Millivolt -- Reality Tv Ep Recommend (Recent Release)

Released: February 2014

Label: Glitchy Tonic Records

Another uniquely named project/stage name by Swiss Producer/ DJ Luk Schmid (who also did the awesome cover art as well, a multi-talent up in this piece) bringing us this music with speeds roughly between 130-140 BPMs.

The original song “Reality Show” ” (a title relevant to our times given how this type of program has entranced and engulfed many people’s attentions instead focusing on their own reality) is dark progressive trance; very robotic, and Goa. Reasonably the main song being it’s the standout, with all kinds of atmospheric drops, floating vibrations and external sounds, zipping in, out and surrounding the main bass. The breakdowns/drops and build-ups throughout the first three minutes are notable, not too long or short and keeps listeners anticipating. Even the vocal samples (“There’s something weird…”) are well-timed. The variety in electronic techniques throughout this song is so expansive and engaging, it’s almost ridiculous.

“Species” and “Cloudhead” follows the same mood and tonality, just Dark and heavy, even cyberpunk in certain atmospheric tones.

The Reality Show remixes follow suit, with Ivort version being the best out of them. Visually, the intro sounded like Transformers were just activated… just my imaginative thoughts on it.

Undoubtedly a needed listen for EDM fans into Dark and Progressive Trance.

Tracklist:

Reality Show

Species

Cloudhead

Reality Show (Kromagon Remix)

Reality Show (Ivort Remix)

Ratings:

Music Variety and Creativity: 10/10

Catchiest Song: Reality Show

Replay Value Overall: High

MAINSTREAM EDM: Capitol Cities: “Safe And Sound”

As much as I tried to resist it (I shouldn’t have should I?) feeling this would get annoying fast, this can be one hell of a catchy song, and has achieved guilty pleasure status. Based upon that, I had to check what other DJs did with it. Here’s some remixes I’m feeling… last one’s best, the reason why above-posted picture is in accordance with it. The glitch-scattered intro/chorus rules in it from the get-go.

Capital Cities - Safe and Sound (Henrix & Darmon Remix) [Progressive House]

Capital Cities - Safe And Sound [Electro]

Capital Cities - Safe and Sound (Party Ghost Remix) [ELECTRO HOUSE] [FD]

Capital Cites - Safe and Sound (Tommie Sunshine / Live City remix)

Duoscience - Freestyle (Album Review)

                   

Drum N Bass all day right here; Duoscience aka Edu Ventura is an awesome find coming from the South American Electronic Music scene. This is his only original album so far but I’m glad he dropped it, so I’ll flow over the goodies I has for others’ approval in posterity (and in retrospect).

Released: April 09, 2012
Label: Celsius Records

         
          Tracklist:

·        Interlude 1

·        Don’t let me go

·        Desert Moon (Mage Remix)

·        Where I’m from

·        Asking

·        L-Okubo

·        Interlude 3

·        Your Eyes

·        Empty Can (feat. MsDos)

·        Better Days (Feat. Seb Bruen)

·        Definition (feat. N4m3)

·        Astral Travel (feat. Scott Allen)

·        Let Me Know (feat.  Skyeyes)

·        Eve

·        Interlude 02

 Don’t Let Me Go” is a great first track, the repetition of “go” in the chorus is extremely catchy. I know DnB dance-steppers will go in heavy on this.

“Desert Moon” is one of the best on the album, fast-paced Liquid Funk, very smooth and hard-hitting; the high-pitch female vocals soar similar to something from Uplifting Trance.

“Where I’m From” is laid-back for play in the background, and “Asking” is mostly laid-back, but has some unexpected vocal samples. They mixed well pace-wise, but I don’t like the lyrics themselves too much; probably because there’s a mainstream element of modern Hip-hop, though I wonder where he sampled it from (if he did). Also, and it was about 2 minutes longer than it needed to be.

Good glitchy piano in “L-Okubo”; ultimately another good ‘let-it-flow’ in the background type  song.

This combo from Duoscience and N4M3 with the atmospheric “Definition” makes up for “Astral Travel” afterwards, which had a good intro, and not a bad track, but semi-generic.

“Let Me Know” has the best vocals on the album by an artist named Skyeyes. Interesting to hear R&B/Neo-Soul within DnB. Pretty awesome.

“Eve” is my favorite song on the album; no problem with repetition here, feeling it the whole way through. Visually, this song works on very fast-action-oriented Japanese anime. It took me there.

And yes, the interludes were numbered like that originally... messes with your mind I know...

Favorites/Recommends:

Desert Moon

Your Eyes

Empty Can

Definitions

Let Me Know

Eve

Ratings: 

Lyrics: 8/10

Variety in Musicality: 8/10

Catchiest Song: Eve

Replay Value Overall: High

SONGS OF THE DAY: Bjorn

Some Liquid Drum N Bass that can't go unheard.

Bjorn - Inside My Soul

Element Over Nature -- Cyber Reality Ep (’97) Recommend

     Label: Transient Records
    Released: 1997

     Tracklist:

     Cyber Reality (Hard Circuit Mix)
The Age of Cyberspace
 Outland 2027

One of my favorite labels for Trance, Transient. Here Kris Kylven (also known with aliases Sub Unity Nettwerk And Odds, Element Over Nature was my favorite though) put something unique together for one of my favorite EPs. Primarily Dark, futuristic Goa Trance, good vocal additions and sound effects to drive into this world. the song "Age of Cyberspace" definitely the favorite and standout to me.

SONGS OF THE DAY: Aquascape

The Electric

Transparency

Sky Modeling

Underwater Stranger

Benza Self-Titled Album Review

Label: Demon Tea Recording

Released: July 2003

Tracklist:

1.                 Cardboard Squares

2.                 Flinch

3.                 Duality

4.                 Bowling For Weirdos

5.                 10 Yards

6.                 When The Generals Talk (Benza Remix)

7.                 Upon Further Inspection

8.                 Square Pyramid

9.                 The Wolf

10.            Idiot Savant

11.            Wedontneeduaroundherenemore

2003 psy-trance album, and this Label definitely will have more discussion on this blog, and the Aussie talents they produce. First up is Benza (Ben Ryderman):

“Cardboard squares” is a great start, very funky and upbeat. It has some great James Brown vocal samples interspersed to kick-off dancing.

“Flinch” is vastly psychedelic, and harks back to full-on Goa in style, faster paced dancing on this one.

“Duality” another favorite, is amazing Tribal electro.

The second longest track, “10 Yards” has bass effects with smooth and electro intermixing with it. Most notable is this weird possibly reverse playing vocals as lead-in arrangement to the end of the song, it’s kind of crazy at first, but after a moment you’ll realize that it actually works effectively.

The most stand-out song is “When the Generals Talks” and wow, I don’t know what possessed him to remix Midnight Oil's song into very bass heavy, funky electro track, but I’m glad for it. One thing it does is introduce more Australian musical talents to us, in this case the kind encapsulated of the 1980s. (You can pick up the
“‘80s” vibe in that chorus real quick with a keen ear…)

“Upon Further Inspection” is probably the best Sci-Fi and futuristic interpretation in the form of musicality on the album. It also has Dark-Trance touch, and faster BPMs.

And “Idiot Savant” is the best Psy-trance of the album.

Nothing is repetitive, has exceptional vocal sampling -- and these are the unique artists I love to find, that can I keep a 7 to 10 minute song alternating its sounds, breakdowns, and transitions to keep us engaged the whole way through (Shpongle is also a master at this). Benza is one of the best many never heard of in the EDM community.

                                  Favorites/Recommends:

 Flinch

When the General Talks

Upon Further Inspection

Ratings:

Music Variety & Creativity 9/10

Catchiest Song: 10 Yards

Overall Replay Value: High

MOVIE SOUNDTRACK: Gravity By Steven Price

Label: WaterTower Music
Released: October 2013

Given the movie Gravity's recent sweeping of many Academy Awards – best Cinematography, best Visual Effects, best Directing, best Original Score, best Film Editing, best Sound Editing and Mixing – had to do a post to the soundtrack/score. Being a junkie of Ambient and World/New Age, as well as Space-related or Science Fiction films, this is right up my alley.

Overall, the ambience has its eerie subtleties mixing with the heavier symphonic intensities (tracks like "Atlantis" and "Gravity"). Beginnings of tracks like “Let Her Go” are good for meditative relaxation, and no doubt I’m bias on that for this soundtrack, but in a good way. Then again it’s what encompasses much of the movie and score anyway so I’m sure I’m not alone in that. There's even a very effective "Glitch-like" sound weaving in and out of songs like "Debris", so that’s a treat for fans of that electronic music genre.

For New Age music fans it’s a must; it pushed me back deeper into an appreciation for Movie/TV Soundtracks.

Favorites/Recommends:

Debris

Atlantis

Don’t Let Go

In the Blind

Aurora Borealis

Tiangong

Gravity

Ratings:

Music Variety & Creativity: 10/10

Catchiest Song: Tiangong

Replay Value Overall: High