Visions "Lapse" CD Reviews

From the Judas Kiss webzine (U.K.)
The 14th ‘cycle’ (i.e. release) of Canadian dark ambient label Cyclic Law is this debut CD from Visons, the new project of label boss Frédéric Arbour, who has previously recorded with Instincts and doom metal band Longing For Dawn. Containing seven tracks spread over nearly an hour, Lapse is droning, cold and inhuman ritualistic ambient music in much the same vein as Chaos as Shelter, Bestia Centauri or the Aural Hypnox bands like Halo Manash and Zoät-Aon. The suffocating dread and generally ‘bad vibes’ atmosphere of Aural Hypnox product isn’t so evident with Lapse, however, which conjures feelings of cosmic indifference rather than the active malignancy of the Great Old Ones. The listener is mercilessly flung out into deep space, abandoned to drift forever between the stars, meditating on human insignificance. In space, as we all know, no-one can hear you scream – or sing either. Lapse has no voices, no tunes, nothing identifiably human to cling on to for security. You’re really on your own with this one. I always struggle with reviewing ambient CDs like this – the absence of conventional songwriting structure, lyrics, melody and rhythm as pegs on which to secure critical analysis means that reviews of ambient music tend to be even more subjective than other reviews. All that’s really possible is to describe the sounds present on the recording and the feelings they evoke. I particularly enjoyed the shimmering waves of stretched cymbals and bells on opening track ‘Abyssal Gaze’ and the darkly abstract, sonorous introspection of closing track ‘Lightless’. All in all, Lapse is a strong contender in the dark ambient field, where it’s often difficult for a new band or album to distinguish itself. Lapse is elegantly presented in a postcard-sized cardboard wallet featuring interstellar imagery – very pretty, even if awkward to store. SC

From the Twilight-Zone webzine (Italy)
Nuovo progetto solista dell'artista canadese Frederic Arbour, boss dell'etichetta Cyclic Law e mente dietro cui si celano i progetti Instincts e Looking for Dawn. Sette tracce per un totale di 56 minuti di totale perdizione nell'immensità di spazi infiniti, oscuri e desolati. Ci sono molti punti di contatto con lavori di Raison D'Etre, anche se questo lavoro risulta, comunque, abbastanza originale e vario. Il genere è Dark Ambient con accenni rituali. Immaginate di trovarvi in un vortice senza fine dove spazio e tempo sono dilatati all'inverosimile. Un viaggio nel nulla, con poche possibilità di tornare indietro salvi. Le
prime mille copie sono con copertina apribile, in un formato molto curato e particolare.

From the Side-Line magazine (Belgium)
This is another dark ambient chef-d’oeuvre released by the Canadian Cyclic Law Records. We’re again entering obscure and frightening ambient soundscapes, which have been composed with devotion and knowledge. It all sounds like a sacred rite for a nihilistic universe, where the music stands for the vision of apocalypse. The “Devoid of shadows”-cut is one of the most ultimate dark pieces in the genre. The beginning is a step further than the worst nightmare you ever had. This is pure cold sweat, which goes on for more than 9”. Another track I would like to mention is “Visions” for the sharp sounds emerging of the depths, which bring a kind of diversity in the composition! This is nothing less than another masterpiece! (DP:9)DP.

From the Brokendolls webzine (France)
Visions est le second projet de Frédéric Arbour (qui s'occupe du label Cyclic Law justement), après Instincts. Le style pratiqué ici est très proche de l'anglais Lustmord ou d'autres artistes de la space-ambient comme Land:Fire (side project d'Herbst9) ou Ionosphere. Rien de religieux ou de mystique, tout ici gravite dans un espace sonore infini. Les percussions sont tellement sourdes et lointaines qu'on ne les perçoit quasiment pas, on les ressent. Aucune mélodie ne viendra vous titiller l'oreille ici, tout est constitué de nappes, de grondements, de couches sonores spatiales et étrangement colorées, à l'image de la pochette fabuleuse.
Dans cet espace-son retranscrit, tout est vaste, tout prend des proportions énormes. L'espace-temps s'étire, se déforme sous ces ondes gravitationnelles invisibles, mais qui vous transportent malgré vous. Écoutez cette musique au casque, ou à l'aide de grosses enceintes : le son doit emplir vos oreilles, pour un effet maximal. Certes, il est extrêmement difficile de se rattacher à quoi que ce soit chez Visions, et plus d'un se refusera à l'abandon que ce disque requiert, mais pour les quelques courageux, c'est un voyage extrêmement plaisant et envahissant. En revanche je le concède, le disque n'a rien de vraiment original, et semble proche (trop ?) des artistes que j'ai cités au début. Mais si vous ne connaissez pas le genre, c'est un excellent moyen de débuter. Un bel artwork vient couronner le tout (cyclic law oblige), même si le packaging est un peu léger et fragile (une feuille cartonnée pliée en deux).

From the Virus magazine (U.S.A.)
"Lapse"is another excellent ambient CD from the always excellent Cyclic Law label by Canadian Frédéric Arbour.
A traditional song concerns itself with its own concrete movement in space and time. It has a beginning, middle, and an end. The transport of sound is linear, and vehicles such as melody and rhythm see the song to its proper conclusion. Ambient music concerns itself with the abstract approximation of space and time. It has no beginning, no middle, and no end. The transport of sound is non-linear, and it rarely, if ever, relies on melody and rhythm to take it anywhere specific. This makes reviewing an ambient CD rather difficult, because the reference points are mired in abstraction and, therefore, make the interpretation entirely subject to the reviewer’s imagination. To give you an example of ambient in terms of words, James Joyce’s “Finnegans Wake” is probably the most ambient piece of literature ever written. To give a mathematical example, a traditional song is a line on a graph. Ambient music is the space around that line. I can state something like, “this CD sounds like a solitary drift into deep space on a haunted spacecraft”. This is an abstract image I am providing. It has very little useful information, yet we all can imagine what deep space might sound like on a haunted spacecraft, from watching films or from reading books. The tools of the composer are the most important aspects of ambient music. By creating subtle, or not so subtle, changes in pitch, tone, volume, rhythm, and texture, the ambient artist uses these tools the same way a painter uses paint and brushes. This is the only way one can properly gauge the merit of an ambient piece. It’s not enough to say that this is a good CD. It is more important to convey how well the composer used the compositional tools at hand. With that being said, Arbour does an incredible job conveying a sense of solitude and a creating a sense of the infinite.
This is a truly masterful work and an ambitious project not to be missed. Michael Casano,  07 Nov 2005

From the Terrorverlag webzine (Germany)
Das Label CYCLIC LAW wird wahrscheinlich vielen von euch bekannt sein. Die Quebecer haben sich nämlich in den letzten Jahren mit ihren sowohl musikalisch als auch gestalterisch sehr anspruchsvollen Veröffentlichungen einen Namen in der Dark Ambient Szene erarbeitet. In ihrem Katalog findet man solch prestigevollen Namen wie NORDVARGR, SOFIA, ARCANA oder KARJALAN SISSIT. Bei dem Project VISIONS haben wir es nun mit niemand anderem als dem Labelboss höchstpersönlich zu tun. Neben anderen musikalischen Tätigkeiten in Richtung Metal (LONGING FOR DAWN) und Orchestral Ambient (INSTINCTS, ebenfalls auf Cyclic Law) wagt sich Frédéric Arbour mit diesem neuen Solo-Projekt in die Gefilde der kalten, düsteren und beunruhigenden Soundscapes, und zeugt dabei von nicht minderem Talent, als das der vielleicht nominell bekannteren Bands, die auf seinem Label erscheinen.
Das Motiv des eleganten Klappcovers ist schon tonangebend: bei den sieben Stücken von „Lapse“ handelt es sich um synthesizer-orientierten „Cosmic“ Ambient, wie er im Deutschen Lande am besten von Bands wie INADE oder FIRST LAW praktiziert wird. Und in der Tat würde diese Veröffentlichung, von Musik und Gestaltung her, eine Zierde im Katalog der LOKI FOUNDATION darstellen. Die langen und ruhigen Tonflächen, die sich abwechselnd beklemmend, berauschend oder besänftigend im Raum entfalten und langsam aber sicher ihren Weg die Wirbelsäule des Hörers entlang finden, bis in die dunkelsten Schlupfwinkel seines Gehirns, scheinen die Geschichte einer Reise zu erzählen, die in den Sternen anfängt und Schritt für Schritt in die Unterwelt führt. Nach Stücken wie „Visions“, das uns die kalte Schönheit des Weltraums noch erahnen lässt (und an die besten Momente von FIRST LAW oder BAD SECTOR erinnert), wird einem auf dem faszinierenden „Passage“ klar, dass das Schiff dieser interstellaren Reise ein Dimensionen durchdringendes Geisterschiff ist, das alles in seinem Kielwasser kalt und lebensentleert hinterlässt. Aus dem galaktischen Abgrund steigt das Klagen der Toten. Stück für Stück schwebt der Hörer in einen Limbus hinein, wo ihn nur Klänge umgeben, die das Echo eines lang vergessenen Leben zu sein scheinen... oder vielleicht die Stimme der Urzeit, als die Welt nur Eis und Äther war. Die Musik von VISIONS spricht einen Teil unseres Wesens an, das sich in den Schatten unserer Seele verbirgt und uns mit einer Welt verbindet, die sich unserem Bewusstsein entzieht. Durch „Lapse“ bekommen diese schwer begreiflichen, beunruhigenden und zugleich faszinierenden Gefühle und Intuitionen für einige Minuten, von den man wünscht sie wären endlos, eine Gestalt. Beim Hören des Albums versteht man, warum im Hinduismus der Klang die eine Erscheinungsform ist, welche die Transzendenz am besten ausdrücken kann...
Eine bedingungslose Empfehlung also für alle Liebhaber des Genres und für mich das Beste, was ich bis jetzt von Cyclic Law gehört habe.

From the Filth Forge webazine (Italy)
Canadian dark ambient-focused label Cyclic Law presents the new solo work by its boss Frédéric Arbour, aka Visions. The fascinating package itself gives a clear hint about the sound we are expected to encounter on "Lapse": deep space, slowly evolving human-lacking soundscapes. It's a journey back in time, when there was no life around and the universe was being born, across seven tracks shifting one into another, for the total running time of 56 minutes.
Deep revolving drones and cold, monumental synths suggest to the listener's mind images of roaring meteors darting into the void, nova stars exploding, new planetoids assembling from their ruins. The effect is stunning, especially if listened at high volume in the evening, inside a darkened room. It's impossible to speak of a track rather than another, all seven are part of a single, huge composition and can hardly be distinguished if taken individually. However, "Visions" and final "Lightless" are probably the most outstanding moments, due to a kind of subtle melody pervading them and to very beautiful and inspiring sounds.
Even if not of groundbreaking originality, the recordings of "Lapse" are sure to please all dark ambient followers and offer them unique listening experiences, thanks to the superbly evoked impressions of deep primordial space and frightening absolute. On the other hand, those who are not much into this scene should test Visions' music first, as its icy and inhuman taste is not likely to make it easy to dive into its thick layers and have your whole attention firmly captured for the total running time of the CD.

From the Re:Gen magazine (Sweden)
Another promising release from Cyclic Law, the Visions project is the latest offering from Frédéric Arbour, who has also recorded with Instincts as well as metal act Longing For Dawn. With Lapse, the composer stays mostly within the industrial ambient formula, so you can expect lots of guttural drones interrupted by the occasional echoing clatter of metal on metal. However, this is a magnificent example of the genre, full of cold otherworldliness and richly layered effects. From the washes of sustained cymbals on opening track “Abyssal Gaze,” Arbour sets up an ongoing aural theme of atmospheres derived from processed vibrating metal. “Visions,” for example, is adorned with gongs that reverberate as though from ocean depths, and the guttural “Devoid of Shadows” is full of what sounds like rattling sheets of steel. “Lapsing” comes the closest to organic, by turns buzzing like a swarm of insects and droning like a didjeridu, but it’s “Lightless,” the album’s final track, that really cements Arbour as one of the genre’s rising stars. Starting out with drones and hollow bell-like peals washed through oceans of sustain, it eventually shifts into a quiet clacking eerily reminiscent of dried bone against bone, conjuring up all the claustrophobic paranoia of groping your way sightlessly through some ossuary deep beneath the earth. It’s marvelously evocative and spine-chillingly creepy. If Cyclic Law can keep putting out albums like this one, they’ll soon be giving Cold Meat Industry a run for their money.

From the Dagaz Music webzine (Portugal)
Visions is the third project of the man behind Cyclic Law – Frederic Arbour. Leaving behind the now defunct dark ambient project ‘Instincts’ and in parallel with the doom band ‘Longing for Dawn’, Frederic presents now his new incursion into the deepest Ritual Dark Ambient: ‘Visions’. Presented with a wonderful gatefold sleeve, this is the 14th Cyclic Law cycle. Another brilliant Cyclic Law edition. And with it Frederic Arbour takes another step forward on the deepest and darkest sonorities. One long hour of dark drones and melancholic ambiences [sometimes closer to desolation], always very well composed, makes ‘Lapse’ one of the most interesting spacy releases I ever listened to. ‘Lapse’ is no easy listening; if you want to get everything from it you have to give it all your attention, the compositions are unusually rich, full of nuances and hidden sounds. Perfect!

From the Music Extreme webzine (Argentina)
This is one of the ultimate experiences in dark experimentation. Visions is pure experiment with dark textures and obscure atmospheres. Visions experiment a lot using different layers of sound and putting them slowly together. Frédéric Arbour, the man behind Cyclic Law Records is the brain behind visions, and he has a lot of experience in this type of music. That becomes evident while listening this album where the ambient quality of the tunes is the main feature.  The tracks here are really dark and introspective showing how Frédéric developes the ideas always keeping in mind that Visions is pure dark textures: And this is an ideal album to listen with your headphones because you can follow all the details that are created here and don´t miss a thing. This is pure experimentation in darkness.

From the Heathen Harvest webzine (U.S.A.)
Cyclic Law Records of Canada has dependably satisfied many ambient music listeners’ ravenous appetites for deep, esoteric ambient music for quite some time now. When Cyclic Law introduces a new artist to the ambient music hordes it is well worth the effort to take notice. Connoisseurs of ambient music have come to rely upon Cyclic Law to provide them with ambient music that reaches deep into the nether reaches of the mind while stimulating hidden landscapes of the imagination. Following in this tradition of psychoactive ambient music comes the release of Cyclic Law’s latest discovery Visions.
Visions produces aural soundscapes carved out of liquid sounds that coalesce and expand organically as if the listener were bearing witness to primordial matter forming in the great of void of the early universe. Like stars forming from wisps of gas and indefinable matter the music gently shifts and surges remaining forever on the brink of formation. Visions explores gentle nuances accented by long deliberate drones that roll across the listener like water sheering across the surface of ice. Sounds roll and pulse out from unknown origins reaching towards infinite as they slowly merge with one another and disintegrate. The center of the music remains a constant nucleus of sound releasing waves of ethereal music that weave and cascade through the speakers.
Visions manifests this phenomena effortlessly and with no detection of a contrived vision or dominating agenda. The music is free of human imprint and if listened to under a starry sky in the silence of the night you might find yourself understanding the hidden soundtrack of the universe that we so seldom contemplate. Whether journeying out beyond the borders of our stratosphere or winding your way into the inner reaches of your own being “Lapse” is and ideal soundtrack capable of loosening the stubborn self from its moorings. Nothing exists within “Lapse” to guide you. Rather the experience is one of free falling into an endless ethereal void in which all directions are equally appealing and navigation yields to absolute extension.
“Lapse” should please ambient enthusiasts and those looking for music without a dominate agenda. If you are looking to abandon yourself in the warm embrace of the stars or else journey into your own inner universe allow Visions to float you to your destination. “Lapse” is excellent music to retreat into if you are looking to abandon the chatter of the mind and the intrusion of the outside world upon your being.

From the Ventrilocution webzine (Portugal)
Despite coming from a significantly different background, in geographical terms at least, Frédéric Arbour (and possibly the fine folks at Cyclic Law) shares with the artists from Aural Hypnox a similar concept of what "ritual dark ambient" music should sound like. The undeniably transcendental vibe that oozes from releases like Halo Manash's Syoma or Zoät-Aon's Star Autopsy is evoked throughout the vast majority of Lapse and, even if they do not necessarily enhance the same aspects, the similarities in terms of depth and scope are remarkable. Thus, it is only natural that the musical direction of Visions should reside in the same encompassing sonicscapes of both aforementioned releases and, interestingly enough, the Canadian's take on the subject is at least every bit as detached from the mundane as Zoät-Aon's, although it resorts to slightly more 'earthly' sonic aids. In fact, while Zoät-Aon possesses a much more pervading sense of primordial completeness, Visions is rather the depiction of an already expanding Universe that continues to grow on its own momentum, thus creating new vistas that find their place therein and allowing for a certain degree of representation of the human condition.
To further corroborate that impression, "Abyssal Gaze" is introduced by a dense array of sound layers that sound unavoidably spatial, despite the constant recurrence to what seems to be an attempt to recreate a human voice. The result is frankly overwhelming, especially since "Auroral Glare" provides a wholly different vibe without sounding the least bit detached from its predecessor. The logical succession of sonicscapes is almost frighteningly well coordinated and you can definitely sense an unusually strong aural leitmotif that binds these seven themes rather inextricably and confers upon them a deeper meaning and purpose. Therefore, the smooth passages between songs are almost imperceptible, even though the feel of each one is consistently different from its predecessor; which is quite an astonishing task; more so when hidden beneath the seemingly abstract walls of sound lay small clusters of unbridled musicality (the awe-inspiring "Visions" is paradigmatic of such events). The same could be, with slight modifications, said about the rest of the album, for despite the individual intricacies inherent to every track, the overall feel is maintained effectively and without loss of purpose or appeal. If anything, it seems to be consistently amplified as one is drawn closer to its ending and even if it is properly announced, there are only two viable options: to press the repeat button or to wallow aimlessly in the silent void it creates until the surrounding elements slowly regain their prior meaning.

From the Funprox webzine (Holland)
Visions is a new creative outlet for Frédéric Arbour, founder of the Cyclic Law label. Earlier he released a fine album as Instincts, and he also plays in a doom metal band called Longing For Dawn. This album by Visions is a fine collection of 'classical' dark soundscapes, like we're used of from Cyclic Law. Titles like 'Devoid of shadows' and 'Abyssal gaze' say it all: this is bleak, chilling music, that expresses a feeling of isolation. Deep drones, thick layers of low rumblings, subtle scraping and distorted sounds, only gradually changing sound patterns with a hypnotic effect. I get a feeling of weightless floating through an endless obscured void. "Lapse" would be a suitable soundtrack for a space travel documentary. Almost an hour of focused ambient music to stimulate the imagination of concentrated listeners. Solid, without any real surprises.

From the Neo-Form webzine (Germany)
Frédéric Arbour, seines Zeichens Chef des Labels Cyclic Law, präsentiert hier sein erstes Schaffen unter dem Projektnamen Visions, welches sich hervorragend in die Dark-Ambient Erscheinungen seines Labels einreihen lässt. Für den ein oder anderen Leser könnten seine weiteren Projekte sicher von Interesse sein. So kreierte Frédéric Arbour schon unter Projektnamen wie ‚Instincts’ und ‚Longing for Dawn’ Musik. Hier in seinem Solo Projekt wird vorwiegend mit Drones gearbeitet, welche sehr monoton sind. Durch den Einsatz weiterer Klangeinflüsse wird eine in sich scheinbar fliesende und variable Klangstruktur erzeugt. Hier gelingt es dem Künstler, dem Hörer vor dem inneren Auge eine Spirale erzeugen zu lassen, welche sich scheinbar endlos zu drehen scheint. Die Änderungen in dem Klangkonstrukt sind als Hörer schwer erkennbar, sodass man schon akribisch auf sich ändernde Umstände schaut. Kleine Details werden ein wichtiges Element nach der Suche des Sinnes des ewigen sich Wandelnden!
Klar dürfte sein, dass das hier Gebotene sicher keine Einsteiger Musik ist und dem Hörer viel Konzentration abverlangt. Die Gesamtspielzeit der 7 Titel bewegt sich etwas über 56:00 Minuten und ist natürlich auf Cyclic Law erschienen.

From the Chain DLK webzine (U.S.A.)
I received this for review in the same package as Kammerheit “The Starwheel.” They share similar elements. Both are nice drone, dark ambient music, but overall this seems a lot darker and heavier than Kammerheit I don’t really know how to describe it, but this is some pretty heavy stuff. Not too noisy, but definitely dark, oppressive, and a lot more complex that Kammerheit. This is not music that soothes the listener. Rather, it demands that the listener pay close attention and never deviate from listening. If your mind wanders, there will be some musical element in the piece that will jar you back. On some tracks, such as “Passage” the music becomes a bit noisier. This is not pleasant drone music. Rather, this seems meant to put the listener on edge. “Lapsing” sounds as if it were specifically written for a suspenseful part of a movie soundtrack. You know something bad is about to happen and there is nothing that you can do to stop it.
What makes this disc interesting is everything that seems to lie just below the surface of the music. Elements surge in and out of the music to make themselves recognized and then fade back into the mix. Overall, if you like your dark ambient music to be really, really dark, this is definitely a must to pick up. Review by: Brett "Eskaton"

From the Aural Pressure webzine (U.K.)
Little known fact (1): Frederic Arbour released the incredible Instincts release "Mystery Visions" which no self respecting collector of music should be without. Little known fact (2): He’s also in a Doom-metal band called Longing for Dawn…I’ll pass on that one. Little known fact (3): He’s the founder of Cyclic Law records. One of THE collectable labels around in terms of releases and their packaging. Little known fact (4): He’s back to recording…this time under the name Visions…and fuck me sideways if he hasn’t released another corker. The man is on a roll any hardened gambler would sell their granny for. "Lapse" is seven tracks that is aimed squarely at connoisseurs of Space ambient music. You know the type of stuff by now. Deeply layered and continually evolving dark atmospherics evoking images of star clusters and planets in transition. Electronic drones and echoing pulses reflecting the vastness of unexplored landscapes. The airless vacuum so cold and uninviting. A threatening visage of the unknown creatively put to music. The titles of the tracks say it all: ’Abyssal Gaze’, ‘Visions’, ’Passage’, ‘Auroral Glare’, ‘Devoid of Shadows’, ‘Lightless’. Every single one skilfully crafted soundscapes that will literately take your breath away. The dark emptiness of space has never been more fully realised. Little known fact(5): The classic "The Place where the Black Stars Hang" by Lustmord was the template that all artists involved in Space ambient music hoped to one day emulate. That day has arrived and been finally superseded by the magnificent "Lapse". If you must have only one space ambient recording in your collection make sure it’s this one. All others pale into comparison.

From the Les Acteurs De L'Ombre webzine (France)
Cyclic Law Records évolue par cycle comme son nom l'indique et certains sont déjà réputés comme le terrorisant Sophia : Deconstruction Of The World. L‚on sait tout le respect (amplement mérité) dont jouit la formation de Peter Bjargo. Dans ce fil éditorial dark ambient/indus, Visions se veut un dark ambient très évasé, évoluant sur des plateformes dont on ne voit jamais la fin. Une pénétration onirique dans un univers que l'on s'imagine, bienvenu dans le space dark ambient. Le dark ambient restera toujours une musique dont la création ne peut être dissociée de sa réception dans le sens ou les titres crées par le compositeur n‚existent que pour un rendu très personnel et expérimental dans l'oreille de l'auditeur. Bon nombre de formations dark ambient comme Lustmord ou MZ 412, mènent une recherche sonique et musicologique tout en créant leur art. En écoutant Visions, projet du directeur de Cyclic Law : Frédéric Arbour, il semble que l'on soit proche de l,excellent dernier Letum dans une certaine forme de fluidité et dans le souffle ambient dégagé. Curieusement, ce Lapse en particulier le titre Auroral Glare m,évoque les fameux sons ambiants des aliens de « La Guerre des Mondes » (le dernier Spielberg). Le musicien qui s'en est chargé a véritablement accordé de surprenantes sonorités invoquant quelque chose qui n'est pas humain, que l'homme ne connaît pas. Le film ne restera pas dans les annales mais les sirènes ambiantes des extraterrestres résonnent toujours dans mon esprit justement pour leur grain et leur fréquence « a-humains ». A contrario de formations comme Caithness dévolues au dark ambient religieux, Visions n'est pas terrestre et s'arque subtilement au dessus du vide pour ne pas retomber sur terre. Visions semble détenir un spectre plus large que Kammarheit. De ce fait l'univers nous semble mieux suggéré même si le travail sur les boucles sonores, samples et arrangements de Bostrom est plus monolithique, formant une boule sonore. D'une manière générale, l'on sait bien que le matériel de travail est souvent le même : des logiciels de créations et retouches musicales comme Magix Music Maker ou le célèbre Cubase. La manière de l'employer est différente pour autant. Avec Visions, l'on soupçonnerait Arbour de vouloir retranscrire sur écrin laser, la bande sonore du cosmos, ce que l'on entendrait perdu dans l'espace. De là on comprend bien que l'imagination tout comme pour Kammarheit doit remplir un rôle conséquent pour que l'écoute soit délicieuse. Le dark ambient plus que tout autre style est toujours éminement difficile à cerner, encore plus à retranscrire. Sur Passage, on apprécie grandement la gravité d,une boucle récurrente qui, si vous possédez un casque haute fidélité, se montre particulièrement angoissante. En concordance avec la tradition dark ambiant, Arbour ancre sa création dans un plaisir d'audiophile avant tout. In fine, Visions a un spectre, une dimension sonique qui m'apparaît plus large et surtout plus angoissante que Kammarheit. Mais les vagues ambiantes de Bostrom semblent mieux produites et plus fluides encore. Dans tous les cas, les deux formations se rejoignent dans l'épuration sonore d'espaces illimités et inconnus de l'espèce humaine. Elles semblent détenir un certain don pour modeler une musique qui se fait véritablement cinématique.

From the Kronic webzine (Italy)
Visioni senza fine. Dopo una serie di interessanti releases è arrivato il momento per Frédéric, boss della Cyclic Law, di dare il proprio contribuito in termini strettamente musicali. Visions è appunto l‚anima sonora di mr. Arbour, una seconda incarnazione che segue quella più inquietante di Instincts. Lo standard grafico della Cyclic Law è, come sempre, curato. Un semplice e rigido digifile con un‚ampia selezione di scatti spaziali e cosmici. Ed infatti il lavoro grafico dovrebbe lasciare pochi dubbi sulla via sonora intrapresa da „Lapse‰. Dark ambient ambientata nel cosmo, musica che descrive l‚infinito ed i suoi corpi celesti attraverso drones ed altri campionamenti che hanno il merito di dare una sagoma alle intenzioni ed alle idee del progetto canadese. Nessuna sorpresa nel notare la lunghezza dei singoli brani, è una costante del genere e certifica la forma Œnon-canzone‚ di cui sono dotati questi esperimenti. „Abyssal Gaze‰ è la traccia d‚apertura, una discesa improvvisa negli abissi (o nelle estreme altezze?) della sfera celeste con sottofondo audio a base di un denso quanto sfuggente tappeto ambient con drones per un tocco sinistro e timidi quanto profondi bassi per dare corposità ad una leggerezza palpabile. Si passa a momenti più Œvivi‚, simili a lampi di fuoco con „Auroral Glare‰, una struttura più ricca di livelli ed accenni noise (appena velati) in „Visions‰, insidiosa nel suo intricato cielo stellare. Più tenebrosa e senza fine „Passage‰ con sottofondo profondo e tristemente sconfinato graffiato da high tones e atmosfere coperte da nebbia aliena in una fosca e claustrofobica „Lapsing‰. Si chiude con „Lightless‰, titolo esplicativo per indicare il minimalismo che contraddistingue questo solitario ed isolazionista epilogo, l‚abbandono verso territori mai esplorati. Torbide e dispersive atmosfere adatte esclusivamente per i duri&puri della dark ambient più introspettiva ed esigente. Da evitare se non si è nel mood giusto. Se invece si vive di pane e ambient, „Lapse‰ sarà in grado di darvi buoni momenti di godimento stellare.

From the Heavy Music Portal webzine (Italy)
Paesaggi di ritual ambient oscuro e dal mood spaziale per il nuovo progetto firmato dallo stesso mastermind della Cyclic Law (Frederic Arbour, già con Instincy e Longing For Dawn). Musica che ricorda un viaggio nelle dimensioni siderali, richiamando alla mente certi percorsi iniziatici che partendo da un viaggio fisico si tramutano in cammino dell'animo umano. Utilizzando droni dilatati e di forte impatto emotivo, Visions costruisce vere e proprie stanze asettiche, dove ogni sensazione viene amplificata e si fonde con i suoni abilmente manipolati dal musicista, perfetto maestro di danze per questa esperienza dei sensi. Ovviamente, non è una proposta propriamente innovativa, rimandando a quanto già proposto da altri progetti più o meno famosi, eppure Visions riesce a distinguersi per la capacità di dare un tocco psichedelico al tutto, quasi ci si trovi di fronte ad una mutazione ambient delle band che negli anni sessanta e settanta resero famoso il termine "space rock". Tolto il "rock", quello che resta è la mancanza di gravità e la distorsione della temporalità, fino al raggiungimento del distacco tra corpo e mente, quasi mera spettatrice esterna agli avvenimenti. Un album affascinante e interessante, pur nella sua apparente fedeltà al genere.
This is major Tom to ground control

From the Absolute Zero webzine (U.S.A.)
I see a running theme with Cyclic law releases, they like the darker side of the experimental / ambient world. From reading the sheet that came with this Visions is the project of label founder Frederic. The Release comes in a lovely full color glossy fold over cardboard package. Also looks like a invitation. Musically this could be brothers of the same color as they use very similar elements both Kammerheit and Visions. Though Visions seems a bit more active and likes to experiment with tones and textures more and less of the Drift /spacial qualities . This after 3 tracks is a very dark and haunting release all to its own. The production is huge on this and is even better with headphones. Visions as a very desolationish feeling coming across it.These are the kind of releases that take a long time to craft and are sadly passed off as minimalist simple releases. Which is the most far from the truth. Make sure you continue to support releases like this as this is the only way experimental music will grow and thrive.

From the Ikonen webzine (Germany)
Mit Instincts und Visions präsentiert Cyclic Law Label chef Frédéric Arbour seine eigenen musikalischen Visionen, die nahtlos an die Programmatik seines Unternehmens anknüpfen.Was er auf dieser dronelastigen Darkambient-CD "Lapse" unternimmt, lässt sich nur mit dem letzten Viertel des SF-Kultfilms 2001 - ODYSSEE IM WELTRAUM vergleichen: Durch das Sternentor tauchen wir in die Untiefen unseres Geistes, der sich wiederum spiegelt in den Irritationen und Schattenspielen des Alls. Feuer und Eis prallen aufeinander (siehe das Cover) um neues Leben zu zeugen in einem initialen Inferno. Der Blick in den Abgrund ("Abyssal gaze") führt udrch mystische Visionen ("Auroral Glare", "Visions") in eine transcendentale Passage ("Passage") in die absoluten Tiefen des Raums ("Devoid of Shadows", "Lightless").
Düster-esoterische Klangsklupturenentfalten sich in vereinnahmender Dichte und Intensität. "Lapse" ist ein Traum von einem Darkambient-Album. Inspirierend und eindrucksvoll. :ms:

From the Necroweb webzine (Germany)
"Lapse" ist das Debutalbum von Visions, einem Dark-Ambient Soloprojekt des Kanadiers Frédéric Arbour (Instincts, Longing for Dawn). Was bei diesem Album auffällt, ist die beim ersten Hördurchgang sehr einheitlich, ja fast schon eintönig wirkende Ausrichtung der Tracks, die sich bei genauerem Hinhören jedoch durchaus deutlich voneinander unterscheiden. Vor allem wenn man sich die Tracktitel zu dem jeweiligen Song gedanklich vor Augen hält offenbart das Album einen ungeahnt differenzierten Detailreichtum. So setzt Frédéric Arbour in "Abyssal Gaze" auf düstere und mystische Klänge, in "Auroral Glare" hingegen vermehrt auf höhere und somit heller wirkende Tonlagen, so daß sich diese beiden Songs in ihren durch den Titel vorgegebenen 'Grenzen' bewegen. In "Visions" kommt hingegen eine wellenartig an- und abschwellende Konstruktion zum Vorschein, die Stimmung wechselt immer wieder mit dem sich ändernden Klangbild, wie eben eine Reihenfolge von Bildern vor unserem geistigen Auge vorbeistreicht. Ein interessanter Effekt kommt auch bei "Passage" zum Einsatz, der die Thematik eines Übergangs in eine andere Welt oder (Bewusstseins-)Dimension sehr schön zum Ausdruck bringt. Durch eine relativ gleichbleibende Grundstruktur, die man als unsere natürliche Umgebung betrachten könnte, und eingestreuten, sich rasch ändernden Klängen entsteht eine Art Wurmloch-Akkustik. Die gleichbleibende Umgebung wird von etwas unbekanntem aufgerissen und ermöglicht einen Blick in eine andere Dimension, so wird das hier musikalisch präsentierte in Filmen dargestellt.
"Lapse" ist ein gelungenes Album, das man sich am besten mit guten Kopfhörern beim entspannten Faulenzen im abgedunkelten Zimmer zu Gemüte führt. Als reines Hintergrundgedudel sollt man die Platte aber nicht abtun, dafür verstecken sich zu viele Details in den Songs. Daher ist "Lapse" eher den aufmerksamen Hörern zu empfehlen als den 'Nebenbeihörern'.

From the Morpheus Music webzine (U.K.)
STYLE: Solemn, thick, dark ambient - beatless and abyssal. From the low groaning opening bars the pattern is established for Lapse - dolorous drones and scraping, writhing overtones build into ponderous melodic patterns and pensive atmospheres. Some tracks are softer than others welling up into a bewildering obscurity that threatens to engulf the listener in cloudy folds and curves of tone. At times dense layers of sound roll in repeatedly like waves accompanied by atonal sweeps and strains on the upper register or shrouds of lower sound rumbling, shuffling.
 
MOOD: The mood initially appears bleak and grey - like churning mists at night, somewhat unsettling and portentous. Deeper listening reveals further depth and colour - suggesting abstract, spacey imagery drawing the minds eye outward toward ever-evolving visions of distant nebulae and immense starscapes.
 
ARTWORK: The vertically opening gatefold artwork is sharp and classy, no plastic, rather a simple high quality card wallet. Front cover imagery shows a menacing, smouldering dark volcanic star hovering close over the surface of a grey/blue planet. Sweeping fiery emissions flung from the core of the former are matched by bright turquoise evaporation rising from the lower body. A starscape bright with blood red nebulae fills the rear cover with the Cyclic Law logo and website details neatly at bottom centre. Inside the gatefold is mainly black as is the CD itself - a stark red arc and out-flung traces carrying the only colour. Here we have the track list, credits and thanks.
 
OVERALL: Visions is basically Frédéric Arbour owner of Cyclic Law. This is the debut album under the project name; built around intense multi-layered drones of unrecognisable origin, no bright synths here or cheap keyboard presets. Lapse is relatively melodic for an ambient album and although it could be used as mood music to set a suitably shadowy climate, this is an album that will be most rewarding given some attention. The gatefold edition of Lapse is a limited edition of only 1000 copies.
 
WHO WILL LIKE THIS ALBUM: Lapse will suit fans of melodic dark ambient - someone looking for a strong shadow and heavy mood.

From the Guts Of Darkness webzine (France)
Après Instincts, Frédéric Arbour s'aventure dans les espaces cosmiques infinis avec son nouveau projet, Visions. Avec 'Lapse', il s'inscrit dans la droite lignée des productions de la Loki Foundation, et tout particulièrement Inade ou le side-project de Herbst9, Land:Fire. Space-ambient classieuse, profonde et immédiatement prenante dès 'Abyssal gaze' qui semble lever un pan du voile mystérieux masquant les territoires peuplés de trous noirs effrayants. Le son travaillé très soigneusement n'est pas avare en réverb' et delays obsédant, poussant toujours plus loin l'exploration sonore pour le plus grand plaisir des amateurs de trip psychédélique industriels. La navigation dans ces contrées par-delà les étoiles ne nécessite aucune autre boussole que les sens en éveil qui seuls permettront de capter le moindre signal attestant de l'existence de forces supérieures et écrasantes. La fin du voyage se veut plus solennelle et grandiloquente avec le superbe 'Devoid of shadows' dont les nombreuses couches de boucles et de samples, évoquant choeurs religieux et diverses manifestations de forces en mouvement, ouvrent une porte sur une dimension que l'esprit humain ne saurait appréhender dans sa totalité. Un voyage initiatique vraiment excellent, et comme par hasard, chez Cyclic Law...

From the kuolleen musiikin yhdistys webzine (Finland)
Behind the name Visions one finds Frédéric Arbour, the man running Cyclic Law. This debut album contains melodic dark ambient of the kind mostly known through the works of artists like Raison D'etre. Visions is, however, quite original within this limited genre (as far as such is possible these days), and an enjoyable listen. The structures work well, as does the use of drones. There are neither vocals nor recognizable samples, which in this case is a good thing. Thus everything is made out of combining melodies, not trick-playing with obvious elements .Lapse is by no means a classic that will be remembered as something special years from now. Instead, it is "just" very good melancholic common ambient that is very pleasing to the ear. It is beautiful in both packaging and music, easy to approach yet not simple, and works both for intense listening and as background music. It contains a good mix of familiar parts and innovative additions. The sole real problem comes from without: much music of this kind has already been made. Lapse is nevertheless a good addition to the collections of friends of melodic dark ambient, and a recommendable starting point in the future for those interested in getting to know what the genre is about. -Jiituomas, Kuolleen Musiikin Yhdistys