V/A - Boom Shiva Freaks

[Rotwang]

V/A - Boom Shiva Freaks (Digital Shiva Power)

 

 

Press Release:

 

Digital Shiva Power Recs from Japan makes their debut with a psychedelic monster in form of V.a - Boom Shiva Freaks .Compiled by Dj Tadashi,The cd hails the spiritual side of the psychedelic Experience.Boom Shiva Freaks features works from artists like Maniac Bubbles,Alien Mental, Access Gremlin & Nxum,Farebi Jalebi,Arjuna,Savage Scream,BioSynthesis,Digitalian,Mystic Mutants (Ambient project from Kerosene Club). Carefully Chosen for making your listening experience ,a wicked fantastic journey into the sound of the digitally enchanced Shiva powers .

This being a compilation of forest trance (in the sense of sounding like Derango, rather than sounding like Ka-Sol), I suppose I should admit something up front: all forest trance sounds pretty much the same to me. Although this may be a sign that I don't understand the genre, I do like the genre. But if I didn't know otherwise I could easily believe that this was an artist album rather than a V/A, made by any of the artists featured on this or other similar albums. So perhaps my opinion should be taken with a grain of salt, though I hope you will at least check out the samples (linked below) and see what you think.

 

 

Tracks (click titles for Saiko Sounds sample):

 

1) Access Gremlin & Nxum - Computer Malfunction 7:26

 

Great opening track. It has a funky bassline and lots of gorgeous crunchy noise, as well as some fantastic use of stereo. Shortly before it ends a surprise key change opens the door to an awesome climax.

 

2) Farebi Jalebi - Syzygy 7:50

 

Another good one, Syzygy is a rather splendid collection of bubbly whizzing noises. Compared to the previous track it lacks direction somewhat, though I find this to be the case with most forest psy. The fact that it doesn't go anywhere is not really important, because where it starts is a good place to be.

 

3) Arjuna & Seb - Rusty 7:20

 

Like Computer Malfunction this is built around a cool bassline. Otherwise it relies heavily on scraping, metallic timbres (come to think of it "rusty" is a very apt description) which grate a bit, but is enjoyable nonetheless.

 

4) Savage Scream - Flux 8:10

 

This doesn't sound much like the rest of Savage Scream's output, but it does sound very much at home on this CD. Many strange echoey voices and tidal waves of swooshing sounds, while the meandering bassline sort of does its own thing.

 

5) Digitalian & Arjuna - Dosti Connection 8:15

 

Not much to be said about this one. It's more of the same and good as one would expect, but not particularly memorable.

 

6) BioSynthesis & Farebi Jalebi - Katja Dimensions 7:40

 

Katja Dimensions sounds a lot like Grapes of Wrath and the Meteloids' Tits on Fire album, and that's a good thing. It also features an oddly-chosen sample from the third X-men movie, which doesn't add much in my opinion.

 

7) Digitalian - Boom ShiVa Freaks 8:18

 

This one is in a very similar vein to the previous track, so once again there's not much to say except that it's very good; nice timbres, nice build-ups and a nice bassline to get your head bobbing.

 

8) Maniac Bubbles - Maniacs on the Run 7:04

 

This is excellent. There's not as much going on here as on most of the other tracks - it's one of the few with a conventional one-pitch darkpsy bassline, for example - but it's very effective. Strikes just the right balance between being psychedelic enough to be interesting and aggressive enough to make one want to move one's feet.

 

9) Alien Mental - Temple Bells 9:34

 

Rather odd, this one. It sounds somehow chilled out despite its 148 BPM tempo, partly because of the way it aimlessly doodles around without ever settling on doing one thing for very long, and partly because it's fairly sparse by Alien Mental's standard.

 

10) Mystic Mutants - Maharishi 7:43

 

Perhaps in deference to the tradition of ending with a chillout track, Maharishi is downtempo, though it's far too sinister to be called chillout. It's very well made (in fact the production on every track of the album is impeccable, and this is no exception) but it isn't all that pleasant to listen to - an interesting experiment that doesn't really work.

 

 

 

Overall: This album will hold few surprises for seasoned darkpsy listeners; if you've heard Tumult or Ukalen or any number of other records then you know what to expect. But among the many similar compilations that have come out recently this is, I believe, one of the better ones. If you're looking for something to scratch a forest-shaped itch then look no further.

 

Favourite Tracks: 1(!), 2, 7, 8(!), 9

[JonCrow]

Nice cover! So warm and friendly. Great colours, lighting and balance! I want to eat it or walk into it. Though I'd change the shape/colour of the sun a bit.

 

*Group Hug*