Body Electric by Steve Roach & Vir Unis

Press Quotes upon its release:
bio-electronic "soul stirring body music, forged out of the reflections from the gene pool from which we crawled out." This collaboration has brought about a powerful step forward for both artists. Judging from those who have previewed this recording, it is sure to surprise, delight and perhaps short-circuit fans of dynamic electronic-organic music. This album was created on the instruments of our time by two artists who have reached deep into the heart of the machines, pulling out the passion captured on BODY ELECTRIC.

AmbiEntrance writes "Steve Roach has gotten together with Vir Unis to combine their sounds into a murky primordial stew which is stirred by rhythmic beats and grooves. BODY ELECTRIC is rooted in a mythic past via Prehispanic and shamanic percussion, yet extends into tomorrow via digital electronics and fractal groove creations. Despite its links to forgotten history and unknowable futures, the whole project also holds itself to a very human level; the core concept and track titles tend to be unusually biologically-focused. ----- Richly produced, BODY ELECTRIC marks a further evolution for Steve Roach's neo-primitive atmospheres; by stirring Vir Unis's fractal contributions into the mix, a fresh yet familiar sound is born. It's the perfect soundtrack for your own cyber-shamanistic activities. The AmbiEntrance rates it at 8.5 for ancient/futurism, delicious subtleties and the overall tribal beckoning that calls me in to join the tribe."


Steve Roach – Analog and Digital Instruments, Groove Creation, Prehispanic and Shamanic Percussion and Voice, Atmospheres, Soundworlds and Processing. 
Vir Unis – Fractal Groove Creation, Synthesizers, Treatments, Atmospheres and Soundworlds.

From the gene pool of possibilities, an evolutionary mandala emits the music of chance, while the electric body emerges intelligent and in an awakened state of eternal becoming. Forged out of the primordial protoplasm from which we crawled, Body Electric is a cyber-shamanistic celebration of man and machine.

Steve Roach and Vir Unis combine different rhythmic sensibilities and undeniable soundscapes in an alchemical reaction, creating an aural sensation that is surreal, hallucinogenic, but still organically human. Body Electric is a welcomed edition to the borderless world of new electronic music; this album is a zenith in bio-electronic body music, an evolutionary spark, a focused, high-energy trip of life-affirming, hyper-terrestrial grooves and sustained, soul-expanding soundworlds. 

Fresh from an extensive schedule of concerts and traveling, Roach found his energy still simmering and in need of expression. He had been exchanging ideas on tape for several months with Vir Unis. Both were anxious to get together — ideas were sprouting and in need of cultivation . . . the desire to create a new level of bio-electronic body music was clear. The result: an extensive marathon in Steve’s Tucson recording studio, The Timeroom. 

The music on Body Electric melded together, relying heavily on what Steve calls "the body clock," a sense of timing and flow both artists turned towards in shaping the music that evolved from their collaboration. "Chance" situations were explored and combined in an alchemical reaction, often setting a piece in motion – opening yet another zone of sensation to explore. These chance combinations created a powerful and intimate symbiosis for both artists, so powerful that they termed it their "mind link."

Steve Roach . . .
. . . is recognized as a prominent pioneer of electronic/ethno-ambient music, with over forty albums released under his name or in collaboration with others. His work consistently tops various Ambient, Contemporary Instrumental and New Age sales charts and reader polls and are considered quot;classics"in the genre. His ceaseless productivity, constant innovation and musicalopen-mindedness has led him to this new collaboration: Body Electric. 

"Collaborations that work are about taking each other to places you might not get to on your own. I feel that’s true here. Vir Unis has a highly developed and unique rhythmic-fractal groove style that goes beyond any beat-of-the-month styles, while still feeling like it’s driven by the pulse of modern life. This, in combination with my rhythmic sensibility, has created a sound that is exciting to our ears and feels potent in the body. Our mutual fascination with surreal, hallucinogenic soundworlds brought a common, undulating ground to stand on and create from. It feels like the evolution of sound that I have been reaching for since the beginning of my musical life."

As a pioneering cornerstone of progressive ambient-electronic music, internationally-renowned artist Steve Roach has dedicated five decades to exploring myriad soundworlds that connect with a timeless source of inspiration.

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