Cryo - Beyond

I've always been a bit harsh when it comes to Cryo. Even though I do think his music is great and I've followed his music development since demo stage, I'm probably the one that gives his album the lowest grades each time with my 7/10's. I don't know why, maybe I can feel there's even more potential to be found within him and with some more confidence; he could really deliver a bomb.

And with this MCD, I really think that he has evolved and taken a step forward. 'Beyond' is a concept album that is a sci-fi movie (not only the soundtrack) or perhaps a mind recording of Stephen Hawking's dreams?

The whole album has a slower paced tempo than we are used to, less dance floor oriented (part from the heavily dance floor focused "Event Horizon") and more focused on creating landscapes in the vast and cold space that is... space. Here, the cold EBM of Cryo works perfectly. You can really feel the sensation of a sun rise while circling orbit in "First Light", when something dark turns into beautiful and light stricken.

You will recognize the sounds that are typical Cryo, especially true during "Zero-G" that would not feel ashamed in the company of the tracks from his latest album 'Hidden Aggression', so if you are a fan of his earlier albums, don't be afraid.

There's a two let downs on this MCD though. The drum focused "Escape Velocity" and the ambient like "Beyond" could more or less be seen as intermezzos and on a MCD with 7 tracks where of one is a remix, it's a bit expensive and wasteful, but I'm sure Cryo sees it as building up for the next track, I simply don't agree with the value of them.

And for me, 'Beyond' is building up for the amazing "Singulariy - Future Populati Beyond" remix, don't get me wrong, the original version is great, but this remixed version is astonishing and the best track Cryo ever has released. If Cryo and Progress Productions are thinking about another Cryo video, this is the version and track that should be used, without a doubt.

I somehow feel that this MCD has given Cryo much, I can't let go of the fact that this somehow is a milestone, that this is important. I'm curious of how this experience will be incorporated into his next full-length, and not conceptual, album. Oct 24 2011