Ras.Al.Ghul

"Sinmatic Layers" (Album, 2002)

Thisco

Ras.Al.Ghul have an ideal home with Portuguese label Thisco, for the ambient electronica they produce sits well in this impressive experimental electronic label's catalogue.

Sinmatic Layers dates from 2002 and explores a pretty freeform (instrumental) style of electronica. A touch of tribal can be discerned amid the shifting vistas this creates. It's not easy to sum up, but this is more like texture mapping than songwriting per se, and as such it shares an extended history. High points like closer Mechanical Stress, an odd choice of title given the lilting tones shimmering by, even calls to mind the likes of Klaus Schulze at times. There's much to admire in Sinmatic Layers but I'm left in no doubt that I expect more from my electronica - ambient or otherwise. 6/10

Rob Dyer (July, 2006)