By Vinnie Apicella

Suppose you combined the music of Tangerine Dream with a variety of male and female vocal talents, put a drum loop behind it and named it after the founding artist/producer, what would you get? If your answer is Waldeck, you're on the right track. There's no verifiable proof that Tangerine Dream has anything to do with this recording but many of the sound effects and soothing background music does bring to mind the ageless German maestros. Here on "Balance of the Force", Waldeck, or probably "Klaus" to his friends, does just that in assembling a capable assortment of studio contributors to enhance his already skilled hand at creating and producing memorable mood music. Joy Malcolm, one of the featured singers found here lends a certain charm and appeal that just blend smoothly on tracks like "Defenceless", the touching "Children of the Ghetto" and the funky beats of "Aquarius" and "Wake Up" and lastly on the splendid piano-driven holographic vision of the simply titled "Moon". Take a spiritual night flight through a mystical universe, as Waldeck's force will strike just the right balance between fantasy and reality while dazzling your senses along the way. And upon your return, if you're really ready to handle a super-charged journey to the stars and beyond, Waldeck also does a complete remixed version of this ambient collection of new age wonderment on "Balance of Force-Remixed"!

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