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Artifakt - Artifakt II (Timecode)
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Le Lotus Bleu
IsraTrance Full Member
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438
Posted : Dec 5, 2005 22:34
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Artifakt - Artifakt II (Timecode)
This is the second album from Matthew De Nobrega aka Artifakt from South Africa, he's well known for being responsible of the Timecode sound as he's responsible of all Timecode & also Nexus Media mastering.
Tracklist ( in real it's a total mess made of strange signs but the trackname according Online shops gives this):
1. Zulu 2'37
2. Plastic 6'31
3. Made 7'00
4. Ohm 5'09
5. 5 8'13
6. 6 7'28
7. 7 0'49
8. Fish 7'20
9. Circle 0'39
10. Peak 7'39
11. Eye 6'21
12. ? 7'39
13. ? 7'34
Artifakt II has a concept, that's why you'll notice 3 short tracks (1,7 &9) that must be considered as transitions, furthermore tracks are all linked together (not mixed but there's a non-stop music flow).
1. It just consists in a short intro with strange distants sounds upto 1'20 than mutes in a Psy-Broken Beat tune.
2. The bassline reminds me Prince's songs especially at 0'40, in other words it sounds funky. By moment the rythmic has some indus elements (from 2'45). At 3'25 you'll experience a swift break made of a sharp decrease filter plus a kinda retro spinning (like dj's are doing). Otherwise the global harmony is quite soft despite the presence of several twisted leads.
3. At 0'30 an inversed sample is played, Made has a part at the beginning with short brass which reminds me Eat Static - City Of Sin & in a minor aspect Bucketheads with their anthemn (these sounds fall into my mind). It sounds more melodic than previous one in a whirlwind style but still with high twist on tones. After the break at 4'30, the restart is, with the same thema, in slow motion.
4. The intro is robotic with incongruous sounds, quickly & frankly the atmosphere gets funkadelik with a very groovy bass in a fast speed. Then weird indus tones comes from a break (from 1'45). The evolution of the track is based on a progressive raise of energy & postive agressivity through the sounds.
5. During this tune, Artifakt has a malicious pleasure to play music hitting on his pans (this is Mrs Artifakt that won't be happy). Particularirty here, a twisted melancholic lead which appears from 4'38. Except this, the global content is more classical Timecode sounding : pachydermic & furious.
6. All along the tune i can't refrain myself from thinking about Infected Mushroom (2 first albums period). There's a funny lead from 1'36, a mix of fly & a plaintive personn. At 5'17, there's an organ solo coming from those in old churchs which confers a gloomy touch. Then the melody part from the organ mutes into a an electrified riffs which is joined by a highly sharp & shrill lead from 6'35. Ok, so let's call this song ArtiMushies instead of '6'  .
7. Like i said previously, this track belongs to the short transition of the differents of the album.
8. Come-back to more Artifakt sounding with backfiring brass melodies (from 1'40), the atmosphere is more serious, at first at least, because of the unexpected & disconcerting quick break at 2'30. Indeed, it's like an awful group in the metro playing acoustic guitar plus percussions with a singer for begging that would cut this track in his middle. At 4'22 a new sound is happening, it's half way between a mewing & a sparkling but one sure thing is the total corrosive aspect for ears. I forgot to tell about the bass how warn it is, you can check it at 5'40 during the break.
9. Another swift transition made of a totally detuned tones, in a normal way it could have look like a Xmas tune...
10. The bassline is very flat, and later bolts. Then i got focused on the rythmic, very heavy, boderline with saturation from this point of view if you like unpolished productions you'll be served. From 3'20 a gimmick (sort of digital cry) seems to follow the rythmic in the background. The tune continues thicker with more & more leads & layers, so it's getting a bit indistinct, muddleheaded. During the break a strange sound occurs from 5'28 , it makes me think to an elephant which farts. I think this one is a bit too crazy for the mortal's common.
11.Artifakt has recovered the pans which were hidden by his wife, he can now fully explain his passion for cooking beats with them once again from 0'30. In his mad labo, Pr Artifakt also has experienced some sounds with a plastic balloon putting the mic inside it from 1'18 & some other indus mechanism at 2'30. From 3'33 you get an hardly bearable symphony, coz of the ultra-dominant squeaning tones.From 5'00 the structure changes, it evolves more trippy & then shortly nice, funny psychdelik before a come-back of the trippy part upto the end.
12. This track appears to me like a megamix of several ideas contained in the previous tracks, for example Artifakt makes us again the trick of the track 8's break .
13. The last one is more original, comparetively to the whole album, it's an almost happy, positive feeling bathing in a myriad of twisted sounds like always plus this border line unpolished statured sound treatment.
It's an very interesting album from the production & creativity views consequently it supposes from you a high involvement during the listen in order to catch it all which means it is very mentally & physically testing. Musically, you can expect : Timecode sound trademarks, plus the Artifakt's madness appeard on recent tracks on compilations altogether mixed with his passion for experimentation & incorporating weird sounds. So, an album that won't be easy to enter inside for a lot of Psytrance ears, as even myself i encountered some difficulties on certain tracks. As a result , Artifakt II is an album you'll eitheir totally like or dislike it, the intermediate position being impossible here
Normally i give favorites, here i won't, all tracks are so klonk, except maybe T12 a bit weaker, that's nearly impossible to have any preferances.
8/10 |
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CRX(HSS Records)
IsraTrance Full Member
Started Topics :
97
Posts :
2707
Posted : Dec 6, 2005 00:59
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artifact can't go wrong and since I like your taste le lotus bleu the release just added to my Xmas order 
respect
TAKE OFF TO THE COSMOSSSSSS
 Helicon Sounds Music
www.hssr.gr |
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Shimmer
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
10
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162
Posted : Dec 6, 2005 08:41
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Le Lotus Bleu you've done a lot better than me...I sat down at the computer last Saturday to write a review for this after listening to it...but could not describe what I had just heard...and even listening to it again, it drains me. (A good thing! Because the album makes you work for it!!)
I personally think this album is absolutely brilliant. As a whole, the album is flawless. The production is perfect, the concept of this album is friggin' too cool for school, and the tracks, well, they speak for themselves, but some of the stuff that he does to separate each section of it track to take it to a new level is impossibly brilliant. And he achieves this effortlessly.
The album is worth the time I spent waiting for it to be made. But like you said it will be one of those "you either love it or hate it"...
_______________________________-______________________________
I watched a snail crawl along the edge of a straight razor. That's my dream. That's my nightmare. Crawling, slithering, along the edge of a straight... razor... and surviving. |
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Shimmer
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
10
Posts :
162
Posted : Dec 9, 2005 07:24
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Bugger me...has no one listened to this yet or does everyone just loathe it? Even the most dodgiest of dodgy psy trance have at least 10 comments to their reviews, GOOD OR BAD!!! Speak up people for this brilliant album!!
_______________________________-______________________________
I watched a snail crawl along the edge of a straight razor. That's my dream. That's my nightmare. Crawling, slithering, along the edge of a straight... razor... and surviving. |
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shift
Shift
Started Topics :
38
Posts :
319
Posted : Dec 9, 2005 09:31
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well i'll speak up cos i love this piece of work
i'm not just saying that cos he's my friend,,, shit,, i'd say i loved this album even if the artifakt was satan himself ( which he isnt thankfully or we'd all be skrewed )
it doesnt compare to anything else,,, its in its own category of music,, it resembles trance somewhat but its just something else,, haha
,,, congrats to the artifakt (tm) on creating something truly unique and interesting
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nihilism
Started Topics :
1
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3
Posted : Dec 9, 2005 09:39
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Review courtesy of Dave Mac, BPM magazine, South Africa
Artifakts II, the hugely anticipated follow-up to Artifakts (2003) has landed and true to form he drops a cutting-edge slice of psy-electronica with a superb cover to match. I've had this cd on non-stop rotation for the last couple of days 'cos its so damn original, funky and well produced. Whilst most solo trance albums tend to be more a collection of dance tracks with the odd down-tempo thrown in for good measure this is a body of work in every sense. With no actual track titles (he uses symbols to represent each track) and with each one flowing into each other (no breaks between tracks) this is a concept album that has been carefully constructed to perfection. His influences are diverse so one can expect a genre-bending experience that ebbs and flows brilliantly evoking so many different emotions with an underlying restlessness throughout. I cannot recommend this enough! |
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Gut
Started Topics :
1
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21
Posted : Dec 9, 2005 09:44
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Typically supreme effort from the Artifakt.
As usual a very varied style with loads of those "bent" breakdowns. I find this quite uplifting also. A great second effort from one of my fave producers.
A unique style, theme and sound. An utterly cohesive piece of work.
I want an Artifakt "mask" for Xmas.
 
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Basilisk
IsraTrance Full Member
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168
Posts :
2984
Posted : Dec 9, 2005 19:05
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All the good things that have been said are true!
This is the masterpiece I was expecting from Artifakt for his second... very original indeed!
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Wizack Twizack
Wizack Twizack
Started Topics :
239
Posts :
3486
Posted : Dec 9, 2005 22:18
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Brain Hunters
Brain Hunters
Started Topics :
0
Posts :
136
Posted : Dec 10, 2005 02:09
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!!!!! NICE ALBUM !!!!!!!!!!
Killa leads and experimental sounds
Artifakt and Time Code congratulations
dANCE amonog the SpiRits !!!
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katam
Abomination
Started Topics :
17
Posts :
557
Posted : Dec 10, 2005 02:22
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One of a kind classic piece of art. From start to finish full of original ideas with changing soundscapes......The Artifakt is in his own category.
much respect!!! |
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King Salmon
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
19
Posts :
200
Posted : Dec 10, 2005 13:35
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shpiz
Started Topics :
3
Posts :
69
Posted : Dec 10, 2005 18:15
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wooowwwww mannnnn!!! great fuckind cd!!!
lots of different tunes...realy liked it!
keep up the good work! |
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pete
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
32
Posts :
534
Posted : Dec 11, 2005 22:52
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I'm fairly blown away, never heard anything like it. If anyone could suggest something with similar basslines to the second and third track, I'd love to hear more stuff like it.
-pete |
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Mat N
IsraTrance Senior Member
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272
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1211
Posted : Dec 12, 2005 17:07
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hmm, i'm reading the reviews and i understand that i have to check it out.
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