1" includes 10 tracks which don't all converge in the same style and of which composers' talents differs from an artist to another. There are superb moments on this compilation, as there are holes and some lengths. But the editing and mastering made by Ron Boots correct these differents and made of "Dutch Masters Vol.1" a beautiful hyper melodious album with very nice pearls.
Vorab, um alle zu warnen, die Lobhudeleien nicht mögen, auch, wenn sie ehrlich gemeint sind … Für mich verkörpert diese CD eine Sternstunde der Elektronischen Musik. Sie ist bis dato durch Nichts zu toppen! Dutch Masters - schon der Titel klingt für mich doppeldeutig; denn das Album ist ein wirkliches Meisterstück der niederländischen Musiker. Jeder einzelne hat sich mit dieser Platte den Titel eines Dutch Masters mehr als verdient. - Ob diese Doppeldeutigkeit nicht vielleicht so gewollt ist, entzieht sich meiner Kenntnis, denn das Konzept von „Producer“ Michel van Osenbruggen sah vor, dass holländische Musiker ein Gemälde von flämischen Malern vertonen sollten, also von den Dutch Masters …
Having listened the example tracks of Dutch Masters I must conclude this is a MASTER album! Dutch Masters... A giant step forward in Dutch synthesizer quality! Respect! Greetz from Fata Morgana!
Es gibt genügend Sampler, die sind gut....und es gibt welche, die sind mehr .....wie die -Dutch Masters- :-) Unsere musikalischen Nachbarn aus den Niederlanden sollten Gemälde alter Maler umsetzen, was wirklich sehr gelungen ist. Ist schon sehr beeindruckend, sich die "Gedanken in Musik" der einzelnen Musiker zu betrachten und wenn ich mir so die Setlist angucke, wer so seinen Beitrag dazu geleistet hat....allererste Sahne ;-) Die -Dutch Masters- ist mit der Beweis, das Holland mit die Hochburg der EM ist....