Tracklisting:

1 Alchiva (10:03)

2 Ochre (11:02)

3 Djang (13:33)

4 Awi (5:50)

5 Snake Belly (15:50)

6 Akkurra (5:47)

7 Sky Heroes (4:48)  

Rapoon's album 'Raising Earthly Spirits' was released in 1993 by Staalplaat as a limited edition CD packed inside a nifty silk-screened wooden box. It was later reissued in a die-cut digipak. 'Raising Earthly Spirits' was Robin Storey's second outing under the name Rapoon, following the 1992 release of 'Dream Circle' by Canadian label Death of Vinyl. It was his first release for Staalplaat, and was evocative of his earlier work in :zoviet*france:, a group he co-founded but had recently left.. Since this CD there have been nearly ten Rapoon releases issued by Staalplaat and Soleilmoon, but this, his first work for Staalplaat, has been out of print for more than two years. The music on 'Raising Earthly Spirits' features long minimalist ambient textures combined with simple yet effective rhythmic pulses. As is true of all of his musical projects, all of the artwork used on this CD was created by Robin Storey. We are pleased to make this excellent work available again, and it gives us great pleasure to be able to present it to you at a nice price!

As Rapoon, ex-:zoviet*france: member Robin Storey specializes in experimental atmospheres and post-industrial sound rendered with gripping effectiveness. Unlike his former compatriots Storey's hypnotic mantras aren't drawn from esoteric sound sources. It's obvious that he makes extensive use of sampling, tape manipulation and looping, but the music of Rapoon is more structured, less chaotic, even tribal, in the way archaic cultures used repetition and 'minimalism' to broach their message to deities unknown. The spirits Rapoon conjure either rise from the primordial ooze breathing fire (as suggested by the noisier electro-acoustic swirls of 'Alchiva' and 'Djang') or poise themselves on the abyssal edge, waiting patiently for obeisance ('Ochre' and the ritualistic, ricocheting electronic percussives of 'Snake Belly'). Ingeniously packaged in a limited edition flip top, balsa-wood box embossed with cave etchings depicting the dawn of man, Raising Earthly Spirits is a superb piece of experimental ambience, in both visual presentation and audio execution.

review by Darren Bergstein

i/e Magazine No. 7

phone 602-821-1061 / fax 602-821-1624

2300 N. Yucca

Chandler, Arizona

U.S.A.

85224

The most ambient (of Dream Circle, Vernal Crossing and this). Very little to no percussion on this one. Slow loops of what sound like raspy wind instruments with rich keyboard drones. Also kind of lo-fi but not as noticeable as on the first album. This sort of reminds me of being under water. Limited edition in a neat wooden box.

review by Matt Hoessli

found in the Hyperreal archives

Totally magical, awe-inspiring almost non-rhythmic trip through a universe of spaces, brooding chasms, undulating and uplifting waves of multi-layered, Eastern-influenced electronic, synth and deep bass landscapes. You are uncontrollably drawn in to a huge ambient black hole on a classic space musicepic with unique influences and roots. This is space music, it's not melodic, it's not tuneful but it doesn't just drift. Where it is rhythmic, it's quite dense and richly textured, There is an occasional Mid eastern feel BUT what makes this such an amazing album are the soundscapes that are created, the variation, the constantly shifting textures, the layers, the sounds and the production, all of which combine throughout the album to hold your attention and delight you with some seriously brilliant and full sounding real space music that's not what you think-it's better.

review by Andrew Garibaldi

CD Services, Dundee