Ultimae Records: 2013
Solar Fields put out a lot of music at a ridiculous rate in the ‘00s, averaging one full-length CD every two years (to say nothing of remix albums, collaborations, and compilation exclusives). What’s almost frightening about that work ethic is how there was nary a drop in quality in each release, as though Mr. Birgersson could offer stunning, thematic LPs on a whim. Of course, that’s never the case, great albums almost always the result of meticulous pruning and editing, such that what does make the final product is the absolute best that artist is capable of at that particular moment of inspiration. What’s left over often ends up as b-sides for singles, saved for better-served albums down the road, or simply forgotten until such time extended or re-issue editions of albums come about. It would seem Solar Fields has chosen the latter option for his back back-catalog, most recently coming to light in a series of Origin CDs. Since Origin # 01 is already out of print (damn), we’re jumping right into Origin # 02. Yay?
Yeah, such a release is a hard sell to casual consumers of music – after all, wouldn’t all of Solar Fields’ best material already be available elsewhere? What point is there getting an odds-n-sods ‘leftovers’ collection if you hadn’t already gotten albums like Blue Moon Station or Movements? Everything on Origin # 02 comes from that era of music making (2003-2009, for the record), and if this material never made it on those LPs, or even Origin # 01, then this CD must truly be scrapping the barrel for leftovers. How mediocre can this sound, then?
Not one damn bit, foo’. This is Solar F’n Fields we’re dealing with here – I don’t think ol’ Magnus could make a weak production if he tried! The first half Origin # 02 features all the lovely sonic textures, blissy-chill vibes, and widescreen ambience you’d expect coming into a Solar Fields album. Hell, even if you don’t expect it – because it’s your first Solar Fields experience, I guess – they’re still stunning tracks. About the only quibble here is the lack of album narrative, but wanting that on a collection like this is utterly pointless, yes?
Okay, quality music as expected from Solar Fields – is there anything actually unique on offer with Origin # 02, something that we haven’t heard before? I dunno about that, as I haven’t heard the entirety of Mr. Birgersson’s discography. What threw me for a loop, though, were the final three tracks: The Missing, Falling Shadows, and Asteroid (Time Machine Lullaby). Those crackly pads, childlike melodies on old keyboards (especially on Asteroid), sense of ‘70s synth nostalgia… Holy cow, this sounds like Boards Of Canada! True, in a Solar Fieldsy sort of way, but it totally does share like the enigmatic Scottish duo’s aesthetic. Whether Magnus wanted to take a stab at their sound or it’s just a coincidence, I don’t know, but that alone makes Origin # 02 worth the price of admission.
Showing posts with label psy chill. Show all posts
Showing posts with label psy chill. Show all posts
Saturday, October 18, 2014
Friday, September 12, 2014
Circular - Moon Pool
Ultimae Records: 2014
Circular was another act that got a bit lost in the Great Ultimae Artist Expansion of the late ‘00s. Already brimming with LPs from new-to-roster names like James Murray, I Awake, and Cell, the duo of Bjarte Andreassen and Jostein Dahl Gjelsvik (thank you, c+p!) made their debut to the label with Substans. It was a good album, but didn’t ignite much buzz when surrounded by much other high-class Ultimae music. I think the problem was part of its PR, quick to name-drop Circular’s musical influence as a selling point. Hey, having some sonic similarity to The Future Sound Of London’s not a bad thing, but when FSOL’s already releasing music of their own that same year (the Environments series, remember?), why not go to the source?
Even then, claiming Circular has much in common with ambient ethno-techno of the ‘90s is a hard sell within the current psy-chill scene. There’s been remarkable growth and evolution in the loosely tied genre, some of which Ultimae itself was instrumental in. Taking on an old-school leaning act may not sound all that appealing to folks eager for the cutting edge of chill-out stylee. This had to be on Circular’s mind in the half-decade since Substans: how to sound current while retaining the classic vibe they enjoy so much. I mean, the Ultimae Mixdown™ can only get you so far.
Thus we come to Moon Pool, and by George, Jove, and Jolly The Green Giant, I think Andreassen and Gjelsvik figured it out. Opener Lunokhod (named after the ‘70s Soviet Lunar rover missions) feels like an encapsulation of all the classy things one may find in ethno-chill, new and old. There’s Balearic samples (chants, acoustic guitars, the sea washing ashore), expansive pads enveloping you in an ethereal embrace, chirpy backing synths providing subtle rhythmic build before revealing thick, dubby beats in the back-half, and just being utterly lush on the ears. Not much else on Moon Pool quite packs in that much of a perfect blend, but considering Lunokhod’s the longest track here (thirteen-plus minutes), it’s not surprising it comes off like a centerpiece of this album, point man status notwithstanding.
While Lunokhod may be the highlight out of the moon gate, the rest of the album more than holds its own. There’s pure ambient bliss-outs (Selenic Light, Meteorites), mildly uptempo acid-chill (Ashlands, 3 Moons, the latter of which wouldn’t sound out of place on a Solar Fields LP either), a touch of the world-beat (Synchronous), and your obligatory darker Aes Dana collaboration (Imbrium). Tying it all together is a loose theme built around, well, Luna, giving this album a strong sense of journey from start to finish, no track deemed a pass, much less stand alone (beside Lunokhod at least).
Circular may not have been a sexy purchase when they first joined Ultimae, yet I see no reason to skip out on Moon Pool here. It’s as class an Ultimae LP as anything from the main players of the label.
Circular was another act that got a bit lost in the Great Ultimae Artist Expansion of the late ‘00s. Already brimming with LPs from new-to-roster names like James Murray, I Awake, and Cell, the duo of Bjarte Andreassen and Jostein Dahl Gjelsvik (thank you, c+p!) made their debut to the label with Substans. It was a good album, but didn’t ignite much buzz when surrounded by much other high-class Ultimae music. I think the problem was part of its PR, quick to name-drop Circular’s musical influence as a selling point. Hey, having some sonic similarity to The Future Sound Of London’s not a bad thing, but when FSOL’s already releasing music of their own that same year (the Environments series, remember?), why not go to the source?
Even then, claiming Circular has much in common with ambient ethno-techno of the ‘90s is a hard sell within the current psy-chill scene. There’s been remarkable growth and evolution in the loosely tied genre, some of which Ultimae itself was instrumental in. Taking on an old-school leaning act may not sound all that appealing to folks eager for the cutting edge of chill-out stylee. This had to be on Circular’s mind in the half-decade since Substans: how to sound current while retaining the classic vibe they enjoy so much. I mean, the Ultimae Mixdown™ can only get you so far.
Thus we come to Moon Pool, and by George, Jove, and Jolly The Green Giant, I think Andreassen and Gjelsvik figured it out. Opener Lunokhod (named after the ‘70s Soviet Lunar rover missions) feels like an encapsulation of all the classy things one may find in ethno-chill, new and old. There’s Balearic samples (chants, acoustic guitars, the sea washing ashore), expansive pads enveloping you in an ethereal embrace, chirpy backing synths providing subtle rhythmic build before revealing thick, dubby beats in the back-half, and just being utterly lush on the ears. Not much else on Moon Pool quite packs in that much of a perfect blend, but considering Lunokhod’s the longest track here (thirteen-plus minutes), it’s not surprising it comes off like a centerpiece of this album, point man status notwithstanding.
While Lunokhod may be the highlight out of the moon gate, the rest of the album more than holds its own. There’s pure ambient bliss-outs (Selenic Light, Meteorites), mildly uptempo acid-chill (Ashlands, 3 Moons, the latter of which wouldn’t sound out of place on a Solar Fields LP either), a touch of the world-beat (Synchronous), and your obligatory darker Aes Dana collaboration (Imbrium). Tying it all together is a loose theme built around, well, Luna, giving this album a strong sense of journey from start to finish, no track deemed a pass, much less stand alone (beside Lunokhod at least).
Circular may not have been a sexy purchase when they first joined Ultimae, yet I see no reason to skip out on Moon Pool here. It’s as class an Ultimae LP as anything from the main players of the label.
Saturday, June 21, 2014
Various - Ambrosia: Selected By Fishimself
Ultimae Records: 2011
The possibility always existed it could happen, that Ultimae would somehow discover yet another A-Plus producer out there, or one of their regulars would find some untapped well of enthralling innovation. At this late stage though, having consumed about all there is in the label's back catalogue, I'd settled into the comfortable notion of Ultimae no longer stunning me with surprising excellence, remaining content with the continuous class they put out. Then along comes Ambrosia, and I'm floored yet again. How. Do. They. Do. It?
First things first: what exactly is Ambrosia, beyond the mythological reference? The year is 2011, and Ultimae had one of their biggest annuals ever: new albums from premier acts Aes Dana, Carbon Based Lifeforms (two, in fact!), and shortly Solar Fields, plus putting a proper capper on their long dormant Fahrenheit Project series. So the Ultimae faithful were more than sated by this point, and with Fahrenheit Project ending on a high, there wasn’t much need for a totally new compilation series, especially one featuring relative unknowns like One Arc Degree, Sygnals, Memphidos, Max Million and Miktek. And who even is this Fishimself anyway? Harris Papadimitriou, eh. Must be Greek. In fact, these other names sound Greek too. Wait a minute... Amborsia... ‘food of the Gods’. Oh, now I get it; this is a showcase of Greek producers with similar stylee to the Ultimae camp. *audience slow-claps Dumb-Ass Sykonee*
Only two of Ultimae’s regulars show up for Ambrosia. Aes Dana gives us another of his ‘industrial minimal trance’ tunes in Distant Industries, while Asura’s V.A.N.T.A. hints at what Enigma would have sounded like had Cretu started during the ambient-glitch era – and even that tune’s got something of a Grecian tone to it. Not sure if including Miktek as part of the ‘Ultimae regular’ banner is apt with this CD, since this was Mr. Aikaterinis’ debut on the label, though he definitely became a staple of their compilations ever after. He even gets two tracks on here, Light Trails and Ominous Ride, both in his now-familiar sombre style of spacious grey synth pads and soft downbeat rhythms. Guess Fishimself figured Miktek was due for breakout status among the chill-out promoters, if only given the chance.
None of this surprised me going into Ambrosia though, since I’m well familiar with these names already. Nay, what threw me for a loop were the other tracks, and how they helped add a fresh dynamic to the Ultimae soundscape. These are, without a doubt, some of the heaviest rhythms I’ve heard from this label. Opener Sub Strata from Max Million & Gusk alone has an omnipresent bassline grumbling throughout; meanwhile One Arc Degree’s Distant Industries almost dips into proper jungle territory by its end. The remainder tracks aren’t as rhythmically unique as those, but retain enough distinct grit between them they aren’t lost in the typical Ultimae soup.
Ambrosia’s a great little Greek producer showcase. Ultimae should do more compilations like this for other countries. How about Turkey?
The possibility always existed it could happen, that Ultimae would somehow discover yet another A-Plus producer out there, or one of their regulars would find some untapped well of enthralling innovation. At this late stage though, having consumed about all there is in the label's back catalogue, I'd settled into the comfortable notion of Ultimae no longer stunning me with surprising excellence, remaining content with the continuous class they put out. Then along comes Ambrosia, and I'm floored yet again. How. Do. They. Do. It?
First things first: what exactly is Ambrosia, beyond the mythological reference? The year is 2011, and Ultimae had one of their biggest annuals ever: new albums from premier acts Aes Dana, Carbon Based Lifeforms (two, in fact!), and shortly Solar Fields, plus putting a proper capper on their long dormant Fahrenheit Project series. So the Ultimae faithful were more than sated by this point, and with Fahrenheit Project ending on a high, there wasn’t much need for a totally new compilation series, especially one featuring relative unknowns like One Arc Degree, Sygnals, Memphidos, Max Million and Miktek. And who even is this Fishimself anyway? Harris Papadimitriou, eh. Must be Greek. In fact, these other names sound Greek too. Wait a minute... Amborsia... ‘food of the Gods’. Oh, now I get it; this is a showcase of Greek producers with similar stylee to the Ultimae camp. *audience slow-claps Dumb-Ass Sykonee*
Only two of Ultimae’s regulars show up for Ambrosia. Aes Dana gives us another of his ‘industrial minimal trance’ tunes in Distant Industries, while Asura’s V.A.N.T.A. hints at what Enigma would have sounded like had Cretu started during the ambient-glitch era – and even that tune’s got something of a Grecian tone to it. Not sure if including Miktek as part of the ‘Ultimae regular’ banner is apt with this CD, since this was Mr. Aikaterinis’ debut on the label, though he definitely became a staple of their compilations ever after. He even gets two tracks on here, Light Trails and Ominous Ride, both in his now-familiar sombre style of spacious grey synth pads and soft downbeat rhythms. Guess Fishimself figured Miktek was due for breakout status among the chill-out promoters, if only given the chance.
None of this surprised me going into Ambrosia though, since I’m well familiar with these names already. Nay, what threw me for a loop were the other tracks, and how they helped add a fresh dynamic to the Ultimae soundscape. These are, without a doubt, some of the heaviest rhythms I’ve heard from this label. Opener Sub Strata from Max Million & Gusk alone has an omnipresent bassline grumbling throughout; meanwhile One Arc Degree’s Distant Industries almost dips into proper jungle territory by its end. The remainder tracks aren’t as rhythmically unique as those, but retain enough distinct grit between them they aren’t lost in the typical Ultimae soup.
Ambrosia’s a great little Greek producer showcase. Ultimae should do more compilations like this for other countries. How about Turkey?
Friday, March 29, 2013
Khooman - Is A Flexible Liquid (Original TC Review)
Ajana Records: 2007
(2013 Update:
I had a tough time with this one, as I didn't much care for the music; however, because I received it as a promo package at a time when TC wasn't getting many, I didn't want to go into full snark mode. Don't bite the hand that feeds you, right? The result is probably one of the most 'political' reviews I ever wrote.
Turns out Khooman's still producing, self-releasing dark psy and the like on his own Darkaplugga label. Huh, I think I actually prefer the music on this album over that. Stay chill, man.)
IN BRIEF: Flexible indeed.
Psychedelic chill music seems to be one of those funny genres producers either get or don’t. When on form, they can create music that tickles the mind, moves the heart, and warms the soul. However, those who miss the mark often do so horribly, with compositions that are crummy, cliché, hackneyed, empty, and poo. There’s little middle-ground, so I am surprised when I do come across such a release.
Mr. Khooman (or Mr. Edward Trunov to the Russian government) falls into this unwonted realm of adequacy. During its playing time, Is A Flexible Liquid rarely moved me in a way some of the greats of trippy downbeat electronics has. On the other hand, it at no point made me roll my eyes in contempt, or other reflexive actions usually reserved for scouse house. It’s as though Khooman has tapped into a spring of perfunctory competence with his music. A welcome sign of restraint in never overreaching his apparent capabilities is present, but at the same time the music on hand remains moderately quaint.
Wait, is this right...?
See, right this moment, I’m listening to track number two - titled Helpless - and it’s taken a bunch of what I just typed up there and made me reconsider. Interesting percussion, nifty sounds, alluring atmosphere - it’s a nice little slice of psy chill. Did I really come away from first impressions with an overall feeling of ‘meh’?
And much of this album goes in this manner. Perspectives of it flip-flop more-so than politicians clinging to power. The follow-up track to Helpless - Below The River Flows - is a great example of this, and within the opening minute no less! Half the sounds Khooman uses aren’t terribly good, coming off a bit amateurish in production. Yet right beside them are lovely synth sweeps and fine effects. Just as soon as I’m about to write the track off, I’m caught up in it again. Back and forth, back and forth, this track goes, and I’m at a loss which way my overall impression of it is left at. This is why Khooman seems to be so effective at making middle-of-the-road music. There’s a kind of tug-o-war between your opinions of ‘yes!’ and ‘meh...’ A New View and It's Only Dust On The Road are quite indicative of this too.
Still, he does hit the positive more often than the negative in the production department. The only trouble here is many of his ideas tend to follow long-beaten paths tread by psy chill artists. Of course, it’d be silly to expect a revolutionary groundbreaking masterpiece in a debut album but the fact remains much of this may seem overly familiar.
Does this mean you should ignore this album altogether then? Nah, of course not. There are some good tracks to check out. The aforementioned Helpless, as well as the hypnotizing Shaman Desert, are fine examples of moody somber psy chill. The highlight, though, is Let Me Out. Here Khooman hits all the right buttons, mixing up groovy dubbed-out rhythms, synthy sounds, and exotic atmospherics into a perfect blend of downbeat music. It’s like Banco de Gaia meets Audio Science (yes, I know Audio Science are a relatively obscure reference; just trust me on this).
All in all, Khooman’s debut should satisfy fans of psy chill. While not brilliant, nor is it bad. If anything, the title of his album is quite apt, as you’ll undoubtedly find your opinions of it flexing this way and that. Is A Flexible Liquid may not be an essential pick-up for your psy chill needs but it is a safe one.
(2013 Update:
I had a tough time with this one, as I didn't much care for the music; however, because I received it as a promo package at a time when TC wasn't getting many, I didn't want to go into full snark mode. Don't bite the hand that feeds you, right? The result is probably one of the most 'political' reviews I ever wrote.
Turns out Khooman's still producing, self-releasing dark psy and the like on his own Darkaplugga label. Huh, I think I actually prefer the music on this album over that. Stay chill, man.)
IN BRIEF: Flexible indeed.
Psychedelic chill music seems to be one of those funny genres producers either get or don’t. When on form, they can create music that tickles the mind, moves the heart, and warms the soul. However, those who miss the mark often do so horribly, with compositions that are crummy, cliché, hackneyed, empty, and poo. There’s little middle-ground, so I am surprised when I do come across such a release.
Mr. Khooman (or Mr. Edward Trunov to the Russian government) falls into this unwonted realm of adequacy. During its playing time, Is A Flexible Liquid rarely moved me in a way some of the greats of trippy downbeat electronics has. On the other hand, it at no point made me roll my eyes in contempt, or other reflexive actions usually reserved for scouse house. It’s as though Khooman has tapped into a spring of perfunctory competence with his music. A welcome sign of restraint in never overreaching his apparent capabilities is present, but at the same time the music on hand remains moderately quaint.
Wait, is this right...?
See, right this moment, I’m listening to track number two - titled Helpless - and it’s taken a bunch of what I just typed up there and made me reconsider. Interesting percussion, nifty sounds, alluring atmosphere - it’s a nice little slice of psy chill. Did I really come away from first impressions with an overall feeling of ‘meh’?
And much of this album goes in this manner. Perspectives of it flip-flop more-so than politicians clinging to power. The follow-up track to Helpless - Below The River Flows - is a great example of this, and within the opening minute no less! Half the sounds Khooman uses aren’t terribly good, coming off a bit amateurish in production. Yet right beside them are lovely synth sweeps and fine effects. Just as soon as I’m about to write the track off, I’m caught up in it again. Back and forth, back and forth, this track goes, and I’m at a loss which way my overall impression of it is left at. This is why Khooman seems to be so effective at making middle-of-the-road music. There’s a kind of tug-o-war between your opinions of ‘yes!’ and ‘meh...’ A New View and It's Only Dust On The Road are quite indicative of this too.
Still, he does hit the positive more often than the negative in the production department. The only trouble here is many of his ideas tend to follow long-beaten paths tread by psy chill artists. Of course, it’d be silly to expect a revolutionary groundbreaking masterpiece in a debut album but the fact remains much of this may seem overly familiar.
Does this mean you should ignore this album altogether then? Nah, of course not. There are some good tracks to check out. The aforementioned Helpless, as well as the hypnotizing Shaman Desert, are fine examples of moody somber psy chill. The highlight, though, is Let Me Out. Here Khooman hits all the right buttons, mixing up groovy dubbed-out rhythms, synthy sounds, and exotic atmospherics into a perfect blend of downbeat music. It’s like Banco de Gaia meets Audio Science (yes, I know Audio Science are a relatively obscure reference; just trust me on this).
All in all, Khooman’s debut should satisfy fans of psy chill. While not brilliant, nor is it bad. If anything, the title of his album is quite apt, as you’ll undoubtedly find your opinions of it flexing this way and that. Is A Flexible Liquid may not be an essential pick-up for your psy chill needs but it is a safe one.
Thursday, March 7, 2013
Various - Fahrenheit Project - Part Six
Ultimae Records: 2006/2008
What else could Ultimae do? Half a decade after emerging from the hinterlands of psy chill obscurity, the label was riding an astounding wave of musical success. Their tactic of interspersing albums from their roster with the Fahrenheit Project series probably could have been milked to this day, but that's boring. Nay, by the time Part 6 of this series came, changes were afoot, and perhaps sadly, this would be the last of the Fahrenheit Projects for some time.
Such changes included: launching new compilation-mix series such as Oxycanta and Albedo; heavier emphasis on artist albums; and, most crucially, signing more talent to Ultimae. For a label known for an almost glacial rate of releasing material, such a jump in activity was going to show a little initial strain. Those new series didn't last long, as the increased LP output – almost all which were ace – overshadowed many of them. Why bother, said the fans, with the compilations when much of the best material was on the albums? Fahrenheit Project succeeded because it was as much a sneak preview of such albums as it was a roster showcase, so it was in Ultimae's favour to offer their best material for the series. With names like Solar Fields, H.U.V.A. Network, and Carbon Based Lifeforms practically selling themselves to the faithful now, the Fahrenheit format was no longer required.
So it's in this transitional period we find Part 6. Again, regular Ultimae acts all show up, with a few outside contributors sprinkled about. Still, a notable difference rears its head compared the last few entries, in that there's a lack of CBL. Sync24 does offer one track, mind, but as the duo was working on their sophomore effort, it's possible they didn't have time for Fahrenheit this time out. Maybe Ultimae should have called in Asura? No, wait, he was working on a new album too.
At only nine tracks, this is the shortest of the series, and to be blunt, it isn’t anywhere near as good as the prior two. Granted, those were lofty peaks, but one can’t help but be disappointed they couldn’t maintain at a plateau instead of take a stumble. As with Part 3, the lack of diversity hurts, most of the artists sticking to tried-and-tested psy chill tropes. The production remains top notch of course, but track flow is serviceable at best, everything melding into the same psy-glitch-ambient-downtempo soup Ultimae’s known for.
One of the few surprising developments, however, comes midway, and care of Solar Fields. Instead of offering his typical brand of chill-out, he dives headfirst into the realms of prog psy on Levitate. He’d dabbled in the vicinity of that sound before, but always in a ‘slow trance’ fashion. This tune, though, is incredibly brisk, especially for Fahrenheit Project. It must have garnered him a good response, as his following album, Earthshine, was loaded with the stuff, such that even fans of regular ol’ trance took notice.
And then Ultimae’s exposure truly took off.
What else could Ultimae do? Half a decade after emerging from the hinterlands of psy chill obscurity, the label was riding an astounding wave of musical success. Their tactic of interspersing albums from their roster with the Fahrenheit Project series probably could have been milked to this day, but that's boring. Nay, by the time Part 6 of this series came, changes were afoot, and perhaps sadly, this would be the last of the Fahrenheit Projects for some time.
Such changes included: launching new compilation-mix series such as Oxycanta and Albedo; heavier emphasis on artist albums; and, most crucially, signing more talent to Ultimae. For a label known for an almost glacial rate of releasing material, such a jump in activity was going to show a little initial strain. Those new series didn't last long, as the increased LP output – almost all which were ace – overshadowed many of them. Why bother, said the fans, with the compilations when much of the best material was on the albums? Fahrenheit Project succeeded because it was as much a sneak preview of such albums as it was a roster showcase, so it was in Ultimae's favour to offer their best material for the series. With names like Solar Fields, H.U.V.A. Network, and Carbon Based Lifeforms practically selling themselves to the faithful now, the Fahrenheit format was no longer required.
So it's in this transitional period we find Part 6. Again, regular Ultimae acts all show up, with a few outside contributors sprinkled about. Still, a notable difference rears its head compared the last few entries, in that there's a lack of CBL. Sync24 does offer one track, mind, but as the duo was working on their sophomore effort, it's possible they didn't have time for Fahrenheit this time out. Maybe Ultimae should have called in Asura? No, wait, he was working on a new album too.
At only nine tracks, this is the shortest of the series, and to be blunt, it isn’t anywhere near as good as the prior two. Granted, those were lofty peaks, but one can’t help but be disappointed they couldn’t maintain at a plateau instead of take a stumble. As with Part 3, the lack of diversity hurts, most of the artists sticking to tried-and-tested psy chill tropes. The production remains top notch of course, but track flow is serviceable at best, everything melding into the same psy-glitch-ambient-downtempo soup Ultimae’s known for.
One of the few surprising developments, however, comes midway, and care of Solar Fields. Instead of offering his typical brand of chill-out, he dives headfirst into the realms of prog psy on Levitate. He’d dabbled in the vicinity of that sound before, but always in a ‘slow trance’ fashion. This tune, though, is incredibly brisk, especially for Fahrenheit Project. It must have garnered him a good response, as his following album, Earthshine, was loaded with the stuff, such that even fans of regular ol’ trance took notice.
And then Ultimae’s exposure truly took off.
Sunday, March 3, 2013
Various - Fahrenheit Project - Part Three
Ultimae Records: 2002/2008
Let’s get something out in the open: Ultimae ain’t perfect. They’re very good at what they do, great even, but sometimes they slip. For instance, you know the little incense stick included with your orders? Well, they sent Lavender Bliss in one of mine, and dammit, I was countin’ on Summer Rain. Fail!
Okay, I’m being silly there, but yes, not everything they release is gold. Though I’ve never come across an Ultimae CD that’s anything less than bronze, when a label maintains such a high level of quality, even ‘just okay’ can be disappointing. Credit due where it’s deserved though, as their first year of operation saw a string of strong releases in the first two Fahrenheit Projects, plus the debuts of Asura and Solar Fields. To kick off the following year, they released Part 3 of their flagship series, and it’s… well, not as good as the first two.
The trouble lies with one of the few critiques one could find in Ultimae as a whole: their roster has a tendency to sound all alike, indistinguishable from each other. To be fair, this is a complaint one can make for nearly any smallish label, in that cultivating talent with shared musical aesthetics is standard business practice. The first two Fahrenheits got around this potential hiccup by bringing in established acts to spice up the musical variety. Now that Ultimae had gathered a respectable roster of their own, however, they gave their homegrown talent most of the spotlight for Fahrenheit 3. It unfortunately renders much of the CD down to a pleasant-but-mushy gloop of psy-chill music indistinguishable one artist from the next. Even after playing it just now - maybe the third or fourth time since I got the whole Fahrenheit package - I still have trouble remembering much of significance.
As if to drive the point home, the first track that always sticks in my mind comes from one of the non-Ultimae posse, Nabab by Toirés (who’d also cropped up on Fahrenheit 1). It’s a fairly standard bit of Indian-flavoured world beat, but oh such a respite from everything else. Mystical Sun also contributes with Blue Magnetic Ocean, a tune that’s far more uptempo for the chap’s style.
Another thing of note with this compilation is the debuts of Carbon Based Lifeforms and Ultimae ‘supergroup’ H.U.V.A. Network. CBL actually had an MP3.com release a couple years prior, but with a proper label behind them now, the duo makes good on their opportunity with a lovely slice of ambient techno in MOS 6581, plus a chill-out closer with Metrosat 4. As for the Aes Dana/Solar Fields collab’, it’s suitably cinematic given the players involved, but one suspects they’re capable of better.
That, along with another solo outing from Aes Dana, plus two more from Solar Fields, is likely why so much of Fahrenheit 3 sounds interchangeable. It’s not a deal breaker, but if ranking the series, Part 3 takes up the rear. Oh well, one of them had to.
Let’s get something out in the open: Ultimae ain’t perfect. They’re very good at what they do, great even, but sometimes they slip. For instance, you know the little incense stick included with your orders? Well, they sent Lavender Bliss in one of mine, and dammit, I was countin’ on Summer Rain. Fail!
Okay, I’m being silly there, but yes, not everything they release is gold. Though I’ve never come across an Ultimae CD that’s anything less than bronze, when a label maintains such a high level of quality, even ‘just okay’ can be disappointing. Credit due where it’s deserved though, as their first year of operation saw a string of strong releases in the first two Fahrenheit Projects, plus the debuts of Asura and Solar Fields. To kick off the following year, they released Part 3 of their flagship series, and it’s… well, not as good as the first two.
The trouble lies with one of the few critiques one could find in Ultimae as a whole: their roster has a tendency to sound all alike, indistinguishable from each other. To be fair, this is a complaint one can make for nearly any smallish label, in that cultivating talent with shared musical aesthetics is standard business practice. The first two Fahrenheits got around this potential hiccup by bringing in established acts to spice up the musical variety. Now that Ultimae had gathered a respectable roster of their own, however, they gave their homegrown talent most of the spotlight for Fahrenheit 3. It unfortunately renders much of the CD down to a pleasant-but-mushy gloop of psy-chill music indistinguishable one artist from the next. Even after playing it just now - maybe the third or fourth time since I got the whole Fahrenheit package - I still have trouble remembering much of significance.
As if to drive the point home, the first track that always sticks in my mind comes from one of the non-Ultimae posse, Nabab by Toirés (who’d also cropped up on Fahrenheit 1). It’s a fairly standard bit of Indian-flavoured world beat, but oh such a respite from everything else. Mystical Sun also contributes with Blue Magnetic Ocean, a tune that’s far more uptempo for the chap’s style.
Another thing of note with this compilation is the debuts of Carbon Based Lifeforms and Ultimae ‘supergroup’ H.U.V.A. Network. CBL actually had an MP3.com release a couple years prior, but with a proper label behind them now, the duo makes good on their opportunity with a lovely slice of ambient techno in MOS 6581, plus a chill-out closer with Metrosat 4. As for the Aes Dana/Solar Fields collab’, it’s suitably cinematic given the players involved, but one suspects they’re capable of better.
That, along with another solo outing from Aes Dana, plus two more from Solar Fields, is likely why so much of Fahrenheit 3 sounds interchangeable. It’s not a deal breaker, but if ranking the series, Part 3 takes up the rear. Oh well, one of them had to.
Sunday, November 18, 2012
Eat Static - De-Classified
Solstice Music Europe: 2007
I hated this when I first heard it, so much that I exiled it from my “To Review” list at TranceCritic, allowing it to collect dust on an MP3 disc off in a corner. I couldn't bring myself to slam one of the most unique psy acts I'd enjoyed, and perhaps a part of me couldn’t believe their career had come to this. I didn't even care about the music, it was how it all sounded! That... that... plastic production that so much psy of the mid-00s came out with, and now an elder statesman of that scene, the ever awesome Eat Static, had succumbed to it. And to top it all off, a full-on track! Now they're bandwagon jumpers too? No, this just won't do. I deny De-Classified's existence!
Of course, I was a moronic douche-nob. There were tracks I recall liking on that initial playthrough, but because I stubbornly dismissed the album outright, I never gave it a second chance until recently, where I discovered there's a lot of kick-ass music to be had here.
Not that this is Eat Static's best work. The production does come off plastic and fresh ideas are few, the duo having explored most of all they can the decade prior. That don't matter though, as Eat Static going through the motions outclasses nearly any other psy act into touch.
I may not enjoy the sheen this album comes in, but I cannot deny the space it provides all these fun, quirky sounds Eat Static throws into their tunes. Everything comes in crystal clear, and those soaring space melodies have seldom sounded more brilliant than they do in Trantaloid, Brassneck, and Tractor Beam. Oh, speaking of Tractor Beam, holy shit, does this song rock! Eat Static's dabbled in jungle before with great results, but this cut stands tall and proud with anything they’ve ever done. Why the hell did I overlook this before? God, was I an idiot.
Even within De-Classified's limited ‘for the party’ scope, their alien mojo is in as fine of form as ever. Strong hooks courtesy of Visitors and Trantaloid; fun downtempo funk in Invaders and Panchama; groove-heavy psy freakouts in Deadly Amphibian and Brassneck; even that full-on track (Sin-Quest) is good. I'd still put albums like Abduction and Science Of The Gods as better overall CDs, but De-Classified has enough going for it that any casual fan of latter-day psy should give it a shot.
One problem though: this thing's hard to come by, at least at reasonable prices. It’s rare to find used copies under the $20 mark, much less a brand new one. There’s MP3 versions, but something tells me the old Eat Static mark’s gonna want his physical copy. To that end, unless you happen upon a deal, De-Classified isn’t worth that much investment. Seeing as how this remains their last proper full-length though, it’d be unfortunate if it goes disregarded due to scarcity (rather than stupid ignorance in my case).
I hated this when I first heard it, so much that I exiled it from my “To Review” list at TranceCritic, allowing it to collect dust on an MP3 disc off in a corner. I couldn't bring myself to slam one of the most unique psy acts I'd enjoyed, and perhaps a part of me couldn’t believe their career had come to this. I didn't even care about the music, it was how it all sounded! That... that... plastic production that so much psy of the mid-00s came out with, and now an elder statesman of that scene, the ever awesome Eat Static, had succumbed to it. And to top it all off, a full-on track! Now they're bandwagon jumpers too? No, this just won't do. I deny De-Classified's existence!
Of course, I was a moronic douche-nob. There were tracks I recall liking on that initial playthrough, but because I stubbornly dismissed the album outright, I never gave it a second chance until recently, where I discovered there's a lot of kick-ass music to be had here.
Not that this is Eat Static's best work. The production does come off plastic and fresh ideas are few, the duo having explored most of all they can the decade prior. That don't matter though, as Eat Static going through the motions outclasses nearly any other psy act into touch.
I may not enjoy the sheen this album comes in, but I cannot deny the space it provides all these fun, quirky sounds Eat Static throws into their tunes. Everything comes in crystal clear, and those soaring space melodies have seldom sounded more brilliant than they do in Trantaloid, Brassneck, and Tractor Beam. Oh, speaking of Tractor Beam, holy shit, does this song rock! Eat Static's dabbled in jungle before with great results, but this cut stands tall and proud with anything they’ve ever done. Why the hell did I overlook this before? God, was I an idiot.
Even within De-Classified's limited ‘for the party’ scope, their alien mojo is in as fine of form as ever. Strong hooks courtesy of Visitors and Trantaloid; fun downtempo funk in Invaders and Panchama; groove-heavy psy freakouts in Deadly Amphibian and Brassneck; even that full-on track (Sin-Quest) is good. I'd still put albums like Abduction and Science Of The Gods as better overall CDs, but De-Classified has enough going for it that any casual fan of latter-day psy should give it a shot.
One problem though: this thing's hard to come by, at least at reasonable prices. It’s rare to find used copies under the $20 mark, much less a brand new one. There’s MP3 versions, but something tells me the old Eat Static mark’s gonna want his physical copy. To that end, unless you happen upon a deal, De-Classified isn’t worth that much investment. Seeing as how this remains their last proper full-length though, it’d be unfortunate if it goes disregarded due to scarcity (rather than stupid ignorance in my case).
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Various - Unwind: A Journey Into Global Grooves (Original TC Review)
Com.Pact Records: Cat. #CPCD-IL025
Released 2005
Track List:
1. Solarians - Spring Thing (4:53)
2. Tribalistic Society - Ã…arhus On A Sunday Afternoon (4:46)
3. T.K.Y - Long Before This Day (7:50)
4. U&K - Sähkövalo (5:26)
5. Lish - Blue (4:44)
6. Sunfire - Electronic (7:14)
7. Visual Paradox - GaYo (2005 Remake) (5:50)
8. T.K.Y. vs. Max Maxwell - Twilight (5:18)
9. Wilson Stout - Helpless (Dini Dub Mix) (5:05)
10. Sesto Sento - Slow Move (4:47)
11. Psionyx - Deimos Vista (7:53)
12. The Misted Muppet - Defender Of The Past (2:17)
(2010 Update:
The middle of this review if kind of forgettable, much like the middle of this CD, to be honest. There was actually a second Unwind compilation, featuring most of the same artists, though none of the better ones on here.
One of the fun things with these generic psy releases is I often got to try something different with my writing, in this case doing a 'Good, Bad, Ugly (Verdict)' summary at the end. Come to think of it, that could have been a practical reviewing method for everything. Well, if you were after capsule ones anyway.)
IN BRIEF: Pretty standard stuff.
Com.Pact Records is yet another in what seems to be a never-ending supply of psy trance labels coming out of Israel. Every time I poke my head into the psy scene again, there’s yet another label churning out a slew of mostly full-on trance. I honestly have no idea how some of the more dedicated psy fans can keep up with it all, much less want to. I’d be amazed if there’s enough diversity between the releases to warrant such dedication. Yet, the scene must be there, as the albums and compilations of Israeli psy just keep on trucking out.
Perhaps Com.Pact sensed there was too much of the same ol’, and decided to expand a little into other styles. The result is what we have here: Unwind, a collection of chilled-out global grooves featuring a bunch of names only the Israeli psy scene would have a passing familiarity with.
I’ve been wary of these sorts of compilations for a while now, as the Great Chill-Out Campaign of the new millennium saw a huge glut of ‘adequate’ downtempo releases when Moby’s Play suddenly made it commercially viable. The trouble, my friends, is the very nature of music like this. It isn’t designed to excite or inspire or infuriate, but merely provide a backing soundtrack to everyday situations. Perfectly fine when such situations call for it of course, but very drab when, as a paying listener, you’d rather have the music engage your consciousness rather than evaporate within it.
Still, I’ve heard some decent downtempo stuff from the psy camps in the past, and perhaps an underground label like Com.Pact won’t fall into the same ‘chilled-out muzak’ trap so many commercial labels do. Let’s find out, shall we?
Um, unfortunately, opener Spring Thing from Solarians doesn’t bode too well. You ever see those racks of easy listening music in New Age shops that read like Rainforest Rhythms or Sounds Of Sweet Savannah Showers? Yeah, they tend to look low-budget and hokey, and trust me they usually are. Spring Thing is the kind of track you’d probably hear on one of those: wispy synths, ‘organic’ sounds, and ‘inspirational’ melodies that are anything but. And what’s with that bass? It just grumbles along without harmonizing or leading. This track’s hardly the kind of first impression you want to make. It’s like someone attempting to make a grand entrance into your home, but trips and falls flat on their face.
And instead of quickly gathering himself to save some face, he follows up the trip with a mere shrug and wanders off to settle in.
Or, to be rid of this clumsy metaphor, Unwind has a peculiar choice to follow-up Spring Thing with Tribalistic Society’s Ã…arhus On A Sunday Afternoon. This is a very loose track, borrowing mellow themes from across cultures to form a nice collage of disparate ideas, but little else. You’d think it’d be a better idea to try to grab your attention with something a little more focused, but it is not to be.
Long Before This Day by T.K.Y. carries on the loose musical ideas, seemingly unsure of what kind of track it wants to be. It starts a bit goofy but turns quite somber once some pads are added. Most of the sparse melodies that weave around aren’t terribly interesting, as the sounds used are a bit flat. Midway through, Long Before changes direction again with a weak bassline, some reggae organs, and an Arabic chant. I don’t know about anyone else, but these elements just don’t gel for me. It sounds like it’s trying to be dubby but the sounds don’t carry enough resonance to make it effective. I often find myself tuning this track out.
U&K’s Sähkövalo finally gives us something interesting. More on a trip-hop tip, funky loops and groovy rhythms set up the start. Eventually, moody subdued chords gradually emerge from the background, gently growing stronger as additional synth washes accentuate them. While nothing revolutionary, it is still an engaging bit of music.
Blue by Lish continues the trip-hop trend, though opts for something a little more upbeat. Although murky dubby sounds weave about in the background, the rhythm’s got more kick to it than Sähkövalo, and the added synth hook towards the end is quite effective along with squelchy sound effects that don’t annoy. Perhaps Unwind will be salvageable after all.
Hah, you know that last line is a set-up, so I won’t beat around the bush. Sunfire’s Electronic starts out fine enough with nice sweeping pads and gentle rhythms, creating a pleasant Ibizan atmosphere. It all goes south though, when for reasons that utterly escape me, Mr. Kosyvev introduces a harsh, tuneless synth noise. It’s abrasive, it’s ugly, and it’s completely unnecessary, knocking me out of my calm tranquility like a slap to the face.
What follows for a bit, while interesting in spots, falls into the ‘lounge’ trap of being content to remain unobtrusive. GaYo has a nifty bouncy bassline, but the assortment of xylophones, echoey synths, pianos and so on never bother to carry any kind of melody. Twilight benefits from a murky Arabic atmosphere but also doesn’t settle into any kind of gripping theme. And the Dini Dub of Wilson Stout’s Helpless, while a pleasant bit of Mediterranean chill, is just as hookless as the previous two. Of course, none of these tracks are bad by any means, but they are quite typical of lounge vibes, and probably won’t stand out much if you listen to a great deal of this sort of music.
Unwind seems about ready to move onto something new, though, and opts for the gradual transition. Slow Move by Sesto Sento is an intriguing slice of ambient breaks, making use of some spacey pads and acid squelches to complement the rhythms and hooks. The percussion is also quite good, never settling for simple loops.
With Slow Move easing us from the organic lounges to the synthetic sounds, we move into sci-fi territory... or psy-fi, as the case may be.
If Com.Pact’s usual audience has been put off by all the laid-back, jazzy, dubby music thus far, Deimos Vista by Psionyx should be more their style. With spacey synths, stuttering soundscapes, and narrative melodies, this is also the most structured song to be hand on Unwind. The usual ‘psybient’ theme of benevolent alien ideologies should appeal to spaceheads as well.
We close with Defenders Of the Past by The Misted Muppet. Not a very long track, this serves as a decent enough ambient outro following in the theme of Deimos Vista. Eerie synth pads and piano melodies make up the bulk and, even for their short duration, they sound wonderful. This guy continues to impress me; maybe I should seek out that album of his all the psyheads were gushing over.
Now, for The Good: As far as chill albums go, there’s a decent amount of variety to be had. Additionally, the music flows nicely together despite the disparate downtempo styles. Credit should also be given to Com.Pact for daring to expand a little beyond their usual borders.
The Bad: There really isn’t much here that we haven’t heard from countless other chill compilations. Aside from some points where the quality of a track leaps or plummets, Unwind would have a hard time distinguishing itself from your usual chill fodder. Plus, this compilation has a pretty weak start, and first impressions go a long way in setting the mood for any CD.
And The Ugly... er, Verdict: If you see this in your shops and have very little chill music in your collection, you could do worse. However, like so many chill-out compilations these days, Unwind remains far too content to be ‘background’ music. I know the argument goes that’s the whole point of music like this, but with so many compilations of loungey music available, does it then matter which one you put your money down for? No, even chill music should be able to engage you when you’re actually listening to it.
An average score should suffice for Unwind. It would have been lower on account of the weak opening, but it finished strong; even-steven all the way.
Score: 5/10
ACE TRACKS:
Psionyx - Deimos Vista
Written by Sykonee. Originally published 2006 for TranceCritic.com. © All rights reserved.
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