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A preview of Ott's Blumenkraft album (Twisted)

traveller
IsraTrance Senior Member

Started Topics :  234
Posts :  3803
Posted : Apr 19, 2003 17:00
Artist: Ott

Album: Blumenkraft

Label: Twisted

Release Date: 23rd of May 2003

Cat: TWSCD26

Total playtime: 72:40

Tracklist:

1. Jack’s Cheese & Bread Snack 12:52

2. Somersettler 07:31

3. Splitting An Atom 07:21

4. Escape From Tulse Hell 07:12

5. Cley Hill 07:32

6. Billy The Kid Strikes Again 07:13

7. A Load Up At Nunnie Catch 07:18

8. Spannered In Pilton 07:07

9. Smoked Glass & Chrome 08:34


Review of the preview and other notes:

I got a chance to be part of the inner Twisted circle (I became Shpongled )and so four (or was it five) days ago I received this album’s promo by mail. What is to follow is my personal view of this album, sort of like a window into my mind. What is to follow is what my mind thinks and possibly doesn’t think about it. My preview might be very confusing and from time to time seem like random nonsense, what really isn’t such a big suprise (for me anyways). What ever view you get or don’t get from my review(s), you should definetly not ignore for it being that I happen to be always right. If you don’t feel like reading a highly detailed epic freestyle review now would be a good time to scroll down to my mini- & art reviews. Now that I’ve got nothing else to say, I’m going to begin my “preview”.


But before we begin:

Before I began to listen to this album I felt it necessary to be on the right mood. As it’s that this album happens to be very British there were certain acts to perform before the playtime was upon. So, after my homemade English breakfast (sausage roasted so brown that it really didn’t look like a sausage any longer, 3 stripes of bacon, two eggs with yolk in half liquid form, toast, various flavours of marmelade, good load of white beans in tomato sauce (thrown into the skillet after everything else was done), glass of squeesed orange juice with a little sugar on top and finally a huge cup of black coffee) I felt it was the time.


Almost there:

It was Saturday morning and I was alone. I opened the cd case and took the cd out. The artwork seemed nice. On the front cover there were three futuristic looking dumbbells (which I could no doubt easily lift) and a Blumenkraft(?), this cute robot thingy that has a red flower on its right hand. The flower really stands out since it’s so red and everything else is pretty much blue, white, gray and black. Other artwork is not included, so I can’t really talk/write about it. I’m quite sure it’s just as nice though. I think it’s all made by the infamous Calx. For some odd reason the cover reminds me of those not too fluffy Sony Aibo robot dog thingies.

Something was missing. I went outside to smoke a Marlborough light and that’s when it hit me. Tea! I definetly needed tea for this Odyssey. Tea was more than necessary. So tea it was. Tea with a few slices of citrus thrown in, not forgetting two full teaspoons of sugar. Finally I inserted the cd into my hifi system, closed the curtains cause the sun was shining way too bright and was ready to begin.


Preview thingy:

Obviously my hopes were sort of high. Just before hitting the play button on my remote control I took an eye of the cd case. The first track’s name was “Jack‘s Cheese And Bread Snack”. It was according to the info I’ve got written and produced by the one and only, Ott himself. It was a magical moment, I hit the play button, and so it began.

The beginning seemed something that I really didn’t see coming. It’s like a beginning of a story. To me it sounds like a guy, or maybe a girl, I‘m not quite sure, perhaps it‘s the Blumenkraft (=Flower Craft?) leaving a crappy sounding trance or house party. He opens the door, shuts it, walks across a sand road. Opens his truck’s door, starts up the engine and starts moving. The evil 4x4 is now definetly left behind. Very symbolic if you ask me. At that point. What point? The point when that car starts moving a semi aggressive bass synth makes a little noise, just enough to make people aware that it’s there. Soon it dissapears. The story has begun. Bleeps, beeps, a growly synth, a heavenly synth and something else are all preparing a way. A way for? I don’t know, but I’m quite sure we will see soon. Somewhere around 2:20 quiet drums do a little work. Getting a little louder, performing the paradox of fading. Something is on the background. That something slightly reminds me of that epic Shpongle track on their latest album. Not sure of the name though, I think it’s “Around the World in Tea Daze“. Magic is definetly in the air. At the edge of 04:00 we get a computer like female voice. She says “One.. all composite phenomena are impermanent.. two.. all contaminated things and events are unsatisfactory.. three.. all phenomena are empty and selfless.. and four.. nirvana is true peace”. That’s when we get right down to business. What suprises me is that I’m not bored. It just so happens to be that I usually find the so called intro(e?)s kind a boring and usually just skip them. Right after the word “peace” we get a really soft bassline played by Daz. A millisecond later we are also given a interesting beat manipulated by Ott and a nicey rising and downing high-pitched synth. They create a pattern. Very smooth! Very elegant! Very British! We go pretty much like this until 05:10. That’s when we get some stronger beat manipulation. Something like 30 seconds after that we get a guitar played by Steve Hunt. Not a strong one (volume wise) but still. Then some bigger variation on the beat, some tribal chants and something. 06:05 we take a step step into dubbier direction. Guitar is doing a reggae pattern. It’s also doing a solo. Drums are just fantastic. If you are a ghost now would definetly be a good time to drift around the room manouvering vortexes and cortexes. Just before 08:00 there’s a small chill part. The sample represented before is repeated. But wait! It didn’t go the same way. This time we are not given a bassline, but a flocking manipulated beat. Ten seconds or so after typing that the bassline enters accompanied by a new synth. Trancey synth. Not trance trance, but trance feeling like. Bleeps. I love that “tkrrrrr” instrument which name I cannot remember. You know, the one that can be heard in the beginning of Infected Mushroom’s “Bust A Move”. Nice hidden effect at 09:51. Something to be proud of. Tiny circles. I wish I wasn’t writing this review at the moment so I could enjoy even more, not having to think. 10:40 the guitar returns. It’s very.. indian. 11:00 the track is getting closer to its end. Doh! I’m smart. I mean you can hear it, the way everything dissapears and is faded away. Some distant chants and growly synths are pretty much all that is left.

While “waiting” for the end I take a glimpse at the cd case. Next up is “Somersettler”, which some might remember from the “Backroom Beats” compilation. It’s mixed in with a angel like wind. Also some grasshoppers can be heard in the foreground. There’s no hearable change. Also this one is 100% written by Ott himself. At the track transformation point we are given weird speech like noise. Soon that rub-a-dub monster will hit us. At 01:00 you can already sense that it’s upon you. Just after 01:05 we are back in business. Nice echo effects are represented. Soon a “16th century pirate ship” like melody is mixed in. At 02:00 there’s a lot going on! We have nice echo effects, a bassline and loads of synths. Disturbation, good disturbation. Beat keeps on being dubby. Bassline does the same. The foreground is not left empty. In it the effects play around, but it‘s not too crowded. A little after 03:00 we get one of those indian like guitars. Dub, dub, dub. The track keeps on being massive. A flute? 4:21 bassline gets some serious variation, it sort of becomes a deep growling synth. Weird voices, bleeping effects, time to dub again. I’ve heard this track like atleast 20 times but still keep on discovering new things in it. It’s very layered. We have that bassline layer. On top of that there’s the beat layer. Then there are the various synth layers. As a cherry on top we have that “manipulation of effects” layer. Distant, approacing, ending, slowly fading away. And so it all ends in a demonic wind, time to:

“Splitting an atom”, again 100% by Ott. Once again mixed, yet suprising start. No introes. Ott guides as straight to the beat. Very 80’s beginning. It sounds like 100 000 people were saying “tbshb” in a bassy voice at the same time. 00:40 we get a bassline and a much stronger beat. Once again, somehow reminds me of that epic Shpongle track. You’ll see once you hear it. 01:20 we get vocals which are sang by Michelle and/or Cassie (the info given to me isn‘t 100% accurate). Beautiful is the word! I don’t know why, but I’m seeing a picture in my mind. A picture of? Well, don’t know why but I’m seeing the Eiffel tower swinging at the rhythm of the music. Looks kind a groovy if you ask me. 02:00 we get to the ethnic chanting. African? I think so. Doesn’t make a difference, it’s just great! 02:45 back to the Shpongle land. Just before and right after 03:00 we get truly awesome manipulation. Followed by even cooler.. what ever the word is.. Then it’s time to Michelle and/or Cassie to do some work. Very, extremly Shpongled. Very Posfordish! This heavenly track in interrupted by a break at 04:00. Vocals get us back on track. I wish I could just keep my eyes closed and float. Opera kind of lyrics. Were they like that before? Chanting returns. It’s like Michelle and/or Cassie are communicating or atleast trying to communicate with the chanter. 05:00 and the rest can’t be talked about for it would be a crime since words can’t describe what’s going on. One word to sum it up: inexpressable.

Next up is “Escape From Tulse Hell”, which again some of us might have already heard for it was released on “Mana Medicine” a year or so back. The beginning is mystical and once again, mixed in with a wind effect. Then that “Hi I’m weird!” beat plus weirdness combination beginns. Getting dubbier. At 01:02 the dub incarnates. Dub beat follows a little later on. Dubby synths. Now absolutely nothing is missing. It’s all there. A Dorset of Dubbation. Another “1600th pirate” like melody. I wish I could be there. Some old peg legged red bearded guy playing the melody with a mouth harmonica. YARRRRRR! Com’ ere ol chap! Oh well. 03:03 dub-a-dub is back. Once again, there’s not much to say since there’s just too much to say. Correct me if I’m wrong, but the track isn’t 100% the same than the released version on Mana Medicine. I’m doing some moves. Ah I forgot to tell you, if it matters.. I’m lying on my bed, feeling quite comfortable. I’m sort of flying at the moment, somehow feeling very british . 04:50 we go into a little edgyer, frolicsome, electronic so to speak of, direction. Bleeps! Manipulation is once again, just out of this world! The way that guitar hits us at 05:30, SHIT! That’s frisky! Thought it was going to end but still keeps on going at 06:12. Right on. Right on. It’s about to end, slowly fades away. Leaves me.. touched.

After a short cigarette break it’s time for “Cley Hill”, which in my opinion sort of starts up the second part of this album. We get all sort of stuff right at the very beginning. Followed by.. ooops too much happened. “Traveller hits skip button right back to beginning of track 5.” Okay at the beginning we get a repeative bassline that grows stronger (volume vice). 00:37 we get salsa influences, a beat, church like organ makes a short appearance and best of all we get a flute that could very well be played by the Grandmaster Flash of Trance, Raja Ram himself. Very hypnotic. Needless to say, perfect. Oh my fucking god! The manipulation is very Posfordish. Only he, and well.. now Ott can come up with such ideas (and Mozart ofcourse). At 01:30 the organ does a melody. The beat is “too” slow, gets faster. Then the flute answers the organ. The beautiful flute! Is it Raja? Tell me, please! I guess it doesn’t matter, it’s just perfect! For me the word Shpongle pretty much represents perfection and at the very moment I can’t really think of any other words. Are you trying to hypnotise us, the listeners? Mission accomplished! 02:44 there’s a tiny break followed by a tempo change and cosmic manipulation. Still remaining latino the track pretty much goes out of this world. The flute returns, once again, as a incarnation of perfection. Manipulation goes bleeps and beeps! Right after 04:00 the track is on the verge of total collaption. Get’s even deeper about 10 seconds later. There are some vocals. Point of no return passed a long time ago. Collaption! No, latino influences return accompanied by a tribal chant and a strong bass. Beat ofcourse can also be heard. Children’s voices. I love it when they do so. 05:03 I don’t know what the hell that is but it’s... like the best thing I’ve ever heard. Also happens to be the most hypnotic thing I’ve ever came across. The way that guitar imitates it a little later. Even the pitched beat. YESS! Flute, effects, bassline, beat, it’s all there, but will be gone soon. Congratulations Ott. This is in my opinion.. perfection! Yet it gets even more perfect with that spacey synth. It’s about to end

After a track like that.. I don’t know what to say. Now it’s “Billy The Kid Strikes Again” written and produced by Ott and Daz. According to the info I‘ve been given “Daz playes loads of synths” on this track. Also the guitar and the bass are apparently played by this mystery man. So, let’s begin. The beginning is quite weird as it sounds like it doesn’t belong to this album. We have weird synth, beeps and at 00:38 the bass/beat combo hits us. The track seems very straight forward. Very fresh! Nice echoed pad follows soon. This is trancey. I find it awesome. Nice aperative in the middle of the Ott land. Very breakbeatish. I don’t know who made that synth at 01:58 but it sure is original! Just a little later we get a old school goa upper. You’d better hear it, cause it happens to fit this track really well. This track is made in that “Eat Static/Ozric Tentacles” way. Not 100% sure though, I’m not too familiar with them. The guitar came a long somewhere around 03:15. Didn’t see it coming. Really wasn’t expecting for such a change. It’s very.. solo like. It’s apparently playing a solo. 04:20 Heavy Metal dub? Sort of anyways. This track sure is different to everything else on this album this far. It’s not a good or a bad thing. It’s just as great. Actually perfect decision to place here cause after track 5.. yu know. Erpland. I don’t know why that word is on my tongue. The build up on this track is very catchy. Hard to describe cause in a way not so much is going on, yet so much is happening every given second. Patterns, I hope that’s not a curse word, not ment to be insulting. Junglish ending is upon us. Loads of drums are doing stuff, 05:30 there’s a super cool effect. Some string instruments are thrown in. Goa uplifter keeps on making its work. Catchy!

What is to come now? Hold on.. “A Load Up At Nunney Catch”, appears to be mixed in in a very fresh way. Looking forward to hear what direction we are about to go now. Are there any more doors to enter? Daz is the guitarist here too. 00:27 We get a very straight forward bassline/beat combo. Guitar. I wonder what’s going on with the Flower craft. I think I heard it on the background! Oh, the bassline is very deep. Just noticed it. Wah Wah guitar. We have a solid bpm? 4x4? Sort of, yes, but in that very special Shpongle way. Shpongle way? In the way that it isn‘t repeative. A wise man once said that 4x4 makes your nose bleed. This piece of 4x4 isn’t doing so, for like I said, it’s made in that very special way, I hope you know what I mean. Besides.. manipulation begins. 02:30 latino feeling is back. And gone. Some serious work done to the drums at 02:50, the production is flawless. Something is trying to get that dub feelin’ lone gone back. No, not coming, yet anyways. Bassline is very static. Drums too are very static. 03:25 salsa tries to kick in but dissapears. Manipulation at 04:04 is very complete. Latino, guitar, psychedelic? Yes, very! That guitar is somehow very distant. Bassline every now and then varies. Not strongly, but still.. 04:58 a little pirate athmosphere, sorry.. more like Indian actually is thrown in. 05:25 it’s time to show of with the studio skilz. Not overdone though. Just... flawless, perfect, entarntaining. Static is still the word. WOWOWWOW! That effect.. UUUH! Trancey? Trance trance.. yes sort of. This track could very well be played in a trance party. Looks like that 4x4 isn’t going anywhere. It’s welcome though, so..

“Spannered In Pilton” 100% Ott touch here. The beginning of the 3rd part of the album if you ask me. The beginning of the track is very “rock song” like. You know, it all starts up with a bassline. Soon some hi-hats join in. What’s next? Ofcourse the beat? Yep! But as this isn’t a rock song, we also get some effects, and a little before 00:50 funky guitar. 01:00 we get some Shpongle touch. Melody, which once again in my opinion is a little pirate like. Reggae pads can be heard on the background. Very massive. Effects and manipulation are doing all the serious work untill 02:14. That’s when the flute hits us. It’s very welcome! And ofcourse, beautiful. 02:45 we are flown into a new direction. I have never ever heard anything like this before. Small break after 03:00, then some serious break beat studio work. Bleeps! Harmonica? Ott is good at creating melodies! They are so, nonconventional. Something really unexpected in general. Something our small scene is desperate to get more. Something our beloved hungers. New influences! Bongo drums are heard at 04:40, and they definetly are not ment to be hidden. 05:20 a totally new part beginns. There’s a vocal sample that goes something like this “Praise praise praise.. this is good fortune.. No it doesn’t make that.. ??? ..wait any longer” it blends to the track. Breakbeats a little before 06:00. More vocal samples.. too disturbed to understand though. Kind a difficult to write high details. A voice sample ends the journey. The voice is very manipulated, disturbed and in a way extremly scary. British? Nope, not this time..

“Smoked Glass and Chrome”. These days it’s a trend to make the last track in a chill album a boring soundscape one. Thank “insert your favourite supreme being here” Ott didn’t go that way. The beginning reminds me of that McGuiver tv show, not music wise, but.. 01:20 we get the bass and the beat combo. Different to anything represented before. The tempo is really slow on this one, doesn’t bother the force though for it remains strong . 01:50 it’s time for Michelle and/or Cassie to chant something alien. Is it Marsian? What ever it’s.. it’s not a manmade language, perhaps a message from the skygods? Huge euphoria feeling! My toes are tickling. I’m now sort of swimming in the air. The track is definetly a step back to the chiller sound. It’s in a way very simple. Patterned. Sort of looped. We have that chant part, the uplifting chant part, the part before those chants, and the part after them.. it does a few spins until the break which is located a little after 04:00. 04:40 we start the process of building. Very alien! I guess it’s just my imagination, but I almost heard a flute behind the beauty.. somewhere deep inside the track. Next to that alien inner core, under all those layers. Might have been telepoported from another planet? This is definetly one of those “don’t think, just keep your eyes closed” tracks. Michelle’s and/or Cassie’s voices are very manipulated and like I said.. alien. 07:46 the track is close to it’s end, the journey is about to end. Already slowly fading away. I will never experience it again, for everytime it just so appears to be different.

Everything good comes to an end and so after 72 minutes and 40 seconds it was over. I’m stunned and touched! So what is this album? I tell you what it’s. First of all it’s very british. It’s probably more british than Queen Elisabeth the second herself. It’s also very, extremly psychedelic, innovative and unique journey into sound. More than that it’s one of those things that should be required for all of us humans, and maybe also other mammals to experience. It in a way makes us more complete. Through its magic it shows, that just maybe there’s a small britton inside us all.

What this album isn’t? This isn’t one of those albums that you listen through, and then become so pissed that you bought in the first place. It isn’t one of those albums which magic wears out. It’s not a Shpongle album. It should not be compared to Shpongle. I know I’ve used the S word quite a few times in my “review“, but there’s a reason to it! It being that I can’t think of anything else that comes even close.

If this album would have been released before the Shpongle albums people would definetly compare Shpongle albums to it. But it should not be compared to anything, for like I said, it is very unique. It’s an album that in my opinion deservers 10 from scale of 4 to 10. I could go on and on with the superlatives, but am not going to do so. I’ve got nothing else to say, but thank you Ott for this magnificent, splendid experience.

Actually I do have one more thing on my mind. If I was to someday find myself in a situation where the small grey creatures would destroy our planet unless I, the chosen one, would play them one cd to show, that we, the humans can create highly sofisticated art and therefore deserve to live, I could very well play this album to them. So, get it or any given day our beloved planet might be blasted into pieces!


The Mini Review:

T1. After a long intro we are represented very alien like dubbish track.

T2. The alien athmosphere is now gone. Now we are flown into dubbier pirate like space.

T3. This might be the most Shpongle like track on the album. One of my favorites at the moment.

T4. Here we have very massive dubbish another pirate like track.

T5. Strong latino influences here. One of my favorites again.

T6. This track stands out for it’s very different compared to anything else on this album.

T7. This track is very trancey. 4x4 can be found here.

T8. Shpongled, yes! My favourite? Yes!

T9. This is closest to the track 1 I guess. I love it!


The Art Review:

Do you want to make a trip into space, but don’t happen to be a millionare or an astronaut? Do you want to travell faster than light among the stars? Interested in visiting the restaurant at the end of the universe? Curious to go to places man has never been before? 42 still puzzling you? Don’t happen to live in the 2500’s? Not interested in taking certain substances? No worries mate! Ott along with Daz, Steve Hunt, Michelle and Cassie made it all available for you. Best of all it’s for sale for less than twenty bucks! All you gotta do is close your eyes and listen!


PS:

Thank you Ott
          "The dinosaurs became extinct because they didn't have a space program."
- Larry Niven
A.Rosengren
Solid Snake

Started Topics :  266
Posts :  4138
Posted : Apr 19, 2003 17:09
I believe u have to much time on you´re hands sieni

A
Zombi
IsraTrance Senior Member

Started Topics :  375
Posts :  5032
Posted : Apr 19, 2003 23:40
can anyone review this preview to review it like a review ???
          Believe your soul !
O.zen
IsraTrance Junior Member

Started Topics :  42
Posts :  291
Posted : Apr 20, 2003 01:28
this is a preview?!?! ok
hay, treveler you want to write my study jobs??
i see you like it.
nice PREVIEW thoghe           "move your body! if you don't have one, GET ONE!"
Gilad Refael
IsraTrance Full Member

Started Topics :  79
Posts :  2113
Posted : Apr 20, 2003 04:43
i think you went too far with this dude
anyway, good job i guess. i didn't have time to read it all tho, mainly because i don't own the album yet.

btw, if it's not released yet then this is a promotional post, isn't it?          REHAB is for quitters
Ott^
OTT

Started Topics :  0
Posts :  488
Posted : Apr 22, 2003 01:50
Great review - thanx.

My only criticism would be the lack of tomato ketchup on the breakfast, and the tea.

Milk and no sugar in mine please.

Asuhra
IsraTrance Junior Member

Started Topics :  25
Posts :  269
Posted : Apr 22, 2003 18:34
Wrong forum?           Opus Iridium
pr0fane
Multiphase

Started Topics :  418
Posts :  3816
Posted : Apr 22, 2003 20:51
Excellent preview - nice work

This is definatly a release I'm looking forward to...           DJ pr0fane (Iboga Records) | Multiphase
www.sunrisesupplies.com | www.iboga.dk | www.soundcloud.com/pr0fane
traveller
IsraTrance Senior Member

Started Topics :  234
Posts :  3803
Posted : May 27, 2003 14:16
well i've had it for over a month already. this is no doubt the best release of the year along with younger brother's album..

          "The dinosaurs became extinct because they didn't have a space program."
- Larry Niven
Hodi
IsraTrance Full Member

Started Topics :  114
Posts :  1212
Posted : May 27, 2003 14:39
a review shouldn't be short, but it shouldn't be THAT long!
i'm sure it's a good review but hey do u think all people are patient to read such a long text without getting their eyes tired?           u can find "Anything U Want" using the search...
traveller
IsraTrance Senior Member

Started Topics :  234
Posts :  3803
Posted : May 27, 2003 14:59
that's why there's also a mini review and a "art" review           "The dinosaurs became extinct because they didn't have a space program."
- Larry Niven
The Accelerator


Started Topics :  6
Posts :  26
Posted : May 28, 2003 09:43
WOW.
This is amazing cd. from start 'till end.
I don't think i can really describe exactly how each track sound, or how good it is, beacuse you need to hear this whole piece to understand, and besides Traveller said it all (great job).
The cover artwork is also great.
Definatly one of the best releases of this year.
Hippie


Started Topics :  6
Posts :  149
Posted : May 29, 2003 19:35
does anybody know a good site where i can order Blumenkraft?? ....

twisted.co.uk - 28.67 USD - too expensive! ...psyshop.com - "Order via internet is not possible in the moment" ....amazon.com - "This item will be released on June 17, 2003." ........

please help ...           Dream is my world. Goa is my motherland. Trance is my religion. Flying is my life.
traveller
IsraTrance Senior Member

Started Topics :  234
Posts :  3803
Posted : May 29, 2003 19:46
http://www.trance-shop.com/de/catalog/default.php


cheapest place to order online.. and they support many payment methods           "The dinosaurs became extinct because they didn't have a space program."
- Larry Niven
Hippie


Started Topics :  6
Posts :  149
Posted : May 29, 2003 19:55
thank you very much           Dream is my world. Goa is my motherland. Trance is my religion. Flying is my life.
Trance Forum » » Forum  Music Reviews - A preview of Ott's Blumenkraft album (Twisted)

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