10,000 Lightyears in Bloomington, MN

After three years of inactivity,
Boney M.
returned to the international charts in 1984 with
10,000 Lightyears
. Like
Boonoonoonoos
, this album was a big production: it boasted a generous array of songs in varying styles and included
the Munich Symphony Orchestra
thickening the sound on a number of its tracks. The best songs are on the first side, a sort of mini-
rock
opera
about a future where the citizens of Earth are taken to a safer planet by benevolent aliens from a distant planet. The songs in this suite embellish simple but likable melodies with plenty of nifty synthesizer effects and orchestral flourishes to create songs that feel like an updated version of their early
disco
style. Highlights from this side include
"Future World,"
which combines a
hard rock
guitar groove with spacy synthesizer washes that are further bolstered by an orchestral arrangement, and the atmospheric title track, which effectively contrasts a languid melody against a backdrop of busy percussion. ~ Donald A. Guarisco