The Music of Steve Roach

Last updated December 19, 1997

Steve Roach is one of the best creators of ambient music now working. Starting about the same time that Eno stopped work in the field (1984), Steve has been creating a remarkable body of very high quality music. For many years I foolishly resisted buying his records, despite the occasional recommendation. The recording "Dreamtime Return" was strongly recommended but it was an expensive double CD set, so I didn't buy it. Finally, I found it in a store for just $18 and I took the plunge. Since then I've bought a fair number of Steve's CDs and I've liked all of them.

I gather from comments by other people on the net that Steve's music falls into three "different" categories: ambient, pulse, and tribal. I've been collecting his ambient works, so that is all I can speak to.

Some general comments: Steve uses synthesizers to create "sound sculptures". Often the pieces have no clear melody, occasionally they have no rhythmic element either. In effect the music exists in "real time" of human experience not the regimented time of most conventional music. Some people have argued that if music doesn't have a beat, then it doesn't exist in time. I don't agree. When music has no beat, it is still tied to the passage of real time as experienced by the listener. If you have ever listened to Brian Eno's CD "Ambient Four: On Land" you will understand something of what Steve's music is like.

Here are his CDs that I know, roughly in order of value.

The Magnificent Void

Released 1996: This is Steve's latest solo studio CD. I think it is wonderful. What is it like? There is nothing in the way of melody or beat to the music, instead sounds come out of nothingness, then leave. Other sounds stay and mutate over time. Other people have attempted this sort of thing (Klaus Schutze's "Dune" comes to mind) but nothing I have heard holds a candle to this.

Why does this work? The key I think is that there is significant variation between most of the tracks on the record. The whole 70 minutes sounds related but it does not sound all the same (unlike Eno's "Tuesday Afternoon"). Some of the sounds are so deep they are almost frightening. Other sounds are high and beautiful. I think this is a great introduction to Steve's work.

Top tracks: The Infinite Shore (#3) and the title track (#8).

Dreamtime Return

Released 1988. As I mentioned earlier, this is a double CD and it contains a remarkable two hours of music. Inspired by his trip to Australia, it perhaps marks the beginning of Steve's interest in tribal music. There are some tracks here that use native Australian instruments but most are his synth soundscapes. Not every piece on the two CDs "works" for me but most of it is great.

Top tracks: 5-7 on disc 1 (30 minutes) and track 1 on disc 2 (31 minutes long).

Western Spaces (with Kevin Braheny)

Released 1987. A very good record, an attempt to capture the beauty and mystery of the south-western desert (where Steve now lives). Largely succeeds in capturing some feelings of open, windswept, and empty places. I've spent a little time on the western desert so I have a hint as to what Steve is trying to communicate.

Top tracks: track 4 (12 minutes) and all the others except for "In the Heat of Venus" which is a very long and boring piece.

Stratus (with Robert Rich)

Released 1990. Rich has become a major ambient artist in his own right. The Roach/Rich collaborations have been reasonably successful but Roach has done better on his own. Robert Rich tends to produce music that is not as pleasant to listen to. Its obviously a matter of personal taste, and I like some of Rich's CDs, but not as much as I like Steve Roach's CDs.

Top tracks: 1, 3, 4, and 10. It also has some dull and annoying tracks.

Soma (with Robert Rich)

Released 1992. This CD is not as uneven as Status was, but also didn't contain as many nice tracks as well. So, more consistent, but less good overall. I suspect that Roach felt this and that is why they haven't collaborated together since.

Top tracks: 2 and 4. Rest is good but not super.

Structures from Silence

Released 1984. A very early CD from Steve. It is a very quite record, very simple with only two or three layers of sound. Comparing this CD to his "Void" CD of 1996 is almost like night and day. Steve's later CDs are far more sophisticated, complex, and the sound textures are richer, more subtle. I like this record, but there is no question that Steve has grown as an artist since this recording.

This link takes you to Steve's own web site. It is a nice web site with lots of good information about Steve and his music and his occasional tours

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