7 tracks. Running time 70:52 The seventy one minutes of music on The Nearest Faraway Place Volume 1 was especially composed for the Gasometer concert in 2007. It feature Gert's hallmark warm and smooth, presumably analogue, synths and Jan Dieterich on guitar. Even though it's rooted in the vein of mid 1970s Tangerine Dream, Gert has merged ambient, Berlin School, and elements of smooth jazz to create a new and unique take on it. The second track, “Part 2”, is a short-lived example of Gert's relaxed, almost liquid musical style. Subtle chorals open the piece to a rhythm knitting itself around the soundscape. Gleaming synth lines breeze around before guitar noodling joins in and the piece reaches its apex with a playful smooth jazz like synth line. On “Part 6” the soggy white noise of rain is heard along with strange animalistic noises and the occasional peal of thunder. Then it's straight into a sequence chugging along in a pleasing manner like that of a steam locomotive. Ghostly melodies keep the interest going before expansive guitar riffs come in, somewhat reminiscent of Nautilus. Curiously there is sometimes a lightness on tracks with a moody atmosphere. On the longest piece “Part 6” pensive washes and drones are punctuated by brief lustrous, kind of operatic, tones. Then in the industrial rhythmic and sequencing passage we hear melodies of light whistling, and later a synthetic sax sound offset the heavier aspects. I'm a relative newcomer to Gert's music, The Nearest Faraway Place Volume 1 is only his second album I've heard but I've quickly come to enjoy it. There's a free and easy nature to his music, even in the sequencing passages, which makes a change from the tauter styles of other artists with releases on the Groove label.