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Chronos - Steps to the Great Knowledge


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Artist: ChRonos

Title: Steps to the Great Knowledge

Label: Sunline Records

Format: CD Digipak

Release: May 2007

 

Track Listing:

 

01. 2�10� The Gates

02. 9�26� Step By Step

03. 10�43� Stonehendge

04. 8�00� Mandala (new edit)

05. 10�54� Self Overcoming

06. 9�56� Mayan Artifact Part 1

07. 11�45� Mayan Artifact Part 2

08. 9�29� Shamora Ritual

09. 4�45� Mayan Artifact (Twisted Breaks mix)

 

 

ChRonos is Nikita Klimenko from Moscow and this is his first album. He released 2 tracks according to discogs, but I haven�t heard them. The cover art is very beautiful and was the reason I picked this up. It�s early Sunday morning here, so a great time for some smooth relaxing ambient!

 

 

The Gates- This is a short track, like an intro into what we are going to get. There is a goa feel here, and I�m excited about it. Nice!

 

Step By Step- �I�m the key figure in an ongoing government charade� With a sample from the X-files move and a slow measured kick we begin. A nice lead carries the melody over soft whispers and smooth pads. The leads thicken, dragging me to a land I am more than willing see. Agent Mulder�s sample comes back and the track continues with its sharp synths and ends smoothly. Great track!

 

Stonehendge- Is that misspelled? A glassy pad hovers above a slowly churning bass line. Gentle, tribal percussive elements arrive as the pad drops out, and is replaced by a stuttering lead. I felt this track was a little thin, where there was one lead sound and not a lot else. If you�re going to make a track that is almost 11 minutes, I need a lot to keep me focused. Average track.

 

Mandala (new edit)- This track starts with some Gregorian chants and a very Nepalese mountain feel. A goa-type lead snakes around Arabian pads. As the tempo picks up, I would have to call this Downtempo goa and this makes me smile. The break has a chopped up vocal, but I can�t understand what it�s saying. The percussion that was in the break continues past it, until a nice melody appears. I didn�t care for the break or the percussion, but the rest of the track was spot-on! Good track!

 

Self Overcoming- �The developing organism is using his life energy, digesting bone, tissue�you just slowed the process.� Delicate leads scramble over a floaty pad and are soon joined by another lead. As the lead becomes thicker still, a bass lead drives over a break beat. I guess this guy likes the X-files, because there is another sample here. Soon, the kick comes in and we are in trance territory with more leads, climbing ever higher. With the break at 7�20� another X-files sample joins the pads and then the main lead returns. Very well done! Excellent track! Man, I do miss the X-files.

 

Mayan Artifact Part 1- Ok, a two-parter! Over 20 minutes for the next two tracks. This one starts with a dramatic pad and big cymbal crashes. Man, ever so slight percussion, I love that! You feel like if you touch it, it would crumble. A soft lead gurgles around as a bass line finally appears. A sliced woman�s voice meanders across the track. The standout here though was the percussion. Wow, kick ass!

 

Mayan Artifact Part 2- Part 2 and someone is banging on a metal pipe. The Gregors chime in, along with ritual-like pads as a bass line growls to life. Halfway through the track and I don�t want it to end. The lead weaves in and out of earshot, and the end of the track is just like the beginning of the first part. A full circle. Full indeed. Brilliant!

 

Shamora Ritual- Tablas, and a breathy wind instrument replace sounds from an Asian market. This is mellow, and I feel like I am in the Orient. While certainly beautiful, I don�t think I could make this track part of my regular rotation. There is little variation or melody, just predominantly percussive work. That in itself, however, is pretty damn cool.

 

Mayan Artifact (Twisted Breaks mix)- Since the Mayan Artifacts tracks were so spectacular, I hope this is great too. It is basically some more great percussive work and a bass line with a female voice sliced over the top. While interesting, I don�t think it fits with the vibe of this album.

 

In Summary- Man, this guy is great with percussion! Such delicate workings. I felt like a bull in a china shop, and I was just sitting here listening! He can create a mood and sustain it through the whole track. The use of pads is excellent, and the fact that there was some flirtation with goa made this all the more impressive. As I mentioned before, some spots felt like they could use more sounds, but it seems minor. Most of the tracks are brilliant. This is a definite gem. One of the better ambient/chill releases I have heard in quite some time. 8.5/10

 

MDK

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summing up yhis long review, it's an amazing work. fulfilled of indian vibes, positive energy and surely well produced, very well! this one goes directly into the best goan alike ambient albums. it may sound a bit oldschooled for some (in the sense that we heard much meditative/indian stuff before but this surely is nice :)

keep on producing!

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Excellent album! This is my favorite album by Chronos to date.

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