Melancholyman Posted August 26, 2008 Share Posted August 26, 2008 I was reading in the Distant System topic and someone claimed that Spiral Empire is the best downtempo for 2008. I thought, maybe so but what releases do we have this year. Couldn't find any other topic in general about it (might have missed it) so here is one I would say that in a certain genre there aren't many great albums over the span of one year. Having let's say 4 really great albums in one year is to me quite exceptional. We have of course Distant System - Spiral Empire wich to me is not really a contender for the best album. A great work of art in it's own right but it lacks that "xtra" touch to make that last centimeter. Then we have I Awake - The Core, my initial thoughts about this album was that is was rather dull, and lacked cohesiveness. But after digesting it for a time and returning I realize this is indeed an exceptional album. A strong contender for best downtempo 2008. On top of these two great albums comes two others from Virtual, Ishq - Timelapse in Mercury and the amazing Colourform - Visions of Surya. Would this be all the good releases for a year anyone would be fully satisfied. Then Eat Static releases their chill project Back to Earth wich also is a quite killer. All in all it has been a great year for chill lovers and keep in mind that the year isn't over yet. If you are lucky, and that is to say miracle like lucky we might just have the chance to enjoy another Solar Fields album. That though is most likely not to happen. Even without Solar Fields Ultimae will release at least one more album before the end of the year. And we all know they don't release anything but solid great downtempo. A newcomer Vataff Project - Kalitz struck me really hard, wasn't expecting anything but got everything! If I've missed any album that should be payed some attention please tell. There must be a whole of releases that has slipped me by. One that slipped me by is Evan Bartholomew - Secret Entries Into Darkness, that makes seven great albums in one year!! Pardon me, but Hol Baumann - Human is indeed a 2008 release. Good gosh! What a wonderful year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abasio Posted August 26, 2008 Share Posted August 26, 2008 Well, I think 2008 so far has been a great year for chillout music. Both established acts & new surprises have peaked my interest & I have thoroughly enjoyed. First up was the delightful surprise of Vataff Project - Kalitz (Aleph Zero Records) which while not quite as unique as the sales blurb was an extraordinary album with a lot of soul & is definitely one of my favourites this year. Gus Till - Aquana Vol.1 - Stillness (Aquana) is a nice warm ambient album, perfect for relaxing outside on a warm spring day (Summer is too hot here) Indigo Egg - Ixland (Celestial Dragon Records) blew me away with it's otherworldly acidic brilliance A lot of people have probably heard Distant System - Spiral Empire (Celestial Dragon Records) which is my favourite Ketamine trance album in ages. Tyler often says he is not creative or copies other's techniques but he has more "accidental" creativity than most other artists releasing recently IMO Minilogue - Animals (Cocoon Recordings) was a lush minimal album & the second CD was a great minimal chillout/ambient CD. Definitely worth checking out. Orbit Constructions - Androneda (Demon Tea Recordings) is another space ambient album but with such great atmosphere that I get lost in each time. Take some ketamine, collapse on the sofa in a smoky club & hope they play Vadim Bondarenko - Smoking Music (Faria Records). It's a great jazzy ambient album. Urban, dark & smoky. Various - Future Memories (Interchill Records) had the cream of the crop on it. Tripswitch, Solar Fields, Eat Static, Phutureprimitive, Cell, Carbon Based Lifeforms. How could it not be great? (It's great by the way) Orchid-Star - Birth + Re-Birth - Same Journey, Different Perspectives (LSD - Liquid Sound Design) for me was a big surprise. I thought LSD was done but this album was stunningly beautiful. Gas - Gas 0095 was remastered on Microscopics & was a great treat to be able to get at last. Kettel - Myam James Part 1 (Sending Orbs) is maybe my favourite chill of the year. Kettel's style is just goosebump inducing stuff & this album while not the Journey of My Dogan has more PCG tracks Evan Bartholomew - Secret Entries Into Darkness (Somnia) is nice dark ambient, very descriptive & deep. Emanuele Errante - Humus (Somnia) is sleep inducing but if you can manage a half sleep the music really comes alive & paints a bland yet engaging landscape. Evan Marc + Steve Hillage - Dreamtime Submersible (Somnia) is one of those records that I can hear the quality of it but just haven't managed to get into yet. Still I'm sure I will, in time. The second CD of Various - Opus Iridium (Suntrip Records) was absolutely great. The Aes Dana track Lysistrata just blew my mind. Hol Baumann - Human (Ultimae Records) was full of quality music but just didn't have enough new stuff for me. Still, great album, seems like Ultimae is evolving. Loved the melodies & the beats here. I Awake - The Core (Ultimae Records) had some more IDMish beats & was quite a cool album after I got into it. Colourform - Visions Of Surya (Virtual Musical Reality) is another acidic alienesque alien soundscape from heaven and finally M-Sphere - Floating (Yellow Sunshine Explosion) which was an album I was so looking forward to so there was a big chance of disappointment but M-Sphere came up with the goods & delivered another melancholic masterpiece. There is more I must hear, the newest Virtual Musical Reality release & the Eat Static chillout album as well as I am hoping for more from Ultimae, LSD & hopefully Databloem. Also Celestial Dragon have a new comp coming out with a new Distant System track which is another must buy. Looking forward to my 2008 mix. Must get some more upbeat material first though. Damn....so much to buy, so little cash Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
damon Posted August 26, 2008 Share Posted August 26, 2008 My best albums of 2008 so far: Distant System - Spiral Empire (I said it in 2007 it's going to be one of the best releases of 2008 ) Hol Bauman - Human Evan Marc + Steve Hillage - Dreamtime Submersible Also I find Shambala Networks - Deep Spiritual Network Connections (Audiosex Rec) interesting although it's not as good as those 3 above. I hope we'll see at least 1 or 2 great albums this year ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rotwang Posted August 26, 2008 Share Posted August 26, 2008 I really love V/A - Raindrops in the Forest (read my review here). CD2 of V/A - Healing Ananda also has some great tracks on it. Needless to say, the Distant System album is great too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melancholyman Posted August 26, 2008 Author Share Posted August 26, 2008 Nice Abasio, I have alot to check out now! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
damon Posted August 27, 2008 Share Posted August 27, 2008 Oh one more: Isaak Hypnotizer - Freedom (Space Tepee) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phobium Posted August 28, 2008 Share Posted August 28, 2008 I really love V/A - Raindrops in the Forest (read my review here).Sweet review, I didn't even know one was written Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HolyLight Posted August 28, 2008 Share Posted August 28, 2008 Opus Iridium had an ambient CD as well right? And im not sure if the Younger Brother album counts as 100% downtempo since it had some more uptempo tracks as well if i remember correct, I just liked the slower ones so i havent really cared about listening to the others. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
damon Posted August 28, 2008 Share Posted August 28, 2008 Yeah Opus Iriudium's 2nd cd is great. Materia Musica comp. has also a lot of good music.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
murphythecat Posted August 29, 2008 Share Posted August 29, 2008 hey ABASIO, i have one question, and answer honnestly please, is this all the downtempo youve heard this year, or those cds are really, the best youve heard? and if the answer is the second one, well, which one are your favorite??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melancholyman Posted August 29, 2008 Author Share Posted August 29, 2008 hey ABASIO, i have one question, and answer honnestly please, is this all the downtempo youve heard this year, or those cds are really, the best youve heard? and if the answer is the second one, well, which one are your favorite??? Don't you just love when a girl asks you to clean her ass with you're tongue? :drama: (I'm drunk btw) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
longloststar Posted August 29, 2008 Share Posted August 29, 2008 Satumnaisuus - Kaleidoskopedelia Well beyond every other chill release I've heard this year, and I've heard most of the listed. Shame most won't discover this, since the stubborn finns don't realize the weight of the english language. Anyway, you can download the album here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tatsu Posted August 29, 2008 Share Posted August 29, 2008 I haven't bought any 2008 chill-stuff besides the Opus Iridum album so I don't have a clue about good stuff. Means I'm very happy about this thread! I wasn't able to find samples for all the mentioned albums but the Hol Baumann album, the Raindrops In The Forest and the Future Memories comp. are on my wishlist now. Thanks for the recommendation! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abasio Posted August 30, 2008 Share Posted August 30, 2008 hey ABASIO, i have one question, and answer honnestly please, is this all the downtempo youve heard this year, or those cds are really, the best youve heard? and if the answer is the second one, well, which one are your favorite???I have heard more than that of course, I didn't just write absolutely everything I'd heard. These are the ones I thought were good enough that I'd like to review at some point if I have time & effort. My most listened to this year is probably Vataff Project - Kalitz but I think it wont appeal to so many. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
murphythecat Posted August 31, 2008 Share Posted August 31, 2008 hey melancholyman, you seem to like it, give me some experience tip! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
U.F.Orb Posted August 31, 2008 Share Posted August 31, 2008 Vataff Project - Kalitz is indeed amazing and it did got played a lot at my place,my fav relaxed release of this year. i sure hope aleph zero gang or coocking us some tasty music in that style of vataff project,i seem to be realy enjoing it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ormion Posted August 31, 2008 Share Posted August 31, 2008 Orbit Constructions-Androneda Best of the best of the best Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melancholyman Posted September 1, 2008 Author Share Posted September 1, 2008 Orbit Constructions-Androneda Best of the best of the best Yep been lsitening to it now and it's straight into my to-buy list! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
p(sy)ayam Posted September 2, 2008 Share Posted September 2, 2008 my favorites so far are: Colourform - Visions Of Surya I Awake - The Core Distant System - Spiral Empire i'm surprised no one mentioned, Easily Embarrassed - Idyllic Life Ian Ion - Gringo Locomotion some other albums worth checking out which were not mentioned: Don Peyote - Peyote Dreaming (some very nice tracks, and some boring ones!!!) Side Liner - My Guardian Angel Kick Bong - Flower Power Lauge - Sunday i'm looking forward to Abakus' new album and of course ultimae's new release they might change my top 3 list it's been such a nice year :drama: :posford: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Manifold Posted September 2, 2008 Share Posted September 2, 2008 would have to be Ott & Entheogenic for me :posford: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sideffect... Posted September 3, 2008 Share Posted September 3, 2008 I haven't bought any 2008 chill-stuff besides the Opus Iridum album so I don't have a clue about good stuff. Means I'm very happy about this thread! I wasn't able to find samples for all the mentioned albums but the Hol Baumann album, the Raindrops In The Forest and the Future Memories comp. are on my wishlist now. Thanks for the recommendation! same over here, didn't have the need for new chill stuff cause 2005-2007 provided some good stuff compared to earlier years... the Distant System release I noticed, very good stuff, the new entheogenic I tried off course, a bit disapointing afterwards, seemed good in the beginning but it doesn't last forever like the first two albums... the second opus I still have to listen to... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yerg Posted September 5, 2008 Share Posted September 5, 2008 ORCHID-STAR "Birth + Re-Birth" Superemotional :drama: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amphiton Posted September 5, 2008 Share Posted September 5, 2008 Cell - Live @ Ketama (2008) Mostly compilation tracks there, but some other stuff too and it's nicely mixed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Cocco Posted September 5, 2008 Share Posted September 5, 2008 Hopefully Electrypnose is working on a follow up to the wonderful Subliminimal Melancholies. Because his dance stuff, though it may appear more favorable to the record label, isn't getting as high acclaim and praise. So unless the artist pulls something completely novel and catchy from out of his ass. Hmm... http://www.psyshop.com/shop/CDs/dps/dps1cd029.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Cocco Posted September 5, 2008 Share Posted September 5, 2008 These two are top class. I have not bought any others or found samples that impressed me enough to buy any other DT album this year to date. I look for the next best thing. V/A - OPUS IRIDIUM - CD2 DISTANT DISTANT SYSTEM - SPIRAL EMPIRE Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.