The Delta - Minusman

[soundmute]

To be honest, I couldn’t wait to hear some new stuff that Marcus prepared for The Delta project, but now I must admit that I had some doubts that album will see the daylight since he involved himself in many different projects. And in the end, all that waiting for new album didn’t seem so long because all these years I enjoyed his creations for other projects, so I didn’t feel the need to hear something new.

After hearing his new crafty sound I felt great happiness and I must give a big “Thank You” to Nachtstrom Schallplatten label for this great pleasure and to Japanese publisher Wonkavator who made this CD release possible.

 

01.Schmerzverstarker

Miniature filtered sounds that are wriggleing throughout ambient effects indicate visually the whole atmosphere like some dark and deeply buried underground object. Then, it slowly turns into distorted rhythm that is typical to this project and the energy of track starts! Many effects that are more like “underwater” and increasing of reverb give accent to occurence and rise the atmosphere tension in the track. I am totally delighted with bass line. Like a sound of some grinding machine or something like that. Pretty nice surprise is an old analog sample that wriggled through the track for a moment. I am talking about the sample that is like some kind of laser simulation or similiar and is being used in 80’s on radio stations for jingles. Snare seems to be recorded with some kind of concrete block, LOL. It is extremly strong and powerful moment that contributes to rhythm such an amazing industrial infulence !!! At the end, effect that reminds on sound of ferquency test is a bulls eye!! He could turn it up a little more to tremble our eardrums to the pain limit, LoL.

 

02.Minusman

The leading track on album! OUCH! What a bloody break beat! Someone is going to break a neck in the club. I’m not sure about you, but I’m shaking in front of these sounds. Tracks like this deserve reverence. Probably that is why I get crazy on industrial sounds. Pad which literally simulates the speech of monster computer in my head is a definition of this track and I believe of whole album. In my oppinion it even overpowers the destorted kick which seemed to be the strongest in the track, but after the pad that I’m talking about. There are as many filters as you want. Well, this kind of music is simply born for filters. Slightly to say – MAGNIFICENT TRACK!!

 

03.Minusman Rmx

If there was no pause between these two tracks, I could swear that the same track is going on, just with a little varied character. Of course, later I’ve noticed that track is renamed into Minusman Rmx, so everything is clear now. Ok, you can ask me now which beat is more massive and bigger amongst these two tracks?? The answer is: I don’t know!! Both tracks made me feel like my head is peering out of cement! I’d rather hear this in a club then win a BINGO on lottery. I swear! This sound changes a molecules structure in my body! Outstanding sound and heaviness. First-class production (nothing new for this project). I would love to find more words to describe how I feel about whole this “Delta story”, but I'm afraid that someone will think that I have some serious mental distractions and will mix up my emotions with dope, so in further text I will only use "earth" phrases.

 

04. Nightmares & Dreamscapes (Backstream)

We continue in the same rhythm, but this time we are moving to flat rhythm which tempo only apparently slowes down the thickest hat I have ever heard on this world. I think that I could start crying from this quantity of sound in one place. Dramatically tonality and colours, pads definitely manipulate with the listeners tension. So many delays and reverbs, distortion and highly peaked middle tones on effects. And the beat is like harvester, grinding and grinding! It is a sound term of unrealized dream of mankind - "Perpetum Mobile". Respect!!

 

05Midnight Circulator Rmx

And after the 20 minutes of introduction in downtempo/break-beat style, story starts to speed up. How many times this fantastic rhythm is going to be repeated? Great! Things that keep my concentration for this type of projects, despite the rhythm which is essential in the form of movable strip, are elements such as pads that are showing emotions even when the music is hard and agressive. This can`t be experienced even on the most floating melodies in any kind of electronic music. And not to mention the moments like this disordered irritating sound that I would like never to stop and where, after his end, whole machinery starts to play. Definetly, if they ever decide to record a video, the right thing would be a symphonic orchestra that will play grinders, stamping machines, rack cutting machines and all other stuff. This is something what I call "singing machines". Who says that mechanics don`t have emotions!? I can already imagine potential DJ's that are playing this style in sets and their argueing on the parties regarding who will play this track

 

06.Overpressure rmx

International train for Neverland!! Sit back and enjoy. Full techno pleasure! Many hats, cymbals rides, filters that increase rhytmh and visualy symbolize it, as I already said at the beginning, endless journey by train. If the track was fast it would be roller coaster, but that is not the point here. WOW,what a sudden end of the song.

 

07.The Machines

Let's go! More pure techno to come! In the backround there is a sound as a siren from a distanced train, which is for this occasion pulled down to the last segment. Drive is not over. Rhythm slightly reminds me of older Deltas’ track “A+B”. And then, of course, CUT OFF untill the end to give a panel for THE GREATEST MELODY EVER!!! It blows my head off. Here is one more proof for those who don`t believe that mechanics can CRY!! Magnificent break with even better uplifiting moment which definitely plays the drill . Great break with simulation of stopping gramophone vinyl. That is an excellent stroke. It is very repeatedly used in techno tracks, but still not that often, so it is very interesting. UUUU. Must say that this emotional sequence with soft leads and falls on sound distortion reminds me to Manibus release "Distorted roads". Definitely, that is the story. That style! My style! Pefrection!

 

 

08.As a child i could walk on the ceiling rmx (two in one)

Remix of very well known hit that, in my oppinion, even people who are not listeners of electronic music heared for. Progressive moment. Great! Very good and carefully chosen style for remixing. I like it a lot. After a well-known slogan it passes into the psychedelic story and leaves room for DJ sets that are rather in Psy Trance style then techno bits. Positive matter in this remix is that the track got real refreshment and also that people again have a great track which we all liked! So, despite the interleaving of this two styles in track, which really heats my hart, I would more like that the track followed on the story from the beginning, to the slogan and transition to the agressive moment, known as "roasting" Otherwise, the "Two in One" in brackets I could interpret as a division of the track on two styles, couldn't I?

 

09.Dustbuster

Lets go back to the sound of industry

I will not hold on to this track for too much, cause I think this is one of those tracks that are here only to fill up the album. Now, many of you would, I can guarantee, got this wrong, like I spit at the track or whatever. Infact, that is not true! I like this song, of course, but this is in my opinion, one of those tracks which are time-out between spent ideas. I really don`t know how to say this to sound better or more rationally. I can try to say it like this: If I was a DJ, I would use this kind of track in my set for switching between the two "volcanos" of songs. In case that i don`t like this track, I won't even put it into my set. So I like it. Just track is here to give a little chill to crowd of this high-light moments, to keep them in the rythm, good mood and to prepare them for next real rush of tsunami waves!!! And if I wasn't clear now, I really don`t have idea how to explain it differently.

 

10.Warp (megamix)

AAAAAAAA this is what I was talking about and you didn`t trust me. Here is a rush close behind! Like I already knew. Damn it, what a rhythm. This sample that plays the melody of locusts run wild, blows my mind. What a breaks, man!! Ok, you probably realize that I'm writing this at the same time while I listen to this track, but I'll try to reach this arrangement as far as i can.

Great theme of the song. Lead melodies over the synth that plays the pad are totaly unusual for this project, but it fits into the best place ever! And now, it comes that robo sound which slightly reminds me of a vocator, but in fact I didn`t like it. Somehow with this robo sound track sounds commercialized. It turnes into the happy rave moments. That part would be a good motivation for Soumi artists, cause such material in that style is the best. This is some other story, so this part is not one of my favourite, but luckily, it didn't last too long.

 

11.Nightmares & Dreamscapes

Breakbeat moments from the 4th track. It sounds very good. I would put this in some kind of intro or outro on an album. It is great for the beginning or at the end of release.

 

12.H.O.B. (+ bonus track)

:) :) LOL

He will definitely be a very good composer of movie music. Innovation of James Bond or something similar. It is really an innovation, cause that rhythm in backround is not here just like that and for sure it is not a product of tams and congas, it is a product of clear synthetic.

According to the movie criteria, harmony of all instruments has a great set up. Leastwise, it is how it sounds from my laymen view on film composition. Very interesting bonus material despite unusual number of tracks that we got on only one album.

 

 

 

What to say at the end of this story? Great product that marks year 2008 as one of the best in last decade for techno-trance sounds and projects. And especially one of the most productive in last years, as this sound came to parallel with extermination of White Bears. Luckily, in artists there is awaking of some nostalgy or desire for this sound. I hope that we will one day hear Spirallianz, Boo Reka, PPS, Opsis, Authentik, Three Point Turn, Tromesa and similar projects which formerly impounded attention of fans. And one more thing: one of the smallest minus to this album is that tracks are too short, for my criteria. They are too short for this kind of expression. Thats all. Keep it on originals!!!

 

Lara

[Goa Bill]

Holy crap, this album is a monster.

BLITZKRIEG

[Gnome]

As good as you would expect it to be and maybe a bit better.

[Lemmiwinks]

can anyone please say how this compares to previous Delta albums? Is it the same style? Something different?

[Goa Bill]

can anyone please say how this compares to previous Delta albums? Is it the same style? Something different?

Due to the departure of the ExtraMilliz guys it's harder and darker. Real Dark, not your regular 160BPM cats in the blender Dark.

Wall to wall distorted rhythms.

[soundmute]

In free expression Its kind of slow and massive techno sound with admixture of trance motives. And i agree with Pavel that is a bit darker then in previously trio...

[agia_igoumeni]

delta - minusman

 

ingredients:::

 

*50% berlin hard-techno

*10% dark/freaky atmosphres

*10% chris clark/richard devine rythms

*10% extrawelt influences

*10% x-dreams sounds

*10% downhill

 

all those mixed with the best sound production u can imagine for a dance techno/trance release @ our dayZ..

 

for once more TOTAL massive..markus is our man

[healium]

Is this album release in stores yet?

[NEMO.BOFH]

*50% berlin hard-techno

*10% dark/freaky atmosphres

*10% chris clark/richard devine rythms

*10% extrawelt influences

*10% x-dreams sounds

*10% downhill

That pretty much sums it up, and it is FEKKIN GOOD! Nothing to do with Psy anymore though.

[soundmute]

Is this album release in stores yet?

So far just in Japan, for Europe and rest very soon. Will be on vinyl for Europe at september from Nachtstrom Schallplatten german record label http://www.nachtstromschallplatten.com

[traveller]

außerordentlich und ausgezeichnet

[pawelek]

I dont like this album at all. The only 2 good tracks are remix of "as a child..." and bonus track which reminds of the genius Downhill project.

 

To be honest i wasnt dissapointed with this release. I was expecting this kind of stuff. It's 10% trance and 90% techno. Not realy my cup of tea.

[seraph]

Good review, hardly wait to get my hands on this one.

[Darkarbiter]

So I take this is a bit like the track p.c. fresh on the previous album?

[FTP]

I dont like this album at all. The only 2 good tracks are remix of "as a child..." and bonus track which reminds of the genius Downhill project.

 

To be honest i wasnt dissapointed with this release. I was expecting this kind of stuff. It's 10% trance and 90% techno. Not realy my cup of tea.

Seriously, What's wrong with you? It's a meltdown.

[Jon Cocco]

I'd like to sample the album. Are there samples for this anywhere? The album's not on Saikosounds or Psyshop to date.

 

This is the most I've heard so far: http://www.myspace.com/thedeltaisback

[qa2pir]

That pretty much sums it up, and it is FEKKIN GOOD! Nothing to do with Psy anymore though.

When are you going to stop pointing out how psytrance is inferior and this cool Techno thing you're listening to is better?

 

It may be true, but come on

[NEMO.BOFH]

When are you going to stop pointing out how psytrance is inferior and this cool Techno thing you're listening to is better?

 

It may be true, but come on

you dont know what you are talking about. I love Psytrance, and I would have loved this to be psytrance. Go hide under a rock, clown.

[qa2pir]

you dont know what you are talking about. I love Psytrance, and I would have loved this to be psytrance. Go hide under a rock, clown.

There's a difference between what you think and what you appear to think.

 

Nevermind, I'm just being a clown.

 

(not saying I'm not right and you shouldn't listen to me, though)

[2kijad]

i'm going to listen to it today :punk:

[2kijad]

nice one

 

not the "omg" album

[buzzman]

There's a difference between what you think and what you appear to think.

 

Nevermind, I'm just being a clown.

 

(not saying I'm not right and you shouldn't listen to me, though)

[Lemmiwinks]

hmmm actually I'm kindof dissapointed by this album. OK I'm giving my impressions just after a few listens, maybe it will grow on me after a while but for now it's not quite what I was expecting.

 

Basically you have some old Delta sounds and ideas but worked in a different way. For starters, most of the tracks are slower (at least they feel slower, I suppose mostly because the "droning sound" is absent this time). Also they use pads, but not the looong admospheric pads that would sometimes run all throughout the track (and which were what I liked most about old Delta). Also, interestingly enough, some tracks sound like Midi Miliz even though the Miliz boys have left the project! Wierd, huh?

 

The opening track is a killer indeed... but it also remids me of Midi Milliz - Dos Canones... which kindof makes it less special. Still, this is one of the best tracks on the album IMO.

 

Then come the 2 Minusman tracks. The breakbeat is cool in the beginning but personally I kindof expected it to pick up in some way or another which it never did. Also the distortion on the kicks is too high IMO. I'm not saying that I don't like distortions, but here we are sometimes in white noise territory, that's how much distortion there is.

 

Nightmares and Dreamscapes has some nice ideas but it's too slow IMO. If you had the same pads on a the trademark Delta fast droning bassline this would've been MUCH better IMO.

 

Midnight Circulator Rmx is a lot more oldschool Delta... although I must say that I found other oldschool Delta tracks more memorable. Why not make a Def By Delta or Travelling at the Speed of Thought remix? Now THAT would've been something

 

Overpressure is basically minimal techno with some tribal influences... not very elaborate but it's actually one of the better tracks on this album IMO

 

The Machines sounds pretty much like old Delta... but again something just doesn't sound right IMO.

 

As A Child I Could Walk On The Ceiling Rmx... FINALLY a remix of one of their best tracks. BUT but again, something sounds wrong here. It actually sounds like someone blended in some Enigma in the beginning of the track! (yes yes, the Enigma who made Sadeness). Then it's basically the same track as the old one but with a full-on feeling... Yes, The Delta making full-on... at least it's unexpected I'll give you that Still, the more I listen to it, the more it all starts to make sense. Guess I'll just have to listen to it some more to give a final impression.

 

Dustbuster sounds more like MidiMilliz then Delta... which is odd considering that the MidiMilliz guys left the project

Still, a pretty cool track if you ask me

 

Warp - ahh now that's more like it!!! looong atmospheric pads on top of a fast paced bassline. Too bad that they fuck it up with some vocoder voice samples.

 

Nightmares & Dreamscapes again, this time with a breakbeat. I must say that all of a sudden this makes a lot more sense then the Backstream mix a few track earlier. Nothing to do with psy but pretty cool IMO.

 

H.O.B. sounds indeed like it could've been a soundtrack to the new James Bond. Nice but... nothing to do with The Delta sound. The Bonus track is actually pretty nice, it has Kraftwerk written all over it

 

 

Conclusion I'm not saying it's a BAD album and my feelings is that if I give it some more listens it will grow on me but for now I must say that I'm a bit disapointed with this. I mean, if it was released under another name I might've judged it less harshly but this is THE DELTA. They're supposed to be überexcellent, not just good 7/10 (for now)

[Jon Cocco]

Update: December, 2008. FINALLY

 

http://www.psyshop.com/shop/CDs/won/won1cd003.html

[rino]

I just love this one! But it's not for the faint hearted, though. It has this really gritty and harassive angle to it as well.

Constantly chained in the deepest realms of the dark, damp, steep and cold dungeons of industrial influenced techno with enough stomping potential to sink the spanish armada. Stays successfully confined within the same set of complex mechanical sounds, yet it keeps you glued to the speakers. Scarse in ideas, quantity wise, but it's phenomenal how much can be achieved with a restrained amount of layers.

As sick and rough as it may be, it's very polished and three dimensional. Dynamic, albeit monotonous sound textures, rich and deep production vaults, all covered in a veil of disturbing distortions, FX and pulsating bass lines.

Tends to sound the same, but in a good way. If you liked stuff like Spirallianz, Opsys, or X-Dream's "Irritant" from the psy trance realms, and the mono Birmingham techno sound, then "Minusman" will be a lot to your liking.

 

All tracks are great, with the exception of As A Child I Could Walk On The Ceiling (Remix), because it tends to reminisce of The Delta of the past, while the rest of the album is pushing their sound far away into the future. The whole album should have stayed focused on the stark sound displayed throughout the other eleven tracks, the remix of a past classic only makes you remember of the things long time gone, instead of letting you enjoy new and exciting music yet to come. My two cents.

Pick it up before it becomes another sold out classic! A sure 4/5, and growing on a daily basis.