tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26348640825141838282024-03-18T19:11:37.926-07:00Electronic Music CriticFrustrated by a lack of informed and honest review websites covering a wide range of electronic music, I write them myself.Sykoneehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06327331590042723390noreply@blogger.comBlogger2552125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2634864082514183828.post-79618363139094782122024-03-17T01:00:00.000-07:002024-03-17T01:00:00.237-07:00Sykonee's 'Sportsing' Surveys: AC/DC<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvw6bPuGyQNJBd8GRBNLD_kjIEiZkvR7zTYDHwSJG2A2kQFdQvFkWIFyz7SWwlSh5MJSlhg_99huNCJcDx8W5U3CL7PQoVsDJmemUHIyBQ7U1yZYeqUAtNb_v2OZbmtbQgMHeRXfV3mY1ChtOqmt9ycTiCBNPvIAkfcW_lorj5x49ReZugXj0dTFX38At4/s1600/AC-DC%20band%20image.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" data-original-height="316" data-original-width="631" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvw6bPuGyQNJBd8GRBNLD_kjIEiZkvR7zTYDHwSJG2A2kQFdQvFkWIFyz7SWwlSh5MJSlhg_99huNCJcDx8W5U3CL7PQoVsDJmemUHIyBQ7U1yZYeqUAtNb_v2OZbmtbQgMHeRXfV3mY1ChtOqmt9ycTiCBNPvIAkfcW_lorj5x49ReZugXj0dTFX38At4/s1600/AC-DC%20band%20image.jpeg"title="The gang's all here." /></a></div>This past winter was rough, including me falling out of my regular work-out routines far too, um, routinely. There were plenty of reasons contributing to this, but I cannot deny my musical choice for surveying purposes weren't always the best options either. The jazzy funk 'n soul stylings of The Roots was only good in spurts, and N:L:E's <I>Caravan Of Healing Sounds</I>... well, that was more a marraige of convinience. No, I needed <I>real</i> motivation. Not just any ol' firing of the adrenaline, but a serious shot in the arm of hype music, a tried and tested discography that has endured for decades. Yeah, this little Australian rock band, they'll do.<bR>
<bR>
I know the hits will hit, and I have to assume their larger body of work will too. I mean, the longest running rib in rock music has been that every AC/DC album sounds the same. <I>Do</I> they, though? Do they <I>really</i>? I mean, they've been releasing music for damn near forty <I>years</I>, there had to be <I>some</i> stylistic variaton in all that time. Maybe a bandwagon jump here, or an unfortunate studio session there. And hey, if not, at least I could count on them keeping me moving while engaging in my 'sportsing' activities, right? Right, so let's get it on!<bR>
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And boy, did Mr. Prindle ever catch some flack for his thoughts on <I>Ballbreaker</i>. I've... a feeling I won't be getting such bile thrown my way, especially since hardcore AC/DC fans can't deny the band's music after that one is much better. No, really, it totally is!<bR>
<bR>
As for my impressions of AC/DC, can't say much has changed. I went in expecting a certain sound, and they've maintained that right up to 2020 (ol' Angus looking a bit funky still wearing the school-boy uniform while now sporting white hair, it must be said). I'm honestly more suprised they <I>didn't</i> hop on any bandwagons, but that's probably for the best. I can't imagine AC/DC with a rapper or synths or fancy studio trickery. They are who they are, and made <strike>no</strike> few compromises for that. And hey, I got in some of my best 'sportsing' sessions while going through their catalogue, so that's a plus! <bR>
<bR>
Don't know how my next survey will pan out though, going with a duo I only know from a namedrop. At least they're an electronic act?<bR>
<bR>
<bR>Sykoneehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06327331590042723390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2634864082514183828.post-78635275020886237252024-03-16T11:07:00.000-07:002024-03-16T11:31:13.028-07:00Cypress Hill - Cypress Hill<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirZ5kO-7WNcRpQ0XncLPiO6y0cWJwmzYMysWsyT1ji7Q77p0RYqvZ_jpSXhT_KcGGskWQDN04LuNgySJdSfVFqBbpnLD6hMyArCxh4re2CWnCbKjkuq1LB6wJ1dRXuJXipLt5fTnjNfqtUzx83RKF5VCiG5MoBcHWh5oVRKTeV5bAY9t7lOUSQkimQ6iAj/s1600/Cypress%20Hill%20-%20Cypress%20Hill.jpg" imagineanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="597" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirZ5kO-7WNcRpQ0XncLPiO6y0cWJwmzYMysWsyT1ji7Q77p0RYqvZ_jpSXhT_KcGGskWQDN04LuNgySJdSfVFqBbpnLD6hMyArCxh4re2CWnCbKjkuq1LB6wJ1dRXuJXipLt5fTnjNfqtUzx83RKF5VCiG5MoBcHWh5oVRKTeV5bAY9t7lOUSQkimQ6iAj/s1600/Cypress%20Hill%20-%20Cypress%20Hill.jpg" title="Showtime at the dump." /></a></div>
<i>Ruffhouse Records: 1991</i> <br />
<br />
The only Cypress Hill album you're supposed to have, even if you're not much of a Cypress Hill fan. That's not <i>my</i> opinion, mind you, as I feel they have other records in their discography that surpass this one. And, as someone who <i>has</i> literally listened to every single LP they released, I feel somewhat qualified in making that assessment. What their self-titled debut has, however, is the gritty, street-level aesthetic that can't be recaptured after a group starts going platinum on the sales charts. The hungry spit-n-fire of young talent out to prove themselves worthy of standing in the same arena of all the established names. It's why so many debut hip-hop albums of this era are held in the highest regard - you either fire your best shot first, or get dumped to the dustbin of time. <br />
<br />
As I said though, I think what Cypress Hill <i>artistically</i> accomplished on some future albums was even better than what we get here. Still, it's undeniable the group came out damn hot, and if you're strictly all about gangsta' rap sounding as raw and unpolished as can be, then I've no problem with folks proclaiming <i>this</i> is the one true Cypress Hill record above all. <br />
<br />
And boy, does this record ever come in hot out the gate. Rappers had been making screeds against cops for a few years already, but none dared to open a debut on the topic, much less show no respect in titling it <i>Pigs</i>. Have I mentioned the Rodney King beating had happened shortly before <i>Cypress Hill</i> dropped? <br />
<br />
But yes, the big tune off here is second track <i>How I Could Just Kill A Man</i>, where B-Real and Sen Dog go off on how life on the streets sometimes leads to committing acts you never thought capable of. More than that though, it established the vintage Cypress Hill parlay of Mr. Real chanting the chorus with Mr. Dog offering an earwormy call-and-response. Not to mention proving DJ Muggs had bigger things in mind than just producing basic hip-hop loops, throwing in squealing sirens and an organ breakdown for no other reason than he could. The original single for it though, featured <i>The Phuncky Feel One</i>, one of the tracks that kinda' holds this album back for me, more of a throwback '80s rap tune than featuring anything distinctly Cypress Hill. There's a couple tracks like it on here, such as <i>The Funky Cypress Hill Shit</i>, <i>Real Estate</i>, and <i>Born To Get Busy</i>. Production's still solid, just way more 'vintage' than what Muggs would go on to make. <br />
<br />
Same can be said of their nods to weed smoking (<i>Light Another</i>, <i>Stoned Is The Way Of The Walk</i>) and the Latin side of street life (<i>Hold In The Head</i>, <i>Latin Lingo</i>, <i>Tres Equis</i>). They're gritty and unvarnished, but I've heard them make better. I guess it really does boil down to personal preference, which has enabled Cypress Hill to maintain a career for over three decades now. Something for everyone! <br />
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<b>ACE TRACKS</b>: <br />
<i>How I Could Just Kill A Man</i> <br />
<i>Real Estate</i> <br />
<i>Psycobetabuckdown/I> <br />
<br /><iframe allow="encrypted-media; clipboard-write" allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="260" src="https://widget.deezer.com/widget/dark/album/1398990" title="deezer-widget" width="600"></iframe></i>Sykoneehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06327331590042723390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2634864082514183828.post-17763388820682452942024-03-12T17:25:00.000-07:002024-03-12T17:25:12.808-07:00N:L:E & Kiphi - Crystal Vision<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4V2s86Z9i_yXmj9L6ZbZWZlfI2HSRaL8OwV9BJVA9oshN4KEZYHnqM4dW2LldnScNsY-cK05CbfvEQ4cW2OjXL94005qP1ZsGG4fkPwrHJiU3bWEKKK-It03G3SwNrdWcXnsqe-Ar5cNvV5en1GkznW9CC5FPfWMhOjhmec66hyphenhyphenRka4pAJEtU802sX6gs/s1600/NLE%20&%20Kiphi%20-%20Crystal%20Vision.jpg" imagineanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4V2s86Z9i_yXmj9L6ZbZWZlfI2HSRaL8OwV9BJVA9oshN4KEZYHnqM4dW2LldnScNsY-cK05CbfvEQ4cW2OjXL94005qP1ZsGG4fkPwrHJiU3bWEKKK-It03G3SwNrdWcXnsqe-Ar5cNvV5en1GkznW9CC5FPfWMhOjhmec66hyphenhyphenRka4pAJEtU802sX6gs/s1600/NLE%20&%20Kiphi%20-%20Crystal%20Vision.jpg" title="A distant star." /></a></div>
<i>Liquid Frog Records: 2022</i> <br />
<br />
After kicking off my block of 'C' albums with ten volumes of <i>Caravan Of Healing Sounds</i>, we had to wait until the end of this batch for another item of Juan Pablo's to appear again. Technically, there's two down here, <i>Crystal Vision</i> and <i>Cycle</i>, but the latter was already covered in the consolidation collection of N:L:E and Kiphi material <i>Between Dreams Or Reality</i>. Well, okay, there's one <i>other</i> track on the <i>Cycle</i> single, a shorter beatless version, but doesn't warrant any more attention than what I'm providing in this sentence. The original version is better, and I've done sorted that out. Let's stick to <i>Crystal Vision</i> here, and worry not about redundant releases. I've plenty more music from Mr. Giacovino as it is. <br />
<br />
Have to admit, I'm surprised at seeing another 'collaboration' between these two aliases this far into Juan Pablo's discography. I thought he'd fully kept them separate at this point, finding enough distinct characteristics with his Kiphi project (specifically looping melodic arps) such that it didn't need the N:L:E bump helping it along. <br />
<br />
Then again, he put out another N:L:E & Kiphi joint just this past December, <i>Lights Between</i>. And another prior in June called <i>Floating Orbs</i>. Hmm, maybe he just likes releasing them around solstices? <i>*checks month of </i>Crystal Vision<i>*</i> Oh, this one came out in May. Welp, so much for <i>that</i> theory. Also, I know I've said it before, but good God is this man ever relentless in his output. My last proper review of one his albums, <i>Botanical Adventures</i>, was late December, and he's added <i>five</i> more releases since. That makes for <i>thirty</i> more releases since I bulk-bought his Bandcamp catalogue! Almost makes me thankful I did buy in when I did. <br />
<br />
Three tracks are the main feature of this EP, with alternate versions featured in the back-half. The titular opener certainly imparts visions of shimmering crystals, pulsing bright synths and angelic flowing pads building upon each other, eventually ebbing out for a little gentle piano playing. Follow-up <i>Lifetime</i> ups the energy some, bringing in a simple rhythms and soaring synth work that'll have it nestled nicely within the realms of AstroPilot psy-chill. The tune fades down, and while <i>Ilusion</i> is billed as a separate track, it essentially carries on from <i>Lifetime</i> with similar music themes, going more minimalist and groovy as it does. <br />
<br />
And the rubs? <i>Crystal Vision [ Retouched ]</i> brings in an ambient dub groove, <i>Lifetime [ NLE Version ]</i> surprisingly goes beatless (isn't N:L:E the alias <i>with</i> the beats?), and <i>Ilusion [ NLE Version ]</i> extends out with a little <i>Tubular Bells</i> building before going full psy-chill itself. That one at least tracks. <br />
<br />
That's another item out of Mr. Giacovino's catalogue covered, then. Still a long way to go before finishing his discography off, but take heart, intrepid readers, there's not a <i>whole</i> lot in the 'D' block coming up. At least, nothing where I'll have to 'cheat' again with a bevy of microblogging recaps.<br />
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<b>ACE TRACKS</b>: <br />
<i>Crystal Vision [ Original Mix ]</i><bR>
<i>Lifetime [Original Mix ]</i> <br />
<br /><iframe seamless="" src="https://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/album=1764542299/size=large/bgcol=ffffff/linkcol=0687f5/tracklist=false/artwork=small/transparent=true/" style="border: 0; height: 120px; width: 100%;"><a href="https://natural-life-essence.bandcamp.com/album/crystal-vision">Crystal Vision by N:L:E & Kiphi</a></iframe>Sykoneehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06327331590042723390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2634864082514183828.post-17726004895696683182024-03-10T10:18:00.000-07:002024-03-10T10:18:25.767-07:00Sun Project: Marco & Matt - Crazy Stories<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRrMSZYTT-c1aeM-l1X8SBi3FhxspgvYuDhJ2wr8wRuj17tYtSAASHRa_SgDWi4UliDK9Aa5C2NAwIdC8d3zVlqB0gbn1aAUzO-1yca1l241qMpNJh89ODUYsvendlCW8jvGAwqWHxmsAz_U3zHBeVSKH_d8K3XYTiHXApi0vDbsucCHsDhTt-ClU1tjw8/s1600/Sun%20Project%20-%20Crazy%20Stories%20EP.jpg" imagineanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="599" data-original-width="587" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRrMSZYTT-c1aeM-l1X8SBi3FhxspgvYuDhJ2wr8wRuj17tYtSAASHRa_SgDWi4UliDK9Aa5C2NAwIdC8d3zVlqB0gbn1aAUzO-1yca1l241qMpNJh89ODUYsvendlCW8jvGAwqWHxmsAz_U3zHBeVSKH_d8K3XYTiHXApi0vDbsucCHsDhTt-ClU1tjw8/s1600/Sun%20Project%20-%20Crazy%20Stories%20EP.jpg" title="Now that cover art is 90s as all Hell." /></a></div>
<i>Suntrip Records: 2022</i> <br />
<br />
In the beginning, there was only one S.U.N. Project, and it was good. Sure, a little silly with the metal guitars mashing with psy trance, but these chaps fully committed to the bit, going whole ham on the shredding action. Not wanting to get type-casted as just the 'buttrock goa' guys, the trio flitted about other forms of psy in the ensuing decade, even getting into that darker, minimalist vein many adopted for a spell there. Maybe hitching onto that potentially lucrative Infected Mushroom hype (“Hey, we guitars too!”). At the turn of the '10s, however, a split occurred, Maik Hinkelmann going off to create McCoy's S.U.N. Project, while Marco Menichelli and Matthias Rumoeller became Sun Project – Marco & Matt. <br />
<br />
How... does that even happen? The retention of the project name for <i>both</i> parties, I mean. Like, could you imagine if Metallica split apart, but James and Lars got to both use the band name, save some minor punctuation differences – Hettfield's Metal-Allica versus Lars & The Metallicas. I'm assuming the S.U.N. Project members, not wanting to get all embittered, resentful, and tied up in legal courts over a silly psy trance alias, amicably came to this compromise. Which version should <i>you</i> check out if you want the more 'authentic' S.U.N. Project experience? Heck if I know, I haven't kept <i>that</i> close of tabs on either side. Heck, I only learned of this split when I started my preliminary research into this here <i>Crazy Stories</i> EP. It took me entirely too long to finally understand why it wasn't listed under S.U.N. Project's regular Discogs page. <br />
<br />
Which still makes it something of a conundrum. <i>Crazy Stories</i> and the other tracks included on this four-tracker were initially made back when Maik was still making music with Marco and Matt. Although they remained unreleased in all this time, they are <i>not</i> credited to S.U.N. Project, but instead to Misters Menichelli and Rumoeller's Sun Project. And for that matter, why these particular tunes? Best I can glean, <i>Crazy Stories</i>, <i>Space Dwarfs</i>, <i>Casio-Paya</i>, and <i>Out Of My Brain</i> were songs Maik <i>doesn't</i> have writing credits on, so are fair game for Marco and Matt to re-release under Suntrip Records' 'classic goa trance' banner. Always something regarding copyright retention, I guess. <br />
<br />
And the tunes themselves? Yeah, it's classic goa trance through in through. Driving rhythm, driving acid, spacey synths and pads. What's most interesting about these cuts is, as they're chronologically sequenced (from '96 to 2000), you can hear how psy was evolving in that time. From the straight-forward trance vibe of <i>Crazy Stories (1996 Mix)</i>, to growing ever more darker and twisty by <i>Casio-Paya (1998 Mix)</i>, to things getting stripped down by <i>Out Of My Brain (Acid Remix)</i>. An intriguing snapshot of a scene morphing before our ears. <br />
<br />
Oh, and the guitar action? Only heard on <i>Out Of My Brain</i>. Hey, I said S.U.N. Project wasn't <i>just</i> about the shredding, even if it was their most endearing trait. <br />
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<b>ACE TRACKS</b>: <br />
<i>Crazy Stories (1996 Mix)</i> <br />
<i>Out Of My Brain (Acid Remix)</i> <br />
<br /><iframe seamless="" src="https://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/album=2533178790/size=large/bgcol=ffffff/linkcol=0687f5/tracklist=false/artwork=small/transparent=true/" style="border: 0; height: 120px; width: 100%;"><a href="https://suntriprecords.bandcamp.com/album/crazy-stories-ep-digital-12">Crazy Stories EP (Digital & 12") by SUN Project</a></iframe>Sykoneehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06327331590042723390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2634864082514183828.post-35833145997078291372024-03-07T20:52:00.000-08:002024-03-07T20:52:40.197-08:00ReKaB - Counting The Days<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtkoWEARMqWwC3y1MD3eoGEP_Q9-JKEDVo2Q-75T03AuYJsiNeYjGPmrttbIw8oikNhxt-6EbKMsg4u0Ouj1JqCQiBJXtHDpQzQZ1nFrNVhWbKn6H4zICX68xjx4g2Umf-2wVc1jl_bCMu_-gNW-XgqiZwh1sqYxk0aadNCxFrmDhN81MUDmCTOtfu454X/s1600/ReKaB%20-%20Counting%20The%20Days.jpg" imagineanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="550" data-original-width="599" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtkoWEARMqWwC3y1MD3eoGEP_Q9-JKEDVo2Q-75T03AuYJsiNeYjGPmrttbIw8oikNhxt-6EbKMsg4u0Ouj1JqCQiBJXtHDpQzQZ1nFrNVhWbKn6H4zICX68xjx4g2Umf-2wVc1jl_bCMu_-gNW-XgqiZwh1sqYxk0aadNCxFrmDhN81MUDmCTOtfu454X/s1600/ReKaB%20-%20Counting%20The%20Days.jpg" title="An extreme end of grayscale." /></a></div>
<i>Intellitronic Bubble: 2020</i><br />
<br />
Does this mark the end of another run of box-sets? Granted, these 'two-for-the-price-of-one' double-discers from Intellitronic Bubble aren't really box-sets, and I did skip the first volume featuring Metamatics and Futuregrapher. Still, I grabbed three out of the four, with ReKaB's <i>Counting The Days</i> at the end of this run. Counting to what? Whenever I finally got around to a review of his 'debut' album, I wager! <br />
<br />
Yes, like a few other artists in these double packs, this counts as ReKaB's first full-length – heck, it's even paired with G-Prod's debut in the same pack, <i>Space Time's Bubbles LP</i>. Unlike that French electro duo, James Baker, the man behind ReKaB, hadn't been releasing much music prior to putting this out. In fact, of all the featured artists in these collections, Mr. Baker is basically the rookie of the roster, rubbing shoulders with scene vets like Lee Norris, Mick Chillage, and Devin Underwood. Well, this chap must be an exceptional producer for getting shine like that, even if its on CD2 of a double-pack deal. <br />
<br />
That said, I wasn't expecting <i>Counting The Days</i> to be so mellow. I don't know why I would have come to that assumption. The styles of electro I've heard from those other Bubble albums being grittier and more menacing, perhaps? Still, the tracks of his I heard off the label's numerical compilations were rather mellow for electro as well, almost dipping into ambient techno as heard out of the FireScope camps, so I should have gone in ready to chill out on some future-city patios. <br />
<br />
Only eight tracks make up <i>Counting The Days</i>, and while about half of them do stick with the relaxed side of robot music, there's some nice and surprising variety sprinkled about too, usually within the longest tracks no less. <i>Space Echo Dub</i> is, as amply titled, a spaced-out session into the dubbier side of slowbeat techno. If that don't get your Silent Season triggers flashing, I don't know what will. Unless you have another label doing the loopy, dubby techno thing as your primary reference point. That'll do too. <br />
<br />
Elsewhere, the spritely synths and bright melodies of <i>There Maybe Times</i> has me vibing more on synthwave than electro. <i>Ark</i> goes as menacing as ReKaB will allow, a pulsing throb of a bassline the only rhythm offered while ominous synths and tones permeate the atmosphere. Then there's the trance track <i>Drifting</i>. Or neo-trance, if you must. Or melodic techno, if you will. Or hypno-house, if you choose. Or hypnotic-melodic tech-house, if you wear five different sets of socks per day. I'll keep calling tunes like this trance, thank you very much, but I'm sure we can all agree its a wonderful little space groover. <br />
<br />
So another dope artist out of the Intellitronic Bubble camps. Now I gotta' get more of ReKaB's music. Which means I'm probably gonna' splurge on more items from the label. And now the sister label, Móatún 7. <i>*sigh*</i>... Bandcamp Fridays can't get here fast enough. <br />
<br /><a name='more'></a>
<b>ACE TRACKS</b>: <br />
<i>We May Have Something</i> <br />
<i>Drifting</i> <br />
<i>Space Echo Dub</i> <br />
<br /><iframe seamless="" src="https://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/album=2231578577/size=large/bgcol=ffffff/linkcol=0687f5/tracklist=false/artwork=small/transparent=true/" style="border: 0; height: 120px; width: 100%;"><a href="https://intellitronicbubble.bandcamp.com/album/space-times-bubbles-lp-counting-the-days">Space Time's Bubbles LP / Counting The Days by G-Prod / ReKaB</a></iframe>Sykoneehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06327331590042723390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2634864082514183828.post-64066837874226837692024-03-05T21:10:00.000-08:002024-03-05T21:10:37.096-08:00Various - Cottage Industries 11<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk1K7NO8VOx4KByjH9nhzkJxyJ4lkPU96nLNRYmzIuMApbRrQaKXtOTDQCcbZ_l_HgmsjbtygXLe4Oy5a56JXhsODNuTcD8lfI4TtCIxYr9lK-SXlf0s0de245HHnjeuW2G1r_4sRYmUAtBLJELfE9Jcs6Rw-qngRwO7wsFsQvJq7BDFUPtuSaijCVICjn/s1600/Various%20-%20Cottage%20Industries%2011.jpg" imagineanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="599" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk1K7NO8VOx4KByjH9nhzkJxyJ4lkPU96nLNRYmzIuMApbRrQaKXtOTDQCcbZ_l_HgmsjbtygXLe4Oy5a56JXhsODNuTcD8lfI4TtCIxYr9lK-SXlf0s0de245HHnjeuW2G1r_4sRYmUAtBLJELfE9Jcs6Rw-qngRwO7wsFsQvJq7BDFUPtuSaijCVICjn/s1600/Various%20-%20Cottage%20Industries%2011.jpg" title="A long, bright, blue tunnel." /></a></div>
<i>Neo Ouija: 2022</i> <br />
<br />
It's interesting jumping ahead twenty-two years in this series, giving me an intriguing look in just how much the field of melodic IDM has grown in two decades. Or not, the music contained within volume eleven of <i>Cottage Industries</i> remarkably straight-forward when compared to the more experimental beatcraft as heard on the first edition (also going titleless for some reason, hence its alphabetical placement within my music library). Don't get me wrong, there's ample amounts of scatter, broken rhythms, just not presented in the glitchy sort of way that had been a staple of the series for much of its run. Heck, it was on as recently as <i>Clockwork Manor</i>, volume nine released just a few years prior to this one. Does the mastering touch provided by Futuregrapher really make that much of a difference in how IDM beats sound? Guess I'll find out when I get around to reviewing <i>Decima Circuits (Cottage Industries 10)</i>, the edition he jumped into the series. <br />
<br />
Not gonna' beat around the bush with this one: <i>Cottage Industries 11</i> doesn't really sound like a Neo Ouija collection to my ears, but rather an off-shoot of Intellitronic Bubble or Móatún 7. Again, part of that likely has to do with Mr. Grétar's influence, his feel for icy-cool electro and techno a defining trait in those labels' discographies. Having consumed <i>five</i> of the Bubble's compilations (among other assorted releases), its an aesthetic I'm quite familiar with now, so hearing it here isn't that much of a surprise. <br />
<br />
And to be blunt, I find that makes <i>Cottage Industries 11</i> a better overall listening experience when standing it in stark contrast to the first edition. Sure, the twee electro-pop of early Neo Ouija is mostly absent here, but I'll take synthy future-soundscapes over that any day. Personal preference is a Hell of a critical bias, y'know. <br />
<br />
Did I mention there's also lots of acid on here? There's lots of acid too, a bit more on CD1 than CD2, but plenty 'nuff leading this compilation further away from the realms of IDM and into vintage techno. If the spaced-out electro doesn't quite do it for you though, there are some skittery rhythms and distorted analogue fuzz tracks littered here and there. Downtempo ditties that hint at the twee melodic side of vintage Neo Ouija too (Novel 23's <i>Step By Step</i>, Xylic's <i>Dinky's Acid</i>, DJ Dorrit's <i>Apotek</i>, Daveeth's <i>Pro Pos</i>, Weldroid's <i>Sandal Warrior Disarmed</i>), but not that much. <br />
<br />
Nay, as mentioned, <i>Cottage Industries 11</i> feels more in line with what Lee Norris' other labels have been up to as of late rather than carrying on with its legacy. It's a whole new generation of artists doing their own thing now, finding influence from other sources. Some of them end up on Intellitronic Bubble, others end up on Móatún 7, while a few continue wandering the wilds of label hopping. For those hoping for a little extra shine on an established brand, however, it seems <i>Cottage Industries</i> will always be here for them. <br />
<br /><a name='more'></a>
<b>ACE TRACKS</b>: <br />
<b>ENUIT</b> - <i>Conjunction</i> <br />
<b>Milieu</b> - <i>Planet Everfree</i> <br />
<b>SubDan</b> - <i>We Could</i> <br />
<br /><iframe seamless="" src="https://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/album=3159366010/size=large/bgcol=ffffff/linkcol=0687f5/tracklist=false/artwork=small/transparent=true/" style="border: 0; height: 120px; width: 100%;"><a href="https://neoouija1.bandcamp.com/album/cottage-industries-11">Cottage Industries 11 by Various</a></iframe>Sykoneehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06327331590042723390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2634864082514183828.post-63217608991246713442024-03-04T22:27:00.000-08:002024-03-05T06:33:59.991-08:00Various - Cottage Industries (A Neo Ouija Compilation)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS-Wq9aQe-QE1p9vnouNnvjA4lBwHI48tS4fp0aOlEfxq828YHL0orASFfZzlNcwgIh9x6u2C8YM9PnoOxXzG7g8huonMVlo_SF-nwCOIsEe8N-flsLM_JsmCwrVCkx0FOonzVtc4lDWrzivHmPJL-Umgu69IfUooWcJoTfWIisNFvdh0s0E9adhHrR6Z4/s1600/Various%20-%20Cottage%20Industries%20%28A%20Neo%20Ouija%20Compilation%29.jpg" imagineanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="597" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS-Wq9aQe-QE1p9vnouNnvjA4lBwHI48tS4fp0aOlEfxq828YHL0orASFfZzlNcwgIh9x6u2C8YM9PnoOxXzG7g8huonMVlo_SF-nwCOIsEe8N-flsLM_JsmCwrVCkx0FOonzVtc4lDWrzivHmPJL-Umgu69IfUooWcJoTfWIisNFvdh0s0E9adhHrR6Z4/s1600/Various%20-%20Cottage%20Industries%20%28A%20Neo%20Ouija%20Compilation%29.jpg" title="Even the cover art is so early '00s twee." /></a></div>
<i>Neo Ouija: 2000/2020</i> <br />
<br />
Humble beginnings for this humble label, a tidy single CD kicking off the continuing <i>Cottage Industries</i> series. Seriously, it just came out with its twelfth volume this past month, once again indulging in a triple-disc collection of... well, if you don't know what the deal with Neo Ouija's musical showcase by now, I don't know what else to say. <br />
<br />
That does leave me wondering how <i>Cottage Industries: Da' Kickoff</i> fared when it first came out. Obviously it didn't have commercial aspirations – almost nothing with this much glitchy-twitchy rhythm making had much financial hope at the turn of the century. Surely though, the abundant twee melodies lurking underneath all the leftfield beatcraft would lure in many a passerby, melancholic moods in a rapidly digitizing age. Some, I wager, but if the original CD's Discoggian data is accurate, this was <i>not</i> a widely distributed compilation. Less than three-hundred folks claim to hold a copy, which is a shockingly low amount for a release nearly a quarter century old now. Or perhaps it never had much promotion in the first place, forever remaining ultra-niche in an already incredibly niche micro-scene, unable to gain the critical attention similar prints like Raster-Noton and Mille Plateaux attracted. <br />
<br />
Does this make <i>Cottage Industries: Comin' On Cool</i> an overlooked gem within said scene? I honestly don't know, as my own interactions with it remain skint. I'm sure the CD has its die-hards proclaiming its genius, but nor have I seen it relentlessly name-dropped abroad. It just doesn't contain <i>those</i> essential tracks or artists a classic compilation needs for that demarcation. Sure, a few familiar names crop up: Geiom would go onto a decent career in future garage and dubstep, Clatterbox made his way into techno sets throughout the '00s, Yunx has featured in Nick Warren set, and that Lee Norris fella' collaborating with Geiom as the one-off Consumer Durable seems to have done well for himself. Other names are complete blanks to me, however, some of whom have sparse Discogs data beyond this CD. Sometimes its hard getting hype for names like Phonem, Penfold Plum, and Plod. <br />
<br />
And I have to be honest: this era of clicks 'n cuts has long been hit or miss for yours truly. It's an aesthetic thing, the micro-glitchy sounds too often rubbing against my cochlea the wrong way. Not to mention I can't shake the assumption some of these producers are just showing off what they can do with whatever plug-ins or gear they're using, rather than composing an actual tune worth listening to. And there's only so much the twee melodies included can do to hide that postulation. Eegh, now look, this egg-headed music making me use egg-headed terminology. <br />
<br />
It's not all skittery micro-edits, mind. Quinoline Yellow's <i>Eythl Maltol</i> goes more drill 'n bass on his beats, Clatterbox' <i>Power Up</i> gets on the chiptune vibe, while Yunx' <i>Nemo-Sis</i> sounds like a regular ol' ambient techno tune. Beyond that though, expect lots of experimental digital rhythms coupled with charming synths. <br />
<br /><a name='more'></a>
<b>ACE TRACKS</b>: <br />
<b>Yunx</b> - <i>Nemo-Sis</i> <br />
<b>Clatterbox</b> - <i>Power Up</i> <br />
<b>Hermann And Kleine</b> - <i>Simplon</i> <br />
<br /><iframe seamless="" src="https://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/album=143262557/size=large/bgcol=ffffff/linkcol=0687f5/tracklist=false/artwork=small/transparent=true/" style="border: 0; height: 120px; width: 100%;"><a href="https://neoouija1.bandcamp.com/album/cottage-industries">Cottage Industries by Various</a></iframe>Sykoneehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06327331590042723390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2634864082514183828.post-31658267927252889562024-03-01T00:30:00.000-08:002024-03-01T00:30:00.132-08:00Khetzal - Corolle<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhNs9PpHSJSBNMUtTjL-h2PMS126HdNJVkop6Bg3PprgzG74pf4j1Q569GIGB1iOLLLv-762tsk1nhmf4-hbZScxmjJiqSoxu-mUUcrjLzzoLjg31i_50Shl-QY12L8VQ-BOnsNhuMZVMJysjq8L7leUUa81sZRebQfJge6Q-D1HiiuZZulS2OJF7DVvkL/s1600/Khetzal%20-%20Corolle.jpg" imagineanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhNs9PpHSJSBNMUtTjL-h2PMS126HdNJVkop6Bg3PprgzG74pf4j1Q569GIGB1iOLLLv-762tsk1nhmf4-hbZScxmjJiqSoxu-mUUcrjLzzoLjg31i_50Shl-QY12L8VQ-BOnsNhuMZVMJysjq8L7leUUa81sZRebQfJge6Q-D1HiiuZZulS2OJF7DVvkL/s1600/Khetzal%20-%20Corolle.jpg" title="I don't think those were regular worms I ate." /></a></div>
<i>Suntrip Records: 2005</i> <br />
<br />
This is a big one, maybe <i>THE</i> big one, cementing Suntrip Records as that label you went to for your goa trance fix in the modern era. How big was this record? <i>Corolle</i> was so big, it even got covered at TranceCritic! Okay, we were covering sporadic psy already, but I do remember quite the hullabaloo over this release when it came out. It let the scene know that classic goa was alive, even if barely by a thread, and that it could still offer material of high quality. <br />
<br />
I can't stress enough just how shocking that was in ye' olde year of 2005. Israeli full-on was completely dominate, while dark psy was gaining ground, with prog-psy establishing itself as a trendy alternative. As with most electronic music of the early '00s, the general mentality remained things had to keep evolving, growing, trying new things. Even the '80s revival was more a reinterpretation than a complete retro return. And the rest? Forget it, not even acid house having a comeback yet, much less any other genre of electronic music, to say nothing of got'dang goa trance! Heck, I'm sure you'll find early criticisms of <i>Corolle</i> for being too on-the-nose with its vintage vibes. Given how fondly the album's regarded now, it just goes to show how time and distance can change even the most stubborn holdouts. I mean, technically this album's closer to goa's glory years than whatever is getting released on Suntrip now. Holy cow, it old! <br />
<br />
But yes, <i>Corolle</i> does hold up, if for no other reason than it <i>isn't</i> a complete throwback of an album. In fact, the first couple tracks are basically prog-psy in that wide-screen way you'd hear out of Ultimae or Sunline/Altar Records of the day. Which makes sense since the second cut, <i>Anamatha</i>, is actually a DJ Zen track with Khetzal on the rub. Yet even there, you'd suspect something a little different from the contemporary norm was afoot, the track rather brisk so early on. <br />
<br />
Then with <i>Bells Of Sarnath</i>, Khetzal is done playing coy, going full gonzo goa for a four-track run. Squiggly acid lines! Indian tonal scales! South Asian chants! Tabla beating! Bansuri tooting! Elephants trumpeting! And holy cow, that high BPM! Every cliche you can think of classic goa trance having, it's here, and somehow sounding not one bit tired or rote. All that was old is new again, so gloriously resurrected as though the scene had never experienced a creative crash. <br />
<br />
As if to drive the point home, the final run of uptempo tunes sound more of the time than the strict goa exercises preceding them, including <i>those</i> rather plastic synths commonly heard in full-on. They're still solid tunes, indeed would have been stand-outs in their own right, but coming off the ultra-melodic material earlier, are somewhat of a let-down. All's well that ends well though, with a requisite downbeat closer with <i>Avasari</i>. <br />
<br />
Surely nothing but great things from Khetzal following this smashing debut, right, Ani? ...Right, Anikan...?<br />
<br /><a name='more'></a>
<b>ACE TRACKS</b>: <br />
<i>Anamatha (Remix)</i> feat. <b>DJ Zen</b> <br />
<i>Narayana</i> <br />
<i>Indian Attic</i> <br />
<br /><iframe seamless="" src="https://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/album=974866125/size=large/bgcol=ffffff/linkcol=0687f5/tracklist=false/artwork=small/transparent=true/" style="border: 0; height: 120px; width: 100%;"><a href="https://suntriprecords.bandcamp.com/album/khetzal-corolle">Khetzal - Corolle by Khetzal</a></iframe>Sykoneehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06327331590042723390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2634864082514183828.post-62572536856143792892024-02-28T20:18:00.000-08:002024-02-28T20:18:55.608-08:00Jon Hester - Converge Part I<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTrfqsypBd8ODoKjyIHqE-aVMR5JPpW5FPBFWAFM0w3Un6CbqeBz5QNFlDH9tRydtxX7TVFHIpXYX26svQW4hf6lHj_59S_binJ5JWo7fyOlEb6V6TsG7HJYUGm7S774MhJSqZF7WMxBAzL_tN1oGsaIzbhsTXaElNfxSBic1ybiFOEJ7sduNNPfmLk1Va/s1600/Jon%20Hester%20-%20Converge%20Part%201.jpg" imagineanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTrfqsypBd8ODoKjyIHqE-aVMR5JPpW5FPBFWAFM0w3Un6CbqeBz5QNFlDH9tRydtxX7TVFHIpXYX26svQW4hf6lHj_59S_binJ5JWo7fyOlEb6V6TsG7HJYUGm7S774MhJSqZF7WMxBAzL_tN1oGsaIzbhsTXaElNfxSBic1ybiFOEJ7sduNNPfmLk1Va/s1600/Jon%20Hester%20-%20Converge%20Part%201.jpg" title="Darn cosmic portals floating about like nobody's business." /></a></div>
<i>REKIDS: 2020</i> <br />
<br />
I'm not only buying MP3 releases without much care in the world about doing so, I've now begun buying them from Radio Slave's label, REKIDS. If you'd try telling <b>2007 Sykonee</b> that would be a thing some fifteen years in the future, he'd have bonked you upside the head for speaking such mad nonsense. Of course, he'd <i>also</i> have scoffed at the notion he'd end up living in the same place for over a decade, having migrated many places in the preceding ten years before. Come to think of it, that Sykonee would have been amazed at many things that have come to pass since, maybe even this music-writing thing still an ongoing hobby. But yeah, that whole 'buying digital from Radio Slave', definitely a humdinger of a what th'? now. <br />
<br />
What's attracted me to his print, however, is the abundance of techno names familiar and obscure adorning its discography. I feel like I can just hop about release to release checking out whatever may come, and I'm guaranteed some interesting item worth listening further. Right, not everything is golden – with the amount of records coming out of REKIDS, how could it be? Taking a couple risks here and there certainly can't hurt though, right? <br />
<br />
Like this Jon Hester felle'r. I know nothing about him, but crikey if that isn't some cool looking cover art. And a full-length LP debut at that? Heck, that's plenty 'nuff for me to scope this out, even if Mr. Hester catalogue is a total blank to me (various singles on various labels throughout the '10s – as you'd expect of a techno up-and-comer). <br />
<br />
First proper track on <i>Converge Part I</i> is an eleven-minute outing called <i>Metropolitan</i> with a very loopy, minimalist techno beat. There's some conga fills along the way, but the main feature is a lone piano plinking about throughout. Yeah, it's got that 'Detroit goes jazz' vibe going for it, but I can't say the piano tone does much for me, neither funky nor uplifting in any meaningful way. Still, it's better than the saxophone tooting in follow-up <i>Haze</i>, but my boredom of the track may have more to do with my long-standing beef with the sex-jazz instrument. <br />
<br />
Fortunately, the album gets into a deeper side of techno I rather like after. <i>Rain</i> has a mellow synth tone warbling about a fine shuffly rhythm, <i>Dreamstate</i> gets on that dubby minimalism action, and <i>Free</i> lets the trance pads soar. As for the final couple tracks, I'm sure <i>Flex</i> will get some Drexciya triggers flaring, while closer <i>Equinox</i> goes a little askew with its oscillating synths. Have I mentioned how any of these tracks remain quite loopy, never having much fuss in building upon its early elements beyond whatever knob twiddling Jon does his leads as a track plays out? I haven't? Well, there we go. <br />
<br />
So maybe not the most exciting record overall, but I could see most of these tracks working in an early, warm-up set before the real techno party starts.<br />
<br /><a name='more'></a>
<b>ACE TRACKS</b>: <br />
<i>Rain</i> <br />
<i>Dreamstate</i> <br />
<i>Free</i> <br />
<br /><iframe seamless="" src="https://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/album=3230508749/size=large/bgcol=ffffff/linkcol=0687f5/tracklist=false/artwork=small/transparent=true/" style="border: 0; height: 120px; width: 100%;"><a href="https://rekids.bandcamp.com/album/converge-part-i">Converge Part I by Jon Hester</a></iframe>Sykoneehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06327331590042723390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2634864082514183828.post-83581170410510896092024-02-25T15:59:00.000-08:002024-02-25T15:59:38.783-08:00Median Project - Constellation<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP9atm5JSff75spm4J8DHZqmMi-Nr6ybXziFydBo_Nh4tBC5TGgPbB_8z_7TM19gYV-blxNnzW3iApSdMr3enJCRox2k7Bl4NsuOyWcoOgcMu4c8KosLFnDTbgxodtrEZUCF-kFqxLZUyEJDqLO7R_zx95Cc6tQgyF4kl83qViR73UM4M-I6k3DQP9F4b5/s1600/Median%20Project%20-%20Constellation.jpg" imagineanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP9atm5JSff75spm4J8DHZqmMi-Nr6ybXziFydBo_Nh4tBC5TGgPbB_8z_7TM19gYV-blxNnzW3iApSdMr3enJCRox2k7Bl4NsuOyWcoOgcMu4c8KosLFnDTbgxodtrEZUCF-kFqxLZUyEJDqLO7R_zx95Cc6tQgyF4kl83qViR73UM4M-I6k3DQP9F4b5/s1600/Median%20Project%20-%20Constellation.jpg" title="Don't think I've seen this particular pattern of stars before." /></a></div>
<i>Suntrip Records: 2019</i> <br />
<br />
I guess this marks a minor milestone in my current forever-coverage of Suntrip Records. Not only is this the twentieth item from their catalogue I'm reviewing (only fifty-some more to go?), but it's the first instance of a repeat artist in this venture. Okay, technically Emanuel Carpus is, in that I've covered an E-Mantra album, plus that one-off Night Hex side-project EP he did. I don't really count that as the same though. I'm talking about an actual established alias used by the same producer, in this case Sergei Petrenko. <br />
<br />
I didn't get too much into the man's background in my first review of Median Project, spending most of my word count lamenting other nonsense. So let me make amends here. Based out of Moscow, Sergei released a handful of EPs and albums on labels like Timewarp and Global Sect Music before landing himself on Suntrip with this record, <i>Constellation</i>. Floating about after with a couple items elsewhere, he put out <i>Another Galaxy</i>, then has remained relatively quiet on the production front since. Yeah, I wonder why that may have happened... <br />
<br />
Anyhow, I liked this album more than <i>Another Galaxy</i>. It still has some issues, similar to the ones I brought up in my other review, but overall, I feel there's more musical momentum going for the tracks on here than the latter record. It's the overt Astral Projection influence, goa trance designed to send your mindspace soaring as the relentless rhythms keep the heart rate pumping. Not so focused on earworms, but containing enough melodic backing that effectively keeps the auditory cortex fully stimulated. Oh yeah, this is definitely a psy trance album that knows all the subtle tricks of working the brain chemicals into a frenzy. <br />
<br />
Unfortunately, its greatest feature is also its critical flaw. There's little variety between tracks, each just dropping you into a full throttle goa session, each piece playing out its assortments of spacey synths and squiggly acid and delayed arps in mostly the same fashion as the last. The kicks are perhaps a bit too punchy, leading to some degree of ear fatigue, making a full playthrough of the album a bit of an endurance test. And when there <i>aren't</i> any obvious hooks for your brain to latch onto, that feeling of something missing can't help but persist.<br />
<br />
Granted, it's not as bad a feeling as a came away with from <i>Another Galaxy</i>, some definite strong peaks heard on <i>Constellation</i>. Tracks like <i>Infinite Space</i>, <i>One The Edge</i>, <i>Pandora's Box</i> have killer climaxes. They're also rather similar too, such that if you played just those peaks one after the other, you'd swear they're the same track, save some aesthetic differences. <br />
<br />
Fortunately, the whole record isn't like this, a bit more melodic variety found later in <i>Constellation</i>. Still, everything is so go-go-<i>go</i> in that neo-goa fashion, folks will either adore or grow weary of it. Great for those right moments when out at a party, but a little tiring when taking it in on the home front.<br />
<br /><a name='more'></a>
<b>ACE TRACKS</b>: <br />
<i>Infinite Space</i> <br />
<i>Pandora's Box</i> <br />
<i>Sunrise</i> <br />
<br /><iframe seamless="" src="https://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/album=2309809546/size=large/bgcol=ffffff/linkcol=0687f5/tracklist=false/artwork=small/transparent=true/" style="border: 0; height: 120px; width: 100%;"><a href="https://suntriprecords.bandcamp.com/album/median-project-constellation">Median Project - Constellation by Median Project</a></iframe>Sykoneehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06327331590042723390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2634864082514183828.post-28735445291462085712024-02-22T20:08:00.000-08:002024-02-23T15:50:47.888-08:00New Order - Complete Music<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqeHCECYHbODSyoFwSWk5YVXA3YEdZk-ZM3-qD1GNls4cvH1tDUCanIhQLCHpks3_VwjNihsqzEoyf8uZ0ElxyEKS1V2EoEWFpz1_pVySRX-uR8-7cXuLU4bV0ZfZVl1rQbo5zfjU7yNhUyiCqjaEmyUI_MvaAoCRnVblc6x3tZlzU1wnMFmresWsll7j1/s1600/New%20Order%20-%20Complete%20Music.jpg" imagineanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqeHCECYHbODSyoFwSWk5YVXA3YEdZk-ZM3-qD1GNls4cvH1tDUCanIhQLCHpks3_VwjNihsqzEoyf8uZ0ElxyEKS1V2EoEWFpz1_pVySRX-uR8-7cXuLU4bV0ZfZVl1rQbo5zfjU7yNhUyiCqjaEmyUI_MvaAoCRnVblc6x3tZlzU1wnMFmresWsll7j1/s1600/New%20Order%20-%20Complete%20Music.jpg" title="It's like a random Paint doodle with thick lines and having fun with color fill." /></a></div>
<i>Mute: 2016</i> <br />
<br />
I made a bold claim in declaring this 'remix' album New Order's best body of work outside of 'Best Of' packages, and now I get to show my receipts. Actually, no, I don't think I can, at least without bringing up the context that led to the album this sprung from, <i>Music Complete</i>. And that would eat up way too much word count that I'd rather spend detailing the tunes here. Besides, as my purchase of <i>Complete Music</i> included a free download of <i>Music Complete</i>, it'll at least leave me something to ramble on about whenever I get around to that record. <br />
<br />
And the honest truth is, had my 'Surveying' stipulation not forced me to check out <i>Complete Music</i>, I may not have in the first place (or much of New Order in general, but stick with me). Yeah, there's been some ace remixes handed out to New Order's catalogue over the decades, but this was an entirely in-house project, simply taking the existing songs and extending them for maximum dancefloor efficiency. Hey, that's great, as I already liked the clubby nature of the originals, so more of that isn't so bad. A little more rhythmic intro here, a lengthier bridge there, and holy cow, these seven-to-nine minute versions are just so much better! I don't think I can even go back to the <i>Music Complete</i> variants, coming off like radio edits now. It almost makes me wonder if <i>these</i> were the finished songs, but in realizing it'd balloon the album to double-LP length, were forced to pare things down for commercial interests, rendering <i>Complete Music</i> to 'Director's Cut' side-project status. Probably not, but it's a fun notion if so. <br />
<br />
So <i>Restless</i> comes in with all those peppy rhythms, hooky guitars (but no Peter Hook, he gone), emotional string swells, and synthy punctuations. And <i>then</i>, some two minutes in, Bernard comes in, and if this track hasn't fully won you over, then I don't know how you've been a New Order fan. Right, it's not <i>Blue Monday</i>, but hardly anything else in their catalogue is. <br />
<br />
This is the sound of a band that's been through it all, having the skill to incorporate all their learned influences, and still find room to add some (then) contemporary tricks. A festival-ready breakdown in <i>Singularity</i>. A festival-ready build in <i>Unlearn This Hatred</i>. A little d'n'b momentum in <i>Stray Dog</i> (complete with a gravely Iggy Pop) and <i>Superheated</i>, and so on. Nor have they side-stepped other eras of their career, like the NRG pulse of <i>Plastic</i> or synth-pop campiness of <i>Tutti Frutti</i> (a song I dreaded going in based on title alone, winning me over regardless), both vintage '80s without sounding canned or retro-trendy. Or jubilant '90s funky piano house vibes of <i>People On The High Line</i>. Or the '00s indie rock janglyness of <i>Nothing But A Fool</i> and <i>The Game</i>. It's a little bit of everything you know of New Order and then some. <br />
<br />
And then performed <i>extra</i> length, just because they can! <br />
<br /><a name='more'></a>
<b>ACE TRACKS</b>: <br />
All of them. They're all ace, every damn minute's worth, even the added ones! <br />
<br />
<iframe allow="encrypted-media; clipboard-write" allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="260" src="https://widget.deezer.com/widget/dark/album/12995620" title="deezer-widget" width="600"></iframe>Sykoneehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06327331590042723390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2634864082514183828.post-82015277085128067642024-02-20T00:30:00.000-08:002024-02-20T00:30:00.132-08:00George Issakidis & Speedy J - Collabs 400 & 401<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcn7z6QHEh4CYeeWx4naAAhF24oYba8HrKScPhEIl0K7ZR5BLHI8X3tUlIohVBa2g0bhX3uol-I7neghzhhfTKKB9RWU-QjJQdGf8UAf2rn4iCa3ykTmbIU3A4ggZryaDBvgJLw-b9K5wZh26Jr1TeWT2Q4NUtpLn-52VQp_Gezg0uP9UQgl7eNQ-a9SBS/s1600/George%20Issakidis%20&%20Speedy%20J%20-%20Collabs%20400,%20401.jpg" imagineanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="800" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcn7z6QHEh4CYeeWx4naAAhF24oYba8HrKScPhEIl0K7ZR5BLHI8X3tUlIohVBa2g0bhX3uol-I7neghzhhfTKKB9RWU-QjJQdGf8UAf2rn4iCa3ykTmbIU3A4ggZryaDBvgJLw-b9K5wZh26Jr1TeWT2Q4NUtpLn-52VQp_Gezg0uP9UQgl7eNQ-a9SBS/s1600/George%20Issakidis%20&%20Speedy%20J%20-%20Collabs%20400,%20401.jpg" title="The purple and white ones." /></a></div>
<i>NovaMute: 2005</i> <br />
<br />
Th'ar be the acid! Just took a French touch to get there. TB-303 action aside, I have to say these <i>Collabs</i> with George Issakidis are the most interesting of the lot, and not just because they stray far from the regular techno workouts as already heard from Jochem's pairing with Adam and Chris. Okay, it's almost entirely because of that too, because in accommodating Monsieur Issakidis' aesthetic into his own, it resulted in some of most unique sounds out of Jochem's discography ever. Which shouldn't come as too much of a surprise considering the former Micronaut was also responsible for the Superior Version of <i>Block Rockin' Beats</i>. <br />
<br />
As for how this pairing came about, I assume George was itching to get involved in the 'proper techno' scene after splitting off on his own – anything to escape the big-beat stigma. Some chance meeting with Jochem resulted in the two discovering shared mojo in working on music together, and here we are. <br />
<br />
The first cut out of this, <i>Looks Something Like You</i>, is a ten-plus minute outing of steady, noisy bedlam. Really, it sounds like an extended jam session, the two playing all manner of filter and effects over the bare-bones acid house lurking underneath. While of a much lower BPM than the other tracks thus featured in the <i>Collabs</i> series, the intensity is no less gratifying. Hell, some of the percussion could very well be industrial, rattling off like machine gun fire and all. That may just be something for the 'old heads' though, as what was truly blowing up at the time in Francophone lands was sleazy, filthy, abrasive acid, so here's that in the form of <i>Understand What I'm Saying</i> on the flip of <i>Collabs 400</i>. Holy shit, how can this thing go for nearly <i>eleven</i> minutes, and never grow weary or repetitive? The warped vocals are fun enough as it is, but throw in all the distorted, clanking percussion along the way, and you have the closest thing to Speedy J going Ed Banger you'll ever hear! <br />
<br />
Okay, maybe that was all a bit much for the techno purists out there, so on <i>Collabs 401</i>, the pair slow things way down on <i>Overblaak</i>, a quite minimalist piece where the TB-303 gets the most shine. Even here though, just the little things, like a mint, crunchy skippity-shuffle on the beat, has you hanging on every minute of its near-<i>fourteen</i> worth. <i>Kaalbrevo</i>, meanwhile, decides to get dubby on the distorted acid vibes, the duo providing a track that would fit snugly in a vintage Swayzak set. This, too, breaches a dozen minutes in length, but somehow holds your attention with every flange and filter effect thrown in. Not that I'd expect anything less ol' Issakidis. <br />
<br />
Which is what I should say, if I'd actually heard more of his work outside this and early Micronauts. Time to do some more diggin' and he's got a rather skint discography after all. Mm, well, at least it won't take as long to sift through as Gerd's. <br />
<br /><a name='more'></a>
<b>ACE TRACKS</b>: <br />
<i>Understand What I'm Saying</i> <br />
<i>Overblaak</i> <br />
<i>Kaalbrevo</i> <br />
<br /><iframe seamless="" src="https://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/album=930635223/size=large/bgcol=ffffff/linkcol=0687f5/tracklist=false/artwork=small/transparent=true/" style="border: 0; height: 120px; width: 100%;"><a href="https://speedyj.bandcamp.com/album/collabs-400">Collabs 400 by George Issakidis & Speedy J</a></iframe><br />
<br />
<iframe seamless="" src="https://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/album=3386410680/size=large/bgcol=ffffff/linkcol=0687f5/tracklist=false/artwork=small/transparent=true/" style="border: 0; height: 120px; width: 100%;"><a href="https://speedyj.bandcamp.com/album/collabs-401">Collabs 401 by George Issakidis & Speedy J</a></iframe>Sykoneehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06327331590042723390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2634864082514183828.post-20355405020259233862024-02-19T18:30:00.000-08:002024-02-19T18:30:00.162-08:00Chris Liebing & Speedy J - Collabs 300 & 301<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHCWKF5BaW4acJhPW11Ndya_hJBdMii2hOV46vZRmAneP_vLwIMstzV3abJJ9E3T6XravkMijt38XAhkpi0iNd49eVUuNTyNiacvx3ffpOvjOEwlNsWiJ9zhcmQu7tIg244nhVZpSPY40uLRkV1XmA7nRLjPhCeeXGgFf0n3Pil1982iQVUtKZvUp-5VJk/s1600/Chris%20Liebing%20&%20Speedy%20J%20-%20Collabs%20300,%20301.jpg" imagineanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="800" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHCWKF5BaW4acJhPW11Ndya_hJBdMii2hOV46vZRmAneP_vLwIMstzV3abJJ9E3T6XravkMijt38XAhkpi0iNd49eVUuNTyNiacvx3ffpOvjOEwlNsWiJ9zhcmQu7tIg244nhVZpSPY40uLRkV1XmA7nRLjPhCeeXGgFf0n3Pil1982iQVUtKZvUp-5VJk/s1600/Chris%20Liebing%20&%20Speedy%20J%20-%20Collabs%20300,%20301.jpg" title="The army green and grey ones." /></a></div>
<i>NovaMute: 2004/2021</i> <br />
<br />
I initially thought maybe, just maybe, I wouldn't have to do these, the Chris Liebing collaborations well and sorted on the <i>Metalism</i> album concurrently released with the singles. A brief glance at the LPs' track list reveals three out of the four tunes making their way on, so nothing more I can say about them, right? Just move onto the next item and- oh, wait, that one on there is called <i>Triflon</i>, whereas this one's called <i>Treflon</i>. And having already gone through Jochem's penchant of making differing tracks with remarkably similar titles save a single vowel, these two will be different as well, right? Right. And whereas the single featured a <i>Trezcore</i>, the album has <i>Acid Trezcore</i>, while the <i>Tricko</i> on <i>Metalism</i> is a live version. Throw in a totally unique cut among the two <i>Collabs</i> with Liebing called <i>Drippelzimmer</i>, and yep, I do believe we have completely original material distinct from the album. Guess I gotta' get on that proper-like, then. <br />
<br />
Or heck, I'll 'cheat' a little, wrap the two into one single review. Better for all, I wager. <br />
<br />
<i>Collabs 300</i> kicks off with the aforementioned <i>Tricko</i>, in its original incarnation. It's structurally the same track as heard on <i>Metalism</i>, a steady, pummelling piece of techno business gradually adding rhythmic layers before doing a little 'bring it down, then all back' in the back-half. An effective tool, then, but man, hearing all that extra club resonance and crowd hollering in the live cut... just can't be beat. Just goes to show how much more effective this stuff sounds live than sitting at home with headphones on. So much more energy. Just... so much more. Meanwhile, <i>Treflon</i> is a far superior version of the basic premise of <i>Triflon</i>. I wasn't much impressed by the bouncy, tech-house nature of its <i>Metalism</i> counterpart, but then I wasn't much impressed by anything among that album's opening salvo. <i>Treflon</i> may still over-use the crunchy-squishy percussion and distorted minimal vocals, but dammit, at least this version has a proper techno pulse to it. Still didn't need got'dang <i>twelve</i>-plus minutes of it, no matter how much fun I'm sure Chris and Jochem had jamming away making it. <br />
<br />
<i>Collabs 301</i> is kinda' the same, in that there's one better version of a track than as found on <i>Metalism</i>, and one lesser version. Okay, that's cheating, since I can't confirm nor deny there's a <i>Metalism</i> counterpart to <i>Drippelzimmer</i>. Really, any of the 4am warehouse bosh cuts could be one, since this is more of that. Quite minimal in its production too, in that there isn't a whole lot going on beyond the usual assortment of percussive fills and pull-backs. Again, standard fare for Liebing and Paap techno of the time, which I'm sure worked quite well in their sets. <i>Trezcore</i>, on the other hand, can't help but sound inferior to <i>Acid Trezcore</i> because, well, there's no acid. Yeah, it pummels just fine and all but where's the acid? Wh'ar th' ACID!? Nowhere she be, but on <i>Metalism</i>. <br />
<br /><a name='more'></a>
<b>ACE TRACKS</b>: <br />
They've done better. <br />
<br /><iframe seamless="" src="https://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/album=4112045980/size=large/bgcol=ffffff/linkcol=0687f5/tracklist=false/artwork=small/transparent=true/" style="border: 0; height: 120px; width: 100%;"><a href="https://speedyj.bandcamp.com/album/collabs-300">Collabs 300 by Chris Liebing & Speedy J</a></iframe><br />
<br />
<iframe seamless="" src="https://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/album=429963942/size=large/bgcol=ffffff/linkcol=0687f5/tracklist=false/artwork=small/transparent=true/" style="border: 0; height: 120px; width: 100%;"><a href="https://speedyj.bandcamp.com/album/collabs-301">Collabs 301 by Chris Liebing & Speedy J</a></iframe>Sykoneehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06327331590042723390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2634864082514183828.post-25393111486886528902024-02-19T12:30:00.000-08:002024-02-28T09:07:15.779-08:00Literon & Speedy J - Collabs 200<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCAnKWzrZLNMrELGo9zATakEFNTvuHxhH3fQiHMrHE3JiQpFQDmDWnyvJuf8MzkfAMZbilfrRDtK6NshnDOoMi75vE4SeZD_9mVr0ZXbjT25dKqO08IU3Y8IC6avndX_xtBMlYLR9MmQEWc4iv3mhmlk2TxhSsOH_-zd3wif-BOar59TyxN6uS2AspVfJ0/s1600/Literon%20&%20Speedy%20J%20-%20Collabs%20200.jpg" imagineanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCAnKWzrZLNMrELGo9zATakEFNTvuHxhH3fQiHMrHE3JiQpFQDmDWnyvJuf8MzkfAMZbilfrRDtK6NshnDOoMi75vE4SeZD_9mVr0ZXbjT25dKqO08IU3Y8IC6avndX_xtBMlYLR9MmQEWc4iv3mhmlk2TxhSsOH_-zd3wif-BOar59TyxN6uS2AspVfJ0/s1600/Literon%20&%20Speedy%20J%20-%20Collabs%20200.jpg" title="The blue one." /></a></div>
<i>NovaMute: 2004/2021</i> <br />
<br />
Sometimes I'm thrown for a loop in how many gaps remain in my electronic music knowledge. Granted, no one can know <i>everything</i> - even Lord Discogs, the Lord That Knows All, doesn't know <i>all</i> there is know. I'd like to think I know more than most, but even then, my expertise will always be filtered through what I am exposed to, and what I can make the time to expose myself to. When it comes to localized scenes that didn't get much shine beyond their regions, I likely remain rather ignorant of the who's who in the what's what. <br />
<br />
Which is just a roundabout way of me saying I know nothing about Gert-Jan Bijl, the man behind Literon. He's apparently had quite a fruitful career in the lands of Dutch, making techno and other assorted sounds across multiple aliases and collaborative project since the early '90s to this day. He even got into the label business in the '00s, 4 Lux Recordings, still going... well, still going. Gerd is probably his most recognizable handle (<i>Arkest's Blaze</i> a groovy techno classic), though ol' schoolers may also know him as part of Sensurreal. And here's me, only having heard two tracks of his in all that time. One is <i>Time And Space</i> off Marcel Fengler's <i>Berghain 05</i>, the other hopelessly obscure. 'Tis a single cut on the compilation <i>Excursions In Ambience</i>, <i>Afterglow</i>, as part of the trio It's Thinking, including Mark Ripmeester and Dirk-Jan Hanegraaff. Hell, that's not even the trio's most successful alias, that honour going to Sunshower. <br />
<br />
Anyhow, even if the fruitful career of Mr. Bijl came as a surprise to me, that he would collab' with one of the Netherlands' most famous techno sons in Speedy J is not. Far as I can tell, Literon was Gert's alias used whenever he wanted to go a little more Detroit than Euro in his techno, but was rather flexible overall – I even get a hint of trance in the track <i>Villar Kone</i>! Since bangin' 4am business was where techno was going at the turn of the century, so did Literon, and what better time to mesh musical ideas with Jochem than then? <br />
<br />
Track one <i>Snacker</i> is a serious thumper, but aside from rattling percussion and abrassive, noisy fills, doesn't do much beyond standard techno tools stuff for its eight minute duration. Still, wonderful space between all these sounds, much more so compared to the bricked nature of the Adam Beyer collab'. <i>Knicker</i> on the flip is definitely the more interesting of the pair, more of a tech-house stomper with a seriously twitchy, almost glitchy rhythm. If anything was going to give off the Detroit vibes you might have expected going into this (a long stretch, I'll grant), then this track gets there reasonably well. And at keeping its length under six minutes, its loopy nature doesn't overstay its welcome. <br />
<br />
To be honest though, I'm far more interested in digging into Gerd's extended discography than replaying these tracks anytime soon.<br />
<br /><a name='more'></a>
<b>ACE TRACKS</b>: <br />
<i>Knicker</i> <br />
<br />
<iframe seamless="" src="https://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/album=852001499/size=large/bgcol=ffffff/linkcol=0687f5/tracklist=false/artwork=small/transparent=true/" style="border: 0; height: 120px; width: 100%;"><a href="https://speedyj.bandcamp.com/album/collabs-200">Collabs 200 by Literon & Speedy J</a></iframe>Sykoneehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06327331590042723390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2634864082514183828.post-76159194996967563932024-02-19T06:34:00.000-08:002024-02-19T06:34:03.759-08:00Adam Beyer & Speedy J - Collabs 100<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJWdYYGc2ZYmQympiaK2Sa9EPL0EvmpmZpvvjeXyXWBmqxC0T4mAamQlZWON_40jV3RKdYHy5nAgP_SHvxmnd3xRTrvuXWVxwfO8LSuEhvMURUqGHZ8ManHNrwGKyKuHN1yZMJfLzBxeCezkAshY0qB7dvluBf8t-HZlLxkBTyjj7Aff1ulQ3TiVRwjwCy/s1600/Adam%20Beyer%20&%20Speedy%20J%20-%20Collabs%20100.jpg" imagineanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJWdYYGc2ZYmQympiaK2Sa9EPL0EvmpmZpvvjeXyXWBmqxC0T4mAamQlZWON_40jV3RKdYHy5nAgP_SHvxmnd3xRTrvuXWVxwfO8LSuEhvMURUqGHZ8ManHNrwGKyKuHN1yZMJfLzBxeCezkAshY0qB7dvluBf8t-HZlLxkBTyjj7Aff1ulQ3TiVRwjwCy/s1600/Adam%20Beyer%20&%20Speedy%20J%20-%20Collabs%20100.jpg" title="The moss green one." /></a></div>
<i>NovaMute: 2003/2021</i> <br />
<br />
Is this finally the end, my friends? Have we come the conclusion of these Speedy J reviews, the <i>Collabs</i> series all that remains? Well, of what <i>I</i> got from that initial Bandcamp bulk buy, yes. Wouldn't you know it though, Jochem added a couple more singles after the fact, a two-EP run as The Melody. Not to mention everything else he's released from 2010 on. Can't say I'm inclined to complete the <i>total</i> collection at this point, well and truly sated on all things Speedy J for now. Well, maybe that <i>Nice EP</i> - I like it whenever Mr. Paap throws actual melody into his tunes, even if only back in the day. <br />
<br />
Yeah, I don't think there's any beating around the bush in knowing what we're in for here. To this day, Adam Beyer is known as that uncompromising dude rinsing out uncompromising techno, making a tidy business for himself out of it. This came out in the early days of that movement, before everything went completely M_nus minimal, Beyer and his cohorts at the top of this european techno domain. As Speedy J's <i>Loudboxer</i> was part of this movement, its natural that he'd work with these lads in churning out a few records here and there. <i>Collabs 100</i> was the first, picking up right where the <i>Loudboxer</i> singles left off. <br />
<br />
Come to think of it, I'm not entirely sure where Adam Beyer ends and Speedy J begins with these two cuts. I'll grant this is more to do with the unfamiliarity I have with Adam's general body of work, knowing him more for his aesthetics than particular production tricks. I'd assume the little bit of body movin' bassline in <i>Sjab</i> is his contribution, as I don't recall many of Jochem's music containing something like that. It's certainly repetitive enough to fit the Beyer mold. Does that mean the industrial clanking and sketchy synth stabs are Speedy's work? Why am I even psycho-analyzing such a relentlessly boshing track? This is straight-up 4am warehouse workout music, pummelling from the get-go, going full bore for a good eight minutes, save a requisite mid-track breather. There's a few fun flange moments towards the end, and provides a nice minute-long wind-down, leading me to believe <i>Sjab</i> was strictly constructed as a set ender. I mean, what else could you follow such an intense track up with? <br />
<br />
A b-side called <i>Basj</i>, I guess, though obviously not in the same set. Or maybe in the earlier portions of said set. Regardless, it's not as bang-on as <i>Sjab</i>, actually somewhat subtle in comparison. What it really reminds me of though, L.S.G.'s <i>The Train Of Thought</i>! It's the sporadic splashes of dubby echo, y'see, not to mention just how frenetic the rhythms sounds, not much removed from Oliver Lieb's tech-trance opus. For sure this is still firmly in techno's domain, but considering how unmelodic and stale the genre would soon become, hearing something like this is quite nice indeed. <br />
<br /><a name='more'></a>
<b>ACE TRACKS</b>:<br>
I'll go with both, sure. <br />
<bR>
<div><iframe seamless="" src="https://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/album=726271758/size=large/bgcol=ffffff/linkcol=0687f5/tracklist=false/artwork=small/transparent=true/" style="border: 0; height: 120px; width: 100%;"><a href="https://speedyj.bandcamp.com/album/collabs-100">Collabs 100 by Adam Beyer & Speedy J</a></iframe></div>Sykoneehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06327331590042723390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2634864082514183828.post-37464034404059923752024-02-17T10:00:00.000-08:002024-02-17T10:00:29.416-08:00Various - Clockwork Manor (Cottage Industries 9)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHjiUc_UUnoRaGoZYpPvQ2X9U0Cka76Oax8RuNyf801Z9m3mI5yTMc6RcmJlwQCv2Xx7V569fyHNVKSVs9r57q-FFVS-3Hm-ESkcMSm-o40RvokdepzdYvcME8R6X2QNcaHuGugDNswiaFgYf8tYB9FPUYcZkjgAws_DySLvGKmmOmhUuLJYZOPVnssj7H/s1600/Various%20-%20Clockwork%20Manor%20Cottage%20Industries%209.jpg" imagineanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHjiUc_UUnoRaGoZYpPvQ2X9U0Cka76Oax8RuNyf801Z9m3mI5yTMc6RcmJlwQCv2Xx7V569fyHNVKSVs9r57q-FFVS-3Hm-ESkcMSm-o40RvokdepzdYvcME8R6X2QNcaHuGugDNswiaFgYf8tYB9FPUYcZkjgAws_DySLvGKmmOmhUuLJYZOPVnssj7H/s1600/Various%20-%20Clockwork%20Manor%20Cottage%20Industries%209.jpg" title="These machines of industry are looking a little rusty." /></a></div>
<i>Neo Ouija: 2019</i> <br />
<br />
As mentioned in my first review of a <i>Cottage Industries</i>, the Neo Ouija series has pretty much become the label's sole output in recent years. Really, it's kind of funny Lee Norris would dust off the old print just for this reason. Then again, he's got so many labels and affiliates since this one's early '00s heyday, I doubt he'd be able to keep track of what artists should go where and so on. <br />
<br />
Yeah, its relaunch probably had as much to do with releasing new Norken and Metamatics material than anything else, but why waste the opportunity to bring other talents into the fold, even if its only via compilations. Still, it must have proved successful, as after the first couple <i>Cottage Industries</i> tested the waters with single CD options, the ninth edition, <i>Clockwork Manor</i>, goes hog wild with a triple-disc, thirty-six track extravaganza. Or overload, depending on what your enjoyment threshold is for various forms of experimental IDM glitch-pop. <br />
<br />
Of these thirty-six, I only recognize a handful of names: John Tejada, Ambidextrous, Ruxpin, Drøn. That led me to believe I was dealing with a bunch of new artists, the compilation going out of its way to highlight up and comers. Yet clicking through most of their Discogs entries, that's hardly the case, many actively releasing material throughout the '10s. They may have been extremely obscure, getting shine on Neo Ouija their biggest break and all, but still, some spent in the trenches getting there is good. <br />
<br />
This is also one of those collections of music where you could assign a unique genre to every single track, if you're anal-retentive enough about music classification. I gave a <i>very</i> generalized style-salad above, but that's only scratching the surface. There's honestly something enjoyable for everyone here. Randomly picked, there's Boards-like downtempo (Velum's <i>Break Infinis</i>) or confounding skitter-skatter beatcraft (BLN's <i>Ly Oc</i>) or noisy electro (Carbinax' <i>Capable Beast</i>) or shuffly frigid-acid (Octavcat's <i>Icefield</i>) or clicky mood music (h7 buffer's <i>Qwon Trill</i>). Only duff I recall is a lone dubstep track, <i>4D3x</i> from Dialed, sounding like an out-of-place 'alleyway toff' among so much undeniably dorky music. <br />
<br />
If there's this much music worth discussing across three CDs, why don't I split this review up as I've done in the past? Well, despite ordering the 3CD option off Bandcamp, I never received them (not the first time this happened from this label, sadly), leaving me with the thirty-six track digital version. And believe you me, when trying to sit down and take in nearly three <i>hours</i> of this stuff, a lot of it kinda' mushes into your brain. Matters aren't helped when the sonic diversity is wildly abrupt, with track lengths averaging four-to-six minute, such that material doesn't have much chance of standing out in single playthroughs. Frankly, I often felt like I was listening to a glorified label sampler rather than a thematic compilation. Which kinda' sums up my thoughts about most mega-massive 'streaming playlist' collections of the modern era. <br />
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<b>ACE TRACKS</b>: <br />
<b>Recue</b> - <i>Oxalic</i> <br />
<b>Min-Y-Llan</b> - <i>Chants (<b>Murya</b> Remix)</i> <br />
<b>4T Thieves</b> - <i>We</i> <br />
<br /><iframe seamless="" src="https://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/album=2910699267/size=large/bgcol=ffffff/linkcol=0687f5/tracklist=false/artwork=small/transparent=true/" style="border: 0; height: 120px; width: 100%;"><a href="https://neoouija1.bandcamp.com/album/clockwork-manor-cottage-industries-9">Clockwork Manor_Cottage Industries 9 by Neo Ouija</a></iframe>Sykoneehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06327331590042723390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2634864082514183828.post-56951055292800863822024-02-11T15:47:00.000-08:002024-02-11T15:47:50.427-08:00Various - Classic Goa Trax<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis6AV30cvCtxACPkETZLMa2Po6KInkyxeKCKmTyIGPuSVVR3u_w8LuOFqNW7JcVgsb9M_HrKvU1wWaf4sL417yN2E_qBbrJuemjTABahsdSNJ3_gxvGMQEIaizW7U-IDcfrx1N8TVg0wfNMYGhdEx8higS174T0BPFSHzNcWbgqD4ffFfucrfeAHYVomCZ/s1600/Various%20-%20Classic%20Goa%20Trance.jpg" imagineanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="667" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis6AV30cvCtxACPkETZLMa2Po6KInkyxeKCKmTyIGPuSVVR3u_w8LuOFqNW7JcVgsb9M_HrKvU1wWaf4sL417yN2E_qBbrJuemjTABahsdSNJ3_gxvGMQEIaizW7U-IDcfrx1N8TVg0wfNMYGhdEx8higS174T0BPFSHzNcWbgqD4ffFfucrfeAHYVomCZ/s1600/Various%20-%20Classic%20Goa%20Trance.jpg" title="Swirly blue cosmic stylee." /></a></div>
<i>Suntrip Records: 2022</i> <br />
<br />
Some half-decade ago, Suntrip got it inside their heads that, while it's all well and fun keeping goa trance alive with new talents, what about the unheralded acts of old? The big names managed to keep their stock alive, whether through retention of label rights or re-issues through other sources. Could there be others though, who never had enough scene clout to keep their music out of legal limbo, forever lost to publishing purgatory, their original CDs demanding stupid sums of second-hand market money? Some, yes, so they launched a sub-label dedicated to digging deep into psy's history for such trance artifacts: Classic Goa Trax. It started rather small, but has since seen digital re-issues of material from luminaries like Prana, Etnica, and Pleiadians. <br />
<br />
Well, some folks must have been itching for something tangible, as we now have a double-disc compilation of <i>Classic Goa Trax</i>. Acting as a means of additional promotion in case folks somehow missed the sub-label's existence doesn't hurt either. Regardless, surely this will serve as a nice highlight of all those digital releases, right? No, not really, nothing from them making it on here. Ah, then it's a proper classics showcase then, consolidating the best of the best from goa's glory years! Nope, not that either. In fact, there's only a handful of featured artists among these two CDs I'd consider actual 'classic' worthy. S.U.N. Project, Bypass Unit, Mystica. I also recognize Twisted Travellers, but by and large, we're dealing with some ultra-obscure projects on this compilation, many having never released more than a couple tracks back in the day. <br />
<br />
What this should actually be called is <i>Goa Trance In A Classic Style</i>. Or, more accurately, <i>Unreleased Goa Trance From The Classic Era</i>. Neither have quite the same marketing punch as <i>Classic Goa Trax</i> though, do they. <br />
<br />
With that in mind, I can only recommend this compilation for those who can't get enough of the vintage '90s sound because, hoo boy, does the production and songcraft ever show its age. I'm sure Suntrip did all they could to beef the quality to acceptable modern standards, and there are those who are weary of how bricked a lot of contemporary tunes are. When you're dealing with a bunch of artists that never got much shine, however, offering up tracks that originally never saw the light of day, you're gonna' have to keep your expectations fair and low. <br />
<br />
Of course, it's not outright awful or anything – Suntrip does maintain <i>some</i> standards, even if many cuts are rather basic and frequently wibbly. Still, as a comparison, I threw on one of those <i>Goa Trance</i> discs from Rumour Records, that stuff clearly weaker than what's heard here. If even the likes of Astral Projection or Total Eclipse never did it for you though, then this collection of tunes hasn't a hope in Hell. Props to Suntrip in having the gumption for even releasing such a compilation, but this one's strictly for hardcore fans of an ancient style. <br />
<br /><a name='more'></a>
<b>ACE TRACKS</b>: <br />
<b>Mystica</b> - <i>Thai Express</i> <br />
<b>Osmos</b> - <i>Planisphere</i> <br />
<b>Atomas303</b> - <i>Cartesian Space (Sagittarius Remix)</i> <br />
<br /><iframe seamless="" src="https://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/album=1822075964/size=large/bgcol=ffffff/linkcol=0687f5/tracklist=false/artwork=small/transparent=true/" style="border: 0; height: 120px; width: 100%;"><a href="https://suntriprecords.bandcamp.com/album/classic-goa-trax">Classic Goa Trax by Various Artists</a></iframe>Sykoneehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06327331590042723390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2634864082514183828.post-17574555070054884162024-02-10T19:29:00.000-08:002024-02-10T19:29:18.999-08:00Morphic Resonance - The City Of Moons<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8AGLsItuV5rLsFXkJlpC_bT1egCuGHNE4zUsoQDzM8CYEDW8JvniAtjrQXvjHIA22Zqgxvfk3NgZOrKVtXVZBwj9otdQIYdUYu5Um0JPMLgBeVlezeta2H4nepcZZM45EXO0Ll9P6vuJbSetUbzTBnkOEGW-uzYSMwDCs0ZZePRBgBRIT-gvuNAsW4OCm/s1600/Morphic%20Resonance%20-%20The%20City%20Of%20Moons.jpg" imagineanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="593" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8AGLsItuV5rLsFXkJlpC_bT1egCuGHNE4zUsoQDzM8CYEDW8JvniAtjrQXvjHIA22Zqgxvfk3NgZOrKVtXVZBwj9otdQIYdUYu5Um0JPMLgBeVlezeta2H4nepcZZM45EXO0Ll9P6vuJbSetUbzTBnkOEGW-uzYSMwDCs0ZZePRBgBRIT-gvuNAsW4OCm/s1600/Morphic%20Resonance%20-%20The%20City%20Of%20Moons.jpg" title="Reminds me of V'Ger's maw, but on acid." /></a></div>
<i>Suntrip Records: 2016</i> <br />
<br />
<i>Morphic Resonance</i> is the name of Syzygy's lone album, released on Rising High Records three decades ago. It's another in a long line of obscure records that blossomed in an era when it felt nothing was off limits, genre demarcations still in flux, producers able to flit between progressive house, techno, trance, world beat, and IDM with little care or worry about fitting in within established scenes. It's an album I've had my eye one nabbing for quite some time now, but would have to pay upwards of forty bones to own a physical copy of. I'd even settle for a digital re-issue now, but it seems this is an album that'll be stuck in legal limbo for awhile. At least I can still stream it, but for how long, I wonder? For how long... <br />
<br />
Morphic Resonance is also the name of Cristian Ferandez Font's psychedelic trance project. This is his debut on Suntrip Records, the label where he's mostly made a home for himself. <br />
<br />
It's <i>also</i>-also another CD that doesn't waste any time getting you into the good shit. Like, good on Cristian for coming out hard, fully aware one needs to make a strong, immediate impact to stand out in such an overcrowded glut of releases. Even with Suntrip's usual high bar, getting noticed can take some gumption, and <i>Psychedelic Hell</i> lets you know you're in for a trip on the relentlessly acid side. As if that wasn't enough, follow-up <i>In The Mouth Of Madness</i> lays the dark vibes on even thicker, a menacing undercurrent of low ends pushing the squelching TB-303 to proper cosmic horror levels. And if <i>that</i> wasn't enough, the titular third cut goes full bore with its psychedelic energy, needing a dozen minutes to strut its stuff. Heck, it even drops a key change at the climax, always a welcome bit of tonal shift in music as unrelenting as this. <br />
<br />
In fact, it's almost too much awesome out the gate, as <i>The City Of Moons</i> (the album) doesn't really hit that peak again until the finale. The four tracks between are solid enough, they just don't do enough to distinguish themselves from being a run of aggressive, trippy-swirly acid sounds. Yeah, <i>Chronos</i> has a hollower beat, while <i>Procyon</i> has a punchier beat, and <i>Mindwarp</i> has a flatter beat (vintage goa beat, if you will), but compared to the highs we experienced out the gate, just can't compare. The sort of tunes that make better sense when out doing stuff than sitting back analyzing their composition, is what I'm saying. <br />
<br />
As for that finale, it's a remix of S.U.N. Project's <i>Space Dwarfs</i>, a track I'm not <i>as</i> intimately familiar with as some of their other works, but a fun acid number nonetheless. Morphic Resonance gives it some serious beefing, as you'd expect of a producer remixing a track nearly twenty years after the fact, but it's definitely a welcome conclusion to an album that needed something on par with its opening salvo in its back-half. <br />
<br /><a name='more'></a>
<b>ACE TRACKS</b>: <br />
<i>In The Mouth Of Madness</i> <br />
<i>The City Of Moons</i> <br />
<b>S.U.N. Project</b> - <i>Space Dwarfs (Morphic Resonance Remix) <br />
<br /><iframe seamless="" src="https://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/album=3893490061/size=large/bgcol=ffffff/linkcol=0687f5/tracklist=false/artwork=small/transparent=true/" style="border: 0; height: 120px; width: 100%;"><a href="https://suntriprecords.bandcamp.com/album/morphic-resonance-the-city-of-moons">Morphic Resonance - The City of Moons by Suntrip Records</a></iframe>Sykoneehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06327331590042723390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2634864082514183828.post-52077077367567873142024-02-08T19:18:00.000-08:002024-02-08T19:18:57.965-08:00Tune - Change The Beat<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjLDonTFGg4dtAmDMRQCBbfFQgyzx2tTiJervv6PG0vRzuKUbSPxU2LjkMTcjPfU7fT9qeit2tmIrC8EBHOGaG8YcbTQ7oqgL95-9twtQx0ch6uZz_kG5K6dZr-EdLIdYZe4H75PJG-92wMtFIdmdki3hTAhqpUuIH1z3myZjyzcEtfKPPRVSz7YiDCdh6/s1600/Tune%20-%20Change%20The%20Beat.jpg" imagineanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjLDonTFGg4dtAmDMRQCBbfFQgyzx2tTiJervv6PG0vRzuKUbSPxU2LjkMTcjPfU7fT9qeit2tmIrC8EBHOGaG8YcbTQ7oqgL95-9twtQx0ch6uZz_kG5K6dZr-EdLIdYZe4H75PJG-92wMtFIdmdki3hTAhqpUuIH1z3myZjyzcEtfKPPRVSz7YiDCdh6/s1600/Tune%20-%20Change%20The%20Beat.jpg" title="The stallion has been replaced by a pig. Messege, Spock?" /></a></div>
<i>R & S Records: 1991/2021</i> <br />
<br />
This has to be Jochem's most obscure project. Yeah, those in the know <i>know</i> who it is, while R & S Records is hardly some dingy underground techno label lost to the mists of time. If I hadn't told you this was from Speedy J though, would you even be able to tell? Okay, maybe if you sat down and listened to the darn thing, you could, though you'd have to have a near perfect memory of all his early '90s works to work that out. <br />
<br />
More what I'm getting at though, is the alias he chose for this is the most nondescript thing you could imagine. Obviously he couldn't just use Speedy J again, as that was a Plus 8 exclusive. No, wait, Jochem used that name for <i>Pull Over</i> as well, and that came out on Music Man Records the same year. Maybe he wanted to completely distance himself from it, as R & S wasn't seen as quite the serious techno label yet, with their own pile of rave producers – C.J. Bolland, Joey Beltram, Human Resource, and the like. Don't worry though, you'll be called 'The Belgian Warp' soon enough. Just wait until their Apollo sub-label launches, then you're in for some real serious shit! <br />
<br />
Where was I? Oh, right, Tune. What's up with such a plain-jane name like that? Was Jochem just hard pressed to come up with something when submitting these tracks for pressing? Did he figure they wouldn't have much hope of standing out among R & S' heavy hitters, so here's an utterly forgettable one before receding back to the comforting embrace of the Detroit upstart? He certainly never felt compelled to return to this alias or R & S, <i>Change The Beat</i> his lone contribution to either. Hell, even Public Energy got <i>two</i> singles out of Jochem. <br />
<br />
I can't deny, I almost had <i>Pull Over</i> worry in the way the titular cut starts, a stupidly simple note played over a thudding beat and off-beat bassline. Things actually get a little more clever along the way though, a lone backing string added, some sparkly synths bringing flair, and a couple decent little bass drop fills. When everything finally gets going in full motion, including a pleasant little pad melody, I'm ready for things to properly take off for- oh, the track's already done. Dang, wish he'd gotten to the good stuff sooner. <br />
<br />
<i>Tonight</i> is the 'funner' track though, what with vibrant rhythms, orchestral stings, and gnarly synths winding about. Yeah, this definitely fits better on the Belgian rave label. Just to remind folks he's actually a Dutch-Detroit techno producer though, b-side <i>Extrasensory</i> gets on that Motor City retro-future jam session. And unlike the other two, <i>this</i> track gets an extra couple minutes to strut its stuff. Not sure what folks coming into this expecting <i>Dominator</i>s would think, but surely European ravers were aware of music such as this, right? Or were they only hankering for hoovers and pianos? <br />
<br /><a name='more'></a>
<b>ACE TRACKS</b>: <br />
<i>Extrasensory</i> <br />
<br /><iframe seamless="" src="https://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/album=1452426114/size=large/bgcol=ffffff/linkcol=0687f5/tracklist=false/artwork=small/transparent=true/" style="border: 0; height: 120px; width: 100%;"><a href="https://speedyj.bandcamp.com/album/change-the-beat">Change The beat by Tune</a></iframe>Sykoneehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06327331590042723390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2634864082514183828.post-29217804437496888372024-02-05T20:36:00.000-08:002024-02-05T20:36:20.000-08:00Various - Carpe Noctem<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1sBPjPgtidH0uDKfAGURNiQLsAWfxFgfxtjk_DvfzXM8AvJVi8Q1pO_k-oDnaY3uNl8fOc5PVy0nCeQ1YdfWM6AVx_BKmHC29n47EYwagX1Z2WDta9kxOwQGZwqe2IK54gmv3iBHpDXUdKYE3exxUzFXoM2Lvyvcp8pSXTHfIH5tyuBYOPIaZKlT0Auhp/s1600/Various%20-%20Carpe%20Nocten.jpg" imagineanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="670" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1sBPjPgtidH0uDKfAGURNiQLsAWfxFgfxtjk_DvfzXM8AvJVi8Q1pO_k-oDnaY3uNl8fOc5PVy0nCeQ1YdfWM6AVx_BKmHC29n47EYwagX1Z2WDta9kxOwQGZwqe2IK54gmv3iBHpDXUdKYE3exxUzFXoM2Lvyvcp8pSXTHfIH5tyuBYOPIaZKlT0Auhp/s1600/Various%20-%20Carpe%20Nocten.jpg" title="I can't tell if there's a human inside this tree, or if this is just an evil ent." /></a></div>
<i>Suntrip Records: 2021</i> <br />
<br />
I took a month off because I was feeling burnt-out reviewing so many items within the same genres, so of course the very first item I'm covering upon returning is more. No, really, I'm cool with it, I knew this was in store for me. I just find it funny, is all. Someone else would ditch the music that was creating said burn-out, and focus on something else, but not me! But hey, looking at what <i>other</i> music I have in the pipeline, that <i>will</i> be the case, eventually. Just, y'know, gotta' go through some regular business to get there. <br />
<br />
The good news is that, unlike many Suntrip CDs I've thus far covered, this one <i>is</i> different. Like, <i>really</i> different. 'An entirely different genre' different! Okay, sub-genre. It's still psy trance, but in a move I was totally not expecting, this one goes dark. Or maybe I should have expected that from a compilation titled <i>Carpe Noctem</i>, and a promo spiel fully admitting they're doing something different for their annual label showcase. They don't want to go <i>full</i> dark psy, mind, calling their take 'melodic forest', but the sentiment remains the same: trippy trance music for the punters in full motion during the hour of the wolf. <br />
<br />
I also don't recognize many names here. Ka-Sol is one, because they were among Suntrip's earliest releases. With a sound that didn't quite mesh with the young label's future retro-goa manifesto, however, they moved onto prints more accommodating of their darker aesthetic. The other name I recognize is Battle Of The Future Buddhas, because once you see a name like that, you'll never forget it ever again. And wait, is that <i>the</i> Xenomorph I spy? Like, the dude who practically kicked off the dark psy pantheon way back in the day? Didn't even know he was still active. Well, that's certainly a get for your tentative steps into a different sub-genre. <br />
<br />
The rest of the roster rounds out with names like Spindrift, Smuds, L.A.B., Proxeeus, and Dragon Twins (think I've seen that one too?). And the music is definitely dark psy, though not nearly as twisted as some of the stuff I heard out of Trishula back when. Okay, that Xenomorph track definitely is, but then I'd expect nothing less from an O.G., while the Proxeeus track <i>Breaking Down The Barrier</i> almost has me reminding of Procs, never a bad thing. Towards CD end, however, you can hear hints and feelers of Suntrip's usual foray into the more melodic and ear=wormy, which I guess makes sense if this is meant to represent the transition into morning psy. <br />
<br />
Except the last track JaraLuca, which goes <i>way</i> back with <i>Flashbacks</i>. Like, before there was even really a thing as goa trance, when the genre was still in its primordial industrial roots. The acid is chunky, songcraft is straight-forward, and the rhythms are quite under-produced, deliberately so. It's the sort of track you'd expect on a long-lost New Beat compilation, not one released in the current decade. <br />
<br /><a name='more'></a>
<b>ACE TRACKS</b>: <br />
<b>Omnium</b> - <i>Omnipresence</i> <br />
<b>Xenomorph</b> - <i>Lost In An Old Junkyard</i> <br />
<b>Battle Of The Future Buddhas</b> - <i>Pitchbend</i> <br />
<br /><iframe seamless="" src="https://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/album=2271149512/size=large/bgcol=ffffff/linkcol=0687f5/tracklist=false/artwork=small/transparent=true/" style="border: 0; height: 120px; width: 100%;"><a href="https://suntriprecords.bandcamp.com/album/carpe-noctem">Carpe Noctem by Various Artists</a></iframe>Sykoneehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06327331590042723390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2634864082514183828.post-50932444464420750182024-02-01T13:50:00.000-08:002024-02-01T13:50:22.052-08:00N:L:E - Caravan Of Healing Sounds<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9AnrLttcraOMcHmYKH4racieu_defDZkZCx9XrJsK32IcMiedqoLwknBTqEKnZk29NgnHEKiPjxgc_56yRwbTBYzQkGNXG8a6EOYxfWQd7f9OP-LFzfwNA6a1q_kYuTpImmpPOdsqkVnTAYBKtebGLyzL6ylXJL2AjdCJ1em5pPSsxJNOnjVncB0IM2AI/s1600/NLE%20-%20Caravan%20Of%20Healing%20Sounds.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="561" data-original-width="1413" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9AnrLttcraOMcHmYKH4racieu_defDZkZCx9XrJsK32IcMiedqoLwknBTqEKnZk29NgnHEKiPjxgc_56yRwbTBYzQkGNXG8a6EOYxfWQd7f9OP-LFzfwNA6a1q_kYuTpImmpPOdsqkVnTAYBKtebGLyzL6ylXJL2AjdCJ1em5pPSsxJNOnjVncB0IM2AI/s1600/NLE%20-%20Caravan%20Of%20Healing%20Sounds.jpg" title="Collage of Caravan Of Healing Sounds." /></a></div>So I took a month off to 'recharge' my creative spark and all that, but to be completely honest, it was also partly in fear of dealing with this series. As committed to reviewing Every. Single. Item. in my music collection as I am, I was utterly stumped in how to approach this run of <I>ten</i> albums from Juan Pablo Giacovino and keep it interesting. Even all those Lucette Bourdin albums were reasonably spaced out enough such that I could approach them from a different angle each time. Spending nearly two weeks on just Natural Life Essence ambient music though? Sorry, I got nothin'. I couldn't even think of a clever 'gimmick', like guest reviewers (real or fictional) or turning the process into some fanciful flight of fictional writing. There had to be <I>something</I> I could do though? <br>
<bR>
Hey, what about that 'sportsing' survey thing I do on the side? Just write concise, micro-blogging length summaries of each volume after listening to them on a stroll, then consolidate them all here in one fell swoop. Yeah, that can work, and at least keep some writing momentum going during this 'downtime'. Besides, I think everyone, Juan Pablo included, would agree <I>Caravan Of Healing Sounds</i> doesn't need <I>that</i> much critical analysis given to it. It's music mostly intended for background play and relaxing thoughts, right? Um, right... 'mostly'. Turns out this series was more diverse than I thought going in, but let's see how it all shook out regardless.<br>
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<iframe src="https://ravenation.club/@Sykonee/111835059172042515/embed" class="mastodon-embed" style="max-width: 100%; border: 0" width="400" height="500" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe><script src="https://ravenation.club/embed.js" async="async"></script> <iframe src="https://ravenation.club/@Sykonee/111858068113829605/embed" class="mastodon-embed" style="max-width: 100%; border: 0" width="400" height-"500" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe><script src="https://ravenation.club/embed.js" async="async"></script><br>
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<bR>
And that's done and dusted. Time to move onto the rest of my 'C' albums in this blog's never ending conquest of my music consumption coverage. A letter block that includes... hrm, more Suntrip CDs, more Speedy J material, and more N:L:E items. Folks, I <I>promise</I> I have more variety in my 'To Review' pile further down the line! <bR>
<bR>
As for my next 'sportsing' survey, I think I need something with some actual pep to it again, a tried and tested, dependable source of cock-rock music as there's ever been, a band that's always heard at every sporting event you'll ever attend. Can you hear it, the 'THUN-DAH' on the air...?<bR>
<bR>Sykoneehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06327331590042723390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2634864082514183828.post-46796342046205903242024-01-10T20:19:00.000-08:002024-01-10T20:19:31.227-08:00Sykonee's 'Sportsing' Surveys: THE ROOTS<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMNKnJkAtpKbJ1Ajam3rnC_ugn1gaudoQJ8DU3bAfgRODH9-LQq_1XT4kJO6lCmzyjtmp06tEwEc5Hv955wMIurruGB6xtLpzQZxAUJui_ecsxg8CwbKpd-k1kG_26nRwlCS1c2srpIX9Vl3oeVba00TnxigjcSAspl6V2_oX2lSohWBl4XfSlLhsOG7pa/s1600/The%20Roots%20cover.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" data-original-height="337" data-original-width="384" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMNKnJkAtpKbJ1Ajam3rnC_ugn1gaudoQJ8DU3bAfgRODH9-LQq_1XT4kJO6lCmzyjtmp06tEwEc5Hv955wMIurruGB6xtLpzQZxAUJui_ecsxg8CwbKpd-k1kG_26nRwlCS1c2srpIX9Vl3oeVba00TnxigjcSAspl6V2_oX2lSohWBl4XfSlLhsOG7pa/s1600/The%20Roots%20cover.png" title="Tuba vs Bass: The Battle Of The Bottom-Ends." /></a></div>Right, The Roots. This took a <I>lot</i> longer than I was planning, and not because this was some impossibly large discography. Oh, I thought there might be more out there than just their mainline records. After all, when you're billed as one of the most successful live hip-hop bands on the planet, you'd expect a tonne of live albums. Only one has seen an official release though, but that's neither here nor there. No, the reason it took me some 2.5 months to complete this survey is because, um... I didn't do much 'sportsing' for over a month there. Look, when one comes down with a heavy case of 'Mopevember', coupled with literally cracking a molar such that I had to get a crown for it, such things tend to throw one's regular physical regiment out of wack. <bR>
<bR>
What's not wack, however, is The Roots. I first come into contact with them when their charming <I>What They Do</i> video was making the rounds, taking the piss out of all the rap music cliches that were prevelent in the '90s (hehe, 'butt cramp'...). Clearly these chaps were on a more 'conscious' level than their peers, but I was still a few years away from truly getting bit by the hip-hop bug. When it finally did, some of their eye-catching items like <I>Phrenology</i> and <I>Game Theory</i> got me more curious, but never did I pull that trigger. I really have no excuse to put them off any longer though, so time to go whole hog on their discography!<bR>
<bR>
<br>
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<iframe src="https://ravenation.club/@Sykonee/111711026322841323/embed" class="mastodon-embed" style="max-width: 100%; border: 0" height="500" width="400" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe><script src="https://ravenation.club/embed.js" async="async"></script> <iframe src="https://ravenation.club/@Sykonee/111729904099588238/embed" class="mastodon-embed" style="max-width: 100%; border: 0" height="500" width="400" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe><script src="https://ravenation.club/embed.js" async="async"></script><bR>
<iframe src="https://ravenation.club/@Sykonee/111734950478593345/embed" class="mastodon-embed" style="max-width: 100%; border: 0" height="500" width="400" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe><script src="https://ravenation.club/embed.js" async="async"></script> <iframe src="https://ravenation.club/@Sykonee/111734981256340706/embed" class="mastodon-embed" style="max-width: 100%; border: 0" height="500" width="400" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe><script src="https://ravenation.club/embed.js" async="async"></script><bR>
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<bR>
That took a few more unexpected turns than I, erm, expected. Like, they started out pretty much as I figured, but even early on, they were throwing curveballs left and right. Them getting thick into the genre daliances, however, really took me surprise, and I love they were willing to do that, especially at the height of their popularity. Or at least, the height of their initial popularity. I sense they've become an altogether different kind of popular now, the kind that even middle America is comfortable with. Seems somewhat antithetical to their original manifesto, but eh, brothers gotta' get paid. <bR>
<bR>
As for what's next for surveying, think I'll be killing two birds with one stone, even if the music I'll be listening to will be only suitable for the most meditative of 'sportsing' activities. <bR>
<bR>
<bR>Sykoneehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06327331590042723390noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2634864082514183828.post-66975646134171288052024-01-01T05:56:00.000-08:002024-01-01T06:29:31.119-08:00ACE TRACKS: November - December 2023 ...and an EMC Update<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD7oeyf_vowGcPsO80oa-l7ul5NMkyYW3vsF9hrRCfNr_v7Mquhlf8yHUQ0Gk9XN6ak5JO14jqsvgZB1Ykt0Eilps_FrStnWZSyjkc88WxXuQHvZRNhzXiuJSK74EvKiKVytzYcgVVL8dm/s1600/Logo.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="100" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD7oeyf_vowGcPsO80oa-l7ul5NMkyYW3vsF9hrRCfNr_v7Mquhlf8yHUQ0Gk9XN6ak5JO14jqsvgZB1Ykt0Eilps_FrStnWZSyjkc88WxXuQHvZRNhzXiuJSK74EvKiKVytzYcgVVL8dm/s200/Logo.jpg" width="100" /></a></div>Well, that was certainly a productive December on my end, especially that flurry towards the finish. Nicely made up for the lacklustre November (or as I liked to call it 'Mopevember'). There's just something about the block of 'B' albums that always inspires me to haul writer's ass. I'm serious! Two years ago, I had another productive month finishing off another bundle of 'B' albums. And earlier that year, another solid run of writing about, you guessed it, albums with titles starting with the letter 'B'. Man, if <I>every</I> album I forever did now was like that, I might even get back to my pre-Pandemic rate of output! Yeah, no, I wouldn't count on it. <bR>
<bR>
Or maybe I just need a little recharge break? I've had lulls and inspiration blackouts, but I'm talking about a deliberate 'time-out' from writing new reviews. Haven't taken one of those since... um <I>*checks*</i> Holy cow, April <I>2018</i>!? No wonder I'm feeling burnt-out. <bR>
<br>
That settles it. I'm kicking off 2024 with a month-long sabbatical. I'll still do my 'Sportsing Surveys' but methinks I'm well overdue for a mental recharge. Gotta' come up with fresh angles to cover all that goa trance in my 'To Review' pile, after all. <bR>
<bR>
Speaking of, here's the ACE TRACKS from the last two months!<bR>
<bR>
<iframe title="deezer-widget" src="https://widget.deezer.com/widget/dark/playlist/12206500311" width="450" height="600" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allow="encrypted-media; clipboard-write"></iframe><bR>
<a href="https://www.deezer.com/us/playlist/12206500311">Full track list here.</a><bR>
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<bR>
<B>MISSING ALBUMS</b>: <bR>
<B>Humanoid</b> - <I>Built By Humanoid</i> <bR>
<B>N:L:E</b> - <I>Botanical Adventures</I> <bR>
<B>N:L:E</b> & <B>Kiphi</b> - <I>Blurred Milkway</i> <bR>
<B>N:L:E</b> - <I>Bioluminescent Forest</I> <bR>
<B>N:L:E</b> & <B>Kiphi</b> - <I>Between Dreams And Reality</i> <bR>
<B>Distant System</b> - <I>Astral Map Error</i> <bR>
<bR>
Percentage Of <B>Hip-Hop</b>: 12%<bR>
Percentage Of <B>Rock</b>: 10%<br>
Percentage Of <b>Psy Trance</b>: 52% <bR>
<bR>
Hey, look at that, a new category! Figured if I'm gonna' be reviewing <I>that</i> much goa going forward (and I apparently can't count on N:L:E to break up the monotony some), I should warn folks ahead of time. <bR>
<bR>
Hoo boy, is it ever dominate in this playlist. Even at a 'mere' fifty percent of the 6.5 hour runtime, it sure feels like there's so damn much of it. You'll hear two, maybe three tracks of psy at a time, then a lone ambient or synthwave or hip-hop track will come in, then another run of three, maybe four psy trance cuts again. Considering I reviewed only <I>eight</i> items from Suntrip these past couple months, it sure does come off over-weighted. And I'm only showcasing the cream of the crop circles here!<bR>
<bR>
Alright, I'm (mostly) peacing out for now. See y'all in February!<bR>
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<bR>Sykoneehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06327331590042723390noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2634864082514183828.post-18339751371428802322023-12-30T12:21:00.000-08:002023-12-30T12:21:30.984-08:00Humanoid - Built By Humanoid<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFdFj8B6Je79i8RDJd-ELCe7wOoOqYWDEEzzQqNaCLcHAwQIYHyYOloXW237rlOMIKD9dl5sSdApz-9lvq2uR5XtJ6EwCpWGP6RQt7Uk41E5_xjl1q3ck61upB2SFmImbDgsl9ni3eLDp8SwKR1mqDwyNR_gotQhYyW3eySi9IQz0PAvCyH4N-3EdhxGjx/s1600/Humanoid%20-%20Built%20By%20Humanoid.jpg" imagineanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFdFj8B6Je79i8RDJd-ELCe7wOoOqYWDEEzzQqNaCLcHAwQIYHyYOloXW237rlOMIKD9dl5sSdApz-9lvq2uR5XtJ6EwCpWGP6RQt7Uk41E5_xjl1q3ck61upB2SFmImbDgsl9ni3eLDp8SwKR1mqDwyNR_gotQhYyW3eySi9IQz0PAvCyH4N-3EdhxGjx/s1600/Humanoid%20-%20Built%20By%20Humanoid.jpg" title="Data derezzed." /></a></div>
<i>fsoldigital.com: 2019</i> <br />
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After three <i>decades</i>, Brian Dougans felt time was right to dust off the alias that started it all for him. Why such a long gap? Well, he had a little side-hustle called The Future Sound Of London commanding much of his attention, so there's that. Also, I suspect he had lingering harsh feelings over the moniker, the label Westside Records releasing a 'debut' Humanoid record without much of his input involved. He did put out a 'from the archives' item from those sessions on Rephlex, but for the most part seemed content leaving the project in the distant past. <br />
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Wouldn't you know it though, that ol' spark of techno inspiration kept nagging at him, eager to try his hand at something more proper acidy and robotic. Can't do much with that in all those FSOL <i>Environments</i> though, lest they muck up whatever psychedelic chill vibes they maintained. Plus, who knows if Garry was even up for such IDM experimentation, his muse often wandering off to parts unknown. No, to truly sate his techno fever, Brian would have to use a completely different alias. Or dust off an old, mothballed one, that'll do too. <br />
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A track on a compilation here, a track on a charity collection there, and soon enough, Mr. Dougans had enough material for a new Humanoid album, which in some ways is the <i>real</i> debut. Of course, he hadn't the studio or technology to make anything remotely similar to what's offered on <i>Built By Humanoid</i> way back when, so leave whatever preconceptions of what a Humanoid record should sound like behind, because this ain't it. <br />
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Fortunately, Brian doesn't waste your time letting you know what you're in for, opener <i>Orfan Atmosphere</i> three minutes and three seconds (nice) of abrasive glitch-core and acid distortion. Ol' school IDM is back, baby! And as if that session wasn't enough to get your techno-dork on, follow-up <i>Polymath</i> is apparently one of those experimental tracks that uses something called a 'probability theory'. Cool, but mostly sounds like burbly, dubby acid ambient. <br />
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That's what the bulk of <i>Built By Humanoid</i> entails: lots of IDM beatcraft, lots of digital acid crunch... the sort of stuff you would expect to have appeared on Rephlex. Is there any of that classic FSOL album narrative though? After a fashion, sure, the track titles suggesting a future dystopia ruled by cybernetic man-apes tweakin' on acid. It's not a touch on <i>Dead Cities</i>' cinematic post-apocalyptica, but then what is? <br />
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I feel like there should be more talking points to <i>Built By Humanoid</i>, but without venturing into the weeds of production techniques, there really isn't. Like a lot of Brian's other solo ventures, this sees him pushing a particular sound to a particular limit, the outer edges of sonic styles emanating from the EarthBeat studios. It may be a bit much for those still forlorn for more <i>Stakker</i> acid, but for those willing to hear any ol' indulgence from the FSOL boys, this is a fun record. <br />
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<b>ACE TRACKS</b>: <br />
<i>Traktion</i> <br />
<i>To Function Autonomously</i> <br />
<i>A.P.E.</i> <br />
<br /><iframe seamless="" src="https://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/album=998965534/size=large/bgcol=ffffff/linkcol=0687f5/tracklist=false/artwork=small/transparent=true/" style="border: 0; height: 120px; width: 100%;"><a href="https://fsol.bandcamp.com/album/built-by-humanoid">Built By Humanoid by Humanoid</a></iframe>Sykoneehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06327331590042723390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2634864082514183828.post-32033439793071484392023-12-29T00:30:00.000-08:002024-01-01T05:16:40.124-08:00Speedy J - Bugmod<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhudviqVFxP8_e5qn7m4kP6zEIVU-jxcQ-sr69WX6vbQzMVS8edpfLKDr4hR0VIr-rK8Z1DtSclDuXdLy1mPbA4yXFitqRse-lIhx4HHNsJk9sZyxzFHD3t5MqSQMNDf5q4fAWVm8KGXJPOs-QeQl_CYl_BhEpLjIMjKOg2q4EjgyrEZhyphenhyphenYgw4FynETTxqR/s1600/Speedy%20J%20-%20Bugmod.jpg" imagineanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhudviqVFxP8_e5qn7m4kP6zEIVU-jxcQ-sr69WX6vbQzMVS8edpfLKDr4hR0VIr-rK8Z1DtSclDuXdLy1mPbA4yXFitqRse-lIhx4HHNsJk9sZyxzFHD3t5MqSQMNDf5q4fAWVm8KGXJPOs-QeQl_CYl_BhEpLjIMjKOg2q4EjgyrEZhyphenhyphenYgw4FynETTxqR/s1600/Speedy%20J%20-%20Bugmod.jpg" title="Enjoy your time in the light, Bugmod, for it shall soon be snuffed out." /></a></div>
<i>NovaMute: 2002/2021</i> <br />
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The last single to be properly spun off from <i>Loudboxer</i>, this. Yes, I know <i>Tanga</i> kinda'-sorta' was too, but none of those tracks featured on the album, no matter what the similar artwork suggests. Speaking of, holy cow, I can't believe I didn't notice it before, but gander at that black stripe beside <i>Bugmod</i> there. Know what's under it? It's <i>Krekc</i>! And <i>Tanga</i> had <i>both</i> this and <i>Krekc</i> blotted out in white above as well. Oh man, I love it when spin-off singles maintain a running theme – makes them feel more like part of a proper series than some disjointed association. <br />
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But wait, you say, there be no <i>Bugmod</i> on <i>Loudboxer</i> either. Is this another <i>Tanga</i> situation, where we'll get a <i>Bugmod</i>, a <i>Buugmod</i>, and a <i>Bugmood</i>? No, but we do get a little more <i>Krikc</i> and <i>Krekc</i>, by way of remixes. The other two tracks on this EP are strictly Speedy J originals, so let's have a listen in. <br />
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And <i>Bugmod</i> pretty much picks up where the rest of <i>Loudboxer</i> left off, an unrelenting pummelling of percussion, the snare and hi-hats tasting a touch of flange. An off-beat bleep is the only thing resembling any sort of hook, but earworms is not the point of this cut. There's also a nifty little 'fade it down, bring it all back' peak, which makes <i>Bugmod</i> a little more useful for set construction than just another tool to throw down, but better be quick on your next draw, 'cause this track ends quite abruptly. On the flip, <i>Glov</i> at first seems like it might be the 'deeper' option, the pounding beatcraft simpler and steady. Then what's this? An actual hook? Okay, it's still just synth stabs keeping pace with the rhythm, but they build upon each other, retreat, coalesce, retreat, and so on. It's the closest thing to a melody that Jochem gives out of the whole <i>Loudboxer</i> enterprise, and you'll love it, darn it all! <br />
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The remixes, then. DJ Rush handles the first, on <i>Krekc</i>. I'm not really familiar with this techno veteran, though he is Jeff Mills Approved, so there's that. Lord Discogs also tells me I have at least one other of his tracks, on... wait <i>djmixed.com/keoki</i>? Really!? Haha, never would have expected that. Anyhow, his go with <i>Krekc</i> is pretty much more techno bosh, with a little transistor tweeting knob twiddlin'. <br />
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On the other end is Umek, who I definitely know, so no need to get into details there. He gets to have a go with <i>Krikc</i> and holy cow, is this ever a blinder of a cut. I'd actually forgotten just how much of a banger the original is, and Umek sees no point in taming this beast for his use. Instead, he throws in an <i>actual</i> hook, a simple sweeping little thing oscillating as it carries on. It's not even harsh or gritty as you'd expect of techno in this vein, surprisingly gentle on the ears even as the beats punch your chest cavity into submission. <br />
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<b>ACE TRACKS</b>: <br />
<i>Bugmod</i> <br />
<i>Glov</i> <br />
<i>Krikc (<b>Umek</b> Rmx)</i> <br />
<br /><iframe seamless="" src="https://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/album=3762403545/size=large/bgcol=ffffff/linkcol=0687f5/tracklist=false/artwork=small/transparent=true/" style="border: 0; height: 120px; width: 100%;"><a href="https://speedyj.bandcamp.com/album/bugmod">Bugmod by Speedy J</a></iframe>Sykoneehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06327331590042723390noreply@blogger.com0