JUNO REACTOR - LUCIANA

This is a somewhat different entry. I'm writing about Juno Reactor's 'Luciana' disc; which is mainly one long track. This composition isn't so much a song as an alien landscape created to cause the listener to have an emotional response. In a way, it's similar to the type of music I reviewed earlier by Vince Clarke and Martyn Ware. The difference is where Clarke & Ware try to add different dimension to music by creating multi-spatial landscapes, 'Luciana' simply creates an environment. Its focus isn't the melody or musical element, but rather the sound. Ben Watkins, the main songwriter for Juno Reactor, did this again on a smaller scale with the track 'Shark' from 'Bible Of Dreams'. You could listen to this track a literally feel like a predator floating on the bottom of the ocean floor, hunting for food. It's really extreme.

Where this track loses it's appeal is the length. It's just too long. That being said, when you play it in the background without focusing, it can pass rather quickly. Anyway you choose to play it, this song is an investment of time. Be prepared and be ready to involve yourself in what's going on.

Ben used to write on Juno Reactor cds... "Imagination, use it as a weapon". If his intention is to make people use their imaginations, I'd say he's doing an excellent job. Buy it if you're into ambient sound, or if you're a die-hard Reactor fan. It's not for the mainstream market. My final word: SPACEY.

JUNO REACTOR - LUCIANA
01. Luciana