Robert Fripp

Gates of Paradise
DGM



A spooky, yet ethereal soundscape piece by Fripp, recorded in 1996. Fripp's Soundscapes have evolved way past No Pussyfooting and Let the Power Fall; they are much more symphonic in nature and feature many more layers of delay than of those in the past. This one is darkly beautiful, dealing as it does with the afterlife and the imagery suggested by the titles (that being passing through gates and/or planes of existence) fit the music perfectly. Fripp projects falling guitar figures (although it rarely sounds like guitar here) into the aether and they float off in the darkness. At times it sounds like the soundtrack to a frightening horror movie, without becoming schlocky or unrelentingly scary.
Breakdown of the four tracks as follows (from Elephant Talk):

1 THE OUTER DARKNESS

• 5'02 i The Outer Darkness
• 1'19 ii Perimeter I
• 0'58 iii Perimeter II
• 1'58 iv Wailing I
• 1'15 v Perimeter III
• 3'26 vi Wailing II
• 1'23 vii Perimeter IV
• 3'05 viii Wailing III
• 4'05 ix Black Light
• 1'01 x A Wailing And Gnashing of Teeth

2 THE GATES OF PARADISE

• 5'22 i Abandonment to Divine Providence
• 8'34 ii Pie Jesu

3 THE OUTER DARKNESS

• 10'17 xi In Fear And Trembling Of The Lord

4 THE GATES OF PARADISE

• 6'53 iii Sometimes God Hides
• 4'48 iv Acceptance

Gates of Paradise (@256 kbps)

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