Album: From Within
Artist: Pete Namlook and Richie Hawtin
Label: Fax +49-69/450464, Ambient World, Minus Inc.
Year: 1994
Rating: 5/5
Summary: A playful, fun album that's great to drift off to. Sublime.
The first of three collaborations between Pete Namlook and Richie
Hawtin (also known as F.U.S.E. and Plastikman), From Within is an
epic journey. Although it explores a fair amount of territory between
ambient and ambient techno, it seems effortless, leaving the listener
feeling relaxed rather than drained.
The main focus is on a handful of sequenced melodies and rhythms.
Although they are short and repetitive, sounding only a bit more
thought out than a spontaneous jam, they work surprisingly well.
Their simple, playful nature is a delight to listen to as they drift
in and out amongst calm pads and clean sub-bass. Despite this
combination of straightforward sounds, the music as a whole is much
greater than the sum of its parts. From Within stands up to repeated
listens very well, and is good enough to warrant many of them.
Overall, this is a sublime, relaxing album with the ability to
seamlessly move from beat oriented music to pure ambient and back
again while retaining its simple elegance. Ideal for listening to
late at night. | 
