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Trentemoller - The Last Resort (Pokerflat Records)


Goa Bill

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1. Take Me Into Your Skin

2. Vamp

3. Evil Dub

4. Always Something Better

5. While The Cold Winter Waiting

6. Nightwalker

7. Like Two Strangers

8. The Very Last Resort

9. Snowflake

10. Chameleon

11. Into The Trees (Serenetti Part 3)

12. Moan

13. Miss You

 

Every now and then an album is released that shifts my current musical preferences into completely different territories. It was in 94 with Prodigy's Music For The Jilted Generation. Astral Projection's Another World in 99' and subsequently Kox Box's Great Unknown and Hux Flux's Cryptic Crunch in 00'.

For almost 5 years i almost completely abandoned everything that went without the "Psy/Goa Trance/Ambient" label and recently started doubting the possibility to be utterly impressed by anything that is electronic and new. Spending hours with old recordings by Pink Floyd and crying over what was once a huge premise and turned into recycle bin or a money printing machine. Depends on what part of the Electronic scene you looked.

Trentemoller's music was introduced to me around a year ago by my Swedish friend Andres who sent me his Forest EP and told me that it's THE shit and i was forced to stop the Pink Floyd tune that i was playing. I was blown away from the first second by the intricacy, the caressing melodies and the little weird noises that give that special character to Trentemoller's sound. Since then i swallowed just about every Trentemoller bit i could aquire and my appreciation rose higher and higher almost to the point of a blind admiration.

And now we finally have the album. To be perfectly honest i've been having it over a month now and as soon as it was available for pre-order on Amazon i ordered my copy. But it's not the point of the review...

The album starts with one of the strongest tunes of the album, Take Me Into Your Skin, which sound to me a bit Ott'ish circa "in dub" album. Although a bit more uptempo. The angelic female voice that wraps up the tune is nothing but amazing and serves the tune right. Proper beginner of the album.

The second tune, Vamp is one of the weakest links and it's basically a digital dubby groover that sound like something that Leftfield might do shall they still be together. Nothing fancy here, a bit of a filler before another killer.

Evil Dub is exactly what the title says. The dubby bassline in fatter than Marlond Brando in his last days and those little scratchy Trentemoller trademark sounds are omnipresent here and give that warm, almost analog sound. One of my personal favorites here.

Almost Something Better is up next and it was originally concieved as a vocal track and it is also the first Single from this album. The vocals were stripped down here but they appear on the vocal version in the bonus CD that will be mentioned later. Unlike what happens most of the time, the instrumental version is weaker than the vocal version and after repeated listens to the vocal one, this, instrumental sounds tad empty. Not to say bad, just a bit awkward. A brilliant tune nonetheless with vinyl scratches and strings arrangements that give a somewhat James Bondian atmosphere towards the end of the track.

While The Cold Winter Waiting is another magical tune with some gentle sounds, acoustic percussion and sonic manipulations to spice things up. Sounds a bit like the music the Santa Claus would play in his Santa-mobile.

Nightwalker shifts the gear up and presents us a bit more familiar Trentemoller dancefloor oriented rhythm and sounds. Deep, funky, groovy tune that makes your head move without asking it.

Like Two Strangers sounds very similar to While The Cold Winter Waiting with it's winter strings sounds and laidback beats. The Santa comes back home and he's alone in Christmas. Once again.

The Very Last Resort is another dubby monster that has a very Youth bass sound and interesting Ennio Moricone on mushrooms feeling from the middle towards the end. Fantastic sound work here. Another personal favorite.

Snowflake starts with some more dubby basslines and developes into something rather weird and confusing musically. A bit of a filler in my humble opinion.

Chameleon is a track that AFAIK was already released and it's a typical Trentemoller dancefloor killer with jazzy percussion and quirky fat house beats. Pure sonical bliss.

Into The Trees (Serenetti Part 3) is another personal favorite that starts with absolutely awesome jazzy percussion and uber warm analog-like bassline and leads. The sound is lerger then life here and Trentemoller's sonic expertise here is fully evident.

Moan is another originally vocal tune that was stripped here and appears fully on the bonus CD. Once again, the vocal version sounds better and basically the same otherwise. This is another emotional epic tune with strong cinematic soundscape. Another favorite.

Miss You, the closing tune is the most minimal here and it's quite a sad ending for an absolutely mind blowing album.

Favorites: All of them are great really but if i was forced to give away the best they would be: 1!!! 3!!! 4! 8!! 10!! 11!!! 12!

Final words: Get it! It's the best album of 2006 and a perfect winter companion.

 

I'll write a review for the second CD when i'll have the power.

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I think they were asking why IDM release's review was placed here...

I might be wrong though :)

617613[/snapback]

IDM can be very psychedelic, i think people are too stuck up with their "genres" :D
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Same here.

617985[/snapback]

Agree.. not IDM

 

 

 

 

..

 

I reckon it's good. Not like really, really good like bulgarian mountains or something but rather good anyways. Some tracks are like as good as Pringles while others go no further than Intel with central processing units. Take Me Into Your Skin is quality pie. From there the music goes only rather good and stays like that till we get to vocal version of Always Something Better which is very AMD. Vocal version of Moan has pretty skinny legs too. From there one highligh remains: Sunstroke. There's loads of stuff in between but right now I just skip in between the four. The stuff in the middle, it might be majestic Rila mountain good, but at the moment I don't hear it.

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Agree.. not IDM

..

 

I reckon it's good. Not like really, really good like bulgarian mountains or something but rather good anyways. Some tracks are like as good as Pringles while others go no further than Intel with central processing units. Take Me Into Your Skin is quality pie. From there the music goes only rather good and stays like that till we get to vocal version of Always Something Better which is very AMD. Vocal version of Moan has pretty skinny legs too. From there one highligh remains: Sunstroke. There's loads of stuff in between but right now I just skip in between the four. The stuff in the middle, it might be majestic Rila mountain good, but at the moment I don't hear it.

618144[/snapback]

you logged in with the wrong account radi :P

 

 

 

great album!

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Am I the only one that likes CD2 more than CD1?

618842[/snapback]

Well, cd2 is mostly tech-house tunes already released for quite some time now. I mean, its quality tech-house but nothing new (and it does not have the flow of an album, more like a sampler of his work).

Whereas in cd1 trentemoller takes a new, diverse direction. He fuses his trademark sound with instruments, downtempo grooves and haunting atmospheres. It is really a very mature album and very enjoyable album!

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Well, cd2 is mostly tech-house tunes already released for quite some time now. I mean, its quality tech-house but nothing new (and it does not have the flow of an album, more like a sampler of his work).

Whereas in cd1 trentemoller takes a new, diverse direction. He fuses his trademark sound with instruments, downtempo grooves and haunting atmospheres. It is really a very mature album and very enjoyable album!

619102[/snapback]

Yeah, agreed. I prefer the 1st album. Its amazing. The best album iv'e heard all year by far.

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