Matt Seldon – “DreamWeb Soundtrack” Review

DreamWeb soundtrack is a little known soundtrack that I came across on the internet. Composed by Matt Seldon, the ten tracks try to come across much like a space odyssey.

“Sweet Dreams” opens up with a faint drum beat and some monotone buzzing with random statements such as “I thought the dreams had gone away” syphoning through. Statements from the game prehaps? Whom knows! The soundtrack really gets underway though with “Lunar-Sea” which follows a very similar pattern before getting into a house groove. The problem it takes two and a half minutes for the drums to kick in. Even then the actual track development is very slow but gradually melodic.

“Suburban Symphony” is two minutes of background street noise and faint atmospheric keyboard whirls before “Prepare to Die” gives us a six-minute trip-hop affair with machines whirring and lots of very english speaking voice overs.

By the time you reach track five “Can You Hear Me” (which is actually quite an interesting Ico-style track and then track six “What Went Wrong” you will have noticed two things. Firstly the actual production completely lacks any oomph. All the sounds melt together and mesh into one. Secondly, and this is the killer, that all the tracks in essence seem to be the same. Two chords, a progressive drum beat, extra keyboards at half way and lots and lots of random voices and everyday ambience fading in and out.

“Total Head Control” differs by taking four chords on and some brite piano. “Time Runs Out But The Clock Runs On” is a superb track name. Thankfully it is also the best track on the CD. It has a beautiful ethereal tone it where the soft production for once works to its favour. “The Electronic Revolution” sadly returns to the earlier roots of the album while “Back To Sleep” sounds like a lost Ico track which leaves you wondering why on earth Matt went for a house feel when the ambience effect could have worked much better.

DreamWeb Soundtrack is a very frustrating CD. It has one or two moments of clear class but they are severely tarnished by being surrounded by standard house music that just doesn’t liven up your speakers. I really cannot recommend this soundtrack unless you a major collector but if you like odd ambience, you can find the tracks I’ve picked out and take them with you. That’s really all there is!