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Do Timeless Classics Exist?


HolyLight

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So every now and then I travel back in time by means of revisiting old albums. Some of which many will agree upon as beeing essential and classics, something with a timeless appeal if you will. I often do so to see if they have aged gracefully and to see if nostalgia might've worn off. Some albums which were considered groundbreaking at the time might've lost some of the shimmer, but might still retain the compositional qualities which still makes them a joy to listen to. Others will still sound stellar, and one might argue not even beeing in need of remasters, due to how perfectly they were crafted. And then there's albums which will sound hopelessly dated. 

So my question is, what's your albums that have aged like a fine wine? And what albums are starting to really show their age? I will add some detailed examples of both as I revisit some classics. But for now I will say that the Infected Mushroom album Classical Mushroom, is still a damn funky album full of cool melodies and interesting sounds, it doesn't however sound as stellar mixwise as I remember it. It was very groundbreaking upon release, and much of it was probably due to how fresh and new it sounded stylewise as well as the additions of acoustic elements. These novelties are of course nothing unusual today so the initial wow-effect is somewhat dampened. A remaster might remedy some of this. 

The Hallucinogen Twisted album on the other hand I consider a splendid old wine, which I would highly recommend to any newcommer to this genre. It sounds as alien as ever, and the weird lysergic landscape it teleports your mind to is still unrivaled. The mixing and sound still to this day to my ears sounds fantastic, a very organic, living and breathing sound.  

It almost seems to me that some albums might have a shelf-life of perhaps 10 years, then they might start to sound dated, the true classics however thus far are still kicking it some 25 years later. So it begs the question as well, will they to become outdated some 25 years from now? Or will they stand the test of time until there is a new way of enjoying music in the future, which might not even be about recording/arranging music in the linear fashion we do today. We might be sipping on some drinks on mars listening to music on our Neuralink music players in our brains. With 3D music floating through our field of vision like a digital hallucination.

Since we have seen an uptick in remasters over the last two decades, I will keep it open to add examples of remastered albums as well, as the remaster might have become old by now if it was remastered in the 00's for example. And besides sometimes the remaster in itself might reveal an old albums weakness. Or at other times you might not have enjoyed what the remaster did to an album and so for that reason skipped it, the puritan way so to say. :) Some might argue as well that certain albums should be appreciated in the vinyl format unmastered, just as they were intended. And at other times the remaster might've been just what the doctor prescribed and elevated an already stellar album to dizzying heights. Some examples that spring to mind in this category are some of the remastered albums released on DAT Records and Suntrip Records over the years, which were really good remasters, (Dimension-5, Crop Circles, Pleiadians etc).

Since it was a long time ago now since the first wave of Neo Goa, the albums of that era are of course valid candidates to this thread as well. Ra - To Sirius is an album I plan to revisit, not sure if it needs a remaster or not. It always had a very plesant sound to me. Miranda - Northern Light still sounds ace to me, very good 90s mastering. I'm still curious about how it would sound remastered since the remastered collection of Miranda tracks released last year on Spiral Trax was really good.

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I'll name a few that come to mind in no particular order. Quite sure this has been discussed several times :P

MFG - Project Genesis

Koxbox - Forever After, Dragon Tales

Pleiadians - IFO, Family of Light

Dimension 5 - Transdimensional

 

This is just a tiny scratch on the tip of the iceberg, to be fair.

 

Of the newer ones I gotta put KhetzaL - Corolle somewhere :D

I was thinking of compiling a list of all the "fine wine" albums I have, but of the non-compilation albums, I have hundreds and hundreds of them. This is gonna take  a long time, especially since I haven't mustered the willpower to even get started on it :o

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21 minutes ago, psychedelic chipmunk said:

I'll name a few that come to mind in no particular order. Quite sure this has been discussed several times :P

MFG - Project Genesis

Koxbox - Forever After, Dragon Tales

Pleiadians - IFO, Family of Light

Dimension 5 - Transdimensional

 

This is just a tiny scratch on the tip of the iceberg, to be fair.

 

Of the newer ones I gotta put KhetzaL - Corolle somewhere :D

I was thinking of compiling a list of all the "fine wine" albums I have, but of the non-compilation albums, I have hundreds and hundreds of them. This is gonna take  a long time, especially since I haven't mustered the willpower to even get started on it :o

Yes of course classics of the genre has been discussed, what I aim to do is to start a bit of reflection. Which albums did not age as gracefully? And which did? The contrasting aspect I think is stimulating. We are now in the year 2020 and I think it's really interesting to revisit stuff we might not have heard in a while, and also to get ideas for albums to listen to which one might've forgotten. :) Hopefully there might even be some great albums out there which I and others haven't heard yet. Hopefully new members here who might not be very knowledgeable of the genre or scene might find some inspiration as well. Not everyone grew up with this music like some of us did. :D

Very good examples you provided, the MFG albums are very special, they have very good mixing and mastering IMO. The Khetzal Corolle album is surely a modern classic, and I still enjoy revisting it every now and then, very inspired compositional qualities. Which set the tone for the what was to come with regards to the first Neo Goa wave. This thread could hopefully be a bit of an inspiration for reviewers as well.

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8 minutes ago, Psychedelic Superbeast said:

Aged Well:

cosmosis

Kox Box - Dragon Tales

Cydonia - In Fear of a Red Planet

Sandman - Witchcraft (most unique Goa trance ever...and will stay like that)

Shakta

...........

 

Interesting I need to check Cydonia out, I only ever heard their tracks on compilations. I really enjoyed them tho! Albeit a very long time ago now! :D

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lone deranger, twisted
synthetic flesh
synergy
lets turn on
ifo
helium
transdimentional (prefer suntrip remaster)
another world
cosmology while i still love it the mastering lets it down these days

virtual spirit i still like but doesn't quite get me there as much as used to, i prefer earthcrossing these days
blue planet for me seems to have aged a bit
tetrahedron also
 

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8 hours ago, technosomy said:

lone deranger, twisted
synthetic flesh
synergy
lets turn on
ifo
helium
transdimentional (prefer suntrip remaster)
another world
cosmology while i still love it the mastering lets it down these days

virtual spirit i still like but doesn't quite get me there as much as used to, i prefer earthcrossing these days
blue planet for me seems to have aged a bit
tetrahedron also
 

 

This weekend I plan to do some serious revisits of classics. Thanks for the input Chi-AD and Cosmosis are some I need to evaluate again! And others as well. :) The Lone Deranger was quite long ago, I usually go back and listen to Gamma Goblins pt 2 only for some reason, and that track is quite intense/a journey so I'm usually quite exhausted in the mind afterwards lol. It has such a good grip on the listener, a very good story mode. But I have fond memories of Trancepotter and Deranged from compilations. I wonder why he didn't include Synthesizzler,  Shakey Shaker and Thugs In Tye-Dye on his albums? Yeah it's definitely time for The Lone Deranger! Been way too biased to Twisted so this album has been somewhat forgotten.

Yes I also prefer the Suntrip remaster of Transdimensional, I remember when it was released tho that I felt that it sounded "too modern" or full-onish with how much more emphasized the bass was. And the kick felt harder/too compressed as well or something. :) Nowadays I find it impossible to go back to the original. 

One CD I have revisited of the Neo Goa vanguard Ra - 9th has a kick/bass issue in my favourite track on it unfortunately, the track Transcendent. The bassline drowns out the kick drum completely.

What's your opinion on I.F.O? Remaster or OG? The live CD seems like a huge bonus.

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theyre few and far between.. for example the only ones i can say honestly are timeless to me; are the hallucinogen stuff (lone deranger to me is slightly better overall; but there is some slightly more interesting music on twisted - so they both go hand in hand), and perhaps blue planet corporation; and maybe something else that i fail to recall atm. (im thinking Synergy might be another)

in that, even after all these years, theres nothing wrong about it. For example the Pleaidains stuff sounds a bit harsh and unpleasant at times (still love it); the dimension 5 stuff sounds a bit, almost "software-like" (how that can be possible? still love it), and the astral projection stuff while very close to timeless (dancing galaxy lp) still has some slight issues here and there, and will sound very dated for a newcomer for example; talking about sound "quality" only - not the music itself. (which is also an important distinction to be made) - just like fine wine, not many people use it to get drunk, but maybe a glass or two. So to that likeness many people dont listen to music because of the sound quality - they listen because of the music.

 

In this context however, to be able to age like fine wine, the sound quality is most definitely just as important as the music - and in that regard only a few albums really hit home. very few!

so to me the question really boils down to; are there any perfect albums? i think personally only hallucinogen have that, from my perspective. Maybe koxbox- dragontales for those who grew up on that (i missed that one until much later, for example, but it is very good)

 

but thats the old school, in the new school i think theres a few; maybe filteria - daze is one of those that will age like fine wine. Probably will still enjoy that one just as much in 30 years.

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14 minutes ago, astralprojection said:

theyre few and far between.. for example the only ones i can say honestly are timeless to me; are the halluginogen stuff, and perhaps blue planet corporation; and maybe something else that i fail to recall atm. (im thinking Synergy might be another)

in that, even after all these years, theres nothing wrong about it. For example the Pleaidains stuff sounds a bit harsh and unpleasant at times; the dimension 5 stuff sounds a bit, almost "software-like" (how that can be possible?), and the astral projection stuff while very close to timeless (dancing galaxy lp) still has some slight issues here and there, and will sound very dated for a newcomer for example; talking about sound "quality" only - not the music itself. (which is also an important distinction to be made) - just like fine wine, not many people use it to get drunk, but maybe a glass or two. So to that likeness many people dont listen to music because of the sound quality - they listen because of the music.

 

In this context however, to be able to age like fine wine, the sound quality is most definitely just as important as the music - and in that regard only a few albums really hit home. very few!

so to me the question really boils down to; are there any perfect albums? i think personally only hallucinogen have that, from my perspective. Maybe koxbox- dragontales for those who grew up on that (i missed that one until much later, for example, but it is very good)

 

but thats the old school, in the new school i think theres a few; maybe filteria - daze is one of those that will age like fine wine. Probably will still enjoy that one just as much in 30 years.

I sometimes reflect on the sound quality part, and I have landed in the idea, that maybe this obession we have today about how the old music doesn't sound as bassy or crisp as the new stuff might severly limit our ability to truly appreciate this old music for what it is, namely 90's music. I mean when I listen to other 80's or 90's music that's usually part of the charm, the very specific era defined sound. I think this obsessions stems from the habit of these tunes still beeing played at todays venues, so they are beeing compared quite unfairly to new stuff.

It's a bit like complaining that 80's Depeche Mode doesn't sound as crisp as Röyksopp for example :D or that todays Hip Hop sound more clear than some old Cypress Hill or some other 90's classics. Although we've seen a lot of new Hip Hop/RnB emulating the gritty lofi 90s Hip Hop sound these days. :) Maybe it's time for some Neo Goa to take a similar approach? Time for some EQ presets that simulate the gritty sound of the Mackie 32/8 bus mixing desk. :D I think Filteria might the only one so far that went that route and used the Mackie 32/8 bus for Neo Goa. Which is cool, because it surely must've added a special more hands-on feeling while mixing.

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Btw what are you guys preferable artwork for Astral Projections Another World and Dancing Galaxy? I've seen quite a few versions of the Dancing Galaxy one, and the version of Another World cover art released in Sweden on Why Not Records, the same as Transient. I find this version cooler than the other one with two human silhouettes(probably Avi and Lior's) on. Which was released in other markets.

I did however purchase the Trust In Trance/Phonokol version here in Sweden due to the store beeing an importer at the time (90's).

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@AstralSphinx

you make an excellent point. sound quality is relative to the timeframe when it was released. Cypress hill temples of boom for example, is one of the best albums i know in that genre, and it is to me a great example of a timeless album. And subsequent "lofi" stuff that is very popular today. Yes its only a matter of time before this ungodly cleanliness we have gotten ourself into over the years, a "fad", will sort of die down. I think. hope. And that has absolutely nothing to do with being clean technically; aligning phase- proper timing - what have you - but its rather about the sounds themselves; being too clean (and it hurts my ears).

yes someone should make a 90s mackie emulation ^^   

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19 minutes ago, astralprojection said:

@AstralSphinx

you make an excellent point. sound quality is relative to the timeframe when it was released. Cypress hill temples of boom for example, is one of the best albums i know in that genre, and it is to me a great example of a timeless album. And subsequent "lofi" stuff that is very popular today. Yes its only a matter of time before this ungodly cleanliness we have gotten ourself into over the years, a "fad", will sort of die down. I think. hope. And that has absolutely nothing to do with being clean technically; aligning phase- proper timing - what have you - but its rather about the sounds themselves; being too clean (and it hurts my ears).

yes they should make a 90s mackie emulation :D 

I agree! Temples Of Boom, so dark and moody! :D epic stuff no doubt, unmatched. Boom biddy bye bye!

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 i wanna agree to MFG - project genesis. thats one hell of an album... theres a number of great storylines there, and many adventures to go on  :ph34r:

sunshine and Why is just really great sounding... So many layers of sound happening all at once yet there seems to be no frequency conflicts anywhere, and the kick comes thru as punchy and has nice compression.. its really clean for the 90s!

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3 hours ago, AstralSphinx said:

 

This weekend I plan to do some serious revisits of classics. Thanks for the input Chi-AD and Cosmosis are some I need to evaluate again! And others as well. :) The Lone Deranger was quite long ago, I usually go back and listen to Gamma Goblins pt 2 only for some reason, and that track is quite intense/a journey so I'm usually quite exhausted in the mind afterwards lol. It has such a good grip on the listener, a very good story mode. But I have fond memories of Trancepotter and Deranged from compilations. I wonder why he didn't include Synthesizzler,  Shakey Shaker and Thugs In Tye-Dye on his albums? Yeah it's definitely time for The Lone Deranger! Been way too biased to Twisted so this album has been somewhat forgotten.

Yes I also prefer the Suntrip remaster of Transdimensional, I remember when it was released tho that I felt that it sounded "too modern" or full-onish with how much more emphasized the bass was. And the kick felt harder/too compressed as well or something. :) Nowadays I find it impossible to go back to the original. 

One CD I have revisited of the Neo Goa vanguard Ra - 9th has a kick/bass issue in my favourite track on it unfortunately, the track Transcendent. The bassline drowns out the kick drum completely.

What's your opinion on I.F.O? Remaster or OG? The live CD seems like a huge bonus.

i love the ifo remaster and the live disc, been awhile since i listened to the original as i no longer own it and if you don't own ifo get it before they become to expensive
filteria i have really gone off, i never liked sky input but loved everything from heliopolis on, but revisited them recently and i am scratching my head at what it was i liked?
some tracks are still ok but overall no, i think possibly my tastes in the newer sound have changed.
revisit lone deranger with some headphones or really loud on a good system

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