Author: Peter Podbrežnik
Artist: Jade Warrior
Label: Pulse Records
Release: 1984
Length: 38:32
Rating: 3/5
Jade Warrior ‘rose from the dead’ in the mid-eighties, even though after splitting up in 1979 it looked like they’d be lying in a premature grave forever, just like quite a few of their prog rock peers. The times weren’t exactly kind to them in the era of new wave, melodic rock and dance, even though that was precisely when the synth-driven new age scene started taking shape, a scene Jade Warrior had a major hand in birthing with the albums they put out in the mid-seventies on Island Records.
»Horizen«, released on Pulse Records, was more or less a solo project of Jade Warrior’s founding guitarist, the sadly late Tony Duhig. Duhig wrote all the songs on the album and put his electric and acoustic guitars front and center in the production, though his longtime musical buddy and founding member, flutist, percussionist and keyboardist Jon Field, also took part in »Horizen«. Field, with his world-music-influenced percussion and flute woven in amid orchestral swells, played an important part in creating the album’s ethereal, nostalgic moods, while Duhig, partly with the help of a guitar synthesizer, tried to modernize their traditional sound. »Horizen« was the first Jade Warrior album since the compilation »Reflections« (1979), which collected tracks from their Vertigo Records days along with some previously unreleased material. In places, »Horizen« hasn’t exactly stood the test of time, as the synth production on some tracks sounds slightly dated.
This instrumental, ambient album, bordering on new age with the occasional jazzy touch, opens with the three-part suite »Images Of Dune«, inspired by the sci-fi novel of the same name and the 1984 film. Compared with the film’s soundtrack, contributed by Toto and Brian Eno, this is a somewhat less ambitious compositional undertaking. The long, rather dull intro, titled »Prescient Dawn«, is followed by the ambient-dark and dramatic »The Freman«, where you can hear busy work from a variety of percussion and the weaving of fiery guitar improvisations. The layering of pentatonic rhythmic nuances creates a slightly oriental atmosphere that fits the imagery of desert dunes, so the basic ambient goal of this not-so-impressive suite is essentially achieved. The closing part, »Journey On a Dream«, is built around a triumphant motif, where ‘archaic’-sounding synth textures rule alongside melodic guitar passages.
The biggest (positive) surprise on »Horizen« is »Caribbean Wave«, which, with its Latin rhythms and Copacabana vibe, is unlike anything Jade Warrior had done before, and that’s partly why it’s such a fun experiment, with Duhig and Field getting help from guest session players. That makes it the only composition with a full band rather than just a duo, which thoroughly livens up the traditional ambient Jade Warrior pulse. The saxophone interludes are especially fun, complementing the virtuoso guitar variations and the impressive work of the ‘exotic’ percussion very nicely.
The rest of the album, with a few exceptions, doesn’t offer many interesting moments. The title instrumental has a serene motif that Duhig and Field stretch out mainly by layering synth textures, the kind that were the latest cry in technology in the mid-eighties but have taken a solid beating from time today, and the cold, relatively sterile production doesn’t help either. On »East Wind«, Duhig and Field try to recreate the ambient magic of past Jade Warrior albums, where they drew inspiration mainly from world music, especially that rooted in the musical traditions of the Far East (China and Japan). Gradually they shape a lovely ambient motif, where the calm mood is spiced up mostly by playful flute passages and melancholic guitar improvisations. It’s one of the rare moments on »Horizen« that recalls some of Jade Warrior’s past gems from the seventies, when the ambient magic unfolded in a completely spontaneous way.
»Grey Lake, Red Mountain«, which opens with a gorgeous flute and piano arrangement, also has quite a few ambient links to Far East music, with an emotional electric guitar solo making up a chapter all its own. That solo is key to creating the soothing, relaxing and ethereal atmosphere. The somewhat drawn-out »Long Wait at Mount Li« closes the album in an unexpectedly pompous and dramatic fashion, with explosive motifs that nostalgically conjure up images of ancient imperial China and the Forbidden City.
Jade Warrior’s return to the music scene with »Horizen« didn’t quite land, though the album does have a few moments that recall their best days. All too often it feels like Duhig was the only musician who put his whole heart into this project, since you often get the sense that Field didn’t play most of the arrangements with his old fervor, as if he were on »Horizen« out of necessity, or as if he were doing a favor for his longtime musical comrade. The eighties production didn’t do much for the album’s longevity and relevance either. »Horizen« as a whole was certainly not a bad effort, but at the same time it’s not one of the better moments in Jade Warrior’s long career.
Lineup
Tony Duhig – acoustic and electric guitar, guitar synthesizer, percussion
Jon Field – flute, percussion
GUEST MUSICIANS:
Jeff Barak – drums (6)
David Duhig – second electric guitar solo (2)
Brad Lang – bass guitar (2)
Anisse Hadeed – steel drum and cymbals (2)
Gowan Turnbull – saxophone (2), flute (4)
Members of the Pro Musica of London – choral refrain (6)
Production
Jon Field and Tony Duhig
Track List
1. Images Of Dune: (11:58)
…a. Prescient Dawn
…b. The Freman
…c. Journey On a Dream
2. Carribbean Wave (5:37)
3. Horizen (2:18)
4. East wind (7:08)
5. Grey Lake, Red Mountain (5:29)
6. Long Wait At Mount Li (7:02)
