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Artifakts review courtesy Movers&Groovers (better late than never)
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aleph
Phyx
Started Topics :
28
Posts :
45
Posted : Nov 13, 2003 11:24
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Artifakt - Artifakts - Timecode Records - S.A
TRACK LISTING
1.THE CONTINUITY OF PROSTITUTION
2.MONEY
3.MASS
4.THE PIMP
5.GREMLINS
6.BEETLE
7.PTOLEMY I
8.PTOLEMY II
9.LAST LAUGH
10.COYOTE
11.THALIDOMIDE
12.INSTANT GRATIFICATION
Timecode records have made history in South Africa. They are the first label to release a full solo psy-trance album by an S.A producer. I had my reservations – we’re still pretty new at it here, and entire albums are not quite the same as simply writing ten tracks for sale to various compilations. Well the man who likes to be “shrouded in mystery” has my vote. This is a fucking good solo effort, and I’m sure Mr Artifakt is going to gain many fans from this release. Production is superb (how does he get those humongous kicks?) and the entire flow of the album shows immense intelligence, with a slight uneasiness about it at times.
It’s honestly one of the few albums that I can listen to completely from start to finish, which is a sign of a fine piece of work. Timecode’s best release to date by far. Well done and killer cover too!
(review by Dave Mac Movers and Groovers,SA)
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Kaz
IsraTrance Full Member
Started Topics :
90
Posts :
2268
Posted : Dec 29, 2003 19:26
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Candy
IsraTrance Full Member
Started Topics :
184
Posts :
2273
Posted : Dec 30, 2003 07:36
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I've heard some samples in Psyshop and have ordered it. Sounds like very original music.
Btw, The South African magazine is not called Moovers & Groovers anymore but BPM.
 Majority is never right!
"Without music, life is meaningless."
-Friedrich Nietzsche |
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unno
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
15
Posts :
169
Posted : Jan 12, 2004 16:31
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Ok, for anyone out there still wondering how to travel through space, meet aline life fomrs, better still, discover the alien we all have inside us, look no further for now.
One million miles away from anything else i have heard so far. Not saying it is the best of bests...or rather i am not comparing it with any other musicians work,....but just simply saying that this music indeed is super super super super.....alien.
clean, fat, deep, high, themed, colourful, and all together...hm i will let u experience what feeling it produces in you.
Certainly not a cd to download, since the quality is abSolutely outstanding.
cheers artifakt.
Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away. |
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Maska
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
27
Posts :
869
Posted : Jan 15, 2004 01:35
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Definitely not disapointing. I've been eagerly anticipating this one since "Itchy" on Micro Dot's Africa in Trance compilation. One of the greatest tracks out there. |
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|RoYeC|
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
31
Posts :
814
Posted : Jan 31, 2004 21:41
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one of my favorite cd that was released along this year!
use to leasten to it at work everyday great bassline and some killer sampels in cd.
Keep it up man BooM 
-=[PsYcHeDeL|C Music it's Fantastic]=- |RoYeC| |
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liesls
Started Topics :
2
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203
Posted : Feb 2, 2004 12:47
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I got this album a while ago & it's really good...I can't wait to see him & Shift live this coming weekend, 7 Feb at a Lunartech party 
All these Timecode guys produces some amazing stuff  |
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Hi-T
Started Topics :
3
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83
Posted : Feb 2, 2004 21:07
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a buddy of mine INSISTED on borrowing it and i'm getting bloody withdrawal symptoms...bastard!! |
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Trance2MoveU
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
50
Posts :
129
Posted : Jul 22, 2005 21:08
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Well, since nobody has done a proper review, I thought I would throw my hat into the ring.
The Continuity of Prostitution:
I was a bit skeptikal of this track at first with the cheesy "rap" in the beginning, but this track evolved nicely into some upbeat, psytrance eerieness. Spooky strings and whirs from the left and the right, along with some nice cut-up samples. 7/10
Money:
Meat popsicle...brilliant. Plodding along, setting you up until the 3'20 mark where a nice lead quickly comes in then just as quickly vanishes. That bassline...whew! It drags you along roughly and will.. not.. release you. Nice breaks too. Good, but I am peering around the corner, hoping for more. 6/10
Mass:
I get a very serial killer vibe in the bdginning with that bell and metallic sound. Some cool shredded samples and a FAT kick! In come the scary atmospheric sounds. This track sounds very alien! Moaning in agony sounds at 3'00? Sign me up.
This track takes you on a scary mid-tempo ride. Good stuff! 7/10
The Pimp:
This is like an into or interlude to the next track. I must not be cool because I just don't see it. I could do without it until the last few seconds of that laughter. I thought I recognized that! Don't feed them after midnight! 2/10
Gremlins:
Discordant tones and sounds from everywhere. This is a very busy track (just like the Gremlins were!). I would almost call this music anti-melody with a funky beat. Not scary but nice and different. 6/10
Beetle:
Distorted sounds start us off and then we are thrust into a funky melody. My God those kicks are heavy! Mid tempo super cool! Metallic leads take control and then 4 minutes in we have more "house-type" funkiness, but darker and in a good way. There is definately life out there! So far my favorite track. 8/10
Ptolemy 1:
Scrambling little things and a distorted voice bring us in with a great build up. Ominous is the word! Tribal percussion where it seems creatures are trying to grasp you at every turn! But then it gets a little monotonous and I lose interest. 5/10
Ptolemy 2:
Starts with a lighter metallic arpeggio and then a frenetic lead. Some more distorted sounds and then a good, punchy bass with nice percussion. I like the way the groove starts and stops. The beat then drives you along and then we are presented with a Goa-like melody at the 4"45 minute mark. This is my new favorite. 8/10
Last Laugh:
That sinks it...why put a 38 sec track here? Just make it the beginning of the next one! N/A
Coyote:
I love that scrambling lead! It goes well with the juicy bassline. Then come some short staccato sonds that fit really good in the mix. This one is a groover! I defy you not to nod your head to this. 8/10
Thalidomide:
Vey NIN industrial sounding. Nice eerie feeling, except for that annoying brassy sound. 6/10
Instant Gratification:
How can you call a track instant gratification and it's 11 minutes long? This track rises to a distorted bassline and another heavy kick! You are carried along angrily until 3'50 and then some spooky strings come in along with some high freq. tones. 2nd breakdown. Welcome back fat kick! Lots of psy madness here. 6 minutes to go...we might find our way out yet! 3rd breakdown. and then it just kind of peters out. But wait, at around the 9 or so minute mark I guess it is the artist coming on to thank people who have helped him with the album but all the speech is sliced and distorted. Hey, buddy, that's what liner notes are for! Disappointing. 5/10
Conclusion:
This is not your little brother's typical Israeli cut/paste full-on! I would call it Dark-PsyTekno. Most of it is not danceable but he probably wasn't looking to make a dancefloor killa! This is not an album you choose a track to listen to. To get the full feeling of the album you have to listen to it all the way through. It is easy to see that this guy has talent. I would love to hear him do a Dark Ambient project; it would scare the crap out of me! While it is not the first disc I would reach for it is great for setting a mood at home. 7/10
MDK
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Basilisk
IsraTrance Full Member
Started Topics :
168
Posts :
2984
Posted : Jul 22, 2005 21:37
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All right - it's different, there's no question about that. Artifakt set out on a different course and came up with something pretty unique for a debut. Honestly though, after having this album for a long while, and caning the shit out of it, I found I really don't like it that much. Mass is pretty dope, but with the long break it really causes a dancefloor to fizzle, as I discovered. The rest just sounds a bit cheap at times.
That being said, Artifakt is one of my favourite artists. Just about any single he's released AFTER this album has been blood-chillingly BRILLIANT. For that reason, I get the impression that if Artifakt delivers another weird far-out conceptual album for his second we'll have a true gem of psytrance on our hands. There's no question this guy is one of the best artists on the scene right now - I just think the debut was perhaps a little preliminary... but how else would one get out some of the more experimental stuff found here, if not on an album? Oh, it's a quandry all right. I put this one aside and eagerly look forward to the next album from Artifakt!
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DiMiTry
IsraTrance Full Member
Started Topics :
70
Posts :
2299
Posted : Jul 23, 2005 00:06
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Artifakts is a real interesting piece of music. Can't wait for the next one from him.
cheers!
..it's just another party.. |
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Morbidelic
IsraTrance Full Member
Started Topics :
56
Posts :
3074
Posted : Jul 23, 2005 20:51
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Trance2MoveU
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
50
Posts :
129
Posted : Jul 25, 2005 02:40
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Yeah, I'm with you guys I am very interested in hearing his next album. I hope the cover of his next album will be as outstanding as his first!
MDK |
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s0ft
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
42
Posts :
825
Posted : Jul 25, 2005 02:51
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the first album is what got me hooked on the artifakt. he has really evolved since then too. loved his old stuff, watching for new stuff...
does anyone have a pic of this guy? i cant seem to find any.
The IsraTrance MySpace Group:
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Pt.
IsraTrance Senior Member
Started Topics :
236
Posts :
6106
Posted : Feb 9, 2006 18:25
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Just bought both albums .. Damn I hope you guys are right.
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