Now

by Jim Brenholts Now is Steve Roach's debut album. It is pure Berlin school space music with flair. Roach has often cited Tangerine Dream and Klaus Schulze as two of his early influences, and his heavy sequences on this disc give a strong nod to them. The extra flair is what makes this a special listening experience. This set has muscle and lots of it. It is as if Roach dares folks to ignore him, and his technique gives the proceedings a digital attitude with deep atmospheres and bottomless drones. This dynamic performance was years ahead of its time in 1982 and still stands out as a winner in the digital domain of the new millennium.