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freak51

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Everything posted by freak51

  1. I'll have to see it on the CD itself. My first impression is that it's delightfully hideous. I LOVE LOVE LOVED the Ultrapop cover. Very ordinary at first glance, but leaves a callback hook in the brain to look again -- and know a lasting disquiet. My girlfriend still can't look at it.
  2. I can hardly wait to play track 7 over a proper sound system with plenty of people around. The under-the-radar gossamer melody he builds out of overtones ought to blow some minds. Most won't know what's hitting them, they'll just know that they feel "different" and if they notice, that their breathing is shallow. "I feel like God is rubbing my tummy!" - Mrs. Herdicure, 'Brain Candy'
  3. Like they say above. Deep and the tinyest wee bit progressive. Headstick's best release so far. Track 5 in particular stands out. 8/10 from me.
  4. freak51

    Fuzzion - Black Magic

    Hmmmm. I can't get into a lot of this release. Fuzzion is excellent at what he does, I'm just not keen on digging up electro out of its grave yet again and polishing it off as something relevant to a post-16-bit world. He does achieve good sonic depth here, and it's not all electro. There is some ambitious IDM integration too. In particular, tracks 3 and 6 stand out. Several others have a noodly, indulgent quality that is perhaps interesting in some contexts, but hasn't really gone anywhere for me just yet. Maybe I need to listen to it from the couch or something. So, I wouldn't say it sucks, but I'm tentatively giving it 7/10 for now. It's probably worth owning on the strength of tracks 3 and 6 alone.
  5. In 'R' Voice - The Scent of Russian Dreams Somewhere between Metalogic and Kopfuss Resonator ... is In 'R' Voice. Not that it's derivative in any way, because for my money there is plenty of space to explore in this realm. In 'R' Voice doesn't produce much, but has been around for a long long time. I had a comp with an In 'R' Voice track on it, that also had a Boris Blenn track on it, from about 1995, so there you go. 1 - Inner Vision Jet Sighing, mournful guitar-driven 4/4 psy-tech with a rolling wobbly baseline, a nice busy high end, plus some tricky melodic and lysergic traces. 2 - In'R'Reality Stomping percussive hard driver with cinematic effects and subtle scratchy washboardy mids. Echoed guitar licks make a trippy melody. 3 - Fequency [sic] Fast whizzy psychedelic stormer, cold distorted robotic vocals. Just enough melodic variation in bass line to provide lift. Effective use of (long lag) reverb. I like it when they use sleigh bells for high hats. Guitars figure prominently. 4 - Synth Ethics More of the same, slightly more foggy and crooning lead melody. Breaks into game show-like theme and back again, but somehow this does not detract. 5 - Killahertz Clearer rendition of same elements: busy high hats, thick percussion, acidic rolling bassline, reverb. What else could one possibly want? 6 - Infused with the Spiral The guitar licks on this track are limpid and shivery. Oh yes, oh yes. And the beat goes on and on, occasionally skipping "seven - eight" to inhale. Towards the end, pads wash over the whole works. An achievement. 7 - Heartbreak Cafe Ponderous but precise percussion drive a 303-inspired midrange with relaxed dreamy dubby timing. A melody runs through it, too overtly European for my taste, but he comes by it honestly. What would Russians be without pathos? Canadians like me. 8 - Atomic Medicine Eager acidic stabs and relaxed pads frolic over a field of crenellated techy textures. 9 - My Mind Exists Acid touches and warm kick drum bleed into a housey understanding of rhythm. 10 - The Scent of Russian Dreams Acidic icicles melt and trickle to incoming warmer atmosphere, all over a lightly playful, syncopated percussion section. Not so much variation as perturbations on a theme. Still, this is Secret DJ Business. 9/10.
  6. hmmmmm - unfortunately, this release is doing the opposite of growing on me. It is an honest effort, but I just can't get into the outdoorsy, less-finished nordic [no pun intended] sounds so much. I'd still recommend it for mixing in with your set if Schlabbaduerst is your cup of tea. But it ends up on my personal sell-me pile. No disrespect intended.
  7. Yes yes yes. This disc is bearing up well. Tracks that did nothing for me in particular are now holding their own as superior works. E.G., the clear melody in track 3 against the descending bass backdrop, a-one/two/three; a-one/two/three, etc. The playful minimally cheesy exuberance of tracks 4 and 5 (? - the one that inexplicably uses the 'CASINO, ROYALE' smarmy barker voice sample. 9+/10 and gaining. This could be a masterpiece that I haven't fully understood yet. Recommended for everyone. You will not be disappointed in the long term.
  8. freak51

    Nerve - Channel 59

    How did I miss this release at the time? Damn! Does anyone have a copy, or know where I can buy one legitimately? Failing that, would anyone like to burn me a copy in exchange for some hand-picked rare gems straight from my collection to the bottom of your heart? I suppose I ought to describe this maxi-CD-single. It's a side-project of M.O.S., and features "No Foco", "Channel 59", and some remixes thereof. These are darkish deep bassy percussion-driven floor pleasers that have stood up tremendously over the years, and foreshadow that immense and lovely psy-tech sound of Boshke Beats. 10/10 if I could get my hands on a real copy, rather than just samples. Again, I've been unable to find a legitimate copy. I beg of you, psy freaks, please set me up with these tracks. You will not regret it!
  9. It's best for the kind of activity where you drift in and out of active/passive listening. I gave it to my massage therapist, it's wizard in that context. Or for acupuncture, for example, it'd work a treat.
  10. So far, the deepest, most mature release on Trishula. At the same time, this has the feel of Early Work - in this case it's not a minus, it just retains an underground psy-chic. What I'm trying to get at is that this release reeks of huge potential for this artist. The use of dreamy spooky melodies works well. Also, Procs displays a good understanding of the grammar of interesting percussion! I'm betting Procs has a tremendous release in him. This one is a nice way station on the road to it. 8/10, good stuff.
  11. Tasteful, understated, at times whimsical, bubbly optimistic fun stuff. It's like a well-dressed champagne toast to the new year! An inspired piece of work, for the most part. 8.5/10 - worth buying.
  12. freak51

    V/A - Idea FX

    To my ears, the secret DJ weapon is the [#2] Kali Frogs track, "Wotau". This bastard starts off with a sombre and sonorous kick-drum line that submerges into practically anything so you don't even notice it. Then the melancholy melodic touches merge in. The track then slowly exposes a fully-charged psy-tech atmosphere, without ever overstating its case. Many other Idea FX tracks are good too, of course, but for me this is the "What The Hell Was That?" track. This comp is holding up well to repeated spins.
  13. Creative and nuanced throughout. Most tracks are worthy successors of the excellent "Candy from the Strange Side" that graced 2000's 'Are You Scientific Enough?'. I approve! 8.5/10.
  14. Fuerstenberg is consistently solid. "T-Shape" is probably my favourite track of his. It's the one with the distorted vocal sample that I wouldn't swear, but would make a good guess, it's the "They created their own society" sample that X-Dream used way back on "they created their own happiness" (1997), which raised the bar for psy-trance back in the days, and even now never fails to give me a good shivery nostalgic grin. Check out the realaudio and textone net labels too. If you like it dubby, rhythm & sound releases are must-haves. Deadbeat's 'wild life documentaries' release (2003, ~scape) is also very good. Obviously, old basic channel releases are compulsory for your collection. They are pure.
  15. freak51

    Jaïa - Fiction

    ... months later, sadly, I'm not finding that this holds up to repeated spins. It's probably my anti-prog bias more than the record itself. It's sounding more and more like Son Of Pet Shop Boys bombast to me. This will end up in the giveaway pile very soon. Pity - I had wanted to like it, but it keeps making me roll my eyes.
  16. hmmmm - pretty typical Cologne-ish techno these days. Not that there's anything wrong with that, it's all right. If you enjoy this, you must check out Robag Whrume and Maetrik. Also, Peter Spiess on the very good textone net label. For this disc, it's a capable 7.5/10 from me.
  17. freak51

    V/A - Idea FX

    Excellent review, above. This comp is varied and interesting, with plenty of tremendous tracks, so there's bound to be one that will scratch whatever itch you've got. The "Vibraphone" remix can take your breath away. Weird Walker needs to produce an LP - their vision is top-notch, the production is meticulous and once again this track is useful in all kinds of situations from house-party to house-painting. Because none of this devolves into a pointless Siberian noisemaking gulag, I give it 9/10: the best Horns & Hoofs comp so far.
  18. Finally I remember what that dirty washy guitar reminds me of. Battling Tops! Just as one is spiralling down and its top is bouncing off the arena.
  19. Three Point Turn : Explicit (Hadshot) 1 - Make No Mistake 2 - Welcome To The Deep End 3 - Committed 4 - Around Zero 5 - Thriller 6 - On The Edge 7 - In And Out 8 - Pere Lachaise 9 - Train Wreck 10- Green And Blue Years later, this disc still stands out, track by track or as one long kickass Mission. If I kept notes of how often I listened to this or that release, this would be by far and away the most-played-in-2005 release from 2002. It is supreme for drowning out crosstalk and for getting the job done, whatever it may be. This is probably what bike couriers should have going through their heads, all the time.
  20. The record is a timeless classic work. 10/10, an all-time favourite. There are so many edits of the movie though, that you may need to loop it to fit. Much of the footage was destroyed in a fire, the various remakes are takes on what Lang might have intended.
  21. This album exists as topic 25190 of year 2005. Cheers Stephen
  22. freak51

    Jaïa - Fiction

    Yep, prog fanboys are tuff ! But smooth and all kind of maudlin waif-y same-ish.
  23. This release faithfully builds on the vibe of older Goa Trance influences. Its twists and morphs relentlessly lift your smile, arse and mind ever higher. 9/10 and highly recommended if you still enjoy the "Trance" in psy-trance. If you're waiting for monster percussion and techy trickiness, though, probably stay away.
  24. No secret, I'm no fan of anything but the highest-quality progressive influence (e.g., Vibrasphere, Son Kite, Jaia). And I've only heard the samples. But they are very promising! Proggy fans will need this release. It's top-drawer. Phony Orphants (Bony Orphans, wasn't, in the before-time, on Flying Rhino?) have been around a long time, they are serious professionals putting in a proper effort to get the sound they want. This is their best work so far.
  25. It's mostly kind of same-y, but lordy does this release rock. Moody, percussive and psychedelic. Minor floaty melodies weave in and out as background, but the real activity is in the morphing scratchy noise. Until you forget about the melody, then realize it's gently nudging your mind over the freakout line and putting the shoulder in if you try and cross back. And plenty of kick-drum to go around. Tracks 8 and 9 get more overtly melodic, but not overly fluffy. 8.5/10, I like it.
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