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Squaremeat - Astronomical Coffee Break [Exogenic]


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Squaremeat – Astronomical Coffee Break [Exogenic]

 

Tracklist :

 

1. Platypus

2. Liukutaklaus

3. Front Side Rock’n’Roll

4. Static Traffic

5. Evaporator

6. 2 2 Tango

7. Shinkansen Rmx

8. Pure Caffein

9. Go Away

10. Queen Of The Night

 

Squaremeat (Pepe Kosminen & Françoise Faggot) delivers with Astronomical Coffee Break their 4th album : a journey into finnish funky psytrance.

 

1 Platypus opens on a groovy bassline embellished with an imitative bird singing synth. There are weird grunt samples around 1’10. Then it’s time for the metallic synth to happear, followed soon by a funky bass. The tune evolves shortly through a quick hacked fx part. You’ll notice too discret percussions in the rythmic background , some strident tones for a swift break at 4’50 & also an etheral lead (from 5‘15)which brings more depth in the harmonic sound contrast. Last remark, the tune gets more psychedelic, twisted through sounds on the end after 6’15. Personnally, i wouldn’t have placed it in first position, it would have been resulted better if situated in the middle/second half part, in order not to begin with something too much mental according to me for a start; but of course we can listen the album in a random order if we prefer.

 

2 Liukutaklaus goes directly into punchy & energic horizons with an uncontrollable funky bassline, coppled with a special pushed rythmic environment : sharpy metallic hithat’s profusion & euphoric high claps. From 3’07 percussions start to resonnate, few later on some bleeps make their appearance. You’ve got a sympathic practical joke ghost atmosphere with the melody from 5’10, with a echo-ping pong effect trick based on 2 leads on it that takes you up to the end. This one results matching much more my taste compared to the previous one.

 

3 In Front Side Ronck’n’Roll , the first evident impress you’ll feel is how warm & deep is the bassline. The second one, funny this time is a little birdy whirling sound kinda canary indeed. At 1’34 a typical funkadelic lead takes you away accompanied by the bleepy singing canary sound that remains contrarily to the funkadelic lead. Actually it is replaced from 2’20 by a completly distorted devasted lead, and then this last one at its turn by a pretty climbing effect on a waving layer (from 2’45) , at its turn again replaced by a funkadelic guitar riffs trying to imitate the canary bleep (from 3‘12). At 4’32 the bassline changes into a more grumeling way, like if it was wanting to become more serious but it’s without counting onthe mischievous canary bleep which is still active.

At 5’33 an unexpectd good & funny tumbling down break occurs & I’m afraid that this canary finally succeeded in escaping from his cage for rediscovering freedom just after this, with an evident unconceal pleasure (6’36).

A very entertaining & funny tune to listen.

 

4 Static Traffic is, at first, about a very nervous atmosphere based on an hacked, angry repetitive synth at 0’30. Then at the minute a more classic funkadelic tone comes. After there’s a focus on the rythmic , a new lead arrives but i don’t like it (sort of dark psyfunky atmosphere was probably wished to be create). This part doesn’t catch me though, too long. At 4’20, things back to normal for my eardrums with a more classic trancey funkadelic surroundings but it doesn’t last a long time as at 5’40 we come back a bit to this attempt of darker psyfunk previously mentionned. But that’s not finished, the final cut is particularly raw consequently awful to me.

I really think Squaremeat could have put additionnal efforts on this one, dissapointing ; probably with a remix something decent could come out from this tune.

 

5 Kinda electric oscillation in guise of backsynth is present in Evaporator all along, amplified & multilayered at 2’20. You can add 303 lines from 1’30 too in the ingredients, as same as a global rocking atmosphere & some softly muted electric guitar tense/dry riffs from 0’35 & appearing at several others occasions during the tune. After 5’00 it’s time for a weirdo climax rupture with little raving sounds & a short very klonk sample nearly understandable but so freaky.The whole thing obviously, is sustained by a funkadelic groove, quite fat.

 

6 Squaremeat keep going with loud tones here in 2 2 Tango indeed we’got here a latin rythmic but not Tango. At 2’17 a luminous,sparkling organ arrives & delivers a will-o’-the wisp melody. Then at 2’45 soft indus & robotic tones are intregrated in the background.

From 4’15 you can feel some E.B.M influences, more rigity through sounds & pachydermic atmosphere. 6’35 the tune pushes a step forward into a robotic-funky feeling.

 

7 Nice sweet happy carillon as intro, that obligatory puts you in a good mood. Otherwise Shinkansen Rmx is a step higher in psychedelism compared the other tracks, very trippy with a bouncing bass, synths that remind Texas Faggot’s work. The tones here are rougher, more unpolished. The funky spirit is still present but more discret & difficult to catch ; furthermore the harmony is more agressive than the global album content with the use of many acid, shrill sounds. Nevertheless it’s not a bad tune, at contrary it permits to offer a diversity in the album which is welcome.

 

8 Pure Caffein is one of the gem in the album thanks to a nice floating flute melody that confers also a goa touch to the track. The tones employed are very enlightened, quite psychedelic, energizing and at the same time very relaxing. The whole thing delivers a lightness impress. Definitivly it’s a very good & interesting musical construction.

 

9 Go Away is different with a fat groove plus percussions sounding a bit housey & kinda weird jungle cries samples all along like at 2’25. From 5’25 some more twisted sounds are appearing & the harmony starts to be much layered conferring an hypnotic touch to the groove. With Squaremeat you can expect at a moment things to get funky, that’s what happen at 6’33. At 9’00 an additionnal lead is incorporated to the already very rich sound texture of the tune, more goaish but it also announces a soon finish.

 

10 For Queen Of The Night you have effective metallic funky guitar riffs from 1’10 from which you can’t resist at least to move if not dancing, a muffled organ speechless at 1’48, a mewing synth at 2’25 typical from funkadelic and then elements will intermix together and of course some voice samples that are repeated several times among them the weird ‘you got milk’, of course ‘Queen of the night’. It’s a positive, happy disco-funk trancey tune that ends the album.

 

Climaxs :3,5,8,10

Alernative choices :6,7,9

Mention to the inventilvely raving artwork cover.

Last but not least don’t forget that the cd gives you also the opportunity with a link of downloading 8 bonus tracks.

 

You like finnish psytrance? you like funky influences?

if you got 2 yes, you're ready to spend an Astronomical Coffe Break with Squaremeat.

 

8/10

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  • 2 weeks later...

woow, what a great surprise, probably one of the best cds this year, funky, very psychedelic, lots of layers and melodies! 9/10! Best track for me Shinkansen Rmx... But no trace of bonus tracks? Altough I have the original cd... How to get them? :)

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I just discoverd this one...

 

very nice indeed...

 

those finnnish tunes, brand new for me

(I'm unmotivated keeping all new releases with the fullon hype newdays so I'm a bit late)

 

very great... like this a lot.... :)

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  • 2 weeks later...

front cover (sorry the covers are a little cut at the top):

Posted Image

back cover:

Posted Image

 

Squaremeat – Astronomical Coffee Break, Exogenic Records, 2005

 

Tracklist :

 

01. Platypus

02. Liukutaklaus

03. Front Side Rock’n’Roll

04. Static Traffic

05. Evaporator

06. 2 2 Tango

07. Shinkansen Rmx

08. Pure Caffein

09. Go Away

10. Queen Of The Night

the CD contains also a link to 8 bonus download tracks.

 

this album features an uber psychedelic cover art by Flowering Nose. it makes this CD a must-have collection item. it's a very good album cover, beautiful i'd say.

 

first i was told that finnish psy will give me a headache. NOPE, it wasn't like that at all. hahaha :)

Squaremeat - Astronomical Coffee Break <--- what a nice surprise for me!

 

ok guys, prepare yourself for this album, because you will not be able to stop your body from moving on this one.

i will classify this album as "makes your brain move its ass".

 

i have talked to some friends, they all say "this album rocks, i can hardly sit down while listening to it, but i don't know in which music style to classify it". cool! because it has a lot to offer and this can only mean that it's different than anything you people heard so far this year.

 

this album SCREAMS psychedelic, energy, life and dance! it has a very good bass line, a very wicked beat, specific to Squaremeat. it is fast, but very accessible. it is very psychedelic, but not the "cutting-edge" kind of psy, it is also dark, but it will not go in the "dark psy" cathegory. it's a real challenge for your brain. psychedelic positive i say!

it has also old school elements, funky elements, several melodic parts per song, a lot of variety and, i must say, also humor. it's not the old school "uplifting" kind of melodies, it's the psychedelic kind. i love it. it's a real challenge.

the album starts with a very powerfull track, and keeps it on about the same line, full of variety of sounds that bind together in a really good production. it will keep your body and your brain on a high energy level.

 

this album is in my "top 10 best releases of 2005". it's what i call a "smart" release, thus a must-have album. i am pretty sure many of you will agree with me, more or less.

 

all tracks are good. my favourite tracks are 1, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10.

 

links:

Exogenic Records

Saiko sounds

Chaos Unlimited

Psyshop

Juno

Ajuca Productions

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  • 2 weeks later...

Squaremeat – Astronomical Coffee Break

 

Posted Image

 

Hi-res cover: front + back + full digipack artwork

 

Artist: Squaremeat (Finland)

Title: Astronomical Coffee Break

Format: CD (digipack) + 8 bonus tracks for free download (256 kbps)

Label: Exogenic Records (Finland)

Cat. #: EXOCD26

Date: 18 Jul 2005

 

Track listing:

 

01. 07’39” Platypus

02. 06’45” Liukutaklaus

03. 07’16” Front Side Rock ‘n’ Roll

04. 06’40” Static Trafic

05. 07’11” Evaporator

06. 09’31” 2 2 Tango

07. 06’50” Shinkansen RMX

08. 06’31” Pure Caffeine

09. 10’07” Go Away

10. 05’18” Queen Of The Night

 

+ Downloaded bonus tracks

 

01. 09’23” Finnish Kedish

02. 06’28” Kohtalon Ivaa

03. 06’47” Kukko Bill

04. 08’25” Mexico Hatsico

05. 09’41” Right Choice

06. 07’27” Thunder Thumb

07. 06’42” Tunturi Haitari

08. 08’36” Turkey Dance

 

.m3u-playlist: http://tinyurl.com/9egon (CD tracks only!)

 

Review:

 

Audio blowjob!

 

Squaremeat consists of the two freaks Pepe Kosminen & Francois Faggott… Probably the most prominent producers of the über-weird, Finnish trance… This is the fourth album under the Squaremeat moniker and under different names these guys have loads more releases under their belts… As a definite sign of quality, the release outlet is Exogenic Records… Home to some of the most deranged audio madness ever released within our scene… Fuck yes; it’s time for another batch of sonic wizardry from up north…

Let me take you thru the tracks…

 

#01: Platypus

The guys don’t waste time on boring intro tracks – we’re launched straight into funky, Finnish sauna-trance! This is one of my fav’e tracks here… The static intro, the deep, correlated blunt beats and the general feeling of dark, deep psychedelia… Kinda minimal, but yet so rich in the most minute detail… Hectic yes, but oh so powerful… The nifty little acid-bits are well-placed and the break-down works really well… Sweet track!

 

#02: Liukutaklaus

More full frontal psychedelia here – Squaremeat style… The rhythm section is pretty interesting – it’s cut-up, sped down, vocoded and utterly mutilated – but it works like a charm… The real charm though, is the über-psychedelic mid-section which reminds me of ancient Psy-Harmonics stuff… Drenched in acid and funky as a motherfucker… Also the percussion goes down really well here… My only gripe is the speed of this choon – it’s too damn fast! I can barely absorb it all with this insane pace… Use this one to scare your neighbours!

 

#03: Front Side Rock ‘n’ Roll

Rock n roll indeed… After the first couple of held-back minutes, the track really starts to unfold into a deep, potent trance-fest of shroomy proportions… The tweaked guitars take care of the rock n roll bit, and the pounding rhythm-section makes sure you don’t forget where you are… Add enough old-school wall-to-wall psychedelia and you’ve got a winner… Although this is evidently one of the more accessible tracks, it took me a while to get into… But once you’re there, you’ll never look back… This is an extremely powerful track… Gargantuan even!

 

#04: Static Trafic

Fuck yes – this is even better… The bassline is sharper and crispier here – with enough flaring acid-lines and twirling melodies to appeal to a wider audience… I really dig the outer-worldly spin that seems to be put on this track! If the previous tracks haven’t catapulted you to space, this one will… This is triiiiiiippy! Best track so far!

 

#05: Evaporator

Woow – this one is spot on! This reminds me of the sound of Wave Soup which I used to flip out to back in 2000… Acid-driven, hyper-active, über-hectic, pixelated sauna-trance when it’s best… Old-school, yet timeless – funky, yet distorted… Fast-paced, in-ya-face psychedelia… Check out the cool bassline half-way through – that one will bang your eardrums for years to come… Awesome! Shroomadelic track!

 

#06: 2 2 Tango

This track has everything – ‘cept tango! This is on big ol’ melting pot of flaring electro riffs, groovy percussion bits, EDM blurps, sharp acid-stabs, bubbling psychedelia --- and everything in between! Holy shit – this is so frekkin intense and hypnotizing at the same time… You know when you’ve been Tango’d! Triptastic!

 

#07: Shinkansen RMX

This track has one of the sweetest intros of the album – atmospheric as hell; it just sucks you in… The track itself is more fast-paced, lively, bubbly electro-hissing bizarro-trance… Rich in detail with enough Japanese gibberish thrown in to freak you out… I like the sped-up wobbly effect here – kinda melodic, but still chaotic in the way only Finns can do it… Experimental to say the least, and not as funky as its predecessors… A decent track!

 

#08: Pure Caffeine

Time for the astronomical coffee break? Yeah, this is by far the most easy-accessible track here – and for that I’m grateful… It’s good to calm down a little after a heavy dose of sauna beats… Again we’re treated to a very nice, harmonic intro… Beautiful even… When the beats are presented we’re still in a well-polished state, with spiralling synth melodies, epic flutes and soft percussion + of course the banging Squaremeat bassline & breakz just to piss everyone off… A very nice track!

 

#09: Go Away

This track has a more housey approach to Finn-trance… But rest assured, it’s still very much Finn-trance in all its wicked glory… Seasoned with electronic farts, digital burps and the phattest bassline this side of the Moog… Nice, but unfortunately also kinda forgettable….

 

#10: Queen Of The Night

“Got milk? … Have a helicopter ready – we need it now! … Read my lips!” I dunno if it’s appropriate to talk about an oddball track on an Exogenic release – but if there ever was one, this is it… A highly experimental, housey, hybrid-track fusing together a thousand pieces… Repeated, funny voice samples, cut-up beats and breakz, twirling melodies, synth-action, groovy bassline, etc… This track has it all – without going over the top… In fact, this is very pleasant and if I had to, I could play this to my dad and he’d nod his head… Yeah – my dad is cool, and so is this track… ;o)

 

And this is where things could have ended… But as a very, very cool feature this enhanced CD offers download of another eight Squaremeat tracks… As a thank-you to people who bothered to buy the damn CD instead of just downloading it… So – let’s take another stroll with the Squares…

 

Let me take you thru the bonus tracks…

 

#01: Finnish Kedish

“That’s it… As far as I’m concerned, my job is done!” Yeah, this is more full-power psychedelia… Very cool this one with its evident hard-house hints and its morphing, aggressive synth-stabs… A very focussed, driving track – teKknoid in appearance and definitely darker than most else here, but I like it dark… Straight from the deepest, darkest Finnish forests… Stellar track!

 

#02: Kohtalon Ivaa

“Disco… Disco… Disco!” Do not let yourself be deceived – this may be disco but seldom have I laid ears to a more deranged version of disco than this… Instantly groovy; this is a hard-hitting, gut-dropping piece of work… Psychedelic in nature, rich in detail, and oh so fucking sweet… The electro link is evident and goes perfectly hand in hand with the Finnish bonbons handed to us here… Gulp! Another brilliant track!

 

#03: Kukko Bill

Check out the very cool, Squarepusher’esque, perverted intro… Fuck – this is seriously deranged… Cut-up beats and breakz, steam-engine bassline, trippy twirling acid-lines and enough psychedelia to go around twice… Oh, and I really, really dig the old-school Raja-flute bit towards the end… Damn, I’m sure this could cause severe brain-damage if listened to whilst on LSD… It should really come with a parental advisory sticker… Amazing track!

 

#04: Mexico Hatsico

“I was four years old and I saw this silver basketball on the ground. There were blinking lights all around. A square opening, with a grid opened up and they wanted me to put faeces into it!” Wow – a spacy, electro intro sets the pace here… The bassline is ever changing and the overall weirdness is very much intact here… Bouncy as hell and as funky as James Brown…Check out all the little melodies that float around all over the place… Nice! A funky number, with a brilliant sample!

 

#05: Right Choice

Haha – now we’re doing psychedelic line dance! Complete with guitar-riffs, dripping acid your far-out space-cowboy psychedelia… The groove is so damn thick here – it’s dripping down the walls… You’re getting hypnotized here – and you don’t even have to open your eyes! Another sweet, sweet track!

 

#06: Thunder Thumb

Another beautifully executed intro… Flute, birds singing, native chanting, deep tribal beats, etc… Pure bliss! … And then BAM – the Squaremeat explosion! Sweet mother of Ghandi – this is the most intense, ripping, mindblowing track so far… Reminds me of Juno Reactor – with the unique, ultra-phat Squaremeat touch to it… A track with orchestral proportions! Trippy as hell! Hands down, the best track here! Perfection!

 

#07: Tunturi Haitari

We stay in wonderland on this funky number… Sharp electro hisses, a driving rhythm section and nice, melodic pads in the background… Add a big splash of psychedelia, and you’re left with another full-blow party choon… Watch out, or those multilayered melodies will get inside your head like little, drilling worms…

 

#08: Turkey Dance

Things are wrapped up with a dance for Turkey… or a turkey dance! You decide! The intro is absolutely soaked in nifty acid-drops… It’s coming out the wood-work! And soon enough we’re exposed to the most sought-after Squaremeat jungle boogie sound… Extraterrestrial cyber-funk designed to make you soil your armour… Relentless, border-crossing stuff here… A genre-bender just like the others… A good track, but not among the best of the bonus tracks… But still a nice track for coming down from the long, 18 track trip… ;o)

 

Well I’ll be damned, if the bonus tracks aren’t better than the actual CD tracks… Don’t get me wrong, the actually CD is indeed impressive, highly unique and trippy as hell… Definitely worth a purchase just for those tracks – but the bonus tracks are even better! That’s right – this is the best damn anti-piracy device I’ve ever seen – those 8 golden tracks are nothing short of brilliant… I’m so glad to own the CD that holds the key to download these lovelies… You really, really, REALLY get your moneys worth with this CD… And as if the music wasn’t raison d'être enough to buy this CD, you also get to own the coolest CD artwork I’ve seen in years… If you haven’t seen it already, you must check out the deeply trippy, super-detailed, funny artwork by Seth/Flowering Nose… And don’t let yourself be fooled by the front-cover alone… This artwork stretches all the way into the digipack! The detail level is impressive! Pure brilliance!

 

So – is it all good? Well, yes and no! It depends on how well you absorb the special Finnish sound really! Personally, I need it in smaller doses! I’ve used this analogy before, but it’s the best way I can describe it… Listening to Finnish trance is like drinking whiskey to me – a couple of shots are good, but drinking the whole bottle makes me barf… And as such, I don’t find this CD perfect for home-listening… I need smaller doses, but when consumed in smaller doses, this is one helluva ride… Equally mind-blowing, ass-wiggling and sensory challenging… It’s a real fucking treat for more than just your ears! But beware – this sound isn’t for everyone! I’d advise a listen before purchase – but rest assured, the bonus tracks are indeed a bonus… They are even better than an already good CD! So – check it out, if you like genre-bending, hi-quality music… This is as good as it gets! Enjoy!

 

Favourites:

CD tracks: 1, 3, 4(!), 5(!!), 6(!), 8, 10(!)

Bonus tracks: 1(!!), 2(!), 3(!!), 4(!), 5, 6(!!!), 8

 

DeathPosture

Posted Image

 

External links:

Exogenic Records: http://www.exogenic.com

Squaremeat: http://www.squaremeat.net

Saiko Sounds: http://tinyurl.com/7es8t

TranceShop: http://tinyurl.com/cud2t

Discobole: http://tinyurl.com/ahwbg

Wirikuta: http://tinyurl.com/7kaqn

Psyshop: http://tinyurl.com/8zasm

Ajuca: http://tinyurl.com/d6gwj

Chaos: http://tinyurl.com/9lqff

Juno: http://tinyurl.com/a3ctw

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  • 1 month later...

Read the Reviews, bought the record. Listened to the record. Went back to recordstore, swapped it back for money (Thank god, that I know the store owner). This was deffinetly not in my taste at all.

 

Sorry guys! :)

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squaremeat did it again..dissapoint the classic "psy" listeners..hey PEPE u dit it again..my respects..

364650[/snapback]

Im not a classic psy listener, and I got dissapointed... Well dissapointed is not the right word. I got...........finding words..........ok i just didnt like it at all.....
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Opinions on the bonus tracks anyone?

 

People who own the original have access to them - what's your opinion? As stated in my initial review, I like them EVEN more than the actual album tracks... They rock!

364830[/snapback]

yes, they are very good :)

 

the album tracks are built on the finish psy line. the bonus tracks are wicked but maybe a little less "finish psy" than the album tracks, maybe they're not as fast, but still keep an energetic rythm. so i guess that's why you like them better Martin. they are dancefloor tracks for sure, and damn good ones. they fit my review for the album tracks. so i will not repeat myself.

 

either way, both the album and the bonus tracks are good, i like them equally. Squaremeat is psychedelic till the end :D

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ok at first i didnt like it that much... it sounded very strange... not it's the 3rd time i listened to the album, whole album, and i find it really good..

energetic, i would for sure dance to this ...;)

might get a bit too busy and maybe tiring in a few tracks, but generally it's very nice...

8.5/10 from me ;)

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Im not a classic psy listener, and I got dissapointed... Well dissapointed is not the right word. I got...........finding words..........ok i just didnt like it at all.....

364773[/snapback]

i know u r not a classic "psy" listener dear nemo..i think of u as a more electro/proggy listener.. ;)

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