Artha - Fluori Dolby EP

[Templar]

Artha - Fluori Dolby EP

 

Cronomi Records, 2010

 

 

1. Signs

2. Astral Body

3. DNA

4. Sannjasin (Remix)

 

To make the awaiting for Artha's debut album entitled "Influencing Dreams" easier and also to promote our countryman, Cronomi Records released a free teaser single containing four tracks by Michał. One can find here one of his most recent tracks called "Signs", two older tracks which were given a modern makeover and a remix of "Sannjasin", which was released in its original form on the "People Can Walk" compilation. As with other publications of the label, the person responsible for the single's mastering was Colin Bennun from OOOD. The cover was created by another countryman, Insidelamp from Gdynia (northern Poland). This single is almost 40 minutes of music, most of which belong to two fat tracks called "DNA" and "Sannjasin (Remix)", both being 11 minutes long.

 

The single begins with "Signs" and already here one can hear Artha's extraordinary talent. The hallucinogenic introduction leads us to an amazing, intense world of kaleidoscopic themes. With its goa-backbone and verve "Astral Body" is a proof of how much one can change a seemingly old track from a couple of years ago. Tons of various alterations and additions have changed it beyond recognition, owing to which we received an intense, acidic goa-torpedo of the highest class. Next we have another classic track by Artha, namely "DNA", which very few people know from its former working name "Subtle Energies". Compared with the original version, this one also lived to see the modern tuning, although perhaps not as obvious as in the previous case. Here and there one can hear the Far East-stylized accents, made in the style typical of Artha. The last track is an altered version of a tune which was originally published on Cronomi Records some time ago. After hearing "Sannjasin (Remix)" all fans of Simon Posford, including such a die-hard fanboy like me, can stop waiting for the third Hallucinogen psytrance album. The track just oozes with layers of thick awesomeness and incredible psychedelia. Brilliant composition of all the elements of this work, with careful emphasis on the original motifs, resulted in a shocking effect. This nearly 11-minute long, chameleon-like shapeshifer of a track fully satisfies any hunger connected with the lack of Simon Posford's music and shows that the real psychedelic trance is still alive and kicking, though in recent times it is a thing which is hard to find.

 

It was not the first time when Michael has proved effortlessly how much does music from many other artists suck in comparison to his output. The tracks shine with incredible power. One can hear bold references to goa-roots, however Artha does not plunge into them too deep to be labelled in this style, as the basis for them is pure psytrance. The multithreaded approach to creating tracks is only for their best, owing to which there is a lot happening in them, so virtually there is no time for boredom. The whole thing is so great that one cannot dislike it. If it is the other way round - well, I can only symphatize deeply. Ladies and gentlemen - just wait until the album arrives!

 

Links:

 

Grab it (for free!) here: http://www.cronomi.com

 

and here: http://www.ektoplazm.com/free-music/artha-fluori-dolby-ep/

 

Artha's website: http://www.arthamusic.com

 

Insidelamp's website: http://www.insidelamp.pl

[mars]

Wow...my...wow, come on, this is an incredible EP we have here!!!!

 

Pure Hallucinogenic vibes all along. Exhilarating, mindbending, boundless, from outer space, and beyond. The kind of music you hear under psychedelics...except you're not on psychedelics!

 

My favs are Astral Body and DNA, but it's close.

Respects to Artha who travelled to the extent of demented psychedelia...and came back with souvenirs!

 

If the whole album is going to be like that, that's a wonderful, WONDERFUL year 2010 for Goatrance!

[rino]

This is remarkable stuff, nothing less. I just want to warn Cronomi: if music this good is given for free, then I want the releases I will be paying for to be twice as nice, which is, given the standards set by your last compilation, a tough achievement for anybody!

Quality through and through, Artha delivers a breed of psy trance which I haven't heard done this well for more than I can remember. Detailed, aggressive, well thought out, and most important, listenable at virtually any given occasion, and effective regardless of your mood.

I absolutely adore how Artha just builds, morphs and adds layers to already existing sequences and leads, as even the longest track here doesn't have a dull second in it.

To me, however, the largest plus of them all is gained because Artha seems to be the only artist around who realized how goa trance isn't necessarily about sun rays and rainbow colors. Not that I mind sunny days and warm weather, but some of us actually prefer dancing before six in the morning, and I don't want Kindzaza or any of his derivatives to be my night time soundtrack, and no, no disrespect intended. Second to that, another plus goes to the fact that his sound isn't encompassed within the rigid borders of any determined style and/or subgenre. Damn it, he just makes fantastic psy trance, period. His music is just out there, far reaching stuff which doesn't rely on any conventional elements, structural patterns or arrangements in order to satisfy demands of a targeted audience.

I really, really like this EP. I just openly and honestly hope his album won't let down. One too many times has it happenned that a promising act bit the dust and swallowed the ashes. Fingers crossed.

Excellent work here!

[Penzoline]

Very, VERY impressive EP.

When they said this is the new hallucinogen, they weren't kidding. We haven't heard goatrance like this in years. It's dark and utterly psychedelic.

The only thing I dislike in this EP is the samples in DNA They kill the mood of the track.

 

Right now I think the album will be a future classic for sure, if the tracks on it will be the same caliber, or even higher.

[Stardust]

Oh man, am I happy to have stumbled across this!

[Jeffers]

Nothing to add. A very beautiful e.p. Can't believe it's free. Thank you Artha x

[Xamanist]

Amazing.

Top-notch Goa trance is back!

Superb production, ideas, melodies, storytelling... masterpiece!

Congrats Artha, and thanks for the free release at Ektoplazm.

[Jeller]

This is remarkable stuff, nothing less. I just want to warn Cronomi: if music this good is given for free, then I want the releases I will be paying for to be twice as nice, which is, given the standards set by your last compilation, a tough achievement for anybody!

Quality through and through, Artha delivers a breed of psy trance which I haven't heard done this well for more than I can remember. Detailed, aggressive, well thought out, and most important, listenable at virtually any given occasion, and effective regardless of your mood.

I absolutely adore how Artha just builds, morphs and adds layers to already existing sequences and leads, as even the longest track here doesn't have a dull second in it.

To me, however, the largest plus of them all is gained because Artha seems to be the only artist around who realized how goa trance isn't necessarily about sun rays and rainbow colors. Not that I mind sunny days and warm weather, but some of us actually prefer dancing before six in the morning, and I don't want Kindzaza or any of his derivatives to be my night time soundtrack, and no, no disrespect intended. Second to that, another plus goes to the fact that his sound isn't encompassed within the rigid borders of any determined style and/or subgenre. Damn it, he just makes fantastic psy trance, period. His music is just out there, far reaching stuff which doesn't rely on any conventional elements, structural patterns or arrangements in order to satisfy demands of a targeted audience.

I really, really like this EP. I just openly and honestly hope his album won't let down. One too many times has it happenned that a promising act bit the dust and swallowed the ashes. Fingers crossed.

Excellent work here!

 

just checking this out and this is fantastic stuff indeed! but two weeks ago i saw a 3h set by Kindzadza and in terms of psychedelic music Artha is no match at all to kindzadza! Kindzadza his new music is really gooood btw, but still that's not necesarry and if you need melodies in your (psy)music you will prefer this more will check this album for sure, respect to Artha

[Drosophila]

This is a fantastic EP, one of the best I have heard for years! A very clever way to introduce the fantastic sound of Artha to as many as possible!

 

my favourite track is DNA, damn it's packing some energy, but the rest of the tracks are all very good! I can't wait for that album!

[amithaba_buddha]

Nothing to add than my sincere congrats and what an amazing piece of musical art.

[LittleRave]

holy fuckin dammit!!!! this ep is just incredible

i cant stop listening to DNA

 

psychedelic oriented goa cant sound any better!

[healium]

I need to listen to this again - first listen I found the music too fast, too harsh,to many jangly sounds and not enough finesse.. Reminded me of much of Jikkenteki's uptempo music which I also find very harsh, too aggressive, and generally grating on my nerves..

 

I like intensity without the harshness - music like this gives me a headache...

 

To contrast, the most recent album from Hedonix I found very psychedelic, but never in a harsh manner - the music and sounds in that album and smooth and pleasing to the ear.. However, that album also lacks some top-end euphoria like we get with the more "climactic" psytrance..

 

I'll give it another try though, it may have just been my mood or something at the time..

[Jikkenteki]

Reminded me of much of Jikkenteki's uptempo music which I also find very harsh, too aggressive, and generally grating on my nerves..

 

 

Thanks. I needed new material for my sig.

 

Back on topic, I am giving this a listen and am rather enjoying the atmosphere I am finding in this release. Haven't listened to much dance music in the last couple of years, but this is some good stuff.

[Penzoline]

Thanks. I needed new material for my sig.

 

It's just one opinion man. You make really great music, and like with all music, it's just not for everybody.

[healium]

Yea well I do love Jikkenteki's downtempo stuff (long Walk Home disc 1 is one of my fav ever), and some of the uptempo on the "Long Walk Home CD".. But yea the album he made after Long Walk Home (something "Infinite"?) I could barely listen to..

 

But this Artha EP, I dunno - is he buddies with the guys on this forum or something? Is there some sort of conspiracy to make this guy more popular?

 

I listened to it again and can't see what the hype is about at all - very typical/unoriginal sounds, simplistic melodies that are rarely catchy or inspiring, not a lot in the way of anything novel in this music.. Artha uses a bunch of what I think of as "useless background noises" - these are sound effects that are very unoriginal and add nothing to the music - his background sounds in this EP I think I have heard in about 1,000 other psytrance tracks (like Filteria's music)..

 

To contrast, listen to some old Koxbox, or Kino Oko "Alphabetically Divided Highway, and you'll hear that each sound effect is well chosen, and really adds something to the music - the sound effects should be distinct and colorful, not just these thoughtless messy noises throughout the music like the artist thinks they must have background effects at all times and so just adds them in with no real purpose to them..

[Mike A]

Artha's genre is so different from old Koxbox and Kino Oko, no point in comparing. It's like saying that Shpongle is better than the Beatles, or something. No point in comparison.

 

There is no conspiracy - in that specific genre, Artha really tops everything else.

[healium]

I'm not comparing the genre's here, I'm just pointing out that the sounds this guy uses are very unoriginal and add little to the music - "sound effects for the sake of sound effects" (like 95% of the psytrance I hear), whereas some of the other artists I mentioned seem to craft each sound to really add something to the music..

[Colin OOOD]

But this Artha EP, I dunno - is he buddies with the guys on this forum or something? Is there some sort of conspiracy to make this guy more popular?

 

I have never met him, or passed more than one message with him on Myspace, but his music switched on lights in my head that have been unlit for years. Just remember that your opinion is only your opinion; not a 'fact'. Just like my opinion, Mike A's and everyone else who does enjoy what he does. There's a saying about how opinions are like arseholes, in that everyone has one but you need to choose carefully who you show yours to, and be aware that it smells just as much as the next guy's.

[Djuna]

There's a saying about how opinions are like arseholes, in that everyone has one but you need to choose carefully who you show yours to, and be aware that it smells just as much as the next guy's.

 

Hahahahaha brilliant

[Imba]

There is no conspiracy - in that specific genre, Artha really tops everything else.

 

Thats all about own taste mate. For me Artha is good but not best, thats my taste and opinion.

I cant say he is bad just dont like that style so much, sometimes remind me on twisted psy, but sure is powerful!

 

DNA is great

[Xamanist]

For me this music is just fantastic and fresh. And I don't know Artha or anybody in this forum

[JonCrow]

I speak not in reference to this EP when I say that I generally appreciate reading healium's opinion on the boards.

[Trance2MoveU]

 

Artist: Artha

Title: Fluori Dolby EP

Label: Cronomi Records

Date: February, 2010

 

1. Signs

2. Astral Body

3. DNA

4. Sannjasin (Remix)

 

Differences. We all have them. They are everywhere in everything. Personally, I hate lobster. I think it's disgusting with all the cracking and juices. But I know people that would eat it 7 days a week. In art, there are always artists that do something that is left of center or 180 degrees away from the norm. It makes them unique and sometimes it becomes brilliant. Artha is Michał Bączek from Poland and he recently released his debut album Influencing Dreams on Cronomi Records. With the goa trance revival in full swing, he took a left turn and did what nobody else in the scene is doing. Personally I didn't think it was that spectacular, but I appreciated and respected it. Before the album though, he released this EP for free. That's right, quality goa trance...for nothing. You can get it here.

 

Signs- Clanging sounds and a whippoorwill rise create an outer space vibe before the beat kicks in. Chopped up strings bring a dark melody as effects dart about creating a sublime atmosphere. A warm 303 bubbles not giving you too much sunshine, but enough to enable the will to proceed on the journey. It undulates, as if watching life in slow motion, or an octopus slowly unfurling it's tentacle. Melodies seamlessly insert themselves coming and going like a thief in the night. It's all a grand tale told with reverence, both vivid and eerie at the same time. Superb!

 

Astral Body- Wobbly synths preface the unleashing of a furious lead. Sounds combine bringing groove to a whiplike lead. The synth changes its direction climbing skyward, as the warm sensation bubbles underneath. When the madness ceases, he delves into a more subtle goa tunnel, adding effects to take you to a different place. The chaos resumes right to the end. Good track for sure.

 

DNA- "A genetic cyborg evolved from synthetic DNA."

 

Settle in now for the last two tracks which happen to be the longest of the bunch. Cybernetic alien skitterings show themselves briefly, teasing you from their hidden places. Instead of hitting you over the head with sunshine melodies, he gently brings you along. He builds the track, adding new melodies above the bass line and evolving what is already there. It's hypnotic. The break is beatless, but the aliens live. Just when you relax, BAM!! He hits you with a strong goa lick. They branch off, snaking this way and that. Add the hi-hats and it's a Buddha party! After another short break he crushes you even harder with a dastardly goa assault. Awesome!

 

Sannjasin (Remix)- Metallic effects and a flute don't normally mix, but he pulls it off. Bubbling synths accompany a woman's singing, as the break reorganizes things and the beat is heavy. A melody rises and falls, a lead screeches across a short break and this is a perfect example of how he makes psytrance with a goa slant. His introductions of new leads and melodies are super smooth. I love the 7 and a half minute mark as another synth growls under a slow and steady beat. This track has a lot of twists and turns that I didn't see coming. Great track.

 

 

This was deep, and oh so vivid. The detail used in sculpting this statue is so precise. The tracks a so chock full of stuff that the long length is needed to unravel his story. He weaves a psytrance hammer while caressing you with sweet goa blanket. Differences. He uses the psytrance and effects to set the stage and the melodies to show you where goa can be taken. If his album was all like this, I would've screamed it from the rooftops. But this EP was a treat and further showed his talent. While not everyone will think this is super, (I do!) you have to respect his talent and ability as an artist. Highly recommended!

 

P.S. Can someone tell me what Fluori Dolby means?

 

Mdk

[Templar]

Check out The Best Free Psytrance of 2010 survey conducted by Ektoplazm.

 

http://www.ektoplazm.com/2011/the-best-free-psytrance-of-2010

 

The single got 1st place.

[Templar]

If anyone is hungry for more of those Artha goodies, Michał comes back to Ektoplazm with two tracks called "Antistatic Circle" and "From Life To Life" which you can grab for free here:

 

http://www.ektoplazm.com/2011/panta-deus

 

The first one is a goastic frenzy, while the second one has been called "a response to Hallucinogen's Jiggle Of The Sphinhx" by a friend of mine.