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V/A - Lucas Presents: God Save The Machine


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Artists: various

Title: Lucas Presents: God Save The Machine

Label: TIP.World

Catalog: TIPWCD47

Format: CD

Released: 2006

 

Posted Image

 

Tracklist:

 

01.Raja Ram And Lucas - Intro

02. Eat Static And Lucas - Primitive Earthlings

03. Tristan and Lucas - Porcupine

04. Dickster an Lucas - Living Dangerously

05. Laughing Buddha and Lucas - Binary Bonanza

06. Aphid Moon and Lucas - We are your friend

07. Hallucinogen and Lucas - Pipeworm

08. Queens Park Derangers - Create a Hippy

09. Prometheus and Lucas - Nerve Centre

10. Sybarite - Liquid Lunched

 

Allright, it's time for yet another compilation released on Tip World... Tip World, you say? Have they been doing anything recently that should make this thing appear interesting? No, no... they pretty much seem to have lost it, but I know I've said that before, and then all of a sudden they reveal some unexpected ace from up their sleeve. The tracklisting here is enough to make my visa burn, and an all-british offering ceirtanly sounds interesting. I've always thought of the british psy to be a tad more 'edgy' than most notably israeli and german competing scenes. Let's all sit down and have a jolly cup of tea while tuning in to the tracks...

 

01.Raja Ram And Lucas - Intro

Delicate pianonotes merge with various voice-samples and some spaced-out sounds for about thirty secondes...Well..It's an intro, nothing more - move along!

 

02: Eat Static And Lucas - Primitive Earthlings

Eat Static almost allways keeps to their alien themes, and this is no exception. Packed with extraterrestrial samples and scifi-themed sounds this is (somewhat) full-on with a distinct eat-static edge. A couplle of more break-beat'ish sections gives the legs some rest. A pumping track, but far from being among the best of their tracks. Overall a nice opening, though!

 

03: Tristan and Lucas - Porcupine

It's been a while since I've heard any new tristan-material...I know he's a favourite of alot of psy-heads, but to be hounest I've allways had somewhat of a problem with alot of his music. Can't quite put the finger on what, but I've often felt like something was missing.... Porcupine is a metallic, almost industrial sounding track. It's pretty hypnotizing causing mild head-nodding or manic dance-attecks depending on mood and circumstances... It morphes, squeaks and changes enough throughout to make this a very nice an interesting piece...Nice!

 

04: Dickster an Lucas - Living Dangerously

We head deep down into the jungle with Dickster to live dangerously - and me oh my - dangerous it is! Tribal and technoid elements together with stabbing acidlines as well as some more floating, dreamy soundscapes. I'm not to happy about the use of voice-samples here though, but thats a minor detail..

 

05: Laughing Buddha and Lucas - Binary Bonanza

Starting very spacey with samples describing space-travel from one side of the galaxy to the other wile some eerie blip tease your ears a little. A steady beat kicks in, and when this thing really gets going it's as groovy as groovy can be. Still I think this tracks lacks that little extra edge that would really make it stand out though. An abowe average track, but under par in this context..

 

06: Aphid Moon and Lucas - We are your friend

We move a bit closer to full-on terretory with aphid moon. No worries thogh, this is more diverese and moving stuff than you'' often find within the genre. It's also got some mad acid bassline-action going on and there is plenty of variation throughout. Packed with energy, I'd be happy to be presented with this on a dancefloor. Nice!

 

07: Hallucinogen and Lucas - Pipeworm

Whenever I listen to a new hallucinogen-track for the first time I get this weird feeling inside. I mean...what would people do if he fucked up? Riot in the streets of london? Would you see despaired dreadlocked kids spontaneously killing themself around the world? Luckilly he manages to to do some serious damage once more. And I mean god damn!! - This is god (Read:great) stuff! It's so delightfully oldschool-sounding but still it manages to maintain a fresh, crisp and extremely danceable exterior. The sonic manipulation going on here is of classic Hallucinogen recipe, and unlike todays fashionable darktrancers he also squeeses out some nifty melodies to go nicely together with the rest of the madness. Ehrmmm....I Demand a new album!!!

 

08: Queens Park Derangers - Create a Hippy

Jules Hammer of Aphid Moon and Jeremy van Kampen of Laughing Buddha team up with Lucas to form the Queens Park Derangers. Together the three happy britts try to create a hippy, but unfortunately they only manage to do so half-way. There is something about this track that sort of make it seem like it's not quite done....can't quite put my finger on it, but this didn't get to me..

 

09: Prometheus and Lucas - Nerve Centre

Prometheus is due to release his second album later this year. If you're one of those people who just can't wait this track will make the itch even worse. This is an intense, uptempo ride. An extremely hypnotizing beat and a flute-like syth are the two driving elements. This together with a myriad of other constantly morhing and shifting soundscapes create an atmosphere perfect for both home-listening and dancefloor mayhem. Nice!

 

10: Sybarite - Liquid Lunched

To finish the album we head down a little deeper, a little darker and a little more laied back than on the other tracks here. Lot's of bass, lots of space and alot of small little squeaks and quirks are key elements here. This is one of those tracks that I needed some time with before I could really enjoy it. It's a hypnotizing piece, and some of the acidlines in here are pure bliss. nice ending to a very nice album!

 

Final Remarks:

As I mentioned earlier TIP World hasn't really been all that exciting lately. Sure some of the stuff they've released has been ok like the recent Hujaboy and last years Melovskys-album(even though that one was on tip NEW world...) That being said, this compilation is in a whole different league and truley stands out in TIP worlds catalog. Is it a perfect psychedelic trance-album? No - It has a few moments that sort of drags it down. Is it a great one? You bet!

 

Tomas (Psychedelic Mustache)

 

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01. Raja Ram & Lucas - Intro

 

I love it, trippy...

 

02. Eat Static & Lucas - Primitive Earthlings

Eat Static style is still apparent here,at some parts it sounds a bit cheesy track but gets better after the middle or so...

 

03. Tristan & Lucas - Porcupine

Stompy full-on kick&bass..Very good production. No melodies. Not bad for the dancefloor.

 

04. Dickster & Lucas - Living Dangerously

some more full of breaks full-on... nothing interesting.

 

05. Laughing Buddha & Lucas - Binary Bonanza

Laughing Buddha and i can't hear any acid lines... better track than the previous one , still dissapointing.. The continuous samey full-on bassline[since the tristan track] has already succeded in causing headache. Crying Buddha.

 

06. Aphid Moon & Lucas - We Are Your Friend

booooring

 

07. Hallucinogen & Lucas - Pipeworm

A more decent intro and the track seems to be a bit more original than the previous ones. As the track progresses we can listen to the synthplay, fx and a few melodic pinches of Simon P. Best track of the compilation so far.

 

08. Queens Park Derangers - Create a Hippy

Some more full-on... until 6.25 where the sample gets in not much happens..

 

09. Prometheus & Lucas - Nerve Centre

Time for something a bit more moodlifting.. Relaxing,calm melodies all over the track drive you through a more ethereal atmosphere...

 

10. Sybarite - Liquid Lunched

Final track of the compilation is characterizedl,l by a lower tempo, still 4/4 beat, full-on/uk-fullon structure and sounds, and few melodic traces now and then, well put together.. Listenable.

 

 

All in all..

Boring and not innovative for the most part, uninspiring... 3,5 decent/average tracks and a nice intro...

 

Rating : No more than 6/10

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After the Hujaboy album, TIP.Worlds best album-release in a while, TIP.World bring us "the real thing": their absolute best compilation in years, "Lucas Presents God Save The Machine".

 

The British psytrance sound always had a very raw, organic touch, and this is certainly no exception - it's very far away from the cheap plastic-synths from the Israeli teenie-fullon generation, and the sound has a true feel, and an incredible warmth Skazi and the rest of the posse can never ever reach.

 

"God Save The Machine" isn't the epic masterpiece I was hoping for though. It's more raw, full-power dancefloor psychedelia than magical soundscapes, and although it beats the hell out of most other psychedelic music these days, I guess I was hyped up to expect something really magical. Dickster, Tristan, Hallucinogen, Aphid Moon and Queens Park Derangers all provide some great psychedelic trance, but in my opinion only Prometheus manages to really capture something truly magical and mysterious in his tune.

 

That being said, this really is an essential compilation. Welcome back TIP!

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Smashing compilation!

 

Allow me to quote myself from a thread elsewhere on this forum:

 

I got it today: http://www.discogs.com/release/681371

 

And after the first listen, I can safely say, that this is the best TIP.World release since The Secret Of The Thirteen Crystal Skulls... Fucking awesome!  :)  :)

523638[/snapback]

Alright, I had to spend a couple of hours in a car today - with the only company being a big ass car stereo with God Save The Machine blasting on it... And I can SAFELY say, that this is THE BEST fucking compilation I've heard all year - if not, in years...

 

Every single track is RIPPING - bursting with psychedelia... Faaaaark! It's awesome!  B)

 

/DP

523815[/snapback]

It is, in the onliest sense of the definition, the steppest killargh I've laid my ears on for quite a while... And I listen to a lot of releases!  :)

523821[/snapback]

[...]

Sure, there has been great compilations in the last couple of years, but not quite in the style of God Save The Machine. (I do not own Unusual Suspects 2 released on Twisted in 2005, which I believe is also a proper belter...). What I'm saying, is that this is the best goa-like modern psytrance compilation released in years... Tip.World started getting better with  Imagi:Nations Parts 1 + 2, but before that (backwards until The Secret Of The Thirteen Crystal Skulls) their releases were a joke...

[...]

 

I like everything about this - from the well-laid-out flow to the sweet, glossy artwork - and of course the fresh nu-style goa-like psytrance... Sure you can find more complexity in old school releases - but this is a 2006 compilation, with improved production quality and techniques... And it's real fucking awesome! =D

524925[/snapback]

/DP

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07: Hallucinogen and Lucas - Pipeworm

Whenever I listen to a new hallucinogen-track for the first time I get this weird feeling inside. I mean...what would people do if he fucked up? Riot in the streets of london? Would you see despaired dreadlocked kids spontaneously killing themself around the world? Luckilly he manages to to do some serious damage once more. And I mean god damn!! - This is god (Read:great) stuff! It's so delightfully oldschool-sounding but still it manages to maintain a fresh, crisp and extremely danceable exterior. The sonic manipulation going on here is of classic Hallucinogen recipe, and unlike todays fashionable darktrancers he also squeeses out some nifty melodies to go nicely together with the rest of the madness. Ehrmmm....I Demand a new album!!!

532202[/snapback]

I'd fall to my knees and sob like a girl. Maybe by some chocolate in an attempt to cheer myself up, failing that turn to heroin.

 

I must confess I was a little hasty in declaring this album average. It's definately grown on me and though a few of the tracks still bore me, most are of a high quality. A solid 8/10 I reckon.

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I'd fall to my knees and sob like a girl. Maybe by some chocolate in an attempt to cheer myself up, failing that turn to heroin.

 

I must confess I was a little hasty in declaring this album average. It's definately grown on me and though a few of the tracks still bore me, most are of a high quality. A solid 8/10 I reckon.

533037[/snapback]

well i find that hallucinogen&lucas track not too "killargh" - the only part that i like is hallucinogen bassline that kicks in, everything else sounds chaotic IMO
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well i find that hallucinogen&lucas track not too "killargh" - the only part that i like is hallucinogen bassline that kicks in, everything else sounds chaotic IMO

533418[/snapback]

Yeah, it's by no means his best work. Still pretty good though.
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I can't believe the bassline in the Prometheus & Lucas track... huuuuuge :o :o :o:)

And those bubbly melodies at 6:25, wow.. too bad the only last, what 10 seconds? :(

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really nothing special... struggle to give it above 6/10. It's not bad, but it just feels like none of these guys are trying anymore - it's not hard for them to make good psy and that's what they're doing, but no-one's doing anything different.

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the Dickster and Prometheus tracks are nice.. Hallucinogen is decent also.. but overall, it's not all that special.

 

just as I expected. <evil laughter here>

 

 

actually, if you're looking for that similar style of crunchy heady full-on dancefloor psytrance, I think the Commercial Hippies latest album is much superior to this v/a. :ph34r:

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I can't believe the bassline in the Prometheus & Lucas track... huuuuuge  :o :o :o:)

And those bubbly melodies at 6:25, wow.. too bad the only last, what 10 seconds?  :(

533475[/snapback]

I know what you mean but better it be too short than too long, keeps you coming back for more that way. And about that bass, yeah, it's thumping. :)
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I am not too impressed by this release. A few half-way decent tracks (such as Tristan's) but on average I found it to be boring and uninspiring. These chaps have to try harder.

 

 

Not recommended.

 

 

 

Pedro

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  • 3 weeks later...
  • 1 month later...

Hmm sorry but no... I definatley don't share people's enthusiasm with this one. There is one good thing about it: most of the tracks use 303s!!! So I guess the little silver box is coming back into fashion again. Yihaa!!!

 

However the tracks here are pretty uninspired, they lack direction and "soul". NOT ONE track really stood out and made me want to get out of my chair and dance... I'd definatley pick up Raja Ram's Evolution of Expanded Consciousness over this one... 6,5/10

 

 

oh and special comment on the all-important Hallucinogen track: sure it brings in some nice oldschool melodies, but it's simply too little, too late (min 6:00 to 6:50... yes, that's 50 seconds out of a 9:25 minute track...). The rest of the track is just pure random stuff... I REALLY don't understand why oldschool artists just put in these little "teasers" inside some of their tracks instead of giving us a full-on (in the oldschool sense of the word) melodic bliss...

 

Also a side note on the album "concept": this was supposed to be like a 30 year aniversary of the legendary Sex Pistols release God Save the Queen. So one would probably expect some anarchistic samples in the tracks, some destructive power, some open criticism on the British monarchy, hell ANYTHING that would remind you of the Sex Pistols... The concept had SOOO much potential behind it: reuniting old and new underground cultures, reafirming the 70s ideals, showing evolution in music all while keeping the same key values etc. But none of that actually happened here :( Just like TIP - Red, any resemblance with some former release remains simply in the comp title and cover image, which looks kindof like a scam to me... As usual, the guys behind TIP Records were too focused on making a quick buck out of a handfull of "killarrrghhh releases" rather than giving the concept the thought it deserved, and that's a real pitty IMO.

 

 

PS (worthless comment but I just couldn't resist):

 

Whenever I listen to a new hallucinogen-track for the first time I get this weird feeling inside. I mean...what would people do if he fucked up? Riot in the streets of london? Would you see despaired dreadlocked kids spontaneously killing themself around the world?

532202[/snapback]

 

heh that's easy to answer: brits are so fanatical about Simon P that he could seriously fuck up and STILL get massive critical acclaim simply because of his name... It's just how these people work, they can't live without their idols: the Beatles, the Sex Pistols, the Gallagher brothers, etc. etc. Every generation and music style had their respective "gods" lol

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  • 4 weeks later...

Damn, this is one hell of a full on stomper presenting some of the most interesting new full on / goa tunes I've heard in a while.

 

I guess most of the tracks here lands within the full on category, but far more sophisticated than the bulk of full on outthere. Take goa fascination, add a full on bassline and relentless energy and you're getting closer to GSTM. And on top of the innovation there's not a single bad track here. Okay, I'm not crazy about the Hallucinogen collaboration, but this aside the remaining tracks range from good, solid contemporary psy-trance to freakin' awesome. My favorite for now is the Aphid Moon collaboration "We Are Your Friend". This track will explode the dancefloors. Relentless full-on bassline combined with great FX and perfect composed. I've heard it repeatedly for days and it only gets better. But at least 4 or 5 other tracks will rock the floors when played at the right hour. At what time of the day may that be? Any time! In the dark of the night, in the early morning hours or in the afternoon. This music is so packed with energy it's impossible to stand still to.

 

Summarizing. If you're into full on you really have no choice. You need to hear this. But basically, you need to hear this if you like psytrance. It's a great, great release and so, at least for an album's time, renowed TIP heirs is setting the pace again ... :o)

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Create a hippy , pipeworm and living dangerously are my favourite trax from gstm . Altho I must add that it sounds much better than the time I heard it first.

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Interesting thing that i haven't even noticed 1 single realy bad opinion on that compil. All reactions are good or fabuulous. It's rare nowadays.

I cant say either its a bad CD, as a matter of fact its GREAT! :)

TIP suprised me this time. I'm looking forward for more so good cd's :)

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