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abasio

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Everything posted by abasio

  1. Just given this a quick once over & I like what I have heard so far. It sounds like a perfect progression from the first album. It still has that great story like atmosphere with nice contemporary touches and is pretty dark without ever being dark psy if you know what I mean. It is very different from Nighttime lullabies though, more chaotic, more in fitting with Timecode (which is a compliment:)). I hope to write down some longer thoughts soon!
  2. Artist: (val)Liam Title: Daydreamer Label: Celestial Dragon Records Released: 8th April 2009 Style: Downbeat/Ambient Tracklist 1. Gaia (7:54) 2. Happy Accidents (10:03) 3. Freefall (7:02) 4. Earth (5:23) 5. Somewhere Not Here (5:26) 6. Lotus Dancing (6:54) 7. The Mystic (9:13) 8. Solace (7:57) 9. In Samsara (6:10) 10. Daydreamer (7:12) (val)Liam, Liam Skogland from Canada is out with his first physical album release on Celestial Dragon Records. Having previously had 2 tracks on VA - Intermittent Memories which for me were both standouts on that compilation I was very excited when I heard of this release. I was hoping that Celestial Dragon were releasing something to rival last year’s Distant System – Spiral Empire and while this is very different concerning the style and atmosphere it really compares well when talking about quality. From start to finish this album uses lush sounds that are light, melodic and bubbly. The whole album has a fresh late spring or early summer feel and I think that this will be one album I will be playing a lot this summer. This album fills me with an expectation that the summer is going to be a great one & it is making me glad that I have decided to move out of the city & near the beach. I really like how (val)Liam has used a lot of acoustic sounds & blended them with some oldschool Goa Ambient atmospheres. The piano, guitar and bass add some really nice natural flavours but for me it is the clean tribal beats that sound like they are being played with hollowed out tubes of bamboo banging against each other that really make this magical. The sound to the entire album is incredibly clean & although it is unmistakably electronic the atmosphere created is so natural & acoustic. Gaia (T1) is a perfect example of this as I can feel the wind through my hair, the birds in the trees and the water lapping at my feet although none of these sounds are actually used. The first 3 tracks are quite beat orientated sounding like fresh oldschool Goa similar to some of the ambient CDs on the Global Psychedelic Trance compilations. The next 6 are much more ambient with very few beats if any & feeling so very chilled out. Earth (T4), Somewhere Not Here (T5) & Lotus Dancing (T6) sound like they could be on Ishq’s album Orchid with pristine sounds, trippy atmospheres & a touch of the ethereal. Although I make this comparison I never get the feeling that (val)Liam is copying Ishq as these tracks have a flavour all of their own. The Mystic (T7) feels like it could be on The Mystery Of The Yeti with some very Himalayan sounds. It is the only track that starts cold but it gets warmer as it progresses like we are coming down a mountain from the area of permanent snow to a rain forest at the base. The next two tracks are blissful tracks made for relaxing and forgetting about busy stressful lives. The final track Daydreamer sees a return to beat orientated psychill from the opening trio and with its nice beach party atmosphere it seems perfectly placed to make me want to start the album again, which I have done time & time again. Recommendation: This album is a must for any fan of chillout, ambient or downbeat. With such a clean natural feel this album would be great for warm summer days in the park or at the beach, or just chilling out at home. This is great if you want a fresh touch on some oldschool ambient atmospheres. It is trippy, detailed and so very relaxing in the middle. Favourites: All Up to here, originally published on http://www.isratrance.com Track By Track Analysis 1. Gaia Gaia starts of with some lush summery vibes, sounds twinkle like light reflecting of a lake and some acoustic bass tones sound a little like a summer afternoon by the lake with a guitar, some beer & not much to do. As the music tries to become more intense it feels to me like the Earth is speaking to me, the wind through my hair, the birds in the trees and the water lapping at my feet. Although non of these sounds are used I still get the feeling they are there and when the beat kicks in I feel as if I am standing on the shore with the lake behind me looking for miles over the lush green landscape. All the sounds are bright and warm. It is a perfect track for spring or summer. Listen to it outside on a warm sunny day & it will set the mood for the rest of the album. 2. Happy Accidents Lush sounds accompany high piano notes at the start of this one creating a floating feeling while still being anchored by gravity. It’s like floating high above the Earth without the possibility of escaping the pull of the Earth & flying off into space. The piano counters the floatiness of the other sounds. It takes a while for it to evolve into anything other than floaty goodness but when the lush bamboo sounding tribal beat comes in it is worth the wait. Such a lovely clean sound to the beats and as they fade & the more shuffley beats become more prominent I am left with a sense of omnipresence over the world, seeing all lives at once from the mightiest of kings to the lowliest of insects knowing all are equal & beautiful. This is a real feel good track filled with happy notes, nice piano & wonderful beats. 3. Freefall Freefall picks up the pace a little more now with some nice chilled break beats but while still keeping the overall atmosphere created by the opening two tracks. Once again all the sounds are bright happy sounds, not a hint of darkness in their. The melodies here seem a little more involved & structured than before as is the whole track with breakdowns, beats kicking back in with out the melodies, slowly bringing in bass, then more sounds & the melodies returning. This for me really puts me in mind of some old school Goa Ambient but with a nice modern flavour and the sweet summer vibe of a Daydreamer as he gazes up to the sky watching the shapes that the clouds make high above. 4. Earth The pace comes right down to Earth with Earth. No beats in the first half just light sounds wafting through the air like they are being carried on a soft breeze and when beats do gradually appear they are sparse beats that sound like hollow wood being hit by more hollow wood and echoing around a forest clearing. All the sounds again are pristine; I can imagine these sounds being used on the road to whatever Paradise is natural, bright and so very summery. 5. Somewhere Not Here Right from the start of this track I get goosebumps all over the upper part of my body. There is something about the intro with its deep but subtle rumbling bass & sharp light sounds like alien wildlife that just sends a lush chill down my spine. This is definitely the most ambient of the tracks so far with no hint of rhythm & would fit in quite well with a lot of Ishq tracks, for me this goes well will the album Orchid but manages to not sound like it is copying but more like a complimentary track with its own distinct flavour. 6. Lotus Dancing The intro is a sublime oscillating sound with some surprisingly dark bass and a lot of sharp acidic synth sounds. The result is surprisingly warm despite the dark bass and it has the feeling of a warm summer evening after the sun has gone down but the heat of the day is still warming the surroundings. Another very ambient track without any beats but the oscillations create a subtle rhythm that fits very well with the melody that gets stronger & stronger and seems to shift through from the left side of my head to the right and back again. It is very trippy stuff once again, a little like Ishq – Orchid but with a more ethereal feel to it by (very) subtle vocals that I am not even sure are real or just in my own head! Great Stuff. 7. The Mystic This is a track that really lives up to its name. A very mystical track with hint of Himalayan sounds and melodies & at times it feels like I am listening to an extension of the Mystery Of The Yeti. The strange Himalayan instrument used in those great albums is also used here, I have no idea what it is called or even how it is played, to be honest I don’t really know if it is a Himalayan instrument but I get that vibe from it. In the second half the atmosphere changes like it is floating down the river through warmer climes, through rain forests and passed ruins of ancient civilisations. The longer the track goes, the closer it gets to the warm feeling of the other tracks like we were dumped in the mountains but found our way home. 8. Solace Although the atmosphere & many of the sounds used in this track are very similar to the other tracks it still manages to have a life & character all of its own. The use of acoustic guitar more prominently in this track adds a kind of Riviera feel to the music like I am sat outside a restaurant by the sea listening to a local play nothing as I drink with my friends & chat about trivial matters. It is another ambient track lacking in beats and gives me a sense of beautiful freedom. It is the freedom from a stressful urban life, free from the rat race of life & free from worries, very much like a holiday in the sun. 9. In Samsara This track is more orientated around the piano than previous tracks with the notes really coming to the forefront and the other sounds fading into the background more. When the piano stops it feels like the other sounds are rushing around in a calm collected manner around me like leaves caught in a very tame hurricane, spinning around and around but with me at the eye not experiencing any of the stress. All there is, is calm movement & when the piano comes in it is like everything stops & falls to the floor as if in respect for the melody. 10. Daydreamer The final track & the title track is a return to a beat led track with all the summer vibes of the opening tracks with the rhythm that would let it be played at a beach party. It seems a little strange to have another beat orientated track at the end, after so many much more ambient ones but seeing as this possesses the same atmosphere from the rest of the album it seems natural when listening to the album as a whole. With the more upbeat nature it is a track that seems designed to make the listener want to repeat the album and with all of these beautiful sounds and lush melodies it is something I see a lot of people (myself included) doing time & time again.
  3. Artist: Various Title: Tribal Matrix 2 Label: Dakini Records Released: 1st March 2009 Tracklist 1. Makyo – Malfouf (3:43) 2. Omar Faruk Tekbilek – Toros (Kaya Project Remix) (5:54) 3. Jef Stott – Junjara (5:45) 4. Drumspyder – Dunanwi (5:06) 5. Omar Faruk Tekbilek – Dulger (Greg Hunter Remix) (5:46) 6. Rain In Eden – Rumi (5:06) 7. Taichi Masuda – Butcha Bassment (4:33) 8. Taal Fiza – Infospehere (3:38) 9. Makyo – Parandeh (5:25) 10. Drumspyder – Kalypso (4:16) 11. Rain In Eden – Haqiqa (6:24) 12. Dubsahara – Zentropy (7:11) 13. Adham Shaikh – Kundalini Fuel (13:29) Tribal Matrix 2 is basically Dakini doing what Dakini do best, 13 delicious tracks that sound naturally ethnic not forced or sample ridden like a lot of Psychill has become. Bouncing back after what I thought was quite a disappointing album in Lumin – Ketri, Tribal Matrix 2 is better than the first Tribal Matrix and on par with the great Nada Masala compilations. Yes the Sky Dancers are back on form, listening to this compilation is like being transported to exotic lands, being amused in lavish palaces full of gold and people dressed in colourful attire made for entertainment. In many of the tracks I can picture the two ladies on the front cover dancing in the centre of the room and a host of people eating, drinking, mingling and being merry. In others I can picture myself outside in a hot country but away from the city so the heat is comfortable rather than stifling, sitting next to a lake on the seashore dancing under the stars with your best friends that you have just met & will never see again. The whole compilation just feels free, imagine the feeling you get when you have just finished school, you don’t plan to get a job for another year & you have saved enough money to just go travelling round the world. You visit wonderful places with no pressure to move on quickly but just to enjoy yourself. It’s a wonderful feeling & one I am glad to get back just by putting on a CD. Makyo provides 2 tracks for this compilation and you know with Makyo you are going to get some high quality vibes but even I was surprised by how good these tracks are Malouf is a wonderful mood setter at the beginning of the album while Parandeh is an extremely trippy track with a lot of layers and instruments, short vocals that come in sharply & fade out ethereally. Jef Stott gives us an absolutely amazing track with Junjura. The rhythms, melodies and the multitude of acoustic instruments (the lute is particularly nice) blend wonderfully into a very energetic, feel good chillout tune. Drumspyder also has two tracks on this compilation with strong beats and more of an electronic sound but they still keep the lovely natural flavour of the rest of the album. These tracks have really got me anticipating a Drumpsyder album. Rain In Eden – Rumi is a nice 5 minute track that starts of pretty chilled but builds in intensity throughout until it feels like a large group of musicians jamming in harmony under a clear starry night. Haqiqa feels like a very welcome encore. Finishing with an Adham Shaikh track with additional help from Ishq should be mandatory for the rest of the series (please let there be more) as it is such a beautiful soft comedown with lush beats, melodies and an atmosphere that soothes my mind. Brilliant stuff. Recommendation: For Dakini fans and anyone who is a fan of ethnic music this is a must have. People who used to like ethnic psychill but who got bored with everything sounding the same or just sounding fake and plastic could really have their love of the ethnic music return by listening to this wonderful, natural music from ‘She who traverses the sky’ Favourites: 1,3,4,6,9,10,11,13 Originally Published on http://www.isratrance.com
  4. abasio

    Stalker

    Niiiiice!!!
  5. Yello - You Gotta Say Yes To Another Excess (Orb Extended Remix)
  6. abasio

    Stalker

    IMDB recommends to watch The Incredibles if you liked Stalker? Are these movies quite similar? Edit: Is this the stalker that Robert Rich & B. Lustmord - Stalker was based on?
  7. Solar Quest - Requiem For A Lily
  8. Those are nowhere near as bad as some we've had in this thread
  9. At least it has the Isratrance colours
  10. Cheers I started that mix with one idea but changed it after I started and ended up with Infinite Horizons
  11. Hell Yeah!!!
  12. Solar Quest - Flying Spirals
  13. Looks nice Well, I like it but then I would Click the picture by the way to download the set
  14. Nunc Stans - The Palm At The End Of The Mind as it is finishing a spacey ambient set but has a more earthy tone I think the perfect place would be floating in a huge dust cloud in the outer reaches of the solar system but slowly making its way towards Earth.
  15. Seeing as it was voted number 11 on the list of top 2008 releases here it doesn't really look as if no-one has heard of them
  16. Also check out my ambient set for those early morning times after the party Infinite Horizons
  17. Not into your ethnic stuff?
  18. I think that's what happens when your computer doesn't have the alphabet loaded onto it. I think when I wrote Japanese it turned out similar for some others?
  19. Maybe it's how much you should be making
  20. Really? I liked it a lot
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