Institute Of Frequency & Optical Research - Subspace Messages (Original TC Review)

Jump Cut Records: Cat. # cutupcd006 

Released 1994 

 

Track List: 

1. Subsonic Carrier Wave (23:00) 

2. Lightspeed Re-Entry (7:38) 

3. The Billion Dollar Conspiracy (8:41) 

4. Spaceport Evac (7:51) 

5. The Aliens Made Me Do It (10:36) 

6. Destruct Sequence Eco (11:05) 

7. Transfer Interface (8:07) 

(2010 Update: My second Random Review, and future whipping boy for many future reviews. Anytime I needed an example of how a release shouldn't sound, I just referred to this album. Probably ended up giving it more attention than it ever deserved.) 

IN BRIEF: Mastering can be your friend. 

With a name like Institute Of Frequency & Optical Research (or I.F.O.R. from here on out), you'll probably have some alarm bells ringing on your Pretentious Detector. Indeed, quite often producers or groups that take on long winded monikers with such egg-headed words like 'institute' or 'future' or 'radiophonic' tend to make serious conceptual music that only highbrow tech-heads seem to comprehend. Chart toppers are usually furthest from their minds, even if a few happen to squeak in every so often. 

This is actually interesting stuff at times, though. After all, I'm sure radio astronomers, quantum physicists, and Mir residents need background music too as they unlock the secrets of the cosmos. Heck, it was such technicians that started this whole electronic music thing in the first place. Chances are they'll still be making it as music for their elevators to the moon even as human society crumbles around them in the coming Apocalypse, clinging onto the last remnants of technology while the rest of us are forced to beat each other up with big rocks for little scraps of radioactive blades of grass. Well, maybe not, but you get the idea. 

This form of astro-physicist ambience grew quite popular amongst chill rooms during the mid-90s, finding a pleasant equilibrium with the trance and techno of the time. A great number of acts came and went (probably Pete Namlook the most prominent of the bunch) but very seldom made an impact on the more mainstream audiences. It was just far too weird sounding for most folks to latch onto, which probably suited the ardent fans of it fine. Why should lowbrow commoners be privileged to listen to the sounds of the future, after all? Hnn... bunch of stuck up- 

While I.F.O.R.'s music somewhat falls into this category, the duo don't. Comprised of DJ Decline and VJ Freewind, they were more known for doing a live music (frequency) and video (optical) show, melding the two to allow visual and audio stimulation on the senses. It's a presentation format I quite enjoy myself but, to be honest, has little to do with this release in particular. While details are sketchy over a decade since this release, Subspace Messages seems to be a collection of tracks used in their shows. The inlay is filled with all sorts of sci-fi computerizd pictures that are probably part of their show, but I can only speculate what I.F.O.R. actually did for their visuals. Instead, I'll just have to go by the music on hand here. 

Opener Subsonic Carrier Wave starts out with some distorted radio chatter -really distorted, in fact, as I can actually hear the sound clipping. It didn't garner my attention for a bit, though, as many producers like to use this trick as a quirky effect. However, as layers of sounds are gradually brought in, I came to an ugly realization: the clipping is a result of poor mastering. This becomes very apparent as the song carries on. Drum loops and samples are quite muffled while eerie pads and a bassline are incredibly overbearing. Nothing here sounds EQ'd properly. It's either too loud, causing clipping distortion, or too quiet, getting drowned out in the process. 

How on earth did such a bad master get by? If this was a live recording, I could possibly see why the sound would be muffled, but I couldn't find any indication it is. As far as I can tell, this was how the source material came, and the studio just transferred it to the CD like this. 

But let's ignore production gripes for a moment. If things had been properly EQ'd, would Subsonic Carrier Wave be a good track? Hardly at all, I'm afraid. At twenty-three minutes in length, there just isn't enough going on to maintain our interest for such a long time. The closest thing coming to any kind of hook is some repeating radio chatter going "We have a problem at 1000 degrees. Um, come again?" It melds quite nicely with the rhythm but the novelty of it runs out by the halfway mark since nothing else is done with it. 

In fact, that's the main problem with this whole track. Even with the bad mastering, if the song was decent there'd still be some enjoyment out of it. Instead, it just sounds like a couple of guys fiddling with two different drum loops, two different pad sounds, one bass loop, a few different samples and effects, and recording it using a tape recorder mic for twenty-three minutes. Maybe this would make more sense with a video playing along, but not for a CD album. 

As we move on from the tedious first track, the good news is the songs do get more intuitive. Lightspeed Re-Entry has more going on in its 'short' seven and a half minutes than the last behemoth. Brisk, electro breakbeats, chirpy acid getting an excellent pitch workout, and gentle pads make up the bulk, while additional effects and sounds work to provide minute melodies during the bridges. The bad news is the mastering is still whacked. The acid and rhythms drown out a lot of the other elements. If it weren't for the sparseness of those two features, you'd have a difficult time noticing anything else. In addition, the overall quality of sounds is kind of hollow. Well, at least it's better than muddy. 

The music quality gets better on The Billion Dollar Conspiracy, a kind of tweaky acid breakbeat track with samples and effects moving in time to the rhythm. Cool stuff but it's a shame the production doesn't do it justice. Things still get drowned out and distorted but at least this one isn't as tedious to listen to as the previous two. I really do wish the mastering were better, though. Then I might have been able to hear all the details of that opening bit of dialogue concerning the infamous Face on Mars. 

Moving on past the muddy acid-and-808 chug-a-lug borefest that is Spaceport Evac, we come across a pair of noodly ambient pieces that, really, aren't all that bad. As far as these kinds of soundscape tracks go, the minute twinkling melodies of The Aliens Made Me Do It, sprightly sounds of Destruct Sequence Eco, and clever use of speech samples and spacey pads on both make for some engaging, if at times indulgent, music. Oh, the production problems still persist, but they aren't as glaring here, if anything because less attention has been paid to the rhythms on these two tracks. It was always the percussion and bass that was causing the problems before. Without much attention paid to those elements here, things don't sound as bad. 

Destruct Sequence Eco would have been a nice track to end the album on but I.F.O.R. have one more trick up their sleeve: an actual properly mastered track! No, not really. Transfer Interface is pretty much a moody bit of acidy ambient techno with one feature that will grab your attention right from the start. Freewind makes no secret of his love of Star Trek: The Next Generation, giving a shout-out to the crew in his respects liner notes. There's been some speaking samples about that may or may not be from Star Trek, but the opening bit of technobabble being described in Transfer Interface most certainly is. Heck, I even know the exact episode that it... er, not that I am a big trekkie myself, that is. Um, moving on. 

Now, don't let the very low score be totally misleading. There's been some interesting stuff on offer here as I.F.O.R.'s talent at making acidy ambience does come through on occasion. Unfortunately, there's far too much needless meandering in some tracks and crummy mastering in all of them to make Subspace Messages all that engaging. 

Yeah, I'm still bitching about the mastering. I'm sorry, but it is just unacceptable in any official release within the last thirty-five years, no matter how small your label may be. I've heard tinny, I've heard mono, I've heard scratchy, and I've heard muffled, but that's bearable within reason. However, when you have to deal with unintentional bass clips ad naseum throughout a release, it can put you off in an instant. It just sounds horribly amateurish and whether it's I.F.O.R. or Jump Cut that are responsible, I can only deride them for such apparent lack of professionalism when bedroom kiddies with Fruity Loops can make more polished sounding music. 

Score: 3/10 

ACE TRACKS: 

The Aliens Made Me Do It 

Written by Sykonee. Originally published 2005 for TranceCritic.© All rights reserved.

London Elektricity - Billion Dollar Gravy (Original TC Review)

Breakbeat Science: Cat. # BBSCD009 

Released 2003 

Track List: 

1. Billion Dollar Gravy (6:23) 

2. Different Drum (7:22) 

3. Fast Soul Music (6:22) 

4. To Be Me (6:16) 

5. The Great Drum+Bass Swindle (7:09)

6. Cum Dancing (7:15) 

7. Main Ingredient (4:35) 

8. Harlesden (5:44) 

9. My Dreams (7:24) 

10. Born To Synthesise (6:41) 

11. Syncopated City (5:57) 

(2010 Update: This is about the time us writers at TranceCritic were getting more personable in our grammar, making the reviews much easier reads. Well, at least until you got to the wordy track-by-track detailing. That was still a chore to read, even if the quips were coming much faster than before. It'd still be at least another half-year before we finally figured that out for good.)

IN BRIEF: Soulful sweet sound with city cool stylee. 

You know, I really do enjoy me some jungle. When it comes to EDM, the rapid pace and frenetic rhythms of the genre easily encourage you to indulge in the middle word of that acronym. If I just want to cut loose on the dancefloor, jungle gets the job done better than anything else. It matters little to me if my Caucasian heritage leaves me unable to look good going at it -I'm just in it for the fun. 

If this is so, then I'm sure you're wondering why it's taken nearly nine months for me, much less TranceCritic in general, to finally get around to reviewing a true blue, honest-to-God, one hundred percent legit jungle album (or drum 'n' bass, but seriously, the difference is negligible in most cases and artists go between the two of them so frequently, it's simpler to just refer to the whole as one -since jungle was the original term, it gets precedent). 

Well, funny thing about jungle and I is it is one of those styles of music that comes and goes with me. I'll be headstrong into it for a month or two, then be completely apathic to it for long stretches at a time, sometimes never returning to the genre for months, or even a year. Unfortunately, as TranceCritic began, I was on one of those downswings, and it's taken this long for me to feel the vibe again. I'll admit this isn't an exclusive thing to jungle; the same thing tends to occur with other subsets of the EDM spectrum as well. So, if you ever find a style not getting much attention from yours truly, you now know the reason. 

Okay, so now that the jungle bug has bitten me again (going to a prolific jungle night certainly helps) I feel I can give the release I've had on my To Review list some proper attention: London Elektricity's Billion Dollar Gravy. Why this one? To be honest, it was the first jungle release from my personal collection I randomly grabbed to review. Yeah, real revolutionary methods we utilize here at TranceCritic, isn't it. 

The man behind London Elektricity and Hospital Records, Tony Coleman, is yet another of the label's artists that has taken jungle down exciting, new roads with the soul-and-house jungle fusion dubbed 'liquid funk.' Don't ask me why it's named that, although I admit the music does fit the description better than some other names. With this revolutionary, new- 

Wait a moment! That's not right. Liquid funk is hardly new at all. Have we forgotten the work done by Gavin Cheung (as one example) in the mid-90s (Coleman hasn't, as Cheung's Nookie alias does get a shout-out in the liner notes). If house heads or trance heads or any non-jungle heads haven't heard of him, I can understand. But junglists? That's quite criminal if you ask me. It'd be like trance heads not knowing of Claudio Giussani. Hmm... then again, perhaps it isn't so surprising after all. 

So, really, liquid funk isn't all that new or revolutionary after all, despite certain media's claims the stuff High Contrast and the ilk are producing is. However, because the Grooverider tech-step, LTJ Bukem atmospheric, and Aphrodite jump-up styles grabbed all the attention from way back (as well as jazzstep being tapped for the 'electronica' wave), it's understandable some of the other stuff was overshadowed for so long. It seems it took the other jungle styles to run their templates so far into the ground, by the time junglists were ready for something else, the liquid funk sound seemed like a stroke of genius. Huh, well that's what happens when folks dedicate their musical horizons to such a small microcosm of style, I guess (hint hint, tranceaddicts!). 

I guess you're starting to wonder if I'll ever get around to actually reviewing this release. Okay, fine. Man, are people impatient these days. You'd think they would be able to sit through my ramblings to learn something about this music in the process. I mean, it's not like there aren't more important- oh, yeah. This review. 

Billion Dollar Gravy opens with Billion Dollar Gravy, which is as fine a jungle track as any I've heard. Using orchestral strings to provide the backing melodies while frenetic rhythms and smooth, swinging bass energize you, this is certain to move you physically and emotionally. Funky leads and soulful samples provide the padding, as they will for most of these tracks. I could complain the percussion comes off a little tinny, when more refined production would have made this track more intense, but this is only the opener; plenty of room left on this release for Coleman to flex his musical muscle. 

If you thought Billion Dollar Gravy was funky, then hang on tight for Different Drum. Along with Blaxploitation guitar licks (or a very good replica of them), mild horns, and that single high-note string heard in many a house track, this is a smooth, soulful slice of music to be had. Throw in some great lyrics from house legend Robert Owens, and the link between jungle and house is complete. Your typical bridges heard in jungle are filled with little piano solos and while the climaxes aren't as intense here, that oh so smooth bassline gets you grooving just as emphatically, especially as you hear Liane Carrol's soulful wails in the background. 

Things mellow out a little on the next track, letting orchestral strings and Liane Carrol carry the bulk of the track. Don't be fooled, though, as like the title suggests, Fast Soul Music is quite brisk as well, utilizing the strings to build to little peaks, embellishing sound effects bubble about on the other side before repeating the process throughout. 

To Be Me continues the inner city cool trend expertly, spicing up the formula by utilizing a bass lick that goes more wwum wwum ww-ww-ww-ww-ww-ww-wwum rather than the smoother versions we've had on hand thus far. Also, expect to hear mellow horns and single piano notes rather than strings to build the peaks up. It may be the exact same template as Fast Soul Track, but it still sounds remarkably different.

The Great Drum+Bass Swindle takes the Different Drum template and cranks the energy up with rolling basslines, spastic rhythms, and sampled singing getting chopped up throughout. This track is also a great example of why the breakdown/build template works so effectively in jungle no matter how much it gets used. Whereas it tends to get redundant in other genres if abused, the rhythm is just so intense here, when you get that respite that can sometimes last up to a minute (although it doesn't here), it is quite welcomed to have a breather on the dancefloor. In addition, when it builds back up again, the payoff is rarely lacking, thrusting right back into the thick of that mad rhythm that you'd have to be either very athletic, jacked on amphetamines, or plain crazy to match pace. You just don't get that with most typical four-on-the-floor dance music. 

We're now halfway through this release and, while everything that's been heard has been top notch, I'm starting to get a little antsy. The formula has remained very consistent thus far and, while having similar sounding songs may work fine for singles, you expect a little more variety when it comes to album releases. Can Coleman prove hes more than just a purveyor of funk and soul samplings while making use of just a mostly CHA wiki-CHA, CHA wiki-CHA rhythm in the second half? 

Cum Dancing (stop snickering back there, you) aims to prove this isn't a one trick pony, but only halfway. Very synthetic in nature, this was an earlier single for the London Elektricity moniker that seems like the odd man out on Billion Dollar Gravy. Sure, there are still string samples being used, but they are mostly background elements rather than the focus. Instead, Coleman takes a feral bassline and tweaks it about while eerie effects flutter about. However, the same rhythmic template as already heard thus far is still in usage. It's good, but something needs to break up the similarity between all these tracks soon, otherwise things aren't going to stick out as much in later songs. 

Main Ingredient seems to indicate Coleman's made his bed with the current rhythmic template and sticking with it, though. More jazzstep than liquid funk in nature, this one's focused more on the lyrics sung by Liane Carrol than the music surrounding it. Definitely a different take, of course, but the rhythm's been just so similar this far through, and it's not sticking out as well as it should. This holds Harlesden back from being as good on this album as it is on its own as well. Yes, it's another fine example of the liquid funk sound, but we've already heard this done on the album, Mr. Coleman. Let's hear what else you can do. 

Ah, no dice I see. My Dreams brings Robert Owens back for another smooth little bit of soulful jungle. Much like Main Ingredient, it's quite restrained on the musical department (word to the 808 cowbell though!) so Owens gets the chance to showcase his vocal range, but, please, Coleman, can we get something a little different before this album ends? You've proved you're a master at this liquid funk game now. A new direction would be nice, I'm begging! 

Actually, My Dreams was a nice segue into Born To Synthesise, where Coleman finally does something out of the ordinary. The sparseness of the former managed to take us out of the more energetic nature of the rest of the album, and this track brings the energy right down to a crawl with a simple, jazzstep take on, well, acid jazz, I guess. It's quite nice to listen to, as Ms. Carrols lyrics carry quite a bit of weight now that she has the opportunity to embellish a bit without losing pace with quicker rhythms. However, I'm feeling this track is coming almost three songs too late. It would have been perfectly placed after The Great Drum+Bass Swindle to break up the rhythmic monotony that was starting to affect this album. Instead, I guess Coleman decided to go for the "come down at the end of the night after an energetic barrage" feel to this album. 

Syncopated City certainly helps maintain that feeling, as it's book-ended by pleasant strings and nice vocals, with a stuttering bass and a completely atmospheric rhythmic middle that helps ease us nicely out to finish. Unfortunately, as nice as it is to finish out, because there was such a long stretch of similar sounding tracks, Billion Dollar Gravy doesn't quite stick out as well as an album with such great songs should. 

In fact, therein lays my main gripe about many jungle albums: that damned near absolute refusal of some producers to never stray from a given template throughout. It's no surprise to me that some of the best jungle albums I've ever heard are diverse throughout, and don't have a few token different tracks tagged on at the end. However, this is still an expertly produced album, and recommended to anyone either curious of liquid funk or just how good soulful jungle can sound. The track arrangement may be a little lacking, but they are all fantastic in their own right. 

Score: 8/10 

ACE TRACKS: 

Different Drum 

The Great Drum+Bass Swindle 

Cum Dancing 

Written by Sykonee. Originally published 2005 for TranceCritic.com.© All rights reserved.

Various - A Trip In Trance 4: Mixed by Rank 1 (Original TC Review)

HiBias Records: Cat. # HIB-10272
Released Jan 25, 2005

Track List:
1. Inner State - Changes (6:49)
2. Rachael Starr - Till There Was You (Gabriel & Dresden Mix) (6:42)
3. Ridgewalkers - Find (3:03)
4. Alt + F4 - Alt + F4 (6:19)
5. Benjamin Bates - Whole (4:50)
6. Jan Gustafsson - True Fiction (5:48)
7. Ernesto vs Bastian - Dark Side Of The Moon (5:46)
8. Sherrie Lea - No Ordinary Love (Kyau vs Albert Mix) (5:18)
9. Sandler - Theme Song (Sandler Mix) (3:32)
10. Hemstock & Jennings - Passion (John O'Callaghan Remix) (5:18)
11. Precursor - Pulsar (4:49)
12. Kenny Hayes - Daybreaker (Airbase Mix) (5:46)
13. Rank 1 - Beats @ Rank 1 Dotcom (6:00)
14. Jesselyn - Omnia (Tech-trance Mix) (5:03)


(2010 Update:
Kind of sloppy, this. I think this was a case of my so-called 'chatty' stream-of-thought writing getting the best of me but I didn't really take this release seriously. As all those contemporary trance reviews from earlier in the year can attest to, I'd grown quite cynical of the sound, and wasn't expecting much. Folks thought I was utterly daft in giving this the score I did, though were I to review it today, it'd probably earn a 5 or 6. It's still fun in portions.)


IN BRIEF: The true sound of reverb.

When I saw the promo sticker on A Trip In Trance 4 claiming "this is THE only domestic release to feature the true sound of Trance", you just know I got a little twinkle in my eye. The true sound of trance? Really? You mean to tell me everything in the last ten years is forgotten and we are now offered a compilation that contains the true sound of trance, as the name originally was used? No supersaws? No useless vocals? No halting breakdowns? No Corsten pre-sets? Just hypnotic loops, spacey pads, sci-fi samplings, and acid to spare? Hah! I think not.

I can see you are already thinking, “Oh, great. He's just going to use this review to gush over old stuff while bashing new stuff.” Don't worry, my friends. I'm not that petty.

Having accepted the fact the word trance has come to encompass more music than was initially intended, I've just learned to be a little more wary of anything with the genre's title on it. Unlike the old days where you'd know what you'd get with trance in the comp's title, it's gotten riskier for those preferring either mainstream or underground styles. Granted, you can usually tell what a release will have by track lists or label influence, but sometimes you may be tricked into getting something you hadn't intended.

While this series tends to aim for the more underground side of things, A Trip In Trance 4 is still a commercial release, so I wouldn't expect to hear, say, psytekk, on here. However, I do hope to hear more than just a bunch of euro trying to pass itself off as trance. Fortunately, Dutch producers Bennio de Goeij and Piet Bervoets, more commonly known as Rank 1, have been tapped to compile and arrange this edition, a pair that have had enough experience in the game to have an idea of what the true sound of trance is.

As is my tradition when delving into a new release, I plunked the CD into my player, threw on my trusty Sennheiser 580 headphones, cranked the volume to an appropriate level, and lay back on my couch in preparation to be swept up in the sonic assault. And what an assault! Opener Changes by Inner State sounds mellow enough with its Mediterranean atmosphere, but erupts with a wall of reverb so intense, the details are drowned. What kind of crappy mastering-

Less than a minute in, I slapped my head and turned the surround sound on my player off. I'd forgotten modern trance loves to crank the reverb effects to eleven, rendering the need for surround sound obsolete, especially on headphones.

Ah, now I can hear what's going on with Changes. And you know what? This isn't half bad at all. The hooks are simple and succinct, the vocals are rendered unintelligible enough as to not be distracting from the music, and the downtime doesn't dawdle. Then there's that rhythm! Bottom heavy and driving, it gets you grooving wonderfully despite the floaty effects about. Perfect opener, this song is.

We get a perfunctory mix into the next track, as they will mostly be on here. Really, this is more of a compilation than a DJ mix, so I won't be judging Piet's mixing abilities. I'll still be watching for track arrangement, though, so there'd better not be any lost momentum throughout.

The 21st century versions of Jam & Spoon, Gabriel & Dresden, give us another trancified remix of a pop song, this one Rachael Starr's Till There Was You. The sinister, pulsing synth that growls in the background is wonderfully apt to the song's lyrics about a girl who sings about her growing addiction to drugs. Well, it could also be an addiction to love, but I like my interpretation better. It suits the choking depressive sound of the remix. Till There Was You feeds off the initial thrust of Changes nicely with its sparseness, and the little vocal respite of Find by Ridgewalkers (Andy Moor's remix, I am told, but there's not indication of this on the credits) works decently as a follow-up. Only two and a half minutes of the track is used, though, as were quickly heading off into more energetic territory.

Yikes, but is Alt + F4 ever a cookie-cutter trance track. If The KLF had ever made a book called The Manual: How To Have A Number 1 Trance Hit, this track would have been their blueprint. Corsten rhythms? Check. van Dyk pre-sets (the other overused pre-set)? Check. Harmonizing basslines and melodies? Check. By the numbers breakdowns, builds, echo, reverb and pad effects? Check. A unique melody featured after the main elements have played out for a bit to make this track your own? Check.

Still, it isn't really all that bad. As The KLF proved, you can have fun music even in templates, and Alt + F4 is a fun tune thanks to the one unique element on hand, a twinkling little melody at the peak of the song that you really can't take seriously. Which is a good thing, as the next track is about as silly as it gets.

My God, but is that ever a horrid sound! What on earth is that playing, a vocodered accordion? Haha, it’s great! Benjamin Bates' Whole is the perfect antidote in case you felt Alt + F4 was too cliché, as it seems the true sound of trance has gone on to include Discovery era Daft Punk styled house music. Yeah, it's a stupid song, but comes out on here so unrepentantly, Whole sounds pure genius.

A Trip In Trance 4 has already given me some startling surprises, and things just keep getting better as we again move into completely different territory with Jan Gustafsson's True Fiction. If I was ever to refer to a song as epic, this is definitely one. To me, something epic has to be energetic and adventurous without crossing that line into over-the-top theatrics. True Fiction strikes that perfect balance with an invigorating riff, spacey pads, driving rhythm and just enough reverb to give it a grand feeling.

Onto something completely different again now, as the true sound of trance also includes darkwave with a dance beat. Ernesto and Bastian's Dark Side Of The Moon has more melodrama than any trance track than I've heard but then that's always been the draw of darkwave. This is so incredibly over-the-top, though, it actually works. Okay, so Dark Side Of The Moon is about as gothic as an Evanescence song, but it's also another fun track on this compilation that continues to show how diverse this music can get. Can't complain there.

I can complain on this next track, though. I was afraid of this but, given how much fun A Trip In Trance 4 had been up to this point, I'd held out some hope the diversity would continue. Instead, we get a weak Silence imitation with Kyau and Albert's remix of Sherrie Lea's No Ordinary Love. Despite all the fancy little effects, pads, and reverb thrown about to try and give the song substance, the energy in the compilation is drained nearly to nothing. This song is just far too boring with no vibe at all. Sure, Lea does a competent Dido impression here, but Kyau and Albert's material is limper than soggy noodles. This tends to happen, though, when you follow up songs with good rhythms with weaker ones.

From here, the compilation never regains the spontaneity that was so effective on the first half. There are some decent tracks to be had but for a long stretch, nothing seems to regain the energy lost from No Ordinary Love. The wall of arpeggiating reverb in Sandler's Theme Song can't manage it. The Passion of Christ-theme sampling Passion from Hemstock & Jennings can't manage it (does this track remind anyone else of Gouryella, though?). And the two stuttering supersaw anthems in Pulsar and Daybreaker don't manage it, either, although Precursor's track does pull a valiant effort. There's just not enough attention paid to creating energy in the rhythm, figuring all the arpeggiating melodies and reverb will do the trick instead. Maybe if these were the only types of tracks on here, it would work, but we had a long string of songs doing rhythm right to start out and this last batch just can't compete as a result.

For the climax of this release, Rank 1 decide to give their own release of Beats @ Rank 1 Dotcom the special treatment, more or less mixing it in from the very beginning of the intro percussion. This track builds up the rhythms for quite a while, capping off with a little ode to The O.T. Quartet's (Rollo) Hold That Sucker Down before the breakdown. Maybe.

Anyhow, this track is actually quite interesting. Sure, there's a lot of downtime as they build up the tension for their big riff. However, they pull a nifty little delay trick with the reverb on their main hook, spicing up the usual templates far more than the last five tracks managed to do between them all. It marks a return to the reckless approach to trance that was so apparent in the first half, and I'm actually quite intrigued in this compilation again. It's just a shame this comes right at the end, but Piet finishes out with a wonderful little growling slice of techno from Jesselyn to take us out.

And that, my friends, is the true sound of trance to me. Not supersaws, or reverb, or pads, or loops, or acid specifically, but the willingness to experiment with those attributes. As easily as Rank 1 could have just used a standard synth for Beats, they instead tried something unconventional with the reverb trick, and the songs much better for it. Sometimes such experiments fail but the results are always far more memorable than the same ol'.

For a domestic release, A Trip In Trance 4 has its fair share of eccentric takes on your usual trance templates (aside from Alt + F4 of course, but I wonder if this track is actually a piss-take), but the more commercial aspects of it will probably turn away those wanting underground material. Still, despite that tedious stretch of flat-lined momentum near the end, the mainstream audience will undoubtedly get a kick out of this. Just remember to turn your surround sound off before you play it.


Score: 7/10

ACE TRACKS:
Jan Gustafsson - True Fiction
Rank 1 - Beats @ Rank 1 Dotcom


Written by Sykonee. Originally published 2005 for TranceCritic.com.© All rights reserved.

Various - Turbo Studio Sessions Vol. 1 (Original TC Review)

Turbo Recordings: Cat. # MARCD007-2 

Released 1999 

 Track List: 

1. Hans Niewswandt - Mental Madness (6:28) 

2. Thomas Krome - The Real Jazz (Erot Remix) (7:31) 

3. Turner - Multiorgel (Marathon Mix) (3:29) 

4. Universal Tongues vs DKMA - Shiver Me (ADNY Remix) (7:33) 

5. Swayzak vs Theorem - Bad Hair Day (8:38) 

6. Steve Bug and Acid Maria - Down With Us (6:57) 

7. Russ Gabriel Pres. Audio Spectrum - At7 (Live In Detroit) (6:01) 

8. Isolée - Beau Mot Plage (DJ Q Remix) (7:18) 

9. Dietmar Lehner & Thomas Biebel - Bobby R. (7:58) 

10. Blaze - Lovelee Dae (Isolée Remix) (6:32) 

11. Nytolbooth - Orange (4:09) 

(2010 Update: This was the first of my Random Reviews, where I would just randomly pluck a release from my collection and review it. I figured it would occasionally and unexpectedly spice up what we covered for TranceCritic. Lord knows it did that, considering some of the Randoms I'd go on to do. Also, this review has somewhat dated, as Turbo Recordings - and specifically Tiga - has gone on to do much more since I wrote this. Perhaps of interesting note, though, is that much of the minimalist style that was featured on this compilation would go on to be quite popular in the years following this review. That's Turbo for you -always well ahead of the curve.) 

IN BRIEF: Get to know Turbo a little better. 

So you think you know Turbo Recordings, do ya? Tiga. Sunglasses At Night. International Deejay Gigilo outlet to North America. Swedish, Finnish, and Nordic DJs you've never heard of but are able to spin circles around your usual suspects. 80s revivalists and trendsetters by tapping and exploiting the electroclash and disco punk sound before anyone else. Is that the Turbo Recordings you know and love? If so, then allow me to introduce you to the Turbo you may have never met. 

Starting out as mostly an outlet for Montreal based DJs and producers, Tiga's label managed to make a name for itself using the tried and tested genre of house. Along with simple yet nifty urban photography on most of their releases, Turbo quickly gained notice from house aficionados for providing quality deep, funky music (with a few token releases showing off other genres on occasion). The Studio Sessions compilations were started up to offer CD buyers a chance to have rare vinyl releases all on one disc, unmixed so you'd be able to enjoy them in all their full-length glory. 

It's a wonderful idea, which is often executed by many labels (although not nearly enough these days) but prone to some hiccups. Sometimes there is a reason for tracks to not be released in a more domestic manner: they just aren't as good. However, Turbo's track record of consistent quality even at this early stage of their run was impressive, and I'd be amazed to be let down by them. 

Sure enough, things get off on the right foot with the funky, soulful Mental Moments from Hans Niewswandt. Starting off quite mellow with some spoken Rasta words overtop low filtered bass, rhythms are gradually layered as the soulful samples and minute melodies are added. By the time everything builds to a peak over four minutes later, the funk has fully infected us and I deny you to not feel it flow through you. The fun plateau of the track lasts a good two minutes before we are gently brought back down as layers are stripped away, ending on the loops of soulful singing. Mental Moments certainly is a warm, inviting track to get us started on. 

Keeping with the upbeat house vibe established by the opener is Erot's soulful remix of Thomas Krome's The Real Jazz. Just like Mental Moments, the rhythm is infectious in its way of moving your body. As the title suggests, the loose melodies of jazz are the name of the game here, letting Hammond organs and flutes alternate in leading the song as they see fit, every so often allowing the percussion to get a little indulgent as well. 

So you think you now know the Turbo label sound? Not quite yet, then, as we are taken into slower, chilled tech-house with Multiorgel by Turner. Mind, this track isn't worth getting into. Despite some mellow, loopy vibes to be had, nothing much is really done with it either. It's best served as a transitional track. Instead, let's focus on ADNY's remix of Shiver Me by Universal Tongues and DKMA. Yeah, gorgeous, those opening strings are, aren't they? Tilt your head back and be swept away in morning-after Ibizan bliss as xylophones and heavenly lyrics sing your troubles away. 

The follow-up of Swayzak and Theorem's Bad Hair Day keeps things on the chilled out run, doing what Multiorgel failed to in making a loopy track have feeling. These guys are masters at the minimal sound of house and techno, managing to suck you in with dubby sounds gradually building over the course of the song. Chances are you won't even notice the rhythm doesn't change one bit throughout. 

Sadly, Down With Us from Steve Bug and Acid Maria is a step back, not really amounting to much of anything throughout its murky stretch. So now you think you know what Turbo's all about? Prepare for a bit of a shock, then, as we leave the mellowy house fronts and engage in straight-up techno, specifically of the old, Detroit kind. Strangely enough, despite the obvious synthetic overtones in the bass and somewhat piercing synth, Russ Gabriel's (as Audio Spectrum) At7 will probably get mistaken for another tech-house track due to the funky nature of it. Somehow, someway, it bears a great deal of semblance to the tracks that came before. 

In fact, I may as well mention here that this compilation as a whole up to this point has a feeling of sameness throughout. Yes, there are differences from track to track but the atmosphere, one of funky, loungey vibes, has remained persistent. This wouldn't be so bad if it was a themed compilation or DJ mix, but when it comes to studio samplers, especially from one as eclectic as Turbo, I kind of expect a little more variety from track to track. There's a definite quality to what's been on offer but it doesn't feel like they're given the best chance to stand out from one another. Hopefully this will improve on the last third of this CD.

Isolée's Beau Mot Plage (DJ Q doing the re-rub) doesn't offer much hope, as it's another loopy track, more on a techno trip with sampled guitars strumming a Mediterranean ditty as percussion gets filtered throughout. It's definitely a groover, though, and probably a fine set piece as well. Along with the rest of what's come on here, however, it doesn't stick out as much.

Dietmar Lehner and Thomas Biebel seem to be willing to slap us out of this samey vibe with Bobby R. -quite literally. I'm not certain, but it sounds like this song opens up with some women being slapped! By the tone of their voices, it sounds more like it’s done for slapstick than abuse, but they are speaking French so I'm not certain. The song then starts out on an ominous tone, with sinister sounds and grimy synths. Along with simple 808 breakbeats, this comes close to the style of music Turbo came to embrace a couple years later. Best of all, Bobby R. completely changes the vibe of this compilation without interrupting the flow. All fine and good, but perhaps this comes a might bit late with only two more tracks left.

Isolée's mix of Blaze's Lovelee Dae is another step in the right direction. Rather sparse, the simple breakish rhythm and slight, echoing electro synths compliments Blaze's vintage soulful chorus. This is some smooth dub to be had here as little effects on the percussion and synths keep things unique throughout. And, just in case you think you've finally figured out the early Turbo sound, final track Orange by Nytolbooth finishes off with a bit of ambient techno reminiscent of many an old morning-after chill room setting. It's a pleasant little thing, making good use of thick bass and warm pads as a synth bubbles about. 

That’s a wrap for this compilation, then. It's a fine collection of tracks that you can throw on at any time but I don't think it'll make much of an impact on one's personal collection either. With such a long stretch in the middle of tracks dedicated to the more minimal aspects of tech-house, this just doesn't have enough weight behind it to leap out and grab your attention as it plays. However, while Studio Sessions: Vol. 1 may be one of the weaker releases I've heard from Turbo Recordings, it is still a notch above many contenders.

Score: 6/10

ACE TRACKS: 

Universal Tongues vs DKMA - Shiver Me (ADNY Remix) 

Blaze - Lovelee Dae (Isolée Remix) 

Written by Sykonee. Originally published 2005 for TranceCritic.com.© All rights reserved.

Bill Laswell - Sacred System: Chapter One - Book Of Entrance (Original TC Review)

Reachout International: Cat. # RUSCD8225
Released 1996

Track List:
1. Babylon Ghost (6:00)
2. Dread Iternal (9:19)
3. Cyborg Assault (5:37)
4. Galactic Zone (9:31)
5. Sub Terrain (16:12)


(2010 Update:
I stand corrected. Bill Laswell did have a major hit, as he co-wrote Herbie Hancock's Rockit. Oh, and when I refer to this release as 'minimal dub', I'm talking about traditional Jamaican dub played in a very minimal way, not minimal dub-techno. Really, you should know that -it's Laswell, after all.)


IN BRIEF: Blink, and it may be gone.

I love dub, really I do. The way it takes a standard sound and layers it over and over, creating these amazingly cavernous effects, is absolute bliss to a guy who tends to have headphones plastered to his ears most of the time. The resonance in the air of dub music has a way of sucking you in as you become lost drifting on the waves of sonic delights.

Ambient dub is often the more creative domain of dub music. With less attention paid to the immediate rhythms and melodies, producers use the sparseness of ambient music to toy around with resonance, admittedly sometimes with patience sapping, self-indulgent results.

One of the mainstays since the earliest days of this style is bassist Bill Laswell. Through dozens of collaborations and hundreds of releases, he may be one of the biggest names in electronic music you've never heard of, and for good reason. Because of his fairly loose approach to musicianship, he's never really had anything close to a hit in all this time. Much like jazz music, repeating melodies may come and go but are tinkered and toyed with as the song progresses. The idea of repeating the same melody in a traditional verse/chorus method is normally thrown completely out the window, allowing Laswell to feel his way through a song's duration and concluding it when he sees fit.

I came across Laswell via his Divination alias, a dark, minimal ambient side project that I quite liked. When I discovered he'd done a bunch of ambient dub as well, I eagerly began looking for some. Trouble is, because of his huge discography, I was stumped as to where to begin. Due to his ability to leap across musical genres almost at will, recommendations were all over the place. In the end, I did what was probably best anyways: take a gamble and grab whatever caught my eye. As a result, I'm here reviewing Sacred System: Chapter One - Book Of Entrance, the first in a series of dubby releases done for Reachout.

One thing I noticed right away is this is very bass driven music. While there is percussion and keyboards about, they are mostly there to complement Laswell's playing. As a result, I can see a potential audience being quite limited.

This isn't meant as a knock on bass players in general, but fact of the matter is not many people can get into this form of music. A bass guitar's frequency range is so low that, even if you have adequate speakers to do it justice, the human ear is far more responsive to higher range notes when they are played. This is why bass is almost always relegated to accompanying the rhythm or harmonizing with the melody to give it added tonal depth. You have to really pay attention when the bass is carrying the musical weight of a song, as things as simple as a single piano key easily stick out from many of the low tones.

That all said, does Sacred System have enough chops to keep an acute listener paying attention? It's a mixed bag, I have to say.

Opening track Babylon Ghost starts out with some bubbly sound effects (alright, it’s a bong. Don’t ask me how I know) setting up a light-hearted tone. The rhythm and Laswell's bass playing is quite bouncy and repetitive throughout, allowing all of the dubby effects to spice things as the song moves along. No two bars sound identical, but unless you're paying attention to such slight details like a stutter echo or delay effect, you probably won't notice much variation throughout. At points a couple piano chords with a lot of echo and delay effects join, creating an almost strumming sound, but the chords played are mostly the same as well, relying on dub tricks for diversity.

These techniques are played out in the next two tracks as well, offering different styles to utilize them in. As the name suggests, Dread Iternal is slower and darker, making use of sparse percussion and spacey pads that Laswell uses quite nicely. However, the bass does most of the work here, and with an over-nine minute duration, it can be a bit of a tedious excursion. Cyborg Assault is much quicker, leaping into jungle's territory as Laswell's speedy bass tears along. Even the strumming pianos, while sounding a bit muted due to the very brief echo effects, get a chance to play with more than just the two basic chords at times. In fact, Cyborg Assault may just be the most accessible track to casual listeners on here, provided they don't mind speedy rhythms.

Galactic Zone moves into different territory from the previous three. While a slower track like Dread Iternal, it doesn't fall into the repetitive, noodly style the former did. As a clumpity-clump-clump rhythm plays out with plenty of dub tricks, a gentle keyboard serenely moves throughout, improvising along the way to never fall into repetitive staleness the way the pianos did. Laswell's bass playing complements the keyboard nicely, alternating turns at carrying the song for its nine-plus duration.

And, before you know it, we're already at the last track on this release. Wait a moment! How did that happen? I could have sworn I just put this thing on. Sure, this isn't a long album in general (forty-six minutes total) but even old rock albums of shorter length don't go by this quickly. I suppose because the songs sound so similar, it almost feels like you are listening to just one big song, with brief pauses to change the tempo. Is this a good thing? I don't know, but despite the pleasantness of what's been played, I still kind of feel I'm not getting my money's worth if half an hour of music can pass me by without noticing much (and this is when I'm actually paying attention to the bass leads; I'd imagine most other folks wouldn't even notice that).

Speaking of one long song, the last one here, Sub Terrain, inconspicuously breaches the sixteen minute mark. Much like everything else on here, the pleasant keyboard tones, caa-lumpity clump rhythm, benign pads, and groovy bass are nice to listen to as they are playing, but they don't grab your attention for long either as the structureless approach to them has a tendency to let your mind wander. I'll be listening to it, go do something else for a couple minutes, and come back without feeling like I missed anything important. Fortunately, the sounds and melodies are catchy enough to keep Sub Terrain from crossing into dreaded muzak territory, but only just.

So, yeah, I guess this is a nice little album to throw on and sit back to. If you pay attention diligently to the subtle little production tricks, there's some interest to be had. However, knowing the attention span of most folks these days, I can't see them getting into Sacred System all that much. Perhaps it's their loss but minimal dub of this sort does tend to appeal to only a small portion of the EDM community.


Score: 6/10

ACE TRACKS:
Galactic Zone


Written by Sykonee. Originally published 2005 for TranceCritic.com.

DuMonde vs Lange - Memory (Original TC Review)

Superstar Recordings: Cat. # 015 602-2 

Released 2002 

Track List: 

1. Memory (Radio Cut) (3:19) 

2. Memory (Original Mix) (7:46) 

3. Memory (Lange Mix) (7:56) 

4. Memory (Megara vs DJ Lee Remix) (7:05) 

5. Memory (JamX & De Leon Mix) (6:34) 

6. Memory (Original Dub) (7:07) 

(2010 Update: Alright, so I just wanted to namedrop a little DS9. Can you blame a Niner? Came up with a fairly decent review in the process though.) 

 IN BRIEF: Vile. Insidious. Just like the Federation 

Before I dive into this review, allow me to get my geek on here. Oh, don't look so surprised. Every guy in Western society has an inner geek. Some just use it pursuing things more normally accepted by the populace (like cars, weight lifting, politics… er, music). 

Anyhow, back in the 90s there was a little show called Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, a spin-off from the ultra-popular Star Trek: The Next Generation (yeah, I know. Hard to believe anything called Star Trek was considered hip). A bit unconventional for a Trek show, it often showed points of view from non-Federation (re: alien) perspectives, and not always in the most human-flattering ways either. 

Take the following discussion from two alien characters, Quark and Garak, a pair that often had self-serving interests for good or ill: 

Quark: I want you to try something for me. 

Garak: What is it? 

Quark: A human drink. It's called root beer. 

Garak: I don't know. 

Quark: Come on. Aren't you just a little bit curious? 

Garak: *Hesitantly takes a sip, then recoils in disgust* It's vile! 

Quark: I know. It's so bubbly and cloying and happy. 

Garak: *Smiling* Just like the Federation.

Quark: But you know what's really frightening? If you drink enough of it, you begin to like it.

Garak: It's insidious. 

Quark: Just like the Federation. 

Really, I can't think of a better comparison to Memory by the collaborative efforts of DuMonde and Lange (with Alexis Strum singing). Everything that I've come to despise in Dutch trance is in full effect here: the gargantuan supersaw synths, useless vocals, momentum killing breakdowns, and production techniques that use tons of effects to cover a lack of good song-writing; all style over substance. Yet I just can't hate this song. 

 How? How could such a seemingly vile song bring a silly smile to my face without a trace of irony or cynicism? Well, I'll give a large amount of credit to the rhythm. Sure, it's fairly uncomplicated stuff but there's so much resonance in it that it fills in those little sonic gaps with energy. The bass rolls along instead of just bobbing offbeat, making this an incredibly invigorating track. 

It's more than that, though. While I've often said I have a dislike of supersaw synths, it isn't so much the synth themselves but the way they are used. Since this type of synth fills out such a wide range of sound, you can often have a serious lack of musical talent and still get away with making a monstrous track. Far too many songs have been produced with nothing more than random notes struck that sound cool, the odd time with an auto-arpeggiator thrown in for variety. 

Fortunately, DuMonde and Lange had been at the game long enough to had learned how to write a decent melody when they made Memory, and between the three of them, they managed to create something a little more special than your standard Dutch fare. It's epic without being pompous; it's cheerful without being saccharine; it reminds me of many a euro dance melody. 

In fact, Memory further supports my theory that vocal trance is just the new euro dance. Instead of choruses, though, we get the main hook on its own. And where raps used to be, we get a breakdown/build. For that this nu-euro (Whoa! New genre alert!) isn't nearly as good as its decade old predecessor, as I'd rather sing along to a rap than just stand around waiting for something danceable to start up again. It's still fun in a pinch, though, when I'm feeling in the mood for something lighthearted. 

But perhaps you don't want that and desire a more straightforward trancer. Lange's mix of Memory should help you out with that, as the bass is more standard, off-beat fare with synth pads slowly building in intensity as Ms. Strum sings. It's a shame he decides to absolutely kill that momentum with a halting breakdown some three minutes in. The ensuing payoff nearly a minute later is okay given the strength of the melody itself (this time a little more subdued), and some of the lost energy is regained once the vocals return in a distorted fashion, but I have to ask whether it was necessary to take us to absolute zero in the first place? The song was doing fine before that dead stop a third of the way through. I mean, could you imagine how intense this song would have been if the rhythm was steadily building throughout as the first bit seemed to indicate it could? It boggles the mind! 

But perhaps you'd just rather have something with more bounce. Then Megara and DJ Lee's remix will be the answer for you. Rather than synthy pads, we are treated to punchy Corsten-chords thrusting forth brazenly, making this mix far more exuberant. Oddly enough, without as much emphasis on big melodies, the lyrics stand out better, even to the point they actually begin to make a bit of sense. It seems this song's about a gal who can tap into the hidden secrets of the cosmos via the memories stored in her very DNA! Then again, it could just as easily be about past love as well. 

Perhaps the breakdowns in these mixes haven't been long enough for you, though. Then DuMonde's own mix (as their JamX and De Leon selves) should be right up your alley, as you get to wait a whole ninety seconds for the payoff. Alright, the payoff is bordering on garishly theatrical, but it is insidiously catchy, taking the bounciness of the Megara/DJ Lee remix and cranking the effects to overdrive. Good stupid fun to be had with this mix, if you can just ignore the useless intro rhythm leading to the breakdown. Really, this would have been a better track if they got rid of it and made the breakdown a, *gasp* intro. Hey, it's a radical idea, but it could work. It's not like you'd be caught stealing techniques from old school trance since hardly anyone who'd enjoy this probably wouldn't give the stuff ten plus years old a glance. 

Oh, and there's a radio cut at the beginning and an instrumental at the end of this release, but since they're basically the same song as the original, you can figure out how they go for yourself (hint: one's short, the other's got no vocals). 

In the end, Memory is a fine enough bit of non-consequential fluff. I'd have liked to have seen a little more variation on the remixes, as they all basically follow the exact same structure while injecting the featured remixer's trademark sounds, but they are all serviceable without detracting from what makes Memory better than standard euro fare: energetic rhythms, and a vile, bubbly, cloying, happy, insidious melody that you can't help liking no matter how much you detest everything it stands for. 

Score: 7/10 

Written by Sykonee. Originally published 2005 for TranceCritic.com.

Miss Kittin & The Hacker - First Album (Original TC Review)

Emperor Norton: Cat. # ENR 7052-2
Released 2004

Track List:
1. Life On MTV (4:22)
2. Frank Sinatra (3:54)
3. Walk On By (5:04)
4. 1982 (5:17)
5. Stock Exchange (5:22)
6. You And Us (4:25)
7. Flexibility (6:25)
8. L'Homme Dans L'Ombre (4:15)
9. Slow Track (2:55)
10. Nurse (5:13)
11. Stripper (4:58)
12. DJ Song (3:03)
13. Walking In The Sunshine (5:14)
14. Frank Sinatra (2001) (4:55)
15. Stock Exchange (Adamsky Remix) (6:32)


(2010 Update:
I never did strike up a conversation with the sexy business women...)


IN BRIEF: Sometimes the simplest ideas are the best.

What is it about seemingly unproduced EDM that instantly conjures up the 80s? Simply put, because such sounds were created, and thus heavily used, in that era, the images associated with the decade have a tendency of springing to mind. In addition, because electronic production has improved by leaps and bounds since those early, innocent years, the notion of making any music with such dated technology seems absurd unless you are deliberately making music in tribute to the era.

Such seemed to be the main draw of the emergence of electroclash and disco punk at the turn of the century. With its raw, tinny, primitive soundscapes, one could not help but draw comparisons to 80's music, allowing trendy hipsters to enjoy it, in the very least, on an ironic level. But one can only push their tongue in their cheek for so long before it pokes right through. The whole scene died a quick death, with indie rockers picking up the pieces to create a new wave of, er, new wave bands.

That electroclash sputtered out isn't all that surprising; most EDM micro-scenes normally have a lifespan of two to three years, depending on how quickly talentless hacks flood the market with piss-poor knock-offs. However, looking back on it, what's quite surprising is that a great number of these acts that spearheaded the whole movement managed to create such catchy music with the barest of musical production, an almost knee-jerk punkish reaction to the over-the-top theatrics of the most popular EDM of the time, trance (specifically of the Dutch variety).

Take Miss Kittin & The Hacker. The music on their first album is EDM stripped down to its most raw elements of 808 rhythms, analogue synths, and bubbly acid bass. Meanwhile, Miss Kittin's lyrics are delivered in a rather emotionless monotone of the barest substance. At the time of its initial release in 2001 (and even earlier with a few singles off here), First Album was the perfect antidote to all the pretentious bombast causing several EDM scenes to suffocate on their own self-importance. Four years on, however, music scenes seemed to have clued in and a wave of tighter song writing with less emphasis on over-production has taken over. Has Miss Kittin & The Hacker's collaborative debut managed to hold its own and remain relevant in a sea of copycats? Let's take a listen and see.

The album doesn't waste any time with pleasantries. Life On MTV jumps right into raw, simple percussion and ugly synths playing a simple, bleak melody. When this isn't going on, Miss Kittin (real name Caroline Herve) takes over with robotic spoken words regarding, well, life on America's music station I guess. This is an incredibly sparse track but The Hacker (real name Michael Amato) manages to fill in the gaps with just enough resonance to suck you in, if only briefly. However, Life On MTV is as good a gauge for this album, as nearly the rest of the songs follow this production technique. If you don't get much out of this opener, chances are you won't get much later either.

Not with Frank Sinatra, though. Even if you despise the musical aspect of it (which is rather minimal, really), you can't help but laugh at the lyrics, "Suck my dick/Lick my ass." I mean, c'mon! The fact it's delivered by a woman is enough to incite giggles by itself, but when said in such a sincere method, you're going to get instant sing-a-long satisfaction from a crowd. And the fact it appeals to whom can relate to this song's theme of decadent celebrity behavior, and those who like to mock such people, you have a guaranteed hit on your hands. Shame it took nearly four years for people to catch on.

Walk On By continues the thread of living the fa-beau-lussM life as an ode to catwalk modeling. While Miss Kittin's heavily distorted lyrics aren't much to get excited about (they sound about as enthused as the expressions on some of those model's faces, which is the point I suppose), this is definitely a cool sounding track despite its repetitiveness. Those synthetic tinging hi-hats never fail to please ardent techno fans.

As one of the first singles the duo produced, 1982 still holds up remarkably well thanks to some funky rhythms but I'm just not feeling it quite as much as these last two tracks. I guess the electro vibes and kitschy lyrics are already starting to sound too same-y despite the fun themes present. There are some nice synth sounds on this track but compared to what's to follow, they really don't stand out all that much.

Especially compared to the ones on the next track, Stock Exchange. Do they sound old? Sure, but that's the absolute beauty of these synth chords. It's amazing despite their rather cold sound that they can contain such a rich range of warmth. They wonderfully complement the song's tale of an escort's sad life pleasing businessmen (one interpretation, anyways). The rhythm's quite perky as well with offbeat bass quite typical in trance music. In fact, Stock Exchange is something I'd be more willing to call "electro trance", far more than what normally gets branded as such.

Alright, time for a slight tangent here as I tell a little story relating to this song. While Stock Exchange may be about an escort, sometimes I can't help but think of it in a more literal sense, as about an actual woman working on Wall Street, and sick of the rat-race it involves. Why? On the bus I take home from work, sometimes I see this one particular woman who fits the description of the character from Miss Kittins lyrics, including a pink business suit! When I first heard Stock Exchange, this woman was sitting beside me on the bus, which I could not help but think it was strangely coincidental. Sure, you see familiar faces all the time when you take the same bus routes almost daily, and I'd seen this businesswoman countless times before. But to have her sit down beside me as Stock Exchange is playing? Strange. Oh, and to answer the obvious questions: yes, this woman is rather lovely; no, she's probably ten to twenty years my senior; and no, despite sharing the same bus on occasion, I've never actually talked to her before as I'm usually worn out from work anyways. Hmm maybe I should change that one day...

Oh, yeah. This review. Um, let's get back to it, shall we?

The duo take a bit of a departure from the style that opened the album up with the next couple of tracks. Instead of aloof observations about pop culture, Miss Kittin takes the opportunity to talk about the pair themselves while Amato's synth chords get darker and de-tuned. You And Us and Flexibility are very similar in this regard, as they are strictly dancefloor material without much emphasis on lyrical content. The same could be said about L'Homme Dans L'Ombre, although my French is pathetic, so I really haven't a clue what Kittin's going on about for half this breakbeat-ish song. Despite the similarity to these songs, I quite enjoy the synths. Yeah, I'm a sucker for analogue synths. Sue me.

The three song run of murky dance beats ends with Slow Track, as much of a filler track as I've ever heard since nothing much of interest happens here. Even Kittin can't seem to think of anything interesting to say to complement this one. Perhaps it's workable for a downtempo set in a pinch but there's plenty of better material to be had out there. I guess Amato wanted to show he could do more than just dancey songs?

Enough with the gloom, you say? How about some tracks with a little more zest then? Nurse and Stripper certainly are more playful to listen to and Miss Kittin gets more involved than simple droning. Nurse especially should please those looking for more of a return to the subject matter in the earlier portions of the album.

On this 2004 edition, one of three bonus tracks is featured next in DJ Song. Something of a B-Side, I guess Emperor Norton figured they might as well include it on the re-issues. It's not too bad of a song, baring similarities to Life On MTV (but then, don't most of these anyway?) but doesn't add much to the plate either. I'd imagine it's to the DJ culture what Frank Sinatra is to the celebrity culture.

Walking In The Sunshine is as pleasant a song as this album is going to have, providing an optimistic outlook on life after all the self-loathing (intentional or acted) filled to the rim with all the desolate soundscapes. On the original release of First Album, it was a nice capper to end on but we get a couple more bonus tracks on the 2004 edition, both remixes of the top hits.

Frank Sinatra (2001) is basically a revamping of the original to make it more club friendly when this music was blowing up big. Miss Kittin also cranks up the snootiness of her dialogue, making it even more fun to sing along to than before. The Adamsky (also known as Adamski to the old-schoolers) remix of Stock Exchange is wonderful. Taking the heartrending theme of the original and running with it, the song sounds even more tragic than ever before. Little guitar strums harmonize with a frailer sounding Miss Kittin (who re-sung the lyrics and by sung, I do mean she actually sings this time) while the fills in between get funkier and dirtier. In particular, this track stands out from the rest because it's so much more different.

Yeah, that's the thing about this whole First Album. Aside from a few standout poppy hits, the similarities of all these tracks will please fans of this style of music, and bore the rest. Since I like it, the ranking here goes up a little. If you don't, it'll go down a little more for you. More variety would have been nice but it's solid enough for what we get.

As for whether Miss Kittin & The Hacker's debut has dated four years later, I'd give my answer as a definite no. After all, the sound on First Album was dated to begin with. It isn't going to date any more but considering the current trend of infusing dated sounds in EDM to give them more grit, it may just be one of the most modern sounding releases around.


Score: 7/10

ACE TRACKS:
Stock Exchange
Frank Sinatra (2001)


Written by Sykonee. Originally published 2005 for TranceCritic.com.© All rights reserved.

L.S.G. - Volume 2 (Original TC Review)

Superstition Records: Cat. # 2069 CDM 

Released 1996 

Track List: 

1. Can U Hear Me? (3:54) 

2. Hear My Voice (3:40) 

3. Novastorm (7:48) 

4. Get Out (5:48) 

5. Lectrolyte (8:20) 

6. Microfish (2:46) 

7. Netherworld (11:00) 

8. Freakme (6:36)

 9. Firefly (12:17) 

10. Centurion (11:01) 

 (2010 Update: Nothing much to update here. The grammar's still a little clunky but a huge improvement over my early reviews nonetheless. Hey, I'd had over half a year to get the hang of it by now!) 

IN BRIEF: Starring Netherworld! Co-starring a bunch of really good songs you've probably overlooked. 

This is the one. From this album on, the face of trance music would never be the same and the man behind it, Oliver Lieb, for so long hidden in obscurity behind various guises, would be propelled into the club spotlight whether he wanted it or not. And the song that would accomplish this was dubbed Netherworld. 

I'm sure it may be difficult for some of the newer fans of trance to realize this but, before Netherworld became the anthem it did, the structure of trance wasn't quite as set in stone as it is today. The concept of dropping all rhythm to allow the main melody to be presented after some lead-in, while done at times, was hardly indicative of where trance stood during those years. For the most part the genre was quite content to remain the more hypnotic, melodic, or acidy offshoot of techno. 

A funny thing started to happen around this time, though. A number of prolific DJs who had been making a name for themselves playing various forms of house music for so long (though mostly progressive) started to catch ear of some of these other-worldly songs and began to incorporate them into their sets. Thanks to heavy hitters such as Netherworld, very soon these forms of trance (dubbed progressive trance, probably because the songs fit best in prog house sets; why bother creating a whole new adjective when a previous redundant one will do) would dominate clubland, making gods of guys who play records. 

Of course, things took a turn for the worse in small part when attention-seeking DJs overplayed it in hopes of deity-like worship, but in large part from hundreds of imitators flooding the market with cheap knock-offs, perhaps striking upon the winning formula that spearheaded the initial wave once out of every five hundred attempts (they're still trying, too). Okay, maybe that's unfair. The fact remains, though, there hasn't been many songs that have managed to emulate the stormer that Netherworld is, and for good reason. There simply are very few producers out there that are as talented as Oliver Lieb when it comes to trance. The recent re-release with new remixes of the track guarantees its legacy will continue for the new generation of trance lovers. 

So what does one of the defining prog trance anthems sound like? Structurally about the same as nearly any prog trance: a couple minutes of lead-in, followed by a breakdown featuring the main melody on its own before percussion is brought back with renewed intensity; some embellishing of either rhythm or secondary melodies for a bit, then right back into the main course before finishing out. Yeah, sounds familiar, doesn't it? 

What makes Netherworld stand out from the pack, though, is Lieb's unique synth patches. Most of the percussion is abrasive and mechanical, something that wouldn't sound too out of place in an industrial track. If it weren't for the main melody, this song would have probably remained on the fringes of trance music. 

And what a melody it is. Hitting all the right emotional notes to sweep you off your feet, a stuttering synth with plenty of trailing echo contrasts wonderfully with the hard-hitting rhythm. Throw in sweet supplementary bits like ethereal voices (the same ones sampled by The Orb in their song Blue Room, although I have no idea what the original source is), secondary melodies that would have been strong songs in themselves, and electro bridges, and you have yourself a track that hasn't diminished nearly a decade since its creation. I've yet to come across a fan of trance that doesn't enjoy Netherworld to some extent. Whether you like the rhythmic or melodic aspects of the genre (or better yet, both), you'll find something to sink your teeth into here. 

But wait, my good friends! Don't hit that back button just yet. While Netherworld may be regarded as the main attraction on Volume 2, there is still a whole album's worth of material to enjoy. However, if you are expecting more Netherworlds or even just a continuation of the L.S.G. debut Rendezvous In Outer Space, you will be in for a bit of a shock. This may just be a rumor but some believe Lieb was a bit pressed to release this album due to the initial buzz over the main single. 

While I cannot confirm this, I certainly can believe it, as the facts pointing towards a slightly rushed release seem evident. A weak album title notwithstanding, for one thing Volume 2 comes just a mere year after the first L.S.G. album. You might have thought Lieb would want to focus on a different project for a while. Well, perhaps he had been, because for two things, a number of these tracks bear a striking semblance to Lieb's more experimental alias, Spicelab, than the simpler L.S.G. works. Indeed, the credits state this album was "mixed and mastered by O. Lieb & Spicelab." Who does he think he's kidding? One may be led to think this album was padded out by Spicelab material sitting in the reserves. Still, I can't think of a better source for padding. 

Mind, the opening two tracks Can U Hear Me? and Hear My Voice (really, they could be called Hear Me: Parts 1 And 2, as they have much in common) don't contain many Spicelab sounds, but then they really are nothing more than intro tracks to the album: the former being more ambient and grand sounding, the latter setting up the pace with shuffling rhythms and echoing synth stabs, amongst other tidbits of effects. No, it's with Novastorm where L.S.G. meets Spicelab. 

Right off the bat, you can tell Novastorm is unabashedly old school trance. The rhythm is simple so as not to distract you from all the hypnotic loops in effect. Layers of strings stabs, spacey pads, and eerie effects that have been heard in many a Spicelab track come and go throughout this song, none of which attempts to make itself more pronounced than the rest. Without any major melodies at work here, this track is trance music that one can easily get lost in. As the loops are gradually stripped away towards the end, a little electronic arpeggio emerges alongside the pads, fading away. 

Don't let this calming ending lull you into a false sense of security, though. Futuristic soundscapes start to drone ominously at the beginning of Get Out, growing in intensity as bits of percussion are gradually added. Finally, some two minutes in, fierce breakbeats suddenly pummel you as added, bassy effects energize you. This promises to be something special but, sadly, the payoff doesn't quite live up to the lead-in. Sure, there are some wonderfully menacing moments to be had in the second half of Get Out, but this track seems to almost serve as more of a lead-in to the next track, Lectrolyte, than an individual song of itself. 

As for Lectrolyte, this is another wonderfully simple, loopy little trancer, and the most melodic number yet on Volume 2 as it features those splendid stuttering synth chords Lieb's a master of. However, the middle portion of this track is mostly used up with embellishing sound effects and, because the rhythm is unwaveringly repetitive throughout, casual trance fans may overlook the nice parts of this track if they are impatient. The bubbly bass of Lectrolyte repeats itself on its own for a minute towards the end of its run as the ambient track Microfish starts out, an interesting little excursion of synthetic sounds slowly mimicking the songs of orca (at least, that's what it sounds like to me). However, it's more of an intermission of a track before we get back into the heavier hitters, and the heaviest hitter of the lot on Volume 2, Netherworld, follows. 

As I've already gone on about this song, let me just mention it in the context of this album. Considering how loopy, hypnotic, and relatively unmelodic this album's been thus far, Netherworld really leaps out at you. In fact, it's a stark contrast compared to what's come before. Lieb was quite correct in placing the more ambient Microfish before it, as I don't think Netherworld would have been able to fit within the context of this album otherwise. Likewise, following it up with the rhythm-heavy Freakme is just as clever, as Netherworld is a tough act to follow as well. With the main melody of Netherworld trailing off for a minute or so, the grumbling bass of Freakme that emerges from it can be quite startling, but it fits perfectly. We are entering more Spicelab-y territory, though, so don't expect anything that sounds immediate. You're going to have to do some serious paying attention to hear anything beyond random, bubbly sounds and bottom heavy rhythms. 

The rest of this album carries on with the Spicelab influences, sucking you into a deep, deep trance with the floaty Firefly and the even more experimentally rhythmic Centurion. To try and describe these songs would be a challenge in itself, one I doubt I know enough adjectives to utilize. I will say, however, those looking for big melodies to cap off Volume 2 will be severely disappointed. Aside from some very catchy mechanical percussion sounds in Centurion, everything on this final stretch is built around subtlety and hypnotic soundscapes; trance in its purest form. 

Now, I'd be lying if I said this was a perfect album. Despite the strong collection of individual tracks on hand, that sense of album flow that is common in nearly every other L.S.G. full length is missing. Rather, it feels as though Volume 2 goes from section to section, with hardly any relation to previous ones. In one sense, this isn't too bad of an idea as it can help take the listener on different journeys through the course of the CD instead of dwelling on the same theme throughout. In fact, it plays quite wonderfully for those keener on individual tracks. However, if you are looking for individual tracks, that’s what singles are for. 

When I - and I'm certain many others - go into an L.S.G. album, there is a tendency to expect the whole to encompass a specific theme -why else would you bother to have all the tracks mixed together? Volume 2 just doesn't have that, and it is a bit of a letdown when songs at the end of the album bare no semblance to songs at the beginning without a logical bridge between them. I still highly recommend this album, of course, if anything because the individual tracks are quite enjoyable for fans of nearly any kind of trance. Just be prepared for a bit of a disjointed listen if you play this release through.

Score: 8/10 

ACE TRACKS: 

Netherworld 

Firefly

Novastorm 

Written by Sykonee. Originally published 2005 for www.TranceCritic.com.© All rights reserved.

Electrovoya - Days Like These/ICO (Original TC Review)

Fundamental: Cat. # FUN 521 

Released July 4, 2005 

Track List: 

A: Days Like These (7:38) 

B: ICO (7:45) 

(2010 Update: Holy anecdote, Batman, but hey, it's a breezy read, right? While the group seemed to disappear shortly after this, we definitely would be hearing more about that 'minimal click house' stuff I quipped about in the review.) 

IN BRIEF: Days often forgotten. 

So, I'm just relaxing in my palatial Marpole apartment (can't beat the sound of heavy traffic right out your patio!) on a fine Vancouver summer afternoon when something occurs to me. This fine Vancouver summer afternoon really isn't all that fine at all. You see, us here in the North American northwest have been spoiled rotten these last couple years by unusually great weather. Sure, we've had to deal with forest fires in some areas and drought warnings, almost unheard-of events in a rainforest climate such as ours, but we took it in stride in favor of the sun. 

It couldn't last, though, as it seems our typical weather has returned at the most inappropriate time. We've had spurts of sunshine and heat but for the most part, us poor Vancouverites have had to deal with drizzly rain, overcast skies, and muggy temperatures - or, as we've come to call it, "a typical Vancouver day." Those of us who've lived on the Canadian west coast for long periods of time are quite aware of having sunny days, and we can even recall enjoying having those intense rays of sunlight beating down on us while we lounge around on a beachfront or outdoor park. Yet, once that good weather retreats and we are back into our typical climate, and the exact notion of it fades from our memory.

It's a strange feeling, to say the least, but not unlike listening to Days Like These. Electrovoya seem to be quite new on the block, combining the talents of Greg Murray and Andy Hagerty. I've never heard any of their works prior to this one but they definitely know how to make a good trance record. Days Like These is a pleasant little ditty of bliss, as it really isn't too concerned about slamming you about with over-the-top theatrics. Instead, a simple melody loops throughout, subtly manipulated with effects to gently raise the atmosphere without ever peaking into absurdity. Synth washes complement the track to give it that added feeling of ecstasy washing over you (no, not the drug... well, maybe). 

Damned if I can remember how it sounds seconds after the song ends, though. Days Like These is one of those odd-ball tunes that you enjoy listening to, you remember you enjoyed listening to it, and you know if you ever hear it again, you'll enjoy it just as much, but how did that melody go again? Part of this problem probably has to do with Electrovoya's subtle production. Despite being played throughout without much interruption for breakdowns, builds, bridges, and other bric-a-brac (aside from your standard DJ-friendly intro and outro), the main melody doesn't really leap out at you in any significant way. Of course, this isn't really a bad thing, as it serves as a nice little interlude from whatever ails you during the day. However, unless Days Like These is placed in a minimal click house set (or something similarly unmelodic), chances are the song isn't going to light trance sets on fire anytime soon. 

ICO on the flip has some of the same problems but has an easier time sticking in my mind for one big reason: it surprised me. More old school in sound, this b-side makes good use of acid squelches, galloping string synths, and tough rhythms. The use of a more modern sounding synth for the main hook should appeal to the newer fans of trance, and it fits nicely with all the older sounds, but it doesn't really stick in the mind all that well either. 

Also, there's a halting breakdown used to introduce it but to be honest, this breakdown isn't all that bad. It sounds quite characteristic of most builds at first with layering synths and percussion, but Electrovoya pull a nifty little trick with the big kick build. While it may start as you'd expect, just when you figure it'll peak out, the kick begins to fade instead along with the rest of the building layers, lulling you into a false sense of security before everything, all at once, blasts forth with renewed intensity. I've listened to this a number of times and it still catches me off guard, probably because it so effectively plays against the conventional trance build template I've grown accustomed to. 

So in the end, I enjoyed both these cuts, probably ICO a little more since it appeals to those classic trance sounds I fell in love with early on, but there isn't anything amazingly remarkable about them either. Functional is the best way to describe them, which is what it seems Electrovoya set out to do anyways. Best enjoyed on a typical Vancouver summer day. 

Score: 7/10 

Written by Sykonee. Originally published 2005 for TranceCritic.com.© All rights reserved.

Various - Techno Nights - Ambient Dawn (Original TC Review)

EMI Recordings: Cat. # 724383598229
Released 1995

TRACK LIST:
Disc 1
1. The Shamen - Destination Eschaton (Hardfloor Vocal Mix)
2. David Holmes - Minus 61 In Detroit
3. The Chemical Brothers - Leave Home
4. Dave Clarke - Winter (Armani Mix)
5. Red Snapper - Hot Flush
6. The Sabres Of Paradise - Smokebelch II (Beatless Mix)
7. DJ Hell - Sprung Aus Den Wolken
8. Plastikman - FUK
9. Moby - Go (Woodtick Mix)
10. 808 State - Pacific 707
11. N-Joi - Papillon
12. EON - Spice
13. Bizarre Inc. - Playing With Knives (Quadrant Mix)
14. Inner City - Big Fun
15. The Grid - Texas Cowboy
16. Adamski - NRG
17. The Prodigy - Weather Experience
18. Yello - S.A.X.

Disc 2
1. Orbital -Lush
2. Enigma - Age Of Loneliness (Carly’s Song)
3. William Orbit - Water From A Vine Leaf
4. Sven Väth - L'Esperanza
5. Phillip Glass - Labyrinth
6. Jam & Spoon - Hispanos In Space
7. The Age Of Love - The Age Of Love (Jam & Spoon Remix)
8. The Black Dog - Raxmus
9. Carl Craig - Landcruising
10. Aphex Twin - Donkey Rhubarb
11. Scanner - Mass Observation (Crackdown Mix)
12. Apollo 440 - Film Me And Finish Me Off
13. Björk - One Day (Sabres Of Paradise Mix)
14. The Orb - Oxbow Lakes
15. A Man Called Adam - Barefoot In The Head
16. The Beloved - The Sun Rising
17. Coldcut - Autumn Leaves
18. Vangelis - Love Theme From Bladerunner
19. Brian Eno - An Ending (Ascent)


(2010 Update:
That long break I took in 2005 must have did some good, as my writing had definitely gotten better, at least in the preamble and conclusion portions. Even the track-by-track stuff isn't too bad, kept quite brief considering how many tunes there are here. I also recall I felt we were selling TranceCritic's opportunities short if we didn't get as many major names into the archives as soon as possible, hence reviewing this particular release. It seemed like a quick and easy way to get some potential web search results. Heh, it didn't quite work out that way though.)


IN BRIEF: As diverse a compilation as I've ever heard.

The term 'electronica' never sat well with a large number of electronic music fans. The fact the music had been around since the 70s begged the question why, after two decades of distancing itself from all things entirely electronically produced, the rock media suddenly felt the need to join the pack in the mid-90s by creating an entirely new term.

There are probably a number of reasons I could detail here but I'll just address the one that pertains to this release. Fact of the matter is electronic music is hardly the simple 'ndds ndds ndds' cliché most rock circles would have you believe. While the more mainstream forms certainly do this, there are several forms that do not. So many, in fact, that their respective followings were growing far larger than isolated raves and clubnights could contain. Electronic music was diversifying, and the mainstream was catching on.

So what was the rock media to do? Their last big movement, grunge, had sputtered out from overexposure. Nothing seemed ready to take its place and all these other forms of music were making inroads. They did the only thing they could: bite the bullet and finally accept EDM as a legitimate form of music, only calling it a name they made themselves in the hopes of still being a trendsetter. 'Electronica' caught on briefly with the press, but not enough with the public to stick and was more or less forgotten as folks still used the old 'techno' tag instead (which is fine by me, as at least it's usually 20% accurate when talking about EDM). It's quite amusing to still see the rock media cling to the 'electronica' name when talking about new electronic music releases, as though they just couldn't accept the fact their term didn't catch on; they, the trendsetters of music culture!

Anyhow, electronic music was now finally being accepted as something legitimate for the music crowd (despite the fact 2 Unlimited alone had number one hits in several countries already) thanks to the boundaries being pushed by several eclectic producers and acts within the field. No longer regulated to dirty warehouses and gay clubs, music makers were realizing the potential of sequencers and synthesizers.

This compilation reads almost like a who's who of the electronic music world of 1995, and is easily a testament to the music's only limit being one's imagination. Separated into two discs -one featuring more rhythmic tracks, the other more melodic- Techno Nights - Ambient Dawn makes a strong case against all the naysayers that claim all EDM sounds the same.

Okay, so maybe The Shamen's Destination Eschaton isn't the best example to show how diverse it can be. All the elements that get mocked seem to be present: fey vocals, limp 4/4 rhythms, and fruity melodies. Hey, I'm not gay bashing here, just telling it as it sounds. Sadly, even Hardfloor's chunky acid build can't eliminate the glaring stereotypes present. I suspect it may be a clever ploy on the compilers' part though, as the next song showcases that other techno cliché: repetition. However, David Holmes' Minus 61 In Detroit shows off just how effective gradual builds through repeating riffs and layering percussion can be once everything peaks out.

Having gotten the main stereotypes out of the way, we start to get into some of the more interesting tracks. The Chemical Brothers' Leave Home is an excellent example of why they became the rock media's darlings, as their distorted guitar samplings from early in their career would be a natural bridge. But why follow it up with perhaps one of the poorer examples of hard techno in Dave Clarke's Winter? The beats are fine but, man, are those bird noises ever hokey. Couldn't they find a better track? I enjoy a good ol' bosh session as much as the next guy but not when the sounds are this bad.

If Winter showed off how fake electronic music can sound, Red Snapper's Hot Flush does just the opposite. Okay, so Red Snapper actually uses real instruments since they are more of a jam band than your typical one or two man techno crew buried behind racks of gear -the fact they use any gear gets them lumped into the EDM camp though. However, you wouldn't know it from this track, especially with a saxophone wailing along.

Taking a break from the danceable tunes is the childlike bliss of Smokebelch II by The Sabres Of Paradise. Content to hang out on cloud nine, this little slice of heaven has probably served as a pleasant comedown favorite for many clubbers. As such, it's with wonderful irony to have DJ Hell's Sprung Aus Den Wolken come next on this compilation, dragging you back to the depths of the underground with a no-holds barred pummeling hardcore track. The riff is unapologetically grimy, the beats fiercely distorted, and the hellish sounds are in full effect. Bwahahaha! Oh, pardon me...

Keeping things down and dirty is Plastikman's funky FUK and Moby's Go. Huh? Moby down and dirty? When it's the rarer Woodtick Mix, you bet. The only thing retained of his seminal original is the vocal samples. The rest is taken up by thumping rhythms and distorted synths.

Okay, time for another break from the intense tracks and 808 State's lush, jazzy Pacific 707 is a suitable respite. Unlike Hot Flush, who's jazz elements overwhelmed it and made it stick out like a black sheep, Pacific 707 makes good use of its jazz influence to meld it with electronics so nothing seems out of place. When that saxophone croons over sweeping pads and funky bass lines, it takes you floating over an ocean-washed beach as the sun rises over the horizon in the morning.

N-Joi's Papillon is fairly typical of most techno from the mid-90s in that the sounds and arrangements are interesting but eventually go nowhere in particular. It isn't that it's a bad song but considering just how unique every other song has been on this compilation thus far, you'd be pretty hard pressed to remember exactly how it went later on. Fortunately, EON's Spice comes correct by making use of the tried and true tradition of pilfering old sci-fi flicks for samples (Peter Hyam's Dune, just in case the title wasn't a dead giveaway) and creating a thumping bit of sound-effect drenched techno. Mind, the hoover riff that alternates with a trancey riff sounds horribly dated now but don't let that turn you off from the rest.

Not to be outdone by all the techno on hand, house gets a moment to shine with the next pair of tracks. While Bizarre Inc.'s Playing With Knives is best described as a collage of various house tracks, Inner City's Big Fun stands out with an irresistible bassline, catchy vocals, and an embellishing piano to finish off.

Now things start to delve into more quirky territory on this disc. The Grid's Texas Cowboy is hardly what I'd call conventional techno with its country influenced melodies. Fortunately, it doesn't get bogged down in novelty (like, er, nearly every other EDM song that tried it) so it works fine enough. Adamski's NRG, though, is so filled with goofy sounds and samples, the fun, funky house track underneath tends to either get buried or overlooked. And then we have Experience-era Prodigy, which would have been unique in itself (no one else managed to emulate the hyper-fast breakbeat sound Howlett spearheaded) but Weather Experience was an odd track even for The Prodigy; it wasn't very often you'd hear ambient intros or hip hop rhythms from them in those days. And finally, we have a track from Yello (more commonly known as the Oh Yeah guys), a group that, despite making electronic music, never felt constrained by standards as evidenced by the salsa influenced S.A.X. Truly, an odd, if eclectic, quartet of songs to finish the first disc off.

However, just in case you are still feeling a bit of groove in your system, the Ambient Dawn disc opens with Orbital's Lush, a fairly dancey track that's main feature is a flute melody played throughout. The rest is more or less Orbital styled techno.

Enigma, William Orbit, and of all people, Sven Väth, bring us a run of the more meditative aspects of EDM. The latter two are quite indicative of where BT-styled trance would be headed in the years to come. As such, these offerings are far simpler in their delivery than the overblown varieties to be had lately.

Moving on to the more noodly aspects of ambient music, classical composer Phillip Glass makes use of minimal synth arrangements in the avant-garde Labyrinth. While it sounds interesting for a while, the song meanders far too much. The rare ambient track Hispanos In Space from Jam & Spoon fares better, even if the EQing on it seems odd. The only element that really jumps out is a Spanish guitar periodically strumming throughout. The rest of the song, from singing conquistadors to spacey pads, is heavily subdued and distant sounding, as though Jam & Spoon only allowed the reverb past the mixdown. It's an interesting experiment but I can't see anyone other than dedicated fans of ambient getting into this.

Just in case the last two tracks had you dozing a bit, the energetic Age Of Love will snap you back to attention. A radio edit of the original Jam & Spoon remix (so no drawn out lead-in or grating acid noises), the song leaps right into the sweeping vocal build and climax that still has ravers reaching for the lasers once it peaks out.

Still, this is supposed to be the chill out disc between the two so we dive right back into slower BPM territory with The Black Dog's Raxmus. After a THC-drenched intro, trip-hop rhythms dominate this dubby affair. Not to be outdone, electro gets a chance to show off how mellow it can be as well in Carl Craig's Landcruising. While there is some tempo to this track, the blissy pad work keeps things on a gentle cruise control.

Diving headfirst into more experimental territory is Aphex Twin's Donkey Rhubarb, an incredibly odd track that has a decent song lurking somewhere underneath all the glitchy noises and faux-steel drum sounds. James' music is often praised, and for good reason, but if you are new to the Twin, this isn't the song to start with.

A ho-hum track with Scanner passes by without much notice but segues quite nicely into Apollo 440's Film Me And Finish Me Off. The bass is instantly catchy and various elements such as flutes and high-note guitar strums harmonize wonderfully to create a vivid portrait of the disposable nature of Hollywood. Think Depeche Mode with more bump to it.

The Sabres Of Paradise give Björk a little re-rub on her song One Day, essentially stripping away all musical elements to allow the Icelandic singer to carry the song on the strength of her voice alone, with a thick, meandering beat providing a little tempo. It's still more experimental territory though, so some folks may be thrown for a loop. The Orb keeps us in this region with Oxbow Lakes, a track that starts out ordinary enough with a little piano melody but soon descends into dubby, submerged electronics bubbling to the surface from the depths of soundwaves.

Okay, you say, enough with the experimental tracks. How about some nice songs that you can easily get into? The next pair of tracks should be right up your alley then, as A Man Called Adam and The Beloved provide some dreamy examples of after-hours house. Oh, and in case you are wondering why the vocal sample in The Sun Rising sounds so familiar, it's because it's the same one Orbital would go on to use in their track Belfast (the original being from Hildegard Of Bingen of Hyperion Records).

R&B and jazz influences dominate in Coldcut's Autumn Leaves as organic sounds and samples are used to give this track a Hollywood production quality. Different percussion elements are used as needed, drawing from both hip hop and jazz roots, as soulful lyrics are sung with subdued passion. Although sampling is evident, it is woven with such skill that the song sounds as though it was performed with live instruments inside a smoky jazz hall. Perhaps the only drawback is the lack of any electronic elements (although some of the percussion uses a few, minor filters) but then that's kind of the point of this track.

And, just as with the first disc, we come to the end of the second disc with a pair of musicians that aren't normally associated with your typical electronic music producers. It's a bit sad that many kids these days don't even know who Vangelis or Brian Eno are but these guys are some of the pioneers of ambient music (heck, Eno was the one who coined the term) and, as such, are deserved to be put on this compilation with the more well known artists. After all, Eno's An Ending (Ascent) is probably one of the most perfect pieces of music to end any collection of songs with.

Looking at the track list on this release ten years since it was first released, it's amazing to see how many of the acts on here turned out. It reads as a veritable who's who of the EDM world these days but, for its time, a great number of these acts were either brand spanking new or even obscure. Who in their right mind could predict Moby, The Chemical Brothers, The Prodigy, or William Orbit (with Madonna) going on to dominate the music charts the way they did just from judging their material here? Who could have foreseen DJ Hell going on to spearhead an 80s revival just from listening to his gabber offering here? Who'd have thought dynamic producers such as Red Snapper, Adamski, Apollo 440, and The Grid would fall off the way they did shortly after?

Still, for as dynamic a line-up this compilation contains, there are some glaring problems to be had.

First and foremost, while I applaud the desire to make a compilation showcasing the wide range EDM encompasses, there is simply way too much covered here without much logical flow between tracks. As a result, things tend to sound disjointed when playing through. It can be quite jarring to be listening to one style of music for a couple songs only to be thrust into something completely different with the next few.

Second and middlemost, these are not all well-known songs from these acts. While some of them wouldn't make their more memorable music until later, some of the track selections still seem odd for the time this compilation was made. Weather Experience for The Prodigy instead of their Jilted material? FUK instead of Spastik for Plastikman? Oxbow Lakes from the more experimental Orbus Terrarum Orb album? I'll grant it's quite wonderful to see some real rarities like Jam & Spoon's Hispanos In Space get attention but if you're making a compilation of EDM showing off as many artists as possible, wouldn't you want to include stronger material than some of the tracks selected?

Third and rearmost, a number of these songs are cut short. Some aren't as bad as others, of course, but hearing only a couple minutes of, say, Orbital's Lush or The Orb's Oxbow Lakes begs the question why bother including these songs at all. I understand in order to cram thirty-seven tracks onto two discs some editing on the length of tracks would need to be made. However, if one is already familiar with a track, to hear it end sooner than normally expected can leave a souring effect on the rest of the release. I sometimes get the impression this is more of a sampler release than a commercial one.

And really, perhaps that's all one should treat this compilation as: a sampler of the wider world of electronic music. Chances are if you have already immersed yourself into EDM, you won't find much more here than what you'd already own in one form or another. However, if you are just starting to branch out by all means give Techno Nights - Ambient Dawn a go. It's best treated as a crash course in electronic music as the variety present here is immense. While there are still stereotypes to be had, they are by no means to rule.


Score: 6/10

ACE TRACKS:
David Holmes - Minus 61 In Detroit
Apollo 440 - Film Me And Finish Me Off
Coldcut - Autumn Leaves


Written by Sykonee. Originally published 2005 for TranceCritic.com.© All rights reserved.