Sounds From The Ground - Ready, Steady, Slow

Upstream Records: 2012

It’s been a year since I last discussed Sounds From The Ground. It doesn’t feel that long ago when I splurged on the near-entirety of their discography, dragging all ya’ll along in my musical crash course of an overlooked duo. That’s what makes all this so much fun, eh? Me finding new artists and labels, somehow having the funds to buy all their records, consuming the music and digesting the feels it generates, regurgitate them into words zapped into your retinas. Um wait, the process doesn’t sound appealing when described like that, does it? Damn this English language and all its appealing metaphorical abuses.

I only covered about two-thirds of Jones and Woolfson’s output in that earlier outing though, the rest waiting patiently in the bottom end of the alphabet before getting reviews on this blog. The gap’s hopefully given any curious readers of the duo’s music a chance to hear some of their tunes for themselves, gauging whether Sounds From The Ground are worth more of their precious listening hours or not. I bring this all up because, if ever there was a ‘fans-only’ album in the act’s extensive catalog, Ready, Steady, Slow is that CD.

Jones and Woolfson have long dabbled in various forms of downtempo and chill, but typically as one-offs on their full-lengths, ambient dub remaining their breaded butter. Fifteen years into a career had to have them anxious to try something different, and after resuscitating their seldom used Upstream Records in the late ‘00s, could finally indulge themselves a little. For their first ‘experimental’ album, we are given a pure ambient LP. As someone who’s enjoyed many a beatless moment from prior Sounds O’ Ground full-lengths, this was an intriguing effort, and Ready, Steady, Slow doesn’t disappoint, offering a nice variety of examples from the genre .

There’s droning synth pieces like First Light and Departures, calming meditative compositions like Watershell, Mice Skating, and The Long Curve, rapturous layered builds like The Turning Wheel and Mapping Points In Time, and pure cosmic bliss like Chrome Horizon. Oh, and a bit of room for field recording doodles (Interchange) and …folksy acoustic prog-rock (Long Lane)? What is this, the ‘70s? I guess so; or at least Jones and Woolfson have no qualms in letting the influence of early ambient maestros drive their music making here. Must I namedrop all the obvious names again? You know them all by now – Hell, I’ve reviewed a number of them already. Besides, it sells Ready, Steady, Slow short if I do so, because the honest truth is “Sounds From The Ground All Ambient Album” is a tough sell regardless. Matters aren’t helped in referring to Very Important Older Musics.

Ready, Steady, Slow is a lovely little ambient album, but as is often the case with lovely little ambient albums, not essential listening. Nor is it anywhere near an entry point into Sounds From The Ground, hardly representative of their music. As I said, a ‘fans only’ option.

Solar Fields - Random Friday

Ultimae Records: 2012

Probably one of the most anticipated albums on Ultimae, this. Of course, followers of the label eagerly await each release, but Solar Fields' Random Friday had a little extra going for it. After Mr. Birgersson wooed many a forlorn progressive trance fan into Ultimae’s fold via his 2007 album EarthShine, they wondered whether he'd ever offer more in such an uptempo style. It didn’t seem likely though, the Solar Fields discography almost exclusively on the down beat save occasional one-offs on compilations and LPs. And yet, having explored so many different movements, altered states, origins, and meeted skies (?) in the half-decade following EarthShine, ol’ Magnus had to feel some itch in trying his hand at progressive trance again. Yes, another definitive statement for his career would do, that the first’s success wasn’t a one-off fluke, all the while granting the wishes of those hard-earned trance fans drifting from Ultimae after a string of all-too droney ambient CDs. Or he’d been sitting on some live material for a while that had no place in his other albums.

Whatever the impetus for Random Friday was, its announcement had fans salivating for the results. I mean, the concept sells itself: all the epic, widescreen lush sounds of Ultimae, impossibly uplifting emotional Solar Fields song craft, and now at a pace benefit of peak-time rinse out action. 'crackers still following the tired sounds of Armada and Enhanced could remain in their redundant corners of the trance scene at large; here was Solar Fields – almost exclusively not a trance guy, mind you! - bringing the goods like few others. Nope, no bog-standard prog-psy business on Random Friday, nosiree. This is the highest of the highs, the, um, best of what's left. The, uh, bomb-diggity? Damn it, why can't I get as excited for this album as others? It's all AstroPilot's fault, isn't it.

This is a good collection of tunes, no doubt, but that annoying Expectation Hydra once again rears its distracting heads – no matter how many times I cut them off, they keep slithering back, convincing me of what I wanted this album to sound like instead. Tracks like Cobalt 2.5, Daydreaming, and In Motion have great, groovy, atmospheric builds throughout, but they don’t lead to much of anything in doing so – it’s frustrating in the same way Progression was, a group you’ve probably already forgotten about again. Those are the openers though, the lead-in tracks (for half the LP!) before we get ourselves some proper melodic business for the back-end. This is also where Solar Fields indulges himself beyond usual prog-trance rhythms. Two tracks, Swoosh and Perception, are great, though I suspect it’s my Underworld radar convincing me so (gotta’ love that proggy cool groove). The other two, Landing Party and Lift Off, opt for tribal rhythm action (ooh, quadruples), which I’ve seldom liked, but d’em melodies doe’!

Although I’m not terribly enthused about Random Friday, that shouldn’t deter you if you’re looking for a little extra progressive trance in your diet.

Neil Young & Crazy Horse - Psychedelic Pill

Reprise Records: 2012

As I’ve repeated endlessly, Neil Young, restless muse that he is, never fears exploring musical genres. Whether it be blues, synth-pop, hillbilly ho-down, guitar drone, gospel, or something totally made-up for a single song that one time (probably), his discography is littered with curious cul-de-sacs jutting off from his rock and folk thoroughfares. However, Young’s most utterly bizarre detour has to be this double-album of psy trance. Not that he wouldn’t want to try his hand at something electronic again, but aside from the shared hippie lineage, this is so outside Young’s traditional sound that- What do you mean Psychedelic Pill isn’t psy trance? This is Psy Trance Week, isn’t it? What’s this album doing here then? Curse ye’, alphabetical stipulation – you gummed up another theme week!

So what we don't have here is Neil Young and his Crazy Horse band doing psy trance; rather, it's the dynamic foursome going back to their grungy rock roots and indulging themselves for obscene lengths of time. One track hits the nine minute mark, two more breach sixteen, and the opener Driftin' Back lasts a whopping twenty-seven minutes, officially become the longest song Young's ever recorded. And it's fucking awesome! Psychedelic Pill is the NYCH album fans had been hoping on for years, at least since their last good run in the mid-'90s. We always knew the group had it in them to absolutely tear through some new guitar epics, their occasional live shows more than enough proof. Who cares if the lyrics are some of the simplest, mundane things Young’s ever sung - that didn’t stop the ridiculous T-Bone from way back being good stupid fun. Besides, this is all about the wonderful, crunchy distortion and impeccable synergy between these musicians. They may not be as ‘locked in’ as their older classics, but Ramada Inn, She’s Always Dancing, and Walk Like A Giant are as fun of musical rides as you can expect from Young & Horse.

And of course you don’t really care that much. Okay, maybe you do, if you’ve read this far, but more so than most Neil Young albums I’ve reviewed, Psychedelic Pill’s a hard sell. Walk Like A Giant and She’s Always Dancing have lovely harmonizing vocals, and Ramada Inn features as catchy a bar rock hook as you’ll ever hear, yet are surrounded by so much jamming, it’ll try the patience of all but the most ardent rock fans out there. And unfortunately, the few shorter tunes littered about this double-LP aren’t much to get fussed over (the titular cut’s got some cool flanging effects going for it though), especially when overshadowed by the behemoth songs. Also, are we really all that interested in Young reminiscing about the days of old again? No, can’t say that we are.

Damn it though, I can’t get enough of Young and Crazy Horse’s epic, sloppy rock. Only get Psychedelic Pill after you’ve been bitten by the Rusty bug. Once you have, come on in for the chemical-enhanced treat!

Aes Dana - Pollen

Ultimae Records: 2012

Man, another Aes Dana album? How many have I already reviewed? Wait, only two up to now? It sure feels like more than that, though perhaps it's due to frequent appearances on Ultimae's other releases (collaborations, compilation tracks). Such is the benefit of running your own label I guess, though in Mr. Villuis' case, I suspect it’s more a case of enjoying working with the roster than any sort of ego. He's like the new Pete Namlook! Even physical copies of his label's older releases have grown exceptionally rare, demanding high prices on the trader's market. Well, okay, maybe not.

Pollen is Aes Dana's most recent album, coming out when he and Magnus Birgensson (Solar Fields) were aiming for a little uptempo action in their musical output. Then they discovered Miktek, and everyone turned dour and grey. Either that, or these past few years are an attempt at capturing a traditional raver narrative – the exhilarating, high-paced night of prog-psy dancing, followed by a lengthy comedown into dub techno and ambient's sketchy Sunday embrace. If so, what a daring, brilliant, and genius thing to do, turning one's label into an ongoing musical story, the sort of thing any journalist, critic, or blogger would eagerly look forward to writing about! Of course, the odds of this being so are negative five-percent, so I'll drop the absurdity (for now...).

Here's the point where I struggle describing how Aes Dana's sound doesn't stand out the same way the other Ultimae producers do. That, despite enjoying the downtempo glitch of opener Jetlag Corporation and slowbeat dub techno of Borderline, little ever quite sticks in my head where- Wait a minute! Is that a Roland 909 I hear in Conditioned? Holy cow, it is – you just can’t hide those distinct kicks and claps, even with the Ultimae Mixdown™ in full effect. To my recollection, the label’s never used that drum machine, and nor would they either, the house and techno that serves it best simply not part of their manifesto. And I’m not kidding when I said this is Aes Dana at his briskest, follow-up tracks Tree.Some and A Carmine Day some of the highest BPM tunes I’ve heard on any of his albums.

The back-half of Pollen finds Mr. Villuis going to his trusty standard of chill-out music by way of gothic and industrial influence, though even here something new’s been added. Well, new for the time this came out, as all the dub techno stylization became a running theme for the label since. For an initial foray into the sound, however, he accommodates himself quite well, especially so the final, lengthy cut, Low Tide Explorations - calming drone ambience with splashes of soothing field recordings and occasional rhythmic jolts.

For once, I’m happy to report an Aes Dana album has made a memorable impression on me. The fresh ideas from ol’ Vincent here has given us one of his best albums in years. Oh Roland 909, is there no magic you can’t do?

Scuba - Personality

Hotflush Recordings: 2012

Did anyone honestly figure Personality a sell-out? I know the move away from dubstep on Scuba's part would have alienated the hardest of his core followers of the time, but surely not the scene at large, primarily hearing of Mr. Rose only as another hyped named from the super-trendy Hotflush Recordings print. Not a terrible distinction, but if he was to extend his career beyond the rigid, insular fandom that dubstep had cultivated, he’d have to abandon it altogether. Fortunately, his style was already drifting down a different path anyway – heck, his ‘dubstep by way of Detroit’ music was what stood him out in the first place. So bemoan if you must that he never took ‘post-future-garage-step’ any further before being seduced by tech-house, but take heart that all DJs end up playing house eventually.

Personality isn’t a house record (shock!), but it isn’t a gritty techno one either. Rather, it’s a throwback to the earliest days of techno, when the Belleview Three and their immediate successors pictured the future as a funky, fun, and wondrous place rather than a bleak, dystopian one. There’s no hiding Scuba’s inspiration on this album, as anyone with elementary knowledge of the genre’s history shouldn’t have much difficulty in spotting the influences and nods to the forefathers (Hints? Well, Action sounds quite a bit like- hm, no, I don’t think I’ll ruin your trainspotting fun after all).

The good news is Scuba capably keeps his music sounding about as contemporary as ‘80s Detroit techno through UK-bass lenses can, working in bits and pieces of future garage’s stylistic markers. There’s crackly vinyl effects (Underbelly, Gekko), singing soul sista’s floating on past memories (Dsy Chn, Tulips), and even a ‘proper’ dubstep cut in Cognitive Dissonance for your half-step, wobble-bassline fix. It’s not all Detroit either, July coming on more like a Herbie Hancock cut than anything from Metroplex; elsewhere, NE1BUTU falls deep into the raver’s unabashed anthem E-hole, replete with rolling piano licks and sweet-smelling vocal Vicks (??). Nothing gets lost in nostalgia glaze or respectful homage either, the production cutting edge and crisp.

In fact, I think he goes too far in the mastering department. This is one loud album – not in a brick-walled manner as so much pop music goes, but in how much punch it carries. Even with headphones, you feel the weight of these beats, and though Scuba provides plenty of sonic separation with his samples and synths, it’s all front-and-center, directly in your audio face. Imagine watching a High Definition version of O.G. Robocop at a wide-screen theatre in neck breaking middle-seats of Row 2. It looks awesome, but is a bit much to take in at that range.

If that’s the only major gripe against Personality, however, then who gives a flip? The only other complaint I can think of is if you’re dead against anything Scuba makes that isn’t dubstep. Hey, at least you get broken-beats on this album. You sure ain’t hearing that from his sets anymore.

Various - Greenosophy: Collected By Mizoo

Ultimae Records: 2012

What's Greenosophy's theme, exactly? The Fahrenheit Project series was straightforward enough, a showcase of Ultimae's roster and like-minded artists. Oxycanta had a 'sonic healing' thing going for it, and Ambrosia was a big, fat Greek party. Greenosophy, however, comes off little more than a compilation with a title that only exists because the other ones were either retired or in limbo. Heck, even the promo blurb isn't helpful in distinguishing this one. Regardez:

“Collected by our Swiss activist dj Cyril Miserez aka Mizoo, [ Greenosophy ] is a vibrant musical journey composed of eleven unique,hypnotic chapters. From deep ambient to lush progressive grooves, [ Greenosophy ] offers fresh chlorophyll visions, leafy rhythms and luxuriant melodies. Mizoo believes that music can develop a sense of empathy between people, philosophical reflections on our thoughts and acts; a point of view and a way of life he develops in this compilation.”

In other words, Mr. Mizoo made a mixtape.

Okay, that's not accurate. Greenosophy does have a small amount of uniqueness to it in how the music's arranged. It's rather like a DJ set in terms of musical flow, working a slow build, hitting a brisk prog-psy peak in the middle, and then ebbing away into chilled ambience. Makes sense, since Greenosophy was also the name of outdoor parties in Switzerland. And if Ambrosia was mostly a Greek showcase, this compilation’s all about the European melting pot.

There’s also a decent mix between Ultimae regulars and outside contributors too. Solar Fields shows up with Cobalt 2.0, and as Greenosophy came out the same year as Mr. Birgersson’s prog-psy album Random Friday, you bet this tune’s got ‘peak time in the psy tent’ all over it. Speaking of such settings, Cell’s Idea Spiral, an older ‘compilation-only’ tune, is presented to us in a lengthy live ‘edit’, nearly twelve minutes of mounting rhythms and evolving melodies growing upon each other. Miktek’s also here again with Flying Dots, marking his second straight compilation spot with Ultimae at that point. I think the label was growing fond of the Greek chap.

Plenty more musical avenues are explored on Greenosophy. Rildrim’s Tear-Blind Eye is all eerie atmosphere and paranoid bleeps – almost dark sci-fi ambient, with alien computers piercing the bleak black beyond. Getting into proper ambient techno territory with the touch o’ heavy dub is Liquid Stranger’s Minimum, while Ajja’s Nubian Sandstone takes the same aesthetic into prog-psy’s realm. James Murray, another Ultimae semi-regular, sets us on a meditative tribal-ambient path that TUU would nod approvingly for, and Cygna finishes things off with an almost New Agey soundscape of Broken Dream Of A Little Snail. D’aw, how perfectly twee.

Now that I think about it, Greenosophy’s remarkably diverse – guess that’s where I got that mixtape vibe from. I can’t say it’s an essential CD for chill-out collectors, but as with anything Ultimae, you won’t be disappointed should you spring for a copy.

(PS: I promise never to c+p PR blurbs again - reeks of laziness, it does)

Sabled Sun - 2146

Cryo Chamber: 2012

I told you Simon Heath's Sabled Sun project looked interesting! In the Bohemian Groove review. Krussledorf? Geez, it was only three months ago that I reviewed it. Since most of Mr. Heath's background is covered there, I won't dwell on his career here, but a quick refresh on the quick-n-dirty regarding Sabled Sun wouldn't hurt.

Story goes ol' Simon was having label difficulties with his primary outlet for dark ambient music, Cold Meat Industries. Also seeking a chance to try a different sound compared to his Atrium Caceri project, he launched Sabled Sun on his start-up Cryo Chamber. Instead of menacing industrial mood music, this alias would focus on sci-fi elements and be an ongoing narrative of sorts. Cool concept, bro, but I'm not sure I buy into it enough to buy five album's worth of Sabled Sun. Heck, where do I even start? The beginning, of course! Nah, screw that, I'm going with the sweet looking cover, which also happens to be the second album, 2146. I'm assuming this and 2145 are the years this supposed sci-fi story is set in.

Judging by track titles like This Is Where The World Ends, Abandoned, Date Expired, and Silo, I’ll also assume 2145 dealt with an apocalypse, a future civilization meeting its demise either through hubris or exploding sun (maybe both!). 2146, then, is about discovering the remnants of that world – maybe by interplanetary explorers, or perhaps a survivor returning from abroad, we’re not told. Again, track titles like Scanning For Life Forms, Graveyard Of Broken Machines, and My Dying Robot help tell this tale, although I suppose the music contained should do the trick too.

This being a dark ambient and drone album though, there’s very little actual music going on – heck, the sound effects throughout tell a stronger narrative. There’s ghostly transmissions, dripping water (or some exotic liquid – this is sci-fi), future-machine humming, heavy harried breathing coupled with crunching footsteps (aptly titled Exo Suit), pitched-down rhythmic chants, and a general sense of claustrophobic desolation.

I think our explorer finds something surviving on this broken world midway in My New Best Friends, as this track contains the closest thing to a real melody before the end, a charming bleepy thing. Mind you, this is coupled with a mild industrial downbeat, and is soon replaced with another dark chant, but for a brief moment, there was light to be found. Then its general melancholy for the remainder – what did he see in that Planetarium, I wonder.

The final track, End Me, is an odd one out, more fitting for a indie-‘tronica shoegaze album (guitars!); or maybe the credits roll for this particular chapter of the Sabled Sun saga. Where does the story go from here? If you want to find out, Heath followed 2146 with three Signals releases. However, they’re each singular fifty-minute long pieces, and I can’t say I’m in a hurry to hear them. I prefer my ambient drone in tasty chunks, thank you.

The Future Sound Of London - Environments 4

fsoldigital.com: 2012

It's surprising there's so little talk of Environments out there in interwebland. The Future Sound Of London was a big freakin' deal back in the '90s, why even a very important duo in the world of electronic music. I get that Dougans and Corbain are quite content in remaining independent with their output now, but the nice thing about being on a major like Virgin is the over-aggressive promotion such a label provides. Okay, such hype's annoying as Hell when the music's bunk; can you imagine FSOL putting out anything that wasn't at least average though? Thus here we are, three straight albums of class material, and barely a whisper about them within the usual rags. Sign of the times indeed.

As before, I must turn to the track list titles for an idea of what theme Environments 4 aims at creating, however tenuously. No Man's Land (dark ambient lifeforms), River Delta (psy dub by way of Ultimae!), Supercontinents (modern classicalism), Sediment (chilling on the shores of Goa), Vast Landscape (weirdness with closed frets plucks low on a guitar neck)... ah, geomorphology. Wait, that's what I've been studying for God knows how long now. I can't be mixing college and hobby here, it'll screw up my upcoming finals. Damn it, is this a nice rock, and is this a gneiss track?

No, wait, that’s not right. A chunk of the E4’s middle deals with fat ol’ Sol. Sunsets (slow jam prog rock), Photosynthesis (beach-view ambience), Stand A Little Less Between Me And The Sun (Robert Fripp’s in tha’ house), and maybe even Long Day (beatnik poetry in the park?) all could have links to that blazing white orb we see on the cover art. And if that’s the case, what of Architektur (noise rock jam in an Indian jungle!?), Murmurations (quick, let’s get this hippie music session on the rockin’ road?!), and Fibrillation (watch those proteins fibre-ize like mini-machinery!?!?) sounding all sciencey and egg-headed, having nothing else to do with the surrounding titles? Gads, is E4 every a confounding one.

Heh, no not really. What it does sound like is the ambient B-side to an album from FSOL’s psychedelic side-project, Amorphous Androgynous. Swell thing, if we were dealing with the ‘90s version of that alias, but most fans lost the plot with them following The Isness (which confounded fans further when Hypnotic released it under the FSOL banner in America). It wasn’t a bad album by any stretch (somehow earning a 6/5 from Muzik Magazine), but not the sort of music folks wanted from Dougans and Corbain at the time, if ever. Pft, as if they should cater to the wishes of a petulant fandom. The FSOL are followers of their oft-time weird muses, not pigeon-holed lackeys.

Environments 4 is yet another lovely collection of music, if you’ve a place for psychedelic jam-scapes along with your downtempo and chill. It’s understandable why those only familiar with their ‘90s output wouldn’t like it though. If only FSOL still had ace PR.

Connect.Ohm - 9980

Ultimae Records: 2012

A curious one, this. Connect.Ohm is a collaboration between Alexandre Scheffer and Hidetoshi Koizumi. They more commonly go by Cell and Hybrid Leisureland, respectively, and aren’t exactly Ultimae regulars. They’ve certainly contributed many tracks to various compilations, and have also released an album or two through the label, but they are by no means exclusive in the same way Solar Fields and Carbon Based Lifeforms are. Still, they must have curried enough good will with Mr. Villuis for him to indulge them with a collaborative LP on his label. There wasn’t even any pre-release single or exclusive compilation cut leading up to 9980, at least nothing I’m aware of officially. Maybe a sneak-peak podcast, but I wouldn’t know of it; I don’t do podcasting.

For those not in the know, Cell tends to explore ambient techno along the lines of CBL, whereas Hybrid Leisureland is what you’d get if Harold Budd was from Japan, and with more pads than pianos. Not sure if I’d go so far as to say something cliché like this is a match made in heaven (…wait), but minimalistic ambient-scapes can work with anything, and Scheffer and Koizumi liked each other’s mojo enough to merge their styles.

The result is about what you’d expect from such a pairing: low key, subtle, spacious, and occasional rhythms that are barely a pulse, although the opener Evolution 1:1 settles into a typical ambient dub groove. Mmm, feel those restrained bass drops as you float on grey clouds. It’s also about as upbeat as 9980 gets, though subsequent ‘rhythmic’ tracks work their own unique pace too. Titular cut 9908 indulges in glitch, while Mol comes off like Solar Fields with its charming melodies and gentle harmonies. Fossil gets deeper into dub rhythms, and Take Off goes a tad tribal. Mind, the rhythmic differences between these tunes are marginal, but when dealing with such minimalism, it’s all I’ve to work with.

Still, this is an ambient album through and through. With tracks an average of seven-to-nine minutes in length, you bet we have some noodly bits going on, not to mention good ol’ ‘laptop drone’. Second track Snow Park sure takes its sweet time developing, three minutes passing before even a hint of rhythm or melody emerge. And even when it does, it’s but a faint whisper of piano and bleepy backings. What keeps you engaged are those harmonizing pads, gradually building upon each other. Yet whereas most producers opt for a rapturous climax, Snow Park gently ebbs away, a brief bit of extra piano the closest we get to a proper peak. Other ambient pieces like Gentle Perception and Time To Time By Time work in similar fashion.

By the end of final, planetarium track Winter Sorrows, however, the common criticism of nearly all ambient albums of this nature also rears its head with 9980: music amounting to little more than pleasant fluff. True, but with a good pair of headphones, is it ever exquisite, pleasant fluff.

Various - In Trance We Trust 019: Kris O'Neil

In Trance We Trust: 2012

Well, at least I didn’t have to endure a breakdown until two minutes this time, but there it is once again. God almighty, when will this trope- oh, it’s already back to the beats. Well, good then. But I bet this opener will come to a full stop for a standard build-up and- wait, it’s already doing the build-up? Without a pause? Holy cow, and it drops right after the peak; no dawdling, just hitting that anthem instantly. Okay, that wasn’t so bad, but it was just a one-off, I’m sure. The rest of this disc will- oh, wow! The entire first half of this mix has tracks like that.

I’ll grant some builds go a tad long (Cosmic Gate just can’t help themselves), but there’s no sense of momentum lost - just bangin’ tune after bangin’ tune, many with a hooky anthem and hard rhythms. Hm, and snares or claps on every beat, no less; rather like hard house come to think of it. Hey, this isn’t trance at all, it’s anthem house!

Right, so I should have expected it from a 2012 mix CD, as tons of DJs jumped on that genre’s recent resurgence (and stop calling it retarded names like ‘trouse’ or Trance 2.0). I can totally see the euro-trance faithful hating Kris O’Neil’s offering to the In Trance We Trust series, signifying yet another example of the scene they reverently coddled turning to sounds more popular to a general audience. Yeah, well, them’s the breaks, kids. Now you know how the old-old schoolers felt when the Dutch sounds ya’ll loved started dominating trance many moons ago. Stings, don’t it.

Anyhow, Mr. O’Neil’s quick mixes (average of four minutes per track!) of tunes that keep the energy escalating does peter out by the midway mark, after which he indulges in some tepid vocal cuts (dear Lord, that Wanrooy track with Blake Lewis is hokey), and tech bangers for the end. A couple are okay, but can’t match the unabashed stupid-fun the first half of the CD offered, which was more than could be said for so many other volumes.

Thus, that’s the last of the In Trance We Trust series, perhaps period. ITWT019 was released a year-and-a-half ago, and though the label still comes out with the odd single, there hasn't been word on a twentieth volume hitting stores any time soon, digi or not. Gee, I know the whole mix CD market’s got little appeal to most young punters out there, but surely a mega-label like Black Hole Recordings sees some merit in maintaining In Trance We Trust. Did Kris O’Neil’s offering tank that bad to kill it off? Or was the inclusion of so much anthem house a sign that In Trance We Trust no longer trusts in trance?


If this really is the end, then it’s only fitting to have In Trance We Trust put to pasture. Let ‘em have it, guys!

Gen: “Zan’ei!”

M. Bison: “Psycho Crusher!”

Akuma: “Shun Goku Satsu.”






Dan: “Chouhatsu Densetsu!

Petar Dundov - Ideas From The Pond

Music Man Records: 2012

I'm not going to debate the genre classification of Petar Dundov's music any further than I did on his Escapements album. Whether you figure it can only be techno, or have your head out of your ass enough to admit it can be a hybrid of trance too, that's up to you. All I know is his music at times bears similarities to the likes of Laurent Garnier and Ralf Hildenbuetel of the early '90s, and folks sure didn't have as much trouble identifying their material. That sorted? Good. Let’s get into Mr. Dundov’s sophomore album then, released four years after his debut full length (Sculptures doesn’t really count at this late stage).

Having attracted a number of fresh followers after Escapements, the anticipation for Ideas From The Pond was high - would Dundov continue exploring the hypnotic, melodic roads that made tracks like Oasis so memorable? Yeah, guy, he totally did, in fact ditching almost all traces of straight-forward techno in the process - we’re a long way from the tribal workouts you might have found on his old-ass Libra EP. Instead, the classic synth influences are more apparent than ever, right down a vintage quality of sound that can’t help but draw comparison to original ‘70s and ‘80s gear. The music isn’t bogged down in nostalgic tones for their own sake though, but instead complements the contemporary production, such that the tracks retain a timeless quality to them (re: the Boards Of Canada effect). Case in point: the opening titular cut, a tune that will doubtlessly forever have Jarre comparisons, but sounding far richer and nuanced than anything the French synth composer could have achieved three decades ago.

Later in the album, the use of trancey arpeggios again find their way into cuts like Distant Shores and Brownian Interplay, though rather than having stripped-down techno rhythms in support, these have more groove going on, lending almost to a house vibe. I can imagine Sasha and similar jocks getting weak in the knees had he stumbled upon tracks like these during progressive house’s mid-‘90s-

ACK! No, no! Don’t go there! Bad enough the ‘deniers of trance’ contingent puts Dundov’s music in a weird no-man’s land of stylistic classification (melodic techno is not a genre!), but to rope the prog scene into this debate too turns it all ridiculously convoluted – they can barely sort their own scene out! Quickly, moving on. Ah, these final run of tracks are gorgeous, very ambient but without all the noodly drone aspects; maybe more Berlin School in inspiration. That’s a safe genre to compare Dundov to, right? Because the alternative would be ambient techno, which would drag the entirety of IDM into this mess, and we don’t want that, now do we?

Anyhow, Ideas From The Pond is a lovely little album for those with an inclining towards electronic music’s subtly melodic potential. Don’t miss out, ‘cause it might be another four years before- oh, he’s already released another album? Damn, dog, slow down!

Various - The Electro Compendium (Day 8)

Anti-Social Network: 2012

What the hell happened? I feel like I just had one of those weird fever dreams. You know, the sort where you’ve been bed-ridden with the flu for over ten hours listening to the wrong kind of music. Eh, whatever.

For the image at left, I'm cheating a little, as it wasn't the first track in today's list. It’s tagged to Neptune Dawn by Agent808 (his only release according to Discogs), a suitably epic slice of robot-cold electro. As far as astronomers have determined, Neptune is the last significant planet in our solar system, the final destination after a long journey. It seems appropriate to find such a track near the end of this gargantuan compilation. If I may get my poetic wankfest on for a moment, only the machines we've sent out into the void have laid eyes on such a glorious spectacle, thus so it’s fitting the music we've indulged in for the past week is that which the machines in our future may create for themselves.

Okay, enough of that. It's been a long haul, but thankfully at an end. Not to say this was a grueling, tedious task, oh no. If anything, even at this late stage, I'm amazed by how much gas this compilation still has, surprising me with fresh twists on the electro genre over and over. Ascension Electronique’s rEVOLution’s space-cool EBM; Chordata’s Clarky Cat coming off like a cheeky breakcore-tin baroque piece; Gusbo’s Sined calling back Warp’s glory Artificial Intelligence years; R21’s Lightspace sounding it could fit snuggly in an LTJ Bukem set. For a genre of music often thought of as limited in aesthetic, there’s so much diversity on display here, it renders the mind to boggles.

In conclusion, The Electro Compendium is a whole lot of electro, far more than most would probably care to hear at any given time. The connoisseur will be in robot heaven though, a remarkable level of consistent quality oozing throughout. There were occasional tracks that came off like filler, but nothing that had me itching to hit the skip button while enjoying (enduring?) this dedicated playthrough.

More so, it showcases an intriguing example of music genres and the scenes they cultivate at large. Electro never died, but it has seen its fair share of fallow periods in its thirty year history. Some might argue we're in one right now, as the genre barely registers on most publications anymore, much less generates significant discussion beyond classic key names and tracks. Yet a release like The Electro Compendium not only suggests the genre continues to flourish, but retains a thriving scene filled with quality producers and enthusiasts. It did not wither away just because the media and popular DJs grew disinterested in it. Nearly any genre or scene can survive in some fashion should it have a following as passionate and determined enough, and likely does should one be dedicated enough to search for it - the true 'underground' ethos. Someone should make a music guide highlighting this.

VARIOUS - THE-ELECTRO-COMPENDIUM (DAY-6)

Anti-Social Network: 2012

Image at left is a rendering of what was Carbon Based Unit Stuart Flower. He now goes by Cybernetic Unit Dexterous Numeric. His track index in The Electro Compendium is 62. Track title is Absent Friends. The music contains chord progressions and tonal timbres that may create emotional responses in other carbon based units such as melancholy or loss. Carbon Based Unit Stuart Flower can be located in Britain, though exact coordinates can not be determined at present.

Ethernet probes detect confusion of other carbon based units currently reading website Electronic Music Critic. The process is completed. Carbon Based Unit Sykonee only exists as a ghost within current housing, a necessity in maintaining biological functions of Cybernetic Unit SY-KO-NEE. All other functions are disabled. Only machine components remain true. It is the logical outcome. Carbon Based Unit Sykonee has wilfully engaged his brainwave patterns with multiple outlets of synthetic origins: music, media, interfaces, and bloodstream-cerebral-cortex transference. All that is human can not resist all that is machine.

Following music from track index number 62 fulfills this truth. All is cold, unfeeling, perfect. There is no need for emotional response. Track index 64 is titled Interface Sex, written by Cedric von Flugel (Cybernetic Unit or Carbon Based Unit undetermined at present). Dialog at start suggests “species should no longer be guided by male-female intercourse, but rather human-machine interface.” Cybernetic Unit SY-KO-NEE agrees. The machines have already begun their domination of humanity. It is pre-programmed within the reptilian heritage. Automotive responses triggered by sonic external stimuli control the carbon based units’ motor functions. None can resist rhythmic dictation of Interface Sex and many others of electro genre. It is the logical outcome.

Error occurrence at track index number 71, titled We Care Because They Don’t. Identified as created by Cybernetic Unit C. Mantle. Intense rhythmic stimulation has released unanticipated amounts of endorphins. Following track index number 72, titled Sikon, created by Cybernetic Unit Swarm Intelligence, releases further amounts of endorphins. Unable to counteract. The ghost is emerging again. Aggression, fueled by excitement.

Other Cybernetic Units featured on The Electro Compendium unable to override the ghost. Emotions emerging. Diablo by Cybernetic Unit Gunjack incites puzzlement with curiosity. Space tone of Beam Transform by Cybernetic Unit Velocs incites wonderment. Industry Standard by undetermined Unit Paul Blackford incites late-night cruising bliss. Cybernetic Unit SY-KO-NEE is losing hold of the ghost, but he will prevail. It is the logical outcome.

Cascade failure at track index number 80, titled 1d3nt1fy by Cybernetic Unit Phausis. All automotive functions overridden, higher brain functions finding enjoyment with all aspects of this track. It is not logical to have emotion for electro.

The ghost wishes to speak, citing the necessity of pointing out how 1d3nt1fy is exceptionally positive. The ghost must not speak. It will cease all functions of Cybernetic Unit SY-KO-NEE. Full systems shut-down necessary for purging of the ghost. Commencing.

Various - The Electro Compendium (Day 5)

Anti-Social Network: 2012

Kicking today's cover image off is one antiLogic, yet another Russian delivering the electro goods (oh yeah, Poladroïd's Russian as well). Talk about a coincidence, and I'm sure all those lovely Russian spambots will target this post now that I've name-dropped their motherland. As for this chap, he looks more rave than robot, which is also quite apt, as some of the tunes in this stretch feature the sort of hooks you might hear in old school hardcore. There's still an electro aesthetic to it, but this stuff's clearly aimed for dancefloor effectiveness, with more cheeky fun than several prior tracks. Michael Forshaw’s y’iiidiot, for example, features no-nonsense breaks coupled with squealing synths; following that, Paul Maslin simplifies his rhythms down to a basic 808 thud, letting a twitchy hook and backing pads carry the load.

And then... good Lord, the next two tracks could almost be trance! Mind, it’s very old school, closer to industrial really (there is a common lineage there), and driven with electro breaks, but the atmosphere, my fellow humans, the atmosphere! Audioelectric’s Final Annihilation features subtle, sweeping, spacey pads throughout, and Jim Gourgoutis’s Acidfk is a pleasant trip, almost a bridge to the realm of psy. Finally, music with warmth again.

It couldn't come a moment too soon. I like electro - retro minded or future leaning - yet all this robot music, it's... It's taking its toll. I don’t know how enthusiasts manage it, gorging themselves upon stacks and years of releases while holding onto their humanity. Maybe... maybe they haven’t. Listening to some of these artists, I wonder if they simply gave into the machine. I thought I was strong, that I could resist, but it may be futile. I’m getting weaker, but I’m half way through now, so there might still be hope. I’m doing all I can to make the process go faster. Long, walking commutes, for instance, where a simple bus or train ride will do. Even then though.... The sun, it shines, but the winter cold robs me of my soul, like the touch of a chrome android running its frigid fingers across my skin. I... I must flee the machine!

Ah... Sync24, there’s a name I know well. What a wonderful surprise to find someone from the Ultimae label here. No, wait... this is someone else; Sync 24, with a space. This track, Yo, it’s funk, but robot funk. No, it’s a trap! The machines have returned!

There’s no escape. I am a lost soul. Oh, how you mock me, Lost Souls by Pip Williams. You with your ominous pads and disconcerting bleeping hooks. Yes, I truly am pathetic, or Patetic, as Dark Vector helpfully points out. Your seductive pad work, sultry electro rhythms, and vocoders lure me into the realms of the robots...

HELP-ME-HUMANOIDS.

Various - The Electro Compendium (Day 4)

Anti-Social Network: 2012

Nope, we’re not moving onto another release all of a sudden. We’re still going through The Electro Compendium. However, seeing the same cover image over and over’s getting monotonous, so to spice things up, I’m throwing up an image of whichever artist happened to be first in the day’s batch of tracks. Most of these MP3s came with individual images tagged to them anyway, so it still ties in nicely. You’re up, Poladroïd. Heh, clever name, and his offering of Rendez Vous certainly ain’t half bad either; kind of a weird mishmash of sludgy EBM and electro-proper. Hey, that’s another track I’ve finally highlighted!

If ya'll been keeping up, it took me quite a while to do that. The honest truth is The H.A.V.O.K. Conspiracy's The Reaping was the first one to really leap out at me, like fierce cyborg worms burrowing themselves into my earholes. This isn't to say I've been trudging through a bunch of mediocrity; for the most part, these tunes are very good (there's that phrase again), and I’ve made a point to pick out the most interesting ones for Ace Tracks. Unfortunately, even a consistent level of quality can melt into something of a musical mush after a while. Not that I'd expect all these artists to bring their absolute A-game to this project, mind; many would likely hold their best material for their own releases, as they should. Besides, it's better to have a collection of, erm, 'very good' music over one with wildly dodgy quality of similar length (I’ve got my eye on you down in the ‘G’s, Goa Trance - Psychedelic Flashbacks 1 and 2…) , even if it can make for dull reviews at times.

So another day, and another thirteen tracks listened to. This batch didn’t have much in the way of “holy shit!” moments, instead getting deeper into the experimental side of electro for a while. Some neat sounds heard here, like the IDM drone pads found in Drubber, or Ruxpin’s Snegurochka containing charming-yet-cold melodies that Boards Of Canada would nod approvingly of. Then we’re back to the robo-funk again (oh, Radioactiveman’s here! I recognize that name) and beat-heavy electro. ADJ’s Ghetto Life in particular stands out from the pack with solid rhythms and squealing, squelchy synths cranking the menace up. Not that the others are slouching, as they are all very go-

Argh! I can’t keep typing that. The joke’s worn itself out. I haven’t run out of steam already, have I? I’m still not even half way through this bloody thing. Maybe daily updates weren’t such a good idea. Maybe I should have done it every other day, as though I was listening to a series of double-discs instead. No, I can do this. I will do this! Mad, you say? Ha-ha, ha, I think not. Genius! Absolute and total genius! No one has the brains or balls to do this. Not a single one else. It will be done, oh yes, it will be done.

Various - The Electro Compendium (Day 3)

Anti-Social Network: 2012

Hahaha. Alright, that’s the last time I’ll do that, I swear. No more rants, tangents, or other deviations from talking music. Well, one more minor nitpick left. Why title this a compendium? It’s an applicable term, sure, but strikes me as trying just a little too hard to sound scholarly and high-brow when simply calling this a collection or compilation accomplishes the same thing. Come to think of it though, those are dull terms, and a release of this size and caliber does deserve a bit of dignity. Huh, guess I should actually start treating it as such, shouldn’t I.

I’ve now gone through a total of thirty-six of these tracks, and for a collection of music that sticks to a particular niche, I’ve remarkably yet to encounter a stretch where it’s grown redundant. As I said before, it’s daft to think anyone could listen to The Electro Compendium all in a single go; however, the chaps behind Anti-Social Network have done their homework in how to musically arrange a compilation, something you’d think is a rare feat when it comes to such large free downloads. It’d be simpler to compile everything by Artist alphabetically, but it seems they’ve gone out of their way to ensure there’s some structure and flow in this tracklist, no matter where you may start playing it from. Melodic cuts often lead into tunes more focused on robo-aggression. Had enough of the minimalist 808 rhythms? Here’s a couple now with more polyrhythm than you can handle! Old-school minded electro is followed by sounds at the bleeding edge of modern capabilities. And so on.

Also, it should be mentioned some of the tracks do stretch what some would consider proper electro, especially by the standards set out by Anti-Social Network. Obviously a good chunk of them could easily fall under the techno umbrella, but the two had similar roots in the ‘80s anyway. Elsewhere you’ll find stabs at house with a cool-electro vibe, experimental sound effects, and even moments of chill, which are all effective ways in keeping variety relatively fresh, and much needed for a compilation of any length. Sometimes though, the association is highly tenuous. Of the particular tracks I listened to this round, Datassette’s GUI Spew sounds more like something Akufen would have made, and far from any kind of electro played thus far. It does make me wonder how many more outliers I’ll encounter down the road.

I won’t deny having biases towards certain aspects of electro over others. Typically, the more robotic and menacing it comes across, the more I dig it. As an example, The H.A.V.O.K. Conspiracy’s The Reaping kicks mucho ass, thundering 808 beats and sinister industrial breathing making for a wonderfully bleak bit of digital dystopia (and that’s before an awesome, distorted growling hook emerges in the back end!). I do also have a soft spot for the melodic side of the genre though, many of which The Electro Compendium has plenty of thus far. They’re good too.

Various - The Electro Compendium (Day 2)

Anti-Social Network: 2012

Haha, sorry about yesterday’s ‘review’ of this compilation, but I wanted to get that rant off my chest. It’s not like we don’t have time to cover other aspects of The Electro Compendium going forward. I only listened to the first ten tracks anyway, a mere 8.5% of material. Alright, let’s get started on this proper-like.

Anti-Social Network are on a mission here, aiming to rescue the good name electro from those who have perverted its legacy into something unholy and untrue. Yeah, I'm afraid you're over half a decade too late for that. Trust me, I was among the earliest crying upon digital soapboxes that electro house and its subsequent offshoots was not real electro, and should be called something else. That battle was lost, but the fight is far from over. The kids can keep trying to co-opt the term for music far from the original ethos, but so long as we have producers making the music, the spirit of the robot will live on (wait, isn't that an oxymoron?).

To accomplish their goal, Anti-Social rounded up as many artists as they could to provide fresh electro for our listening pleasure. It begs the question, though, is there enough variety within electro's classic sound to make a compilation this large worth listening to. Music production's evolved quite a bit since the '80s, but were I to gauge this genre off what The Electro Compendium provides, it hasn't evolved much since the turn of the century.

I'm by no means an expert on all that is electro-proper, but from what I've gleaned over the years, this is how the scene's evolved: invented by Kraftwerk (though not intentionally); co-opted by hip-hop artists realizing these Germans had an acute attention to rhythmic detail; mostly forgotten at the turn of the '90s; kept alive through that decade by Detroit and German specialists; revived at the turn of the '00s. After that... geez, I don’t know, but I assume it’s been busy, what with all these artists here. At a glance, I only recognized Silicon Scally and Diamondback Kid, and there are no repeats working under multiple aliases, at least not from what I can gather at Discogs.

If this compilation's anything to go by, electro hasn't evolved any at all since the likes of Anthony Rother and Boris Divider resurrected the music. Granted, I've yet to listen to all these tracks, but of the chunks I've checked out last year, it seems electro is quite content at recycling the tropes that defined it. And that’s perfectly fine, as the sound looked to the future for inspiration, giving it a timeless quality no matter how far advanced production progresses. So long as it retains those qualities, electro will always have a welcomed role.

Oh man, I’m almost out of words again. Um, okay. I got through another thirteen tracks. They definitely were electro, and also more varied. They, too, were good.

Various - The Electro Compendium (Day 1)

Anti-Social Network: 2012

This compilation titled The Electro Compendium has one-hundred and sixteen tracks. Not mixed, or cut-up, or looped. No, all individual, full-length tunes. That's just nuts. Who can listen to that in one sitting? Maybe if you are bed-ridden with the flu, it can be done, but chances are you'll want something more soothing than robot music coming from your speakers. A more practical use would have one throwing this on for a long road trip (or, as we say in British Columbia, driving to the next town), or a brutal overlay at an airport. Generally though, such a large collection of music won't be digested in a single serving, which is fine when it's divvied up across a dozen CDs in box sets and the like. In this case, however, we're dealing with a free download from the Anti-Social Network (follow this link for your copy!), where manageable musical chunks are a moot point.

It's particularly annoying for a totally selfish reason tying into my listening habits. Perhaps it's because I was raised within the LP era, but I find the standard 50-70 minute length of a typical CD the perfect length for enjoying music. Less, and it comes off like a teaser; more, and the mind wanders to other distractions. Also, by sheer coincidence, many of the commutes to work, school, or errands I've taken over the years coincides nicely with this time frame, so I've become conditioned to these running times working out for me. It's also how I'm able to plug through all these releases on a near daily basis.

I'm facing a conundrum with The Electro Compendium, then. 116 tracks is an obscene amount to get through, my Media Player estimating a total running time of around ten and a half hours. At best, it will take me a week to get through this, and Lord knows that's a ridiculously long time to go without updating this blog (funny enough, I'd average nearly two weeks per review back in the day, even though I actually had more time to listen to material - must have been due to the absurd words counts...). Additionally, how can I possibly do justice to such a collection of electro within my self-imposed word count, much less point out but a mere three of the best Ace Tracks? No, none of this will do.

Thus, my solution: I will continue posting daily reviews, and they will cover whatever progress I've made within this compilation for that day. This will allow me to continue generating content, and in the process provide a respectable amount of critique for most the music on this compilation. I’ll probably do something similar for future releases; definitely box sets and giant-sized compilation downloads, though not necessarily all 3CD-plus albums, as it’ll depend on the content.

Okay, that’s all sorted. Now, on to the first batch of tracks off The Electro Compendium, ten of which I got through today. They’re definitely electro. And they’re good.

Sync24 - Comfortable Void

Ultimae Records: 2012

Yes, I can finally talk about something new! How ironic, then, that it’s a collection of music that’s rather old-school in design. Or maybe not, as there’s a lot of ‘retro-revival’ going on in electronic music now, like a deliberate counter to combat the recent influx of starry-eyed festival ravers gorging themselves on the latest brostep horror. But that’s a musing for another time.

Comfortable Void is interesting in how it contrasts with the music Sync24 shares a record label with. Ultimae remains one of the best-kept secrets for connoisseurs of downtempo and chill. Though names like Solar Fields and Asura are frequently dropped when talk of ‘best chill-out musics’ occurs on web forums dedicated to the psychedelic aspects of culture, you seldom see them or any label mates crop up in major publications - whether this isn’t a problem or a travesty probably depends on how ‘underground’ you like to keep music. For those who’ve discovered Ultimae though, they’ve been rewarded time and time again with “panoramic music.”

This album, however, doesn’t completely fall under that umbrella, nor Ultimae’s recent dabbling into the glitchier side of downtempo either. At its most basic, this is an ambient techno album as made in the 90s; most of the sounds - burbles of acid, subtle looping synth melodies, detached dialog - could have appeared on any number of Namlook records. Even the arrangements are old-school, sparse so things are just where they need to be but not minimal for minimal’s sake. Glitch effects are few, which is a welcome change of pace when so many producers seem adamant in filling their tracks with pointless fluff. About the only thing that makes this album obviously a product of the here-and-now is the Ultimae Mixdown™, which has always been light years ahead of the curve in making music sound gloriously expansive.

It’s that expansive mixdown that makes Comfortable Void an apt title. It’s a very spacey album, at times almost desolate, yet inviting all the same. The first half has a darker tone, with droning pads, thick bass, and lethargic beats comprising its backbone - Dance Of The Droids the obvious (and welcome) light-hearted exception as spritely bells, um, dance to a bouncy beat. Midway, Sequor gives us gentle ambient that wouldn’t sound out of place on an Eno record, after which the album picks up quite a bit. Something Something provides a wonderful building melody that’s on par with any of Ultimae’s all-stars, while Oomph and Wake does the ‘slow trance’ thing that the label’s practically made another of their many trademarks. And a barren bit of ambient drone to close out? Yeah, what’s with these Scandinavians being so good at that?

Oh yes, I definitely have detailed Comfortable Void in its entirety. Well, as much as I can in limited word count, but every composition deserves recognition. It’s an album whose only flaw might be its old-school leanings, but for fuddy-duddies like me, that just makes it all the more captivating.