The Borderland was a large music review website administered by British music journalist John M Peters and featuring music that was generally produced by underground artists and small independent labels. The site closed in 2018, and I guess that all of the reviews were then lost as I can't find any on the ephemeral internet. The Borderland reviewed many of my early albums in the 2000-2010 decade, and when I asked about these in 2018, John sent me copies of his reviews, so for reasons of information preservation I've decided reproduce them here verbatim for posterity, one post at a time.
My note: This applies to the first edition of The Spiral Staircase, R4A, released 28/06/2002. The addendum mentions the second version, released 01/03/2008.
Mark Sheeky - The Spiral Staircase
Mark Sheeky - The Spiral Staircase This latest album by Mark Sheeky comprises a single thirty-seven minute track, so in this instance all of his musical eggs are in the one basket. The album opens with a crash of sonic thunder before wave after wave of synths start to create the structure of the track. That structure is almost symphonic - this is music on a grand scale: bass synths provide the rhythmic foundation, while a number of melody and arpeggio lines intertwine over them. It's all very, very dramatic, and definitely not for the chill-out zone. As with Synaesthesia the overall influences are Jarre and Vangelis, whose styles are so individual that melding the two together takes a special skill - especially when turning it into something uniquely your own. But there's also a strong feel for classical baroque music in there: Vivaldi, JS Bach - some of the keyboard runs remind me of the harpsichord continuo sequences found in their music. There's also something offbeat about this music, some of the glissandos are so drenched in distortion and ambient 'ice' that the music becomes angular and jagged and on the edge of being dangerous. The bottom line with The Spiral Staircase is that it is simply a tour-de-force showcase of electronica fireworks, but the music is also well worth investigating for its own merits. These two albums by Mark Sheeky reveal a talent worth noting and exploring.
Update [Feb 2008]:- Mark Sheeky has recently re-recorded The Spiral Staircase, adding several more minutes of music and using improved software and instrumentation to give the music an even more dramatic impact and presence. The original single piece of music is now a ten track suite with section titles such as Ascent, Sky Dragons, The Goblin Graveyard, Sea Monsters etc. The above review still stands - this refinement simply enhances what was already there. The album is now available as a professionally produced CD or as a download from Mark's own website, plus iTunes.
- John M Peters/The Borderland
