Album: Mystery of the Leaping Fish
Author: Kim Alexander
Publication: Last Sigh (source)
Date: 04/28/1998

"It is a historical fact that in 1967 Australian Prime Minister Holt dived into the ocean off a beach near Melbourne and vanished without a trace. It has been speculated that he did not drown but was initiated into the Grand Lodge Of The Deep while under water. It is said that this legendary Lodge still presides in an underwater dome, occaisionally mistaken for Atlantis."
Rothkamm's music on The Mystery Of The Leaping Fish is based on recordings made directly from the rituals in the Lodge, where Frank makes comment that: "...I can only testify to the authentic ritual nature of these recordings, drawn from personal experience about secrets revealed..." --Rothkamm, 1997.

This work by Frank Rothkamm begins with eerie expansive drones coupled with an exotic female voice, winding around a back ground of harmonics and slow manipulated reverberation -- quite fantasy-like. Continuing on with what reminds me of a very large wasp flying uncomfortably close to my ears and integrating the airborne aspect of nature, a woman's voice again breaks in with gothic-classical for a few moments -- enveloped in the same type of long drawn out ambient drones that began the piece, bringing the listener to an aural waterscape with a foreground of what sounds like tubular bells being tapped gently in slow motion.
Surprisingly, the next segment is that of a whale song I believe, coupled with whispy electronics which fade out leaving behind only the haunting singing of the water creature, but yet continues with interjections of electronic wizardry as the cries remain throughout. This is definately a unique piece of experimental electronica integrating natural sound and those manipulated by man and machines -- a beautiful and interesting contrast.
The final selection on this work has male and female vocals of classical choral -- gothic again in nature. It sounds as if these voices could have been recorded in a dark cathedral in Europe in conjunction with some type of myterious ritual or prayer for water, wind, earth and fire. This is a superb work of aural art.

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