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voice of all

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  1. Solid Snake - Return to the Source (2016, Tribal Vision)

     

    Abyss Pt. 1

    Moments of...

    Violet Experience

    Banananalogue

    Badgers Song O

    Vivid Red Ribbon

    Abyss Pt. 2

    A New Beginning

     

    Omar Chelly & Anders Rosengren are Solid Snake. Back in 2009 they've started their path with Tribal Vision Rec. The label seems to be home for the project.

    When it was started their music was labeled as progressive trance/house and it was rather fashionable for psytrance scene that time. But time has passed and today project is working in different various directions of trance, techno and house.

     

    Tribal Vision has only 3 releases on 2016. And only Solid Snake's one is labeled fully as psy-trance.

    It is realy a good example of psychedelic progressive trance where the psy element achived not by twisted weird sounds and synths but by special sound atmosphere, hypnoyic beats and and tracks evolution.

     

    This album is very well done. It is taking you on a deep trip on a slow 130-135 bpm. It is very catching and hypnotic. Has very nice melodic moves and smooth arpegios here and there. Its great for hometripping and has very good progressive flow with pair of surprises inside. And one of them is that fact that you face "A new beginning" right in the end of story )

     

    My favs are: Abyss (both parts), Violet expirience and Vivid red ribbon. But you really should consider whole release as one full story that takes you back in time to middle 2000th where Son Kite's "Colours" was on a rise.

     

    recomend!

    • Like 1
  2. image: https://www.discogs.com/Koan-Condemned/release/9438656#images/25889248

     

    Koan - Condemned, 2016 (Blue Tunes Chillout)

     

    The Devil's Confession 8:50

    One Day All Will Become Clear 9:29

    Darkness in the Box (Condemned Mix) 8:37

    Through the Looking Glass 8:07

    From Nowhere to Nowhere (Condemned Mix) 7:10

    Pleasant Punishment (Condemned Mix) 7:23

    Blind Theolatry (Condemned Mix Part.1) 4:43

    Broken Crown (Condemned Mix) 6:41

    Resistant Men (Condemned Mix) 6:44

    Conscious Delusion (Condemned Mix) 7:36

    Intruder (Condemned Mix) 5:37

    He's Here (Condemned Mix) 2:44

    Blind Theolatry (Condemned Mix Part.2) 4:42

    Fallen (Condemned Mix) 8:08

    Penance (Condemned Mix) 5:47

     

    Link: https://bluetuneschillout.lnk.to/condemned

    Country: Russia

    Label: Blue Tunes Chillout ‎– BTCDR046

    Format: File, FLAC, MP3, WAV, Album

    Released: 01 Dec 2016

     

    Koan is one of the brightest brands in contemporary downtempo scene. There is no need to introduce it any special way. Everyone who are involved with this music genre familiar with its own unique sound and impressed by huge amount of releases. It is eleventh one in lats two years! We can discuss what is a reason for this fertility or how it is really needed for best self-representation on the scene... But lets leave it out of this review. The main thing is that music is certainly has high quality production and tends to be different.

     

    Two previous years passed for Koan in some experiments with styles. Releases varied in wide range from totaly slow beatless weird ambient to progressive romantic trance. Series of full length albums were dedicated to different moods and genres so fans were overloaded by tons of tracks. Almost of all those albums appeared more as collection of tracks then as real stories or trips.

     

    Now in Condemned everything has changed back. Here we have an epic story with great cinematic effect. For me it is a return to the format of the best masterpieces of the project as Two Moon Butterflies (2006), When The Silence Is Speaking (2009) and The Way Of One (2014) were. It seems like years of experiements were not wasted by composer and all of the gained expirience collected in this new great album.

     

    The realese contains of three parts.

    The first is slow bold ambient of rather epic atmosphere. It is lasts first five tracks. It is not dull at all cause it is morphing all the way bringing different features of contemporary electronic music. The mood is changing too. It is waddling on the edges of more dusk and more light spirits. Great evolution has its top at on From Nowhere to Nowhere (Condemned Mix). Here is the end of the suppositive first part.

     

    The the second one (6 to 12 tracks) is a cascade of many different genres and moves from breaks and dub to jazz fusion. Track by track it changes again and again presenting very great development and showing outstanding music purview of the composer. All the practice of last 2 years of other releases is here packed in 6 brilliant tracks that blow your mind with great composition and highest quality sound design.

     

    The third part is second climax and summary of the whole release. These two tracks repeated the mood of the middle of tracklist to deliver great conclusion to the album.

     

    It is rather long album (102 min of 15 tracks in total) not usual for todays scene. It is not a collection of tracks to bring you section of genre hits. It is not a set of pieces to mix.

     

    It is really impressive tale with overture, climax and a plot. Chapter by chapter it is unfolds to you in slow but very diversified way.

    Sure it is one of the best downtempo trips I've ever heard. It is one of the best downtempo albums. And maybe it the best of Koan.

    I think it should be cheked by every fan of the music alike.

    • Like 2
  3. i was waiting for it since 2004 Colours! It was one of my favorite psy albums for years...

    but this one is dissapointment (

    it sounds more as minilogue project then son kite realy.

    first track is good enough but right after it there is nothing to catch my ear...

    very sad.

  4. The first track is masterpiece! Just wonderful!

    7 and 8 also not bad at all.

    The rest is just standart yahel stuff. But plz notice that standart yahel stuff is much better then most other projects on a scene )

  5. its simply brilliant!

     

    OMG I've never liked Loud realy before this release.

    There were couple of tracks here & there that I consider as not bad and even rather good but this album is mind-blowing.

     

    First of all it is an ALBUM! I mean it is real psychedelic story that develops more then hour and its whole trip.

    Second. It is evolving and involving! It is very catchy and hypnotic!

    Third. It is very accurate and has nothing exessive. Just organic!

     

    One of the best this year and surely classic for many years ahead!

     

    THANX LOUD!

  6. realy both tracks are far not so bad no metter what is remixing and by who.

    they are not perfect hits at all but personally i consider possibility to play them in a certain style mix. Shpongle's one more interesting as it is but Mad Tribe's is rather good as dancefloor filler so both can be used successfuly.

     

    should i wish smth better? probably!

    is this release sucks? no way!

  7. album is great actually.

    after all time of dealing with more proggy stuff Astrix returned to dynamic and bold sound wich is surely essential for him.

    this style was and still remaining the music that he is king of.

    im very fond of this release.

    especially 1-3 and 7-9 tracks.

    highly recomended to all who likes super high quality dancefloor stuff with best melodic and engine solutions.

  8. Hi guyz!

     

    The summer is going to its end but festival season still blasts. Every year there are many new acts, releases & other fun things appears in the scene. Some for a long time and some for a moment. Just as years before psy scene nowadays seethes and bubbles to deliver new sound impressions to all of us. It is morphing and changing to bring new forms & trends just to leave them back again and keep moving on.

     

    One of the best & significant prog&psy label of last years - Blue Tunes Records - has started its chillout division about one year ago. After almost 10 years of building their very special main team and unique sound. Blue Tunes chillout has been started from the only project - far-famed Koan - that used to be resident of Blue Tunes Records since epic & all-time-classic "When The Silence Is Speaking" was released in 2009.

     

    Everybody knows the older we get the better we are. Apparently the venerable age and extensive experience of music management pushed Sirko & Co. to expand their vision of today's scene needs. No need to expalain how it is risky to found new line of product especially if it is slow & intelligent sound. And we definetely should say thank you Blue Tunes just for attempt.

     

    The year that gone is not true index of what has realy happend and nothing is too clear now but there are some tracks & artists that worth reviewing and measuring. For every head that is in this kind of music it is rather important to have a glance of what is going on at one of the most demanded labels in the scene. So I've tried to listen to several releases that were out recentely to have a chance to catch the main idea and direction of the new source of contemporary chillout & downtempo.

     

    I must confess that I was realy impressed of Beatport's page of the label. Almost 30 releases mostly by newcomers in less then one year is very strong result. It seems like label team has started with a massive rush. Artist list contains of both newcomers (the majority) and already well-known artists. Among them such names as Baba Ghnome, Astropilot, Feuerhake, Blue Lunar Monkey and Koan. Also One Arc Degree was very intersting for me as project that sounds perspective.

     

    I dont claim to have my review too impersonal and comprehensive enough. I've tried to describe briefly several releases in order of my sympathy. To be true & relevant I've included few releases that I didnt like too much but that I was expected to be rather good.

     

    Lets start!

     

    Eyescream - Melting Point EP

     

    Date: 29 Dec 2015

    Code: BTCDR009

     

    1 Phillrider 5:16

    2 Laroxyl 4:43

    3 Dextro 5:42

    4 Nystagma 4:47

     

    The first place in the list is for russian project of Andrey Novikov from Saint-Petersburg. I havent heard of him before this release and was very surprised that it is his 4th release. Howerer almost all of them were out at sort of netlebels so it is little excuse for my ignorance.

     

    The album presents 4 tracks of one nice style. It is neat downtempo european progressive style with plain beat and smooth melodies. The mood is elegiac but not too melancholic. It is not so original but very good composed and performed. All sounds are at their places nothing excessive and not too minimal. This kind of music is good to open progressive club party with. In the early evening when people still gathering to the place. The mood and composition reminds older tracks of Abakus and Vibrasphere. The first and the last tracks are more peculiar and the pair in the middle is more mainstream. Altogether they sounds very nice!

    I also think that this style of downtempo fits the style of main label very nice.

    Laroxyl is my favorite piece but i need to say that there are no weak tracks in the list in my ears.

     

    Maluns - Emmas Dream EP

     

    Date: 14 Jan 2016

    Code: BTCDR011

     

    1 Dream 1 6:30

    2 Dream 2 7:01

     

    Maluns has erlier releases at Cosmicleaf Records and Plusquam Records. It is Swiss artist who prefer to hide his real name so lets pretend we dont want to know it )

     

    This sound is about dynamic psychill. It has cinematic stories inside and very diverse flow. Many different instruments and tunes are intertwined in two impressive suites. Artist definetely has his own style and musical testiness. Each track has good development and sounds original and catching enough. I think it is important for psychill music to have some action and changing in the story the song tells. And Maluns do it just right! Both tracks are in one style but dont sounds dull together.

     

    Jule Grasz - Higher Love EP

     

    Date: 17 Mar 2016

    Code: BTCDR021

     

    1 Full of Stars 6:17

    2 Gaia's Rise 6:35

    3 Painted Moon 6:40

    4 Higher Love 7:55

     

    Jule Grasz has been noticed 4 years ago at unhappy Beats & Pieces Records that was reanimated for 2 years and then fell down again. This year 2 new releases out at Blue Tunes chillout show that this artist is good enough to move out from dead studio and bring her sound to the world. Here I'll review EP but I have listened to album too.

     

    The style is ambient. There is almost no beat with exception of rare drums that are mostly parts of composition moves. Sound is burly and low and stories are epic. Atmosphere reminds fabled worlds of mythic lands & times. It has some taste of medieval I think. The highest point is number 2: Gaia's Rise. Great song with chorus effects and heroic mood. Although it is usually not my cup of a style Jule Grasz sounds very impressive.

     

    Yarn - Cryptic Entity EP

     

    Date: 07 Jan 2016

    Code: BTCDR010

     

    1 Entry Level 11:17

    2 Deep in Highness 7:03

    3 Pille 9:47

    4 Innocence 6:42

     

    Ferenc Majercsik, Nandor Horvath are from Hungary. Their magic music will hit many chillout areas soon for sure. Its very danceable and handsome psychill with openwork melodies and velvet beatbase. I think it is very useful at the party when you dont realy want people to fall asleep during your set in chillout. Guys have baked very talented release here and you also can check their album that presents the same style but twice as much.

     

    Personally I sure that this style of Yarn is required at psyparties that wants to preserve the spirit of real magic psychedlic event. In a scorching heat of main dancefloor there are moments when you need a place to escape to. And this place should run its own atmosphere that is opposite to the rough night rhythmes. It should be melodic and warm but it still needs engine to keep things running through your mind. Yarn are as close to this goal as it is possible today. My favorite track is Pille but the rest is high quality too. Pay your attention to this release folks.

     

    Brian Grassfield - Decades EP

     

    Date: 28 Jul 2016

    Code: BTCDR030

     

    1 Decades 5:40

    2 Quinta 5:52

    3 To the Mars 5:57

     

    Brian Grassfield is from Hungary too. And he also presents the division of psychill sound on Blue Tunes. Distinct thread of beat and sophisticated arpeggios of melodies are combined to give us rich taste of wonderland. My favorite Qiunta is morphing a lot and summs up about 3-4 nice tunes that are whirling around each other through the track. I think that while the author have enough imagination to continue this way he will definetely reach a success.

     

    Heliocentrism - XIX

     

    Date: 19 May 2016

    Code: BTCDR025

     

    1 Proportions 3:50

    2 Arkanoid 6:18

    3 Symbol 7:17

    4 Patchwork 8:40

    5 Ace 4:21

    6 Waves 5:15

    7 XIX 6:55

     

    Helioctntrism sound is example of dusk and minimal music. It have a taste of techno & urban soundscape. Tracks are slow heavy and bit depressed. Gloomy atmosphere of the whole album is picturesque and stylish. It is very unusal mood that personaly me likes not so much usually. But this release is much attractive because of its wholeness. My favorites are 2 tracks in the middle - Patchwork and Ace.

    There are not so many projects in the scene came from Poland but those that we know are rather interesting and unusual. Lets track further progress of this one together.

     

    Koan - Why? EP

     

    Date: 03 Sep 2015

    Code: BTCDR001

     

    Miracle For One 9:28

    The Appearance Of Unicorn 9:18

    Envoy (White Mix) 10:24

    Destination (White Mix) 6:42

    Why? 10:28

     

    Koan is headliner of the whole label and probably most known act from the team. Their releases were out at Blue Tunes motherlabel since 2009 and there were many tracks that shake the genre very much. Why? is another one in the long row and presents 5 tracks of saturated and highly melodic and dynamic psychill. Nowaday project is experimenting in many different moods. From dusk ambient to melancholic progressive. But this release is the trademark sound and if you're familiar with Koan's music this one will fit your demands well. My favorite track is Envoy that blasting all the way with great melody and vivid surrounding. All other tracks also very well made and will surely satisfy any psychill lover.

     

    J.P. Illusion - When Night Falls EP

     

    Date: 05 May 2016

    Code: BTCDR024

     

    1 When Night Falls 5:38

    2 Wind Full of Voices 7:13

     

    John Panagoulias, Athens, Greece has couple of releases at local label Harmonia Rec. since 2010. His music is very nice example of quality psychill. He shows up as mature artist with great sense of psychdelic composing. When The Night Falls is full of magic sequences that develops very nice together to born out realy great atmosphere of psy chill-out. The second track is bit repetitive and so bright but has also some nice moves that works well. I hope these two tracks are just begining of creative path of the artist that sounds very perspective.

     

    Unusual Cosmic Process - Living Earth

     

    Date: 10 Mar 2016

    Code: BTCDR019

     

    1 Another Beautiful Morning 7:28

    2 Salar De Uyuni 6:52

    3 Silent Kerguelen 8:22

    4 EveRest 8:35

    5 Frozen Svalbard 9:04

    6 New Zealand 9:22

    7 Antarctica 8:26

    8 Paints Of Danakil 9:06

    9 World Of Tomorrow 8:09

     

    Armen Akopov from Nikolaev, Ukraine is known as founder of many different projects. Unusual Cosmic Process is his psyambient alter-ego. It is expirienced artist whose albums were released at Ovnimoon Rec., Microcosmos Rec. and other studios. I think this album isnt bad at all and the project definetely worth attention. All of you who likes ambient sound and seek some additional inspiration of this kind of music are welcome to try this release. It has some fresh moves and presents its rather special taste. It has some deversity but mostly it is slow cosmic ambient to seduce you. Personaly I didnt like it much but it is more about my personal predilections. My favorite is Frozen Svalbard.

     

    One Arc Degree - The Ocean Palace

     

    Date: 31 Mar 2016

    Code: BTCDR023

     

    1 Through This Haze 7:50

    2 The Ocean Palace - Part I 5:30

    3 The Ocean Palace - Part II 5:22

    4 Saturn Rising 6:28

    5 Kraken Mare 6:53

    6 Methane Tears 6:02

    7 Crossing Belet 6:40

    8 Hydrogen Times Pi 6:36

    9 Memories of Earth 5:31

     

    One Arc Degree is ambient music producers Ioannis Konstantios & Vasilis Kesalidis from Greece. Couple of earlier previews at soundcloud were very exciting for me and I was waiting the release with impatience. Notwithstanding its not exactely what I was waiting for the album has some nice features that worth to be checked if you are in this kind of music. It is atmospheric and melodic kind of beatless music that nothing to do with psychedlic actually.

     

    AstroPilot - Solar Walk IV. YOUniverse

     

    Date: 04 Feb 2016

    Code: BTCDR014

     

    1 Our Second Sun 7:58

    2 Balance 7:46

    3 Desolate Spaces 7:41

    4 Permanent Impermanence 6:54

    5 Immersion (Space Symphony Version) 6:18

    6 YOUniverse 6:52

    7 Attraction 6:43

    8 Through The Veil 8:29

    9 Shots Of Awe 6:37

    10 Frozen Time 9:39

     

    AstroPilot's album was most anticipated by me among these bunch of releases. I have to say that my expectations were way too high. I dont gonna say that release is awful but I should say that it is not show any development. In both inner and outer meanings. It has no any perceptible development inside - all tracks are so uniform and even... And it seems like all of them just trying to repeat previous releases of the artist. I didnt found any idea that connected them in one suite. It seems like release starts from one uncertain point and then ends in another that uncertain even more.

    Ambient style is very demanding to the skill of compilation of the release. Slow, almost immobile music wants to be packed in the long stories and should impress listener with imperceptible micro changes all the way to substitute more colorful design of more upbeat music. This release sounds more as compilation of similar beatless tracks then true ambient story as were albums by Cell, Solar Fields or Healer and so on.

    However the production is still hi-level and up-to-date. Looking forward to find out great creative progress by this artist in next releases.

     

    As we see the label now at the time of team's building. They are trying out different artists and styles. Many of them are very interesting and perspective. Personally I prefer psychill & chilgressive styles better then too dull ambient and in my eyes there are too much beatless releases. Also I hope to see more dub/psydub/dubstep acts in the list. But it is up to label's owner to gather artist's pool.

     

    All in all I can say that Blue Tunes Chillout team have done great job! Many cool releases and new names are definetely badly needed in the scene today. In the era of digital production there are too many projects borns and dies without a trace at all. Sublabel of mighty Blue Tunes Records is a great chance for newcomers to draw attention and then blast with a masterpiece.

  9. Label: Blue Tunes Recordings, BTRCD049

    Format: CD, Album

    Country: Germany

    Released: 03 Apr 2014

    Genre: Electronic

    Style: Downtempo, Ambient

     

    The new disc of Koan*, released one of the German psytrance majors Blue Tunes Recordings, reveals to us the wonderful world of North American Indians. Epic paintings, one after another just blown speakers by melodic, polyphonic flow with an incredible instrumental richness. You did not hear this from Koan, you have not heard of this anywhere. For sure!

     

    -----------------------------------

    * the review was written May 2014. I've lost access to it together with my notebook.

     

     

    1 Alone In Canoe 1:32

    2 Eagle's Tale 8:47

    3 Tears Of Thunder Spirit (Blue Mix) 7:50

    4 Hanblicheya (Blue Mix) 8:52

    5 Fighting With Unchegila 8:29

    6 Dreamers Of Black Hills (Blue Mix) 8:00

    7 Vision Of Star Woman (Big Deeper Mix) 9:10

    8 Tribute For Hiawatha 9:56

    9 Uenuku (Blue Mix) 9:40

    10 Peta-Owi Hankeshni! 2:06

     

     

    "The Way of One" - is undoubtedly the best thing released by project of its whole history. This is not surprising - every next album Koan produces really, honestly, every time performing incredible - endlessly adding in skill. This album shows how close electronic sounds can come to the best orchestral works. On the basis of the most progressive chill-out basement composer writes a stunning complexity and touching melodic thread. They are also extremely accurately immerse the listener in some fantastic (does not really exists), but very historic, past of an entire civilization. To be honest, I'm not used to hear so much saturation, so much drive in the chill-out music, which usually draws the atmosphere with much more minimalist tools. Here in the album a myriad of sounds and dozens of synths, connecting and decay, creating a truly extraterrestrial dynamics. Every single moment with terrible force involves the listener into magical Koan universe.

     

    Do not even know what to say about the technical performance. The level is so strong that no words of comparison, and it makes no sense to compare. One thing you can be sure with is anyone who considers himself a fan of chill-out and ethno-music simply must hear this. At least to be aware of how it happens. The unique style of the project again revived after the recent experiments with more dark sound. Unbridled melodic magic just grabs you from the first to the last track. The authors have learned to do well their albums diverse. Here in the album many different moods have taken their places. There is a place for the stunning touching sagas as Eagle's Tale and Tears of Thunder Spirit. There is also a place for anxiety, tension, almost experimental sound of Tribute to Hiawatha and Uenuku, and for heroic anthem Fighting with Unchegila. Crazy craftsmanship of tracks complemented talent compilation of CD. It always gives a huge plus to any disk of any project.

     

    Koan is the sort of music, I always expect a lot. Because Koan is a brand and design, musical phenomenon and a pioneer of domestic chill-out scene. For more than 20 years of domestic and foreign listeners have the pleasure of hearing works of project. Each disc again shows the progress of sound, melodies, ideas and styles. Koan is a large-scale cross-cultural phenomenon. Together with Koan we have already visited China and Japan, Turkey and the Arabian sands, in Peru and Mexico. Koan discography is a whole music encyclopedia of ethno-music lover traveler, made with love and awe to the listener with respect to different cultures.

     

    Today's world has unique properties that are revealed to us directly in real time. Yesterdays individual trends are gone. We are waiting for brand new global creative arts for global world! This masterpiece was made of three branches. Back in 2003 Americas TV was exploded by DreamKeeper the movie that became sort of impression basis for the album. CD cover also joins here some real art power. It is created by one of the Russian most impressive & famous landscapers.

     

    To finish this review I have to recommend all of you The Way Of One by Koan. It is really original sound along with very strong production. Musical wealth and level of talent are too personal feelings for every person but if you want my opinion I will say that this album is great and original enough to place it on top of your wishlist. Todays chillout departments of large events & fests are full of smashing live-performances but if youre party dj and want to mix up some psychill pearls you should try your luck with this one. Everyone who consider himself as psychill & downtempo lounge lover must have this one for sure.

  10. Midimal - Fast and Delicious

    Liquid Soul - Adrenaline

    Gaudium - Just in Front

    Ace Ventura - Dark Matter

    Earsugar - Bonfire

    Protonica - Floating Point (Morning Mix)

    Human Element - Sweet Addiction

    Suntree - Dusty Hofman

    Flowerbomb - Della Terra

     

    Hi guyz! Want to share my impressions from the cd with a handful of nice progressive artists.

    First of all - this cd is compiled by Liquid Soul & dj Martin and it means that here we should wait some strong progressive psytrance in it best way. And i must say that it is realy so. Today many of proggy artist of our beloved psy scene have decided to produce more housy and tech stuff. I dont know why it so but this tendention is not my cup of tea. I like energetic music and i like it psyway so I have to choose through current releases very carefuly to get the pearl and to filter others.

     

    What is this album about? It is all about energy. First track by Midimal develops slow and you should to wait 2 minutes to get the beat. But it worth it cause then it turnes to fast track with delicate pumping kick and some effects. There also are nice voice sample, easy melody with development. All in all track is strong but i give it 7 cause of tempo break for build up in the middle of it (though build up itself has very nice ending). The next track is Adrenaline by Liquid Soul and trust me it is real adrenaline. Pumping all the way with nice effects structure and development. Not very original but so organic in this environment melody did the whole thing just great. 10 is the grade! Gaudium continues the journey with bit deeper piece. It has solid beat engine and atmospheric effects here & there. Here we have bulky hypnotic track with long-playing progress of main synth that constructs severe atmosphere and is very good for evening time at the party. 8 for this and i think even bit more. Ace Ventura is on fire now and his track here is not exception. As a previous one this track based on engined rhytm and effects in structure. It is also great for pre nighttime action at a party still it has hypnotic blend rather dark taste of lika techno effects. The second part of a track adds energy to the beatbase and weirdness to the effects. Very danceble and rhytmic one! 8 and maybe bit higher for the grade.

     

    Bonfire by Earsugar is awesome dancefloor killer if i can say so about progressive track. It is danceble as hell and will surely make you move your ass with more effort. Very deep & fast kick do the thing from the very begining. Nice morning melody is trying to break through it. Totaly charming feeling lika very touching moment at the dancefloor - superb long melody build up with full power beat on the background. I think it is just splendid of a track. 10 and even more for sure! Protonica do deliver us another gem in raw. It is morning mix of prevously unreleased Floating Point. Behind this not original name is the very nice track with clear beat and morning sequence-based melody. Charming positive flow and sunrise atmosphere. Great one. Mark it with 9. Human Element is the project of dj Martin and it is here with the track Sweet Addiction. It has more morning taste then first 5 tracks includes female vocal distorted sample and good development. It has no much original features but all in all very decent tune. 8 for it. Suntree with Dusty Hofman is next. It is more progressive then all previous tunes of this album and I think that it will be nice to listen even at daytime. 8 is good for this one. The last piece is from Australia by Flowerbomb project. It definetely has somewhat australian blend cause of the melody that bit weird & fuzzy. The beat is also strange sometimes. And altogether it leaves rather good impression. Melody is gentle and warm, drive is easy and lika summertime. So it have to be 8.

     

    All in all this is great psy prog album that has great flaw bunch of strong killer tracks melody & hypnotic enough to be loved by wide specter of listeners. All the tracks are at least good but mostly they have smth more to offer. Nowaday is rather hard to find proggy album of such level that focused at psyside. Tones of energy raise it playability and I hope that many djs will include this material in their sets. Highly recomended!

     

    Arithmetic shows that i need to mark this album at rate of 8.5 but i think that the right mark for it is 9.

  11. the albums rocks for sure!!! nowaday when all progressive is mostly semi-house sluggish bulshit it has a power to cheer you up and give your feet some move. intense psy-stuff in a melody departmant with plain hard kick in a base this always is a recipe to get sensible piece of trance. and if you add here true talented head behind it you will know what this album is about. clear and very organic flow will take you throuhg in one breathtaking moment. i wonder why so few ppl have noticed this release it is awesome!

  12. for sure it is high energy release and it has many nice features when it comes to sound - it is fat, bold and vibrating enough; there are also strong moments about beatbase - pumping & jumping with a support of rolling bassline - here i realy have smth to enjoy. but all these are ruined by the flow and structure. it is simply hard to listen when it stops & starts so many times every fucking minute. hey guy you realy need to try to dance to your music and you'll understand what im talking about. maybe it is funny for smb to hear all these tempo exercises at home but we realy should to remember that psy is all about parties and dancing cause even when you just walking with your headphones you're trying to be at the party mentally. some artists realy have to think more about listeners!

  13. [sorry, i have missed this thread and started my own. post here my review and moderators please delete that another one by me]

     

    Simultaneously with release of the first track on Dissidents compilation Koan project starts to be shown gradually on open spaces of the Moscow electronic scene. At first rarely getting into the closed clubs and on private parties, musicians quickly pass in the concentrated attack: a series of performances is followed by release of debut album Talking Stones. So the project discography has begun. It was visible not casual coincidence, but accurately planned action, because right from this point Koan releases music regulary and each time with much quality. Koan begun to gather the quantity of releases and level of prestige in the scene. Not a miss had been admitted till four years of persistent work.

     

    Judge: practically at once after Talking Stones (2005) at the same label When Invisible Becomes Visible EP (2005) and mix-album Signs (2006) were released. It expands borders of Koan's creativity offering absolutely other sight on ethnic lounge, than we have heard on the first album. In the same 2006 there was the first international-published solo disk Koan under the name Two Moon Butterflies (2006). The release has offered listeners the whole new sound quality level. Some indelible hits made album completely sold in no time by all large Internet psy shops. Many top labels released their tracks that year and Koan guys also spends active summer, participating in the European festivals. In 2007 musicians got a little break, fiercely working over the new style, a new sound and new ideas. The release of 5 tracks Fulfilled Wish EP (2007) at fresh perspective Russian studio became an intermediate result of year. Also released out a project composition at the compilation again. Koan was issued also on Blue Tunes Rec. In 2008 digital 4 tracks release Watermarks Remixes - which includes remix from Behind Blue Eyes.

     

    With development quality of a sound of the project's material constantly raises. it is obvious that guys are seriously keen on contemporary sound technics of chill-out ambient and also folk and world motifs - their music is transforming, develops and always full of new ideas and concepts. Today I offer you the review of the new solo disk Koan which has been kindly released by German studio Blue Tunes Rec.

     

    Koan - When The Silence Is Speaking

     

    1. Back to the silent lagoon (Blue mix)

    2. Selena's Song (Blue mix)

    3. After the Guiding Venus

    4. The Island of Deceased Ships

    5. Dance of Nereids

    6. Odysseus under the old tree

    7. Underwater Moonlight (Blue mix)

    8. When the silence is speaking

    9. Dolphin and Eos

     

     

    Here are brief reviews of some tracks from the album to give you light hints of what you will get from it.

     

    1. Back to the silent lagoon (Blue mix)

     

    For those who have heard the first album Talking Stones this track will seem not simply familiar - it will necessarily make very strong impression at least be cause of melody and that amazing difference in soundings of original and the sequel. A bomb will blow up in the head of any who remembers that, old album. For those who is not remember I urgently recommend to get and to listen... The track is very good composition with the swinging bit, muster of pipes and a solar evening spirit. Deep tones of wind instruments at background in second half of timing are successfully supplemented by a string melody which develops being strung on itself. Then it suppresses its own environment and sounds solo. The track comes to the end with the same from what began leaving nice impression.

     

    5. Dance of Nereids

     

    This dance is very strange. It begins from the breakbeat rhytm-cicle and pulsating of solid synth. Then it transforms many times in many different ways. It starts spin faster and then die out again, it consists of one note and then changes to many different sounds. Even beat is not stable - it changes from breaked and hard to the flat and soft. This track is not going to keep it form never - new sounds new moves and new sequences are apper meny times again and again. I cant say that this will be the track that you will like for sure but you realy need to listen to it yourself - it has very interesting structure and original asymmetric taste.

     

    7. Underwater Moonlight (Blue mix)

     

    It is one more interpretation of an old material. This track also was present on an album of 2005. Actually in the present variant atmosphere became deeper, more hysterical... It is possible to tell more internal. The melody which reveals to the listener in thirds third of composition possesses all advantages inherent to the style of the project. In addition this melody released in the average heights a timbre that gives it additional pluses, doing sounding smoother, dense and viscous.

     

    8. When The Silence Is Speaking

     

    The starting bit is interesting enough and dynamical, but it leaves on a background already on the second minute when time has come to replace the basic tool. Development occurs slowly towards increase of a timbre of a melody and rhythm section allocation. To the middle of the track the rhythm becomes feeble and abrupt, the melody is replaced with shivering sounds on a background. Then the melody rotates in attempts to begin again. The next variation of a melody is offered here in corporate style Koan - shortly, sonorously, cyclically, is flowed round. It is dancing around soft flat beat. Finally it remains only one with little adds of reflexions and silent noises.

     

    Summary. The disk has turned out charming. From the very beginning and to last note it generates, develops and supports integral atmosphere. A little bit is a pity that I prefer little bit more light tones in music, but is assured that many listeners on advantage will estimate this album. The disk accompanies us from a gentle sunset to a quiet early dawn through fascinating, unexpectedly rich impressions of night. Koan have once again put a foot on higher step of that creative ladder. Here there are all components of successful modern musical art - progress of quality of sounding, development of the concept and atmosphere of compositions at the album, presence of original and characteristic features that allows to name this project the significant self-sufficient and integral phenomenon of a modern world chill-out scene.

  14. shpongle released beautiful cd as always. and here i want to say that half of success is that it is shpongle itself. they definetely have their own exclusive style that many of us are fond of. but the other side of this is that from album to another these music has less and less shine & glory. musicians are trying to refresh our impression by using some new features here and there. little bit vocals, little bit humour - all these thing are nice but cant realy pretend to be revelation. soon the time will come to bring more radiacal changes to fit the demands of the people who listening to project all these years. i wish shpongle good luck and to be brave enough to turn their music to a new channel and to tne next creative stage!

  15. Simultaneously with release of the first track on Dissidents compilation Koan project starts to be shown gradually on open spaces of the Moscow electronic scene. At first rarely getting into the closed clubs and on private parties, musicians quickly pass in the concentrated attack: a series of performances is followed by release of debut album Talking Stones. So the project discography has begun. It was visible not casual coincidence, but accurately planned action, because right from this point Koan releases music regulary and each time with much quality. Koan begun to gather the quantity of releases and level of prestige in the scene. Not a miss had been admitted till four years of persistent work.

     

    Judge: practically at once after Talking Stones (2005) at the same label When Invisible Becomes Visible EP (2005) and mix-album Signs (2006) were released. It expands borders of Koan's creativity offering absolutely other sight on ethnic lounge, than we have heard on the first album. In the same 2006 there was the first international-published solo disk Koan under the name Two Moon Butterflies (2006). The release has offered listeners the whole new sound quality level. Some indelible hits made album completely sold in no time by all large Internet psy shops. Many top labels released their tracks that year and Koan guys also spends active summer, participating in the European festivals. In 2007 musicians got a little break, fiercely working over the new style, a new sound and new ideas. The release of 5 tracks Fulfilled Wish EP (2007) at fresh perspective Russian studio became an intermediate result of year. Also released out a project composition at the compilation again. Koan was issued also on Blue Tunes Rec. In 2008 digital 4 tracks release Watermarks Remixes - which includes remix from Behind Blue Eyes.

     

    With development quality of a sound of the project's material constantly raises. it is obvious that guys are seriously keen on contemporary sound technics of chill-out ambient and also folk and world motifs - their music is transforming, develops and always full of new ideas and concepts. Today I offer you the review of the new solo disk Koan which has been kindly released by German studio Blue Tunes Rec.

     

    Koan - When The Silence Is Speaking

     

    1. Back to the silent lagoon (Blue mix)

    2. Selena's Song (Blue mix)

    3. After the Guiding Venus

    4. The Island of Deceased Ships

    5. Dance of Nereids

    6. Odysseus under the old tree

    7. Underwater Moonlight (Blue mix)

    8. When the silence is speaking

    9. Dolphin and Eos

     

     

    Here are brief reviews of some tracks from the album to give you light hints of what you will get from it.

     

    1. Back to the silent lagoon (Blue mix)

     

    For those who have heard the first album Talking Stones this track will seem not simply familiar - it will necessarily make very strong impression at least be cause of melody and that amazing difference in soundings of original and the sequel. A bomb will blow up in the head of any who remembers that, old album. For those who is not remember I urgently recommend to get and to listen... The track is very good composition with the swinging bit, muster of pipes and a solar evening spirit. Deep tones of wind instruments at background in second half of timing are successfully supplemented by a string melody which develops being strung on itself. Then it suppresses its own environment and sounds solo. The track comes to the end with the same from what began leaving nice impression.

     

    5. Dance of Nereids

     

    This dance is very strange. It begins from the breakbeat rhytm-cicle and pulsating of solid synth. Then it transforms many times in many different ways. It starts spin faster and then die out again, it consists of one note and then changes to many different sounds. Even beat is not stable - it changes from breaked and hard to the flat and soft. This track is not going to keep it form never - new sounds new moves and new sequences are apper meny times again and again. I cant say that this will be the track that you will like for sure but you realy need to listen to it yourself - it has very interesting structure and original asymmetric taste.

     

    7. Underwater Moonlight (Blue mix)

     

    It is one more interpretation of an old material. This track also was present on an album of 2005. Actually in the present variant atmosphere became deeper, more hysterical... It is possible to tell more internal. The melody which reveals to the listener in thirds third of composition possesses all advantages inherent to the style of the project. In addition this melody released in the average heights a timbre that gives it additional pluses, doing sounding smoother, dense and viscous.

     

    8. When The Silence Is Speaking

     

    The starting bit is interesting enough and dynamical, but it leaves on a background already on the second minute when time has come to replace the basic tool. Development occurs slowly towards increase of a timbre of a melody and rhythm section allocation. To the middle of the track the rhythm becomes feeble and abrupt, the melody is replaced with shivering sounds on a background. Then the melody rotates in attempts to begin again. The next variation of a melody is offered here in corporate style Koan - shortly, sonorously, cyclically, is flowed round. It is dancing around soft flat beat. Finally it remains only one with little adds of reflexions and silent noises.

     

    Summary. The disk has turned out charming. From the very beginning and to last note it generates, develops and supports integral atmosphere. A little bit is a pity that I prefer little bit more light tones in music, but is assured that many listeners on advantage will estimate this album. The disk accompanies us from a gentle sunset to a quiet early dawn through fascinating, unexpectedly rich impressions of night. Koan have once again put a foot on higher step of that creative ladder. Here there are all components of successful modern musical art - progress of quality of sounding, development of the concept and atmosphere of compositions at the album, presence of original and characteristic features that allows to name this project the significant self-sufficient and integral phenomenon of a modern world chill-out scene.

  16. Hi there! We are about to reveal the truth about one of the releases by mighty studio Blue Tunes Records. The label specialize in mostly progressive sound and ususally present nice fat clubby beats to its listeners. It was started back in 2006 by two brothers Sirko & Stephan Wotanowski who are also known as Montagu & Golkonda (as djs) and Symphonix and True Lies (as two bands of different styles - prumping psyprogressive and electro/house respectively). They are also are hosts of very respective festival Tshitraka Project and we can tell much more good things about them...

     

    V.A. - Relax Mode compiled by Symphonix

     

    01 Lauge & Baba Gnohm - The Perfect Stranger

    02 Forest Effect - Unconscious Reality

    03 Erot - Lonely On A Friday Night

    04 Koan feat. Krusseldorf - Rainfall

    05 Symphonix - Drops In Your Eyes

    06 Koan - The Last Samurai

    07 Erot - Scent Of A Girl

    08 Kanc Cover feat. Koan - Cosmic Spores

    09 N.O.K. - Le Roi Est Mord, Vive Le Roi

     

    ...but lets turn to the release itself. It is made of rather unusual material for this label and has not much original name. It contents realy relaxing music that you may call generally chill-out. You should mind that it has light scent of dub and breaks within. It is not the first expirience of the label in the style alike. This february compilation "Slow Motion" hit the table so "Relax Mode" continuing this good tendency.

     

    CD starts with nice tune from Lauge & Baba Gnohm. They present here good evening track with touching minimal melodу and interesting surrounding. Its rather quiet piece of relaxing music which is perfect start for release like this. 8/10. Next one is Unconscious Reality by newcomer Forest Effect. Track starts with atmospheric noises and continues with speech sample. Not so impressive from the beginning it turns to breaks-based chill-out with sad melody played with strings. It has good synnergy with the first track but not so attractive. 7/10. Erot is the next project that appears. Lonely On A Friday Night is dusk and melancholy ambient that includes rather nice repetitive melody move but laсks somthing that can give it completness and own shram. In spite of being in good connection with previous track it is more dull and faded then others. 6/10. Then we have a very top creation of colloboration of Koan and Krusseldorf. It has all the might that needed to let it be considered as one of the best traks on the release. It has hard deep beat engine and very cool melody that comes out wave after wave from the very beginning till the end. Rainfall has enough changes and development in it to prove its high mark: 10/10.

     

    Then label's owners themselves comes with relaxed piece of music. Drops In Your Eyes is slow and solid track with huge speech sample. Seductive leisured melody starts from the beginning and then starts nice bassline. Personally I think that the second use of the sample is not necessary. All other features are cool so it is nice one: 8/10. Next one is Koan's solo track The Last Samurai and i have to say that in my eyes it is the best track of whole release. It has great melody that untwists and changes nicely. Its also has nice environment and impressive mood. Calm and sad but realy great. 10/10. Erot returns with second try on this cd. This track is more melodic and diverse then his previous. Here we have good beatbase and gentle surrounding sounds but it still needs to be improved with some details that i cant realy figure out. Something that will bring it to the new level. 7/10. Kanc Cover and Koan again are responsible for the eighth part of the release. Amorphous introduction lasts rather long time and takes almost half of a track but it did the thing: when the melody and very unusual beat comes out you have your feelings tuned well. Teasing and disquieted motif made by very special synth goes down to nowhere at the end of the track. This can be more sturated with action - too much ambient itself but the stuff that we have here is very good and track has it deserved mark 8/10. The last one is N.O.K. with bit mainstream but good enogh track with breaks and interrupted female voice sample. It is short sketch which is nice final for the release like this. 8/10

     

    All in all this cd has very nice taste and definitely positive impression. It has pair of realy mighty pieces and all the rest of high quality level sounds. Here you'll face that type of mood that i used to call evening music. Its nice to be heard somewhere at the beach in the early night or right before the sunset. Traсks mostly have melancholy scent and features indistinct dub- and breaks-oriented chill with large ambient inserts.

     

    8/10

     

    Best tracks are:

    Koan - The Last Samurai

    Koan feat. Krusseldorf - Rainfall

    Lauge & Baba Gnohm - The Perfect Stranger

     

    Where to buy:

    http://www.psyshop.com/shop/CDs/btr/btr1cd020.html

    https://www.beatport.com/en-US/html/content...8466/relax_mode

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