Electronic Sound

Bobber (April 12, 2012)

Interesting for its historical value and because George was experimenting with new sounds even within The Beatles. But to say it's a feast to listen to the album is too much.

Jan Freidun Taravosh (May 26, 2006)

this review was originally written for rate your music.com
hence the 5 star rating(full rating)
thrilling album
here is the review with new pargraphing and some minor corrections
be sure to give it time

THE HIGH RATING of George Harrison’s Electronic Sound must come off shocking to many, as it is, one of the most abstract albums ever to have been put out
what people obviously need is some explaination of why such an abstract piece with only two very long tracks capture my fancy so much.

To me it\'s very simple, I have been a moog enthusiast since I first heard it, being a Byrd fan, they were the group who introduced the sound to me, a synthfuse swirling swing was added to their music on some or their albums which just took me with fascination, as I was already fascinated with synth music of the astonishing synth group KRAFTWERK, for the clever use of the swaying sound that was used in perfect manner, this made me even more fascinated when rock n roll groups of the 60s I’M fond of such as The Byrds, and The Monkees Integrated this swirl and blip blop into their sound. a successful, and thrilling bridge between synth and ROCK N ROLL had been built,

but what is then electronic sound?

its the first album ever released to be based solely on Moog sounds, and was a very abstract release, George Harrison’s, second solo effort, on the equally abstract Zapple label. Although it had been in Roger Mcguinns mind to put on an album solely based on moog (as can be heard on the Indian synthfuse of moog raga, on the Notorious bonus section) Harrison was the one who obviously had the guts to produce and release this. in may 1969 briefly taking vacation form his role as lead guitarist in a now very famous group called the Beatles.

He teamed up with the assistance of moog pioneer Bernie Krause, and the two Siamese twins Rupert and Jostick, recording this album partly in England, and partly in California, it is a very different album to say the least about it. apart from what Byrds and Monkees had earlier pulled of ELECTRONIC SOUND is really really really a much more abstract affair, and is rarely directly melodic (AS THE TITLE SUGGESTS) but to me it is so overwhelming thrilling as it is more are collage of free-floating, swirling blip, and swaying, stretching tones, blowing winds, water turning to steam white noise, laser beams like sounds, gunshot like sounds, and all in-between, which to me makes it very thrilling. while the melodic passages of the long tracks are short and usually arrive sometime passed the middle halfway trough or sometimes around there, and keep on for a minute or two, a the stuff in between (even the drained battery sounds) fascinate me,

it might seem very loose hanging, and as a matter of fact yes it is, but its swirling everywhere and can really take one to space, to me even though some of the sounds are edgy and led astray my fascination never really fades on the thing as a whole, cause there is always something around the corner waiting, which makes it a thrilling, unexpected sound collage, despite all its offbeat character you sometimes get thrown into a really flow drifting or flowing passage, when you less expect it, and to me all that’s built around it really captures me, regardless if it goes trough dramatic organ pound downs, space sending signals or swirling bubble sounds, it all in there and feels like a space ship encounter, with sounds swirling all over, echoing, bouncing circulating, brumming, breezing floating, with an edge, with a haunting drawback, its all in there.. for some it might come out as the most unlistenable experience ever, Others might doubt if its really music? is it really music then you might ask? hmm its a though question, since it has melodic passages in both of the compositions, it might not seem that they are the main attractions of the album. at first glance. but when thinking about it, it is also a fascinating way to put the musical passages into a frame of free flowing space sounds, and I think that Is the purpose of how they are arranged, to me its a fascinating drift along with experience, and I got it earlier this week and have listened to it frequently ever since. It is not however an album you just pick up in the store however, I read much about it previously and even listened to a sample on a website, before getting it, to me it has been a very fascinating experience and I really could not wait to get this loosely hanging swirling thing in my CD player. although I must admit when I first heard the sample I thought what the hell is this? I kept repeating it and soon thought damn how good it is, it is not the most melodic record you will ever hear, and its not either trying to be a very melodic album, although it showcases the Moog can be melodic too! in places its more thrilling than others, oh no wait really every little sound is a thrill, but it is of course also a thrill when it comes into a more melodic passage, the surprise factor is really overwhelming and fresh and thrilling. hehee its true that in contrast to the upbeat groove that was in pounded with moog on the byrds Things will be better from the Reunion album or monkees daily nightly to name a few, this might come of as a way to abstract and murky thing to some, but it really IS fascinating and I cant stop myself from wanting to here it over and over, and bit here and a bit there, in the background, or whenever. because its so thrilling. but it might the crackling and high pitch sound might strike people unexpected who are not familiar with the Moog’s sound range, as this is not a thing heard as prominent on the Monkees records for instance, I know it comes of strange to give this album such a high rating , with only two loose hanging tracks and all that both end very sudden, but I can help my self being fascinated to the max. and errrm no your right its not such a upbeat affair, and it might leave one wanting for more... but hey thats found elsewhere, this album Electronic sound is... Well what it is extreme, abstract, but also extremely cool

I know this also led George to introduce the moog to the Beatles, during the abbey road sessions, something I never really thought much about until hearing it today heh don’t expect the stupid Maxwell’s silver hammer when listening to this just.. I know there has been some confusion on the CD release whether the song titles are reversed or not, whether no time or space is the longer one in the end or the one coming first, it is said that the order on the track list is reversed on the CD, which is significant as into which one is credited with assistance from Krause or not, but nevertheless ELECTRONIC SOUND produced by George Harrison, one of the most unexpected things you might hear, I read that they integrated some passages of the track no time or space on one of the tracks on all things must pass, this way some people might have heard some of the material of the his moog production and can tell which song really is which, I Haven’t however heard ALL THINGS MUST PASS in its complete form, and choose to prioritize to get hold of his two first solo albums first, You might do differently? you might not even know electronic sounds exists, you might not even know about the moog? well I do! and its a thrill maybe it seems as a strange place to start if you want to know either more about the moog, or start to get into Harrison’s solo carrier. well this is what I did to get into George solo carrier, and I knew I was already a fan of the moog, and I was a bit disappointed on the tiredness of much of the late Beatles,... errm to say the least electronic sound was Harrison really breaking loose from the Beatles I recommend this to George fans, and people who wants to see how much George had in his musical mind that was often neglected by Lennon/McCartney this is just one proof, though a very abstract one of Georges creativity, and it really shows he was about more than the quiet one who played lead guitar in the Beatles. I Personally think Harrison is an underrated musician both as a composer, guitarist, and singer but also as a creative, and willing producer, with a giant music mind. that in fact goes deeper than Lennon and McCartney, who otherwise usually gets all the legacy credit.

(just another noting, this album has a passage with a melt down electronic vanishing sound, similar to the one on kraftwerks hall of mirrors, from trans Europe express. Has anyone else noted on this?)

this is certainly something different, I advice you to break loose from the Beatles for a while (ehhe) and look this up I also noted that the gun shot like sounds are similar to the Bugoffs recording I composed called the tired march, I find it cool because it was way before I heard this. anyhow in conclusion, what I’m trying to say, despite its loose approach its a very thrilling, and inspiring glance of a different way of creating music, if you like me sit around with a Mac and a midi synthesizer, you will find this very inspiring, to just in the way how it works with pressing several buttons here and there and the thrill of how much different things that can come out. from just stroking a key... If you also create music this way, its easier to understand, how thrilled Harrison was about making this with his new, surprising Moog when it was all new with many buttons he had never pressed

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED(to the ones who are ready for it) I doubt you will hear anything like it. throughout there is a very spacy floaty flow surrounding the peices, yes it comes of very strange, but its a brilliant peice of work that never stops to fascinate me, ofcourse it is not through and trough melodic, and not very upbeat, but that can be found elsewhere , this is a thrilling, creative and fascinating peice of work trough its many abstract stages, I also recommend it to moog/synth entusiastst, who perhaps did not have any previous knowledge of this album, sort of one of a kind, but really a thrill, perhaps not what seems the most easylistenable effort around, but really how it floats through many stages is really capturing, this might not be a foot tapping experience, but its a neat, just get into the flow.

BeatleBeatle (April 2, 2005)

It's a fascinating look into technology that would dominate music a decade later, but it just isn't all that compelling.