Frank Van Bogaert web site Closer review page

Frank Van Bogaert :

One out of Five(Groove Unlimited GR-127)

Since his first solo album “Colours” in 1998 ,Belgian composer, keyboardplayer and producer
Frank Van Bogaert has grown into one of the most important players of melodical EM. Up till now he has released five albums: “Colours” (1998), “Geographic” (1999), “Docking” (2000), “Human” (2002) and “Closer” (2004).
“One Out Of Five” is a compilation-cd presenting a very solid overview of what these albums have to offer. The CD is meant to be an introduction to Frank’s music; this is why no “previously unreleased” tracks have been added. Frank loves a big and symphonic sound, which is one of the reasons that his music is often compared to that of Vangelis. For instance, the album opens with an almost Byzantine atmosphere in “Human”. Melody is very important in Frank’s music. These melodies often have a slight euphoric undertone, like in highlights as “Deserts”, “Ballet”, “Violet” and “Atmospheric Conditions”.
The cd is compiled in an excellent way, especially since it did not fail to incorporate Frank’s ethnic influences (“Rorogwela”, “Home By The Sea”, “Geographic”), as well as his pieces reflecting more intimate moments (“Falling Leaves”, “Blue” and the wonderful pianopiece “Earth”).”.
For those who still don’t have music of Frank in their CD –case this is a great buy! And this is also definitely true for those who already have all of his cd’s in their possession.

Paul Rijkens.
(c) E-dition,The Netherlands
(c) I/O Pages,The Netherlands

FRANK VAN BOGAERT "One Out of Five"

Between 1997 and 2004, Belgium composer and master musician Frank Van Bogaert released five stunning CDs, each with different themes and degrees of stylistic growth. Always cinematic by nature, Frank's music was continually compared to both Vangelis and Jean Michel Jarre, and surely those reference points make sense. They all love those "Big Synth" sounds, and thrive on great, epic arrangements. But as you will hear on the new collection, "One Out of Five," the similarities stop there. Blending electronic music with World music is not unique to Van Bogaert, but the ease and genius which he brings to his musical weavings is uniquely his own. Even the classic sound of "Deep Forest" finds its way into key tracks. By choosing his own best tracks, and reworking them into a satisfying sequence, he has achieved finding that place where the whole exceeds the sum of the parts, so to speak, and the result is one of the most marvelous CDs so far this year. One of our customers, who is a world-class star-gazer, claims "One Out of Five" to be the best CD he has ever purchased! An added attraction is the colorful digipack with an 8-page booklet containing a retrospective of Van Bogaert's epic music.

Lloyd Barde,Backroads music,USA

Frank Van Bogaert's 'best of' entitled "One Out Of Five" brings together tracks from all his albums to date (as chosen by various admirers of his work).
Such is Frank's mastery and skill that this was always going to be an essential album, proving once again that here is the man who stole Vangelis' crown(a well-used comparison that Frank refers to in the detailed sleevenotes!) and with so many wonderful pieces of music to his credit, surely nobody can doubt that he is a worthy successor to the Greek maestro, in fact, this is a virtually faultless collection of music which, along with the excellent artwork & a nice booklet makes this an album that no self-respecting EM fan should be without.

Carl Jenkinson

Thanks so very much for the two best cds in my library. Frank V. B. is so much the very best groove in there baby. It is so hot! The cd art is fantastic, the soundscapes are intricately full and projectile. He is an incredibly progressive musician with a depth unparalleled. world beat, symphonic , electronic, chill out a must for any club lounge with balls.
I moods, Frank has a magnetic and intensifying air of electro-magnetism with increasing strength keeping you attentive to the next musical mood swing into another. nice long tracks that could go on all night.
In there with the best also my friends.

2006. flyingman / WAWL Chattanooga State (USA)

We kennen allemaal tovenaars met toetsen en synthesizers als Klaus Schulze,
Edgar Froese of Vangelis. Het kan niet internationaal genoeg zijn. Toch
hebben wij in ons eigen kleine landje ook het nodige talent zitten. Frank
Van Bogaert is zo’n talentvolle muzikant die te weinig op het voorplan mag
treden. Zijn muziek heeft iets speciaals. Frank geeft grif toe dat een man
als Vangelis zijn volle bewondering weet te wekken, maar toch kan hij een
eigen toets geven aan het genre met zijn wondermooie synthklanken.Op

‘One Out Of Five’ kan u luisteren naar een selectie van wat Van Bogaert op vijf cd’s allemaal te bieden had tot nog toe. De muziek varieert van bombastisch naar sfeervol en soms etnisch, zonder echter te verzanden in melige clichés.

De man weet de luisteraar dan ook te boeien en tevens te ontroeren met zijn
prachtige klanken. Het is soms echt bedroevend hoe weinig aandacht er door
de media geschonken wordt aan degelijke muzikanten die hun vak kennen en op gelijke hoogte staan met de internationale vedettes uit hetzelfde muzikale
stramien. Beste Frank, u heeft er een fan bij!

Stage Magazine,Belgium

When you are blue,
The anguish comes to heart more closer,
Then listen to pulsations
This world and you are living in them.

What are the reasons we love Frank Van Bogaert’s music ? Is it because it is very melodious & excellently composed or the fact that the music of this Belgian composer is always varried & genuine ? Yes,but his creative work attracts me mostly because life gushes in Frank Van Bogaert’s compositions. His music possesses a mighty inspired male origin which is always in perpetual motion and carries the listeners with it, spurring them to follow the composer’s creative conception with unflagging interest.

The «One Out of Five» album includes compositions chosen from Frank’s five previous solo albums . One can really find the composer’s best pieces on it. I would call the composition «Rorogwela», based on a Solomon Islands’ folk melody ,a real highlight of the album (this tune is also known under the name «Sweet Lullaby» performed by «Deep Forest»). In my opinion the interpretation of this theme by the Belgian composer is more interesting & profound than that which is done by the famous «Deep Forest».

The «One Out of Five» album is characterized by well selected compositions. Besides it is full of energy. Advisedly Frank Van Bogaert did not include previously unreleased tracks. He wanted to present a retrospective of his creative work just to give his listeners the opportunity to enjoy the best compositions chosen from all preceding albums. And this is quite a success. The compositions of this outstanding composer & performer make «One Out of Five» a more than 77 minutes lasting experience of listening pleasure !

I would like to mention one more important particular feature of Frank Van Bogaert’s music. Being very powerful and intense his music also has a romantic flair. It reflects a mature person standing strong in this world. .

What more can be said? This album should be in the collection of everybody who loves modern electronic music.

Just having seen the beauty of the earthly world
You try yourself to give your love to it
Then you will feel its love sent in return…

Nach der Veröffentlichung von fünf CDs zieht der Belgier Frank van Bogaert Ende 2005 ein Resümee und bringt eine Best Of-CD unter dem Titel „One Out Of Five“ heraus. Frank hat mit der Zusammenstellung einige seiner schönsten Melodien auf dieses Album gebracht. Dabei ist er nicht in chronologischer Reihenfolge vorgegangen. Das führt auf dem Gesamtwerk aber nicht etwa zu einem Bruch. Nein vielmehr zeigt es, welche atmosphärische Dichte seine Songs haben und welch musikalische Finesse Frank besitzt.
Ich weiß, er will es nicht hören, aber für mich beweist er auch mit diesem Werk, dass er der belgische Vangelis ist. Das ist nicht abwertend gemeint, denn die einzelnen Tracks besitzen genug Eigenständigkeit. Und der vormals von Deep Forest interpretierte Song „Sweet Lullaby“ kommt in Frank’s Titel „Rorogwela“, den er schon auf „Closer“ veröffentlichte, in einer sehr schönen Version daher.
Auch das Artwork des sechsseitigen Digipacks sowie das achtseitige Booklet mit Infos zu den Alben sind sehr schön gestaltet. Mit dieser CD kann sich jeder Freund elektronischer bzw. instrumentaler Musik einen Einblick in die Musikwelt von Frank machen.
Sie eignet sich besonders gut für Neueinsteiger, da sie die schönsten seiner Stücke auf einem Silberling vereint.

2006. Stephan Schelle

Frank van Bogaert / One Out of Five 14 Tracks 77.20 mins

I often lump albums together under the melodic / rhythmic banner.
What I tend to mean by this is music which is accessible, that even
your friends might like, without compromising on sound Electronic
Music credentials.
Frank Van Bogaert fits that description perfectly. This is a ‘Best Of’
budget priced (at least at the time of writing this) compilation that
well showcases this fantastically talented musician / tunesmith and
as such is a perfect way of sampling his work.
Little wordless vocal touches mix with twangy sequence and foot
tapping rhythms on the wonderful opener ‘Human’ from the album of the
same name. A plucked string melody adds an irresistible joyful element.
Like everything on this album it is all so tuneful but also easy to get on with
‘Closer’ is the title track from his latest album and fairly cracks into life as
static laden electronic fizzes mix with multi layered rhythms and
melodies which you could actually hum.
The pace picks up at just over the half way mark reaching ecstatic
proportions. It’s all so catchy and just bloody marvellous! ‘Deserts’
from ‘Geographic’ is based around a jaunty sequence accompanied
by melodies which will stick in your head for a long time after the CD
is out of the player. Very uplifting and exuberant music that would
make a great theme tune to a sports programme. ‘Rorogwela’, from
‘Closer’ is a very gentle piece which slows the pace down a little,
the restrained rhythms being of a faintly ethnic variety but with the most
stunning piano melody. There is even something of a Scottish sounding
flourish at the end! Over all it is fairly romantic I suppose but not overly
smulchy. 'Home by the Sea', from ‘Docking’ starts appropriately with
the sound of waves breaking on the shore then various ethnic sounds
including flute and tabla type drums are introduced.
The overall feel is a combination of East and West. Again, the lead lines
are just irresistible. Even the rhythms are so damned catchy.
The track builds and builds into quite a frenzy then comes down to a
gentle calm conclusion for the last minute. It’s just like having a quiet
brandy on the veranda at the end of a day of partying. ‘Ballet’, from
‘Human’ is a curious title for a track that sounds anything but balletic.
It starts relatively slowly but still powerfully. As we progress the pads
and melodies begin to swell to epic proportions. I can just see if being
used as a backdrop to some African nature programme. I must admit
that ‘Falling Leaves’ from ‘Closer’ does rather trip the SMD ‘twee filter’.
It is just too ‘nice’ for my tastes being mainly a short piano solo.
I suppose people with more mainstream tastes might consider it to be
a highlight of the album though. ‘Violet’, from ‘Colours’ begins with some
ethnic chanting to which is added a beautiful slow melody bringing up
images of lazy summer afternoons. Dark undulating drones overlaid by
all sorts of effects and swirling sounds get the title track from ‘Docking’ underway.
At just under three minutes a jaunty sequence starts up and we get some
brief snippets of heavily vocoded speech. The drums come in at the same
time as a gorgeous melody played on plucked strings.
The contrast between such beautiful optimistic music and the darkness of
the first couple of minutes couldn't be more marked.
Those that like a good, almost lyrical, tune will just love this.
At six minutes the pace starts to quicken and the whole sound becomes
even more powerful but still retaining the melodic quality of before.
On ‘Geographic’ warbling atmospherics make way for a great melody.
We then get American Indian style chanting which does rather bring to mind
a multitude of other CDs using the same sort of sample but it isn’t just
chucked in for the sake of it, it fits very well with the driving rhythm and
the whole mood of the track. When the chant momentarily disappears a
beautiful piano melody takes the lead role. ‘Blue’, from ‘Colours’ starts with
a repeated melodic refrain to which is added a chugging rhythm.
It develops into a lovely dreamy number. ‘Atmospheric Conditions’, from
‘Human’ uses the sound of a rainy, stormy night as a backdrop for tuneful
colouring with a slight oriental feel to it. Then in come vast drum flourishes
and the track really takes off with looped angelic vocal effects in the middle
of the mix softening slightly the wonderful rhythmic salvos. Exciting stuff!
'A State of Mind', from ‘Docking’ is slow paced but again jaunty and rhythmic.
It has some spoken vocals low in the mix which work very well in the overall
context of the piece. We finish with ‘Earth’ and for the first few seconds it
sounded just like a cover of ‘Chariots of Fire’ but the piano melody turns
out to be very different- an absolutely fantastic ‘tune’ nevertheless which
I defy anyone not to like. I don’t believe anyone can learn to create music
as beautiful and ‘stay in the head’ as this. It is a gift that few have but boy does Frank have it! The lucky sod.

To Closer CD review