Art of Sacrifice is a debut for Dbkaos, but not his alter ego Dave Hickman, a programming expert who's released 13 sample albums on Zero-G. Of course gathering together effects and programming samples is one thing, turning them into coherent pieces of music is another entirely, but this set proves that Dbkaos' ear for fragments is far from the sum of his talent. The album is book-ended by two extraordinary pieces, "Stars Look Down" and the title track, a dichotomous epic pair that showcases both the artist's skill and the amazing breath of his moods. "Art of Sacrifice" is filled with foreboding, an ominous aura that swirls round a nursery as the tension gradually tightens and a rhythm builds up, even as the fear slowly begins to dissipate. And then the stalking begins. The tempo picks up, the beats quicken, the sense of menace returns, whips seem to crack and snap in the shadows. A child destined for Baal's fiery arms, a frenzied Dionysian hunt to the death, a sadistic murder, Sacrifice evokes them all and then some, for all of one's fears are played out here. One expects a violent crescendo; instead, the song drifts away into the murky mists like a terrifying nightmare melting away. In contrast, "Stars" is a lush, gorgeous, glorious, ambient piece that glitters like the stars themselves. It has a wonderful ebb and flow, textures so fine that they gleam in the moonlight, and at times shimmer like water reflecting light. The rhythms revolve in their own skewed orbits, the beats winking on and off like pulsars, while above clouds of melody drift by, and waves of sound crest and fall. The atmospheres glow brightly, the mood is ethereal, until suddenly the entire piece turns stark, only to be spun into glassy, gossamer spires that reach for the stars once again. "Hydrosphere" is even more organic, shimmering like a sea so clear one can see the fronds waving in the currents, coral basking in the light, schools of bright, tiny fish darting amongst the reefs, and larger marine animals leisurely drifting by. Opposing "Hydrosphere"'s beauty is the disconcerting "Mirror 2 Level 4," a piece whose Eastern flavors wrap around a twisted toy box sound, and one whose skewed structure finds its own internal logic. "After the Migration"'s structure, in contrast, is borrowed from veteran prog/space masters, and here Dbkaos creates a Tangerine Dream tinged piece whose melody lines artfully recall early Depeche Mode. Which brings us to the center piece, "Endelyon Alpa," a sublime track whose epic fourteen-plus minute length is belied by its breezy feel and kaleidoscope of sounds and rhythms, ever changing, each more lovely than the last. Time is eternal here, speeding by as the listener is entranced by the aural journey Dbkaos leads one along with no beginning, nor end, no grand climax nor fading dream. Start the set anywhere, play the tracks in any order: one's attention is immediately grabbed and not released until the final note sounds. A stunning debut. ~ Jo-Ann Greene|

Rovi