V/A - Surya Namaha [Namaha Records 2007]
well this is the 3rd release released in august by namaha records, and it is a huge step away from their usual approach of night time music. this cd is all about glorious morning tunes, full on music to bring a smile on your face :P. or atleast thats what i got from the promo write ups and the basic concept of the cd. anyways lets see how this cd turned out.
1. menog vs cpu vs bliss - the concept of time [145 bpm]: what we have here on our hands is probably the dream team from nutek records :P. heheh. seeing the names on this one the expectations are obviously high, so it is with eager ears that i sit listening to this one. from the get go really each artist slaps in his sounds so you know that everyone is alive and kicking, which is something rare in those collaberations involving 3 projects. the track is really quite energetic and blows up quite a storm. if you play this at a party your bound to jump start the scene. what i observed most in this track is menog’s touch. he provides the main melody and sad to say that the track lands up sounding alot like a standard menog track. not that that is a bad thing, but come on, i think we expected more. there are moments where you can here bliss add his handiwork here and there (like in the 3rd minute, the cartooney tune :p). there is bliss feel to the bassline and highs as well. that really strong energetic feel that bliss manages to get across in his tunes is well presented here. the main sample used is all menog. really leaves me wondering where cpu is in this mayhem? heheh. overall this is quite a stomper of a tune, though this seems a bit hard for a fullon/morning cd. regardless me like :). 8/10.
2. itp vs u-recken - northern lights [145 bpm]: i really havent heard too much of these so i really didnt know what to expect. when compared to the last tune, this definitely has a more full on groove to it. a bit on the heavy side maybe but not too bad.if you have heard the itp album, you would know what kind of bassline im talking about. i like the warm pads that are used. gives the track i nice feel to it. ahh this is where the glorious melodies come in. this kind of tune is what you drop really early in the morning, definitely plaster a small your face. as a person who normally finds himself amazed at the cheesiness of israeli full on music now, i found this track to be really enjoyable.the leads used get across a wonderful kaleidescopic feel to it. the pick up in the 5th minute is just epic, and yeah at this point ill admit it is sort of cheesy, but hell its a load of fun, with more tricks in the beats than i can think of. the final push in this track is drawn out with the melody and should definitely keep that dreamy smile on your face a bit longer. all in all a nice bit of full on music here. 8.5/10.
3.chronos - sonic drops [145 bpm]: alright, i have no idea who this is and this would be his 2nd release after his last release on va - orientation 3. alright the bassline is sort of generic, or atleast i thought it was, but the track uses some light melodies that gives you air to breathe. this track definitely carries the happy factor from the last track and lets you just close your eyes and bop your head senselessly :). it has a sort of old school feel to it, and the cheese factor is present, though its pulled off rather tastefully. sort of reminds me of protoculture a little when i think about it, the way that the really epic melodies just float out to you. whats amazing is the way this tune just gets more and more epic as it progresses, and considering that the start itself is full of melodies, its like an explosion of melodies subsequently. the melody in the 5th minute is thoroughly enjoyable and would even get the grinch to smile. all in all this is a beautiful peace of epic morning music. 9/10.
4. cpu - demolition [145 bpm]: having missed out on his participation on the 1st track :P, here we have samy cpu with his solo appearance of the cd. stylistically speaking this is in the same vein as cpu’s more recent stuff, the bassline is pretty similar to his ‘u-spin’ track off va - mind your own isness. incase your wondering what im talking about, im talking about phat a groovy bassline with a hint of clubby cheesiness. for more look up the last cpu album, ‘discodelic’. im sure this change has upset lots of ol’ cpu fans, but iv got to admit it certainly has its own charm. with many funky little tricks this track has some really interesting moments, like the buildup in the 4th minute, which culminates in this slow beat by beat buildup iv heard many artists like painkiller, bliss and more recently azax syndrom use. dont really like that trick too much but this track gets better further down. i really like the sample that is used, some guy talking about the destruction of earth, i believe smugg juggler might have used the same sample on their track , ‘heathen race’. all in all this track is alright, i wouldnt say its anything spectacular, but its certainly not downright horrible. production quality is up there with crystal clear sounds. provides some insight into what cpu might have contributed to the 1st track of this cd. all in all, id give this one 6.5-7/10.
5. psilocybe project - experience the challenge [145 bpm] : i dont know much about this project so i really had no clue what they were all about. in keeping with the basic idea of the cd, they are a full on act, and as such they have their basics down right. clean and tight basslines, that to me sound a little generic, but that could also be because im hooked to my ipod 24/7 :P. the track has smooth progression, and the samples are well pulled off. i like the way new elements are introduced, very natural progression. the melodies are pretty standard, not too overblown, but something id expect to hear on a com.pact release. for a debut release, this is pretty impressive. i like the main melody they introduce, it is cheesy, but it sticks in your head if you know what i mean.i dont like the buildup with the clubby kicks around 6:00. they also use a cool sample about understanding the working of the brain, and it comes out well enough, with those very characteristic israeli full on leads. dont get me wrong, this is a pretty cool track, but i feel it lacks a distinctive feature to set it apart. to me it sounds much like most full on out there. very happy, and pretty much dancefloor oriented. impressive for a debut release, but i guess there is a lack of original distinctive ideas. also towards the end, i dont like the way that peow sound keeps sticking around. overall, if this were played to the right crowd im sure it would be well appreciated - 7/10.
6. digicult - every single second [145 bpm] : iv really enjoyed this project’s work, from their album to their numerous single releases. they produce a nice blend of fast paced full on morning music, which deals tastefully with melodic aspects of the genre. this track lives up to this expectation, and provides a fast paced euphoric experience. one thing that catches the listener would be the strong melodic elements from the very get go. the bassline is also packs a punch, and it compliments the melodies well. above and beyond it provide great energy to this tune. another aspect worth mentioning is the great use of samples, their timing is great and with every sample the track goes places. the melodies are great, sort of like a very aggressive and pretty hyperactive :P. they provide a great depth to the track, and quite often it sounds like the track is talking to the listener. in that aspect the only artist whose melodies have this kind of effect on me would be tryambaka (check out his track ‘filth’). all in all a great great track does not disappoint. 8.5/10.
7. mojo - beat beasts [145 bpm] : again no idea who this is. track uses some female vocals initially with some super warm pads, very soothing intro. this leads to a pretty standard full on bassline, which is tight and builds up well, with neat little fx and melodic touches here n there. the leads used sound distorted and metallic and plays around nicely. have to say im impressed with the production, very clean cut sounds and everything is right where it should be. the melodic piece in the 4th minute is nice, not too overblown but with enough power to keep you bumping around, and some neat tricks pulled with the leads as well. the final break in the 5th minute is packed with warm pads, and a sample saying, ‘i came here to do something’, which the track definitely tries to live up to. overall this is pretty decent track, what i like most has to be the production level, very clean sounds, and funny use of the sample i mentioned earlier, especially when it is used at the end again. overall though, this track doesn’t appeal to me, so id give it a 7.5/10.
8. audiotec - acid machines [145 bpm]: here we have utopia records regular, audiotec giving us acid machines. starts off warm pads and those whale sounds i love. has a sort of cheesy feel to it from the get go, with the melody being thrown right in the beginning. what follows is a nice steady bassline falling in place. the track follows a pretty standard progression and sounds like what you’d expect from audiotec. this track actually reminds me a lot of astrix’s ‘adventure mode’, especially the playful lead in the 4th minute. the introductory melody used again in the 5th minute, is nice albeit a bit clubby, but i like the euphoric touch audiotec lends it with those warm pads, chanting and again the whale sounds. the man knows how to push things up a notch in that department. a melodic lead bubbles up soon after. sure, i could see why he named this track ‘acid machines’, especially if dropped nice and early in the morning. this is a nice track with some cool melodies to it, stylistically very much in the same vein as astrixs’ present style. i am sure this would be a full on lover’s dream, though i wish he would have stuck to his euphoric vibes in this track. 8/10.
9. anill - jennifer 8 [144 bpm] : iv never heard of this project, but was quite pleased with what i heard. slow steady beat, and a nice robert miles-ish melody. a bit on the cheesy side, but nice stuff to listen to at home, and definitely pleasant in the morning. what i like is that the melodies aren;t too forceful, they come around pleasantly, and the changes in the kick bass always maintain a steady heavy vibe. at times this track has a great old school feel to it, with its heavy yet melodic sound. the buildup in the 4th minute is interesting in the way the track smoothly comes back, rather than massive buildups one after another. i really like the subtle melodies here, they keep things simple and groovy. the 6th minute is nice example of what i am referring to, simple ever changing melodies that aren’t forced on to you, rather they just ease themselves through. overall this is a really nice track, catchy in its simplicity and ease with which it flows. 8.5/10.
10. strange planet - life forms [143 bpm]: this is the last track of this cd is by newcomer ’strange planet’. from the very get go, you can see this is going to be one of those uber euphoric rides. very remeniscent of fatali n protoculture. really welcomed old school feel to it, with a pounding a bassline. i can’t remember the last time i heard music like this :). i love the old school sounds used, those sci-fi fx that were used by the likes of silicon sound, alien project back in 2003-2004. the melodies are another matter altogehter - very very epic, much like what protoculture had on his ‘refractions’ album. the track progression is smooth and very engrossing, and the melodies come and go flawlessly. now that i think about it, these guys remind me alot of psytrain. with their smooth and hypnotic melodies. overall this is a wonderful ride, a very fitting way to end this cd. 9.5/10.
overall - this is definitely one of the nicer full on cds floating around :) its great listening to at home, and it covers different takes on morning music, from the harsher sounds of menog n bliss, to the more conventional take on full on music from the likes of u-recken, and audiotec, to the more epic end of the spectrum from strange planet, chronos and anill. the music keeps up with the concept of ’surya namaha’, which in hindi roughly means to welcome sunrise. i like the album cover for this cd, and the character drawn on it reminds me of the character that was on the temple twisters cd - ‘generator operator destroyer’. heheh ironic :P. anyways enough of my yapping - id give this cd an overall score of 8/10.
fav: 3!!,6!,9,10!!
where to buy:
http://www.psyshop.com/shop/CDs/nah/nah1cd003.html
http://saikosounds.com/english/display_release.asp?id=6593
Posted in Psy Trance, Reviews | 1 Comment »