Henri Petterson creates electronica informed by both 70s European avant-electronic rock, traditional ambient and dance club chill. In Heaven and Hell he provides graceful and varied melodies, accompanied by minimal electronica beats. The standout track here is the title track, which is less evocative of literal places in the afterlife of traditional belief than in use of the imagery for a rich, allusive listening experience.
I tend to the ambient/chill side of the ledger as a listener, and don't think of myself as a huge fan of beats-driven electronic music. Yet Henri Petterson's smooth beats delight me, because he uses a restraint as he mingles electronic flourishes, a sensibility more Euro ambient than Euro DJ. He has a gift for melodies which are appealing and familiar and yet not at all boring or been-there,done-that. He has a good ear for the blending of vocal samples, melodies, electronica twinges and beats. I have enjoyed each of Henri Petterson's releases, but recommend "heaven and hell" in particular because of its lively and varied exploration of the possibilities in a form that in other hands might be tired or workaday. Henri Petterson is a great resource for truly intelligent dance music, and this is a great download.