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bomble

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    Digital Mystery Tour - Digital Mystery Tour

    in 2001

    Posted

    I certainly wasn't saying this was bad ... if it had been an entirely new

    artist debut I would have been more positive - it's just that I had really

    high expectations and they weren't quite met. This is good, but 2001 has

    brought a lot of better chillout releases....

     

    bomble

    Matt Coldrick in the funniest places...

    in Music Making and Production/Industry

    Posted

    I know that he's got a very musically diverse past, but I was amused to see that an ex-GreenNun should be doing the music for an ITV (UK television channel) programme calles 'A Farmer Wants a Wife'. It's about a lonely-hearts scheme for farmers, and the music is totally appropriate ... i.e as far from psychedelic as you could imagine !

     

    Nice one Matt ... I suppose you sent ITV rock bitch mafia, and they said 'ooh we must have him on our countryside broadcast'

     

     

    bomble

    Digital Mystery Tour - Digital Mystery Tour

    in 2001

    Posted

    Digital Mystery Tour - Digital Mystery Tour

     

    Artist: Digital Mystery Tour

    Title: Digital Mystery Tour

    Label: Twisted

    Date: 2001

     

    Track listing:

     

    01. 07'21" 010 Seti 101

    02. 11'03" Chilam Balam

    03. 06'51" Smokemon (Chiluemon Mix)

    04. 06'58" The Blooming (Change Mix)

    05. 07'46" Nadeshiko's Dream

    06. 07'26" Run Time

    07. 05'53" Mass

    08. 05'32" Saute Mouton Syndrome

     

    Review:

     

    I would have to say that I am slightly disappointed by this release. That is

    not to say that it is bad or unenjoyable - it's just that I expected more

    from a veteran such as Stephane Holweck (one half of Total Eclipse) who is

    behind this album, and with the help of members of Toires, it could have

    been a masterpiece. In fact, it is a beautifully produced, tight and

    relaxing hour of chillout ... but, in the main, it lacks the vibrancy or

    passion that was synonymous with the Total Eclipse sound. I would have to

    say that I am enjoying this more with each listen, so I am still prepared to

    recommend this to people who already have a good stock of chillout - it

    represents a new angle - but I would also say that if you don't collect many

    chillout albums then there are others out there that would be a better

    choice (e.g. Mana Medicine, Nada Masala 2, Floatation...)

    Several of the tunes were created by web collaboration - I think that the

    artists (Stephane + guest) sent eachother successive refinements. This does

    make for a unique sound, but perhaps lacks the spontaneity this album needed

    to make it really great. In my opinion, a melody never hurts in a chillout

    track- and there aren't many memorable ones here.

    So to the tunes ...

    010 Seti 101 is one of the web tunes collaborating with Michio Baba - an

    electronic music teacher from Japan - and it's a quiet and slow start to

    the album. Chilam Balam is the second web tune with Michio, and to me much

    more interesting than the first - again slow beginnings, but this track

    gradually evolves to become funky with a sharp bassline and almost a melody.

    Smokemon is warmer and richer than the tunes before - a melancholy string

    line and slow tribal beats with swirling synths. Florien Seriot adds the

    Toires sound Pretty nice actually, though it does sound a little like a

    new-age tune with tweakings. The Blooming is a bit more 'classic' in the

    sense that it follows a tried and tested chillout formula - actually it's

    not one of my favourites.

    Nadeshiko's dream has Loic Vanpoucke on board, so it's really Total Eclipse

    minus Serge Souque. It does sound the most 'eclipsey' of the pack - anyone

    who knows the chillout disc of violent relaxation will know the format.

    There's a sweet little melody that tries to push its way in at the end.

    Runtime has a heavy bassline but doesn't really do very much.

    Mass is my current favourite tune of this release - a loose melody leads

    into a slightly breaking bassline and some subtle psychedelic noising,

    building in intensity throughout. The melody persists, and I find this track

    very playable.

    The album closes with 'Saute Mouton' Syndrome - a very delicate tune -

    almost beatless and intricately noised - perhaps good to fall asleep to !

    So - essentially a background music album which won't jump into your

    consciousness too often, but is still intricate enough to listen to

    carefully.

    6/10

    V/A - Mana Medicine

    in 2001

    Posted

    V/A - Mana Medicine

     

    Artist: Various

    Title: Mana Medicine

    Label: Dragonfly

    Date: 2001

     

    Track listing:

     

    01. 09'05" Jairamji : Elephant Waltz

    02. 06'21" Zen Lemonade : Ashanti

    03. 05'19" Angel Tears : Ishka

    04. 07'28" Ott : Escape From Tulse Hill

    05. 07'09" Tripswitch : Shamanic Tea

    06. 07'46" Grey : Beard Aushadhi

    07. 05'59" Noodreem : Cosmic Jam

    08. 08'01" Drift : Infusion

    09. 10'09" Lisa Walker : Orcadrift (Turtle Dub Rmx)

    10. 05'16" Angel Tears : D'Marot Malach

     

    Review:

     

    Every now and then someone makes an album out of a compilation. I'm sure you

    have all experienced what I mean - it's as if all the artists sat down

    around a campfire, looked up at the stars and went away to the studio with

    the same inspiration. I suspect what this actually boils down to is that the

    compiler had a very clear idea of what sort of sound to create. In any case,

    Mana Medicine is an example of a compilation held together by common

    threads. And what a beautiful tapestry it is too !

    The theme throughout is sophisticated, gentle hooks placed carefully in a

    soundscape of natural rhythms and earthy ethnic sounds. This is neither the

    mindbending psychoactive style of say Shpongle, nor the deeply mystical

    style of the Yeti albums or Padmasana/Makyo but more in the freestyle spirit

    of Twisted's Backroom Beats. Very very compelling stuff.

    The Jairamji track opens with forest atmosphere and develops with a delicacy

    and warmth that anyone who heard them in their previous guise as Swivel

    Pigeon would recognise. The tune grows to a splendid culmination of guitars

    and breaks - yum! Zen Lemonade immediately take the rhythms deep and clear -

    the kind of tune you find yourself swaying to when you're sitting in the

    chillspace. Angel Tears (aka Seb Taylor aka Shakta/Digitalis/Somaton) opens

    with strings and a toe-thumping bassline leading to a sublime vocal line and

    loose Hispanic guitar. Is this man one of the most versatile producers in

    Britain today ? I'd say so !

    Ott's tune is - if I have to choose one - a highlight. Dub filled, deep,

    intricate, tuneful and oh so cool! Plus plenty of psychedelic noising to

    fire up the cortex - this is really a joyful journey from start to end.

    Tripswitch take us into far off realms with a tribal bassline and a very

    catchy electronic melody spiced with Indian vocals.

    Greybeard (cowritten by the compiler, Humphrey, and Lawrence) pull out a gem

    of highly unusual sounds and rich samples carried on a spacey bass. The tune

    evolves in its own time and is nicely elevated by some really tasty guitar

    playing and, of course, our old friend Terence.

    Noodreem continue the organic tribal feel set down before them, and add a

    light-hearted and well placed electronic melody. Drift (aka Adham Shaikh

    from Ekko) delivers a typically laid-back blissful tune. It doesn't have

    quite the emotive power of his 'Arc en ciel', but it's still great to get

    more of his tunes out in the open. Lisa Walker's addition is also delivered

    in a totally laid back position - piano and other classical instruments

    sneak in wonderfully.

    Angel Tears finishes with another guitar jam and their quintessential

    floating vocals. Rich in emotion, skilled and just generally lovely - a

    perfect sensual ending.

    I know I've probably said far too much about this album already, and of

    course the best thing to do is to just buy the thing and find out for

    yourself, but Mana Medicine just goes on to confirm L.S.D's position as one

    of the leading downtempo labels. And showing that there are a lot of artists

    out there who know how to do this kind of thing when they are given an

    outlet.

    8/10

    V/A - Mana Medicine

    in 2001

    Posted

    I would agree that it's better than Backroom beats in so far as the tunes are

    more consistently good - I was more drawing comparison to the style chosen

    rather than to the absolute quality...

    sorry if I didn't make myself clear..

    V/A - 9 Pills

    in 2001

    Posted

    I haven't heard this comp yet ... but I find the above review a little

    strange....as I interpret, Sanpietro, you did not like track 2 and you

    describe track 4 as boring - yet you opened with the comment 'Everything is

    perfect for me here' and end with 'simply excellent'. I would love to hear

    this, as it has obviously scrambled your mind delightfully !!

    V/A - Nada Masala 1

    in 2000

    Posted

    Actually I think that this was where those two tracks were released first !

    Certainly this came out before the Yakshini album with Tantrika on it, and

    also before the Fahrenheit comp with L'ivresse... though that isn't to say

    that these tunes weren't released elsewhere...

    Makyo - Yakshini

    in 2001

    Posted

    This album is amongst the best stuff Makyo has produced (though his Padmasana

    album still hold the trophy for me). I have only heard this on mp3 so far

    (very rare for me as I don't listen to mp3 much) but I shall be purchasing as

    soon as someone in England supplies it.

     

    Conno - you say you haven't heard of anything else by Makyo - but I have

    reviewed two albums on this site already ! (Vismaya and NadaMasala).... Dakini

    is a very special label and always worth checking out for chillout material.

     

    bomble

    V/A - Fahrenheit Project 1

    in 2000

    Posted

    V/A - Fahrenheit Project 1

     

    Posted Image

     

    Artist: Various

    Title: Fahrenheit Project 1

    Label: Ultimae

    Date: 2000

     

    Track listing:

     

    01. 01'25" Atoi : Mystery School - Devotion (Intro)

    02. 06'27" Jaia : L'Ivresse Des Profondeurs

    03. 07'39" Asura : Amber Rain

    04. 07'31" Toires : Lâalam

    05. 07'12" Asura : They Will Come

    06. 05'11" Hol Baumann : Another

    07. 06'42" Solar Fields : Outlined Surfaces

    08. 05'34" Chi-ad : Slide (Limited Version)

    09. 07'19" Disortion Orchestra : Fire Maiden

    10. 06'01" Aes Dana : Skyclad (High Frequencies Version)

    11. 03'58" Mystical Sun : In The Sky

    12. 07'10" Craig Padilla : Beyond Beta (Original Mix)

    13. 03'58" True Frequencies : New Indigenous Religion

    14. 01'14" Atoi : Mystery School - Devotion (Extract)

     

    Review:

     

    This is the second album cd release from the French label Infinium - and I

    shall certainly be keeping an ear on them in future! This is what French

    chilled trance is all about from my perspective - lushous gentle midrange,

    slow but noticeable beats, catchy simple melodies in all the right places

    and basically a wonderful downtempo trip. This is not the most psychedelic

    of albums, but it is delicate and well thought out - the tunes drift into

    one another seemlessly and the gradual pace changes come all in the right

    places for an 80 minute session of smiles and daydreaming.

     

    The album intro is brief, leading into the marvelous Jaia 'l'ivresse..' tune

    that has appeared already on another of 2000's best chillout releases - Nada

    Masala vol.1. This is a real treat if you haven't heard it. Then comes the

    first of Asura/Asura-members's many contributions to the melting pot - slow

    and gradually taking your mind towards a well delivered melody. Toires ups

    the beat frequency a little while staying down deep and mysterious. The

    second Asura tune is a total delight - perhaps the best I've heard from

    them. Rich and beautifully detailed. One of this compilations many

    highlights.

     

    Hol Baumann turns up the grit a little with a growly guitar riff and deep

    beats, leading into Solar fields playful acid-funk number. This gives way to

    Chi-ads excellent dub-driven Slide and on to Distortion Orchestra with their

    spacey synths. Aes Dana is one part of Asura, and there's no surprise how

    this sounds. Bamboo flutes and deep, slow Transwave-styled beats all the

    way.

     

    The Mystical Sun is a short tribal excursion - but to me the sample sounds

    just slightly tinny and noisy - a short lapse in otherwise great production.

    Craig Padilla's tune is soft, synthy and beatless - a bit less interesting

    to me, but not dreadful. Then comes True Frequencies with their Leary

    samples and piano feast, ending with another ATOI extract.

     

    Clearly the intention was to really wind the pace down towards the end of

    the album, which works well, though I feel that the last tunes hold fewer

    treats than the first two thirds of the compilation. Otherwise superb.

     

    8/10

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