| |
| Author
|
Behind Blue Eyes - Copenhagen, Iboga 05/007
|
aden
IsraTrance Full Member
Started Topics :
81
Posts :
212
Posted : May 17, 2007 16:21
|
Title : Behind Blue Eyes, “Copenhagen”
Label : Iboga
Type : artist album
Style : Progressive Trance
Format : Jewel box
Reference : IbogaCD46
Cover : http://twohandsdistribution.com/images/covers/ibogacd46-500.jpg
Release date: 05//2007
Distributed by Two Hands – http://www.twohandsdistribution.com
Behind those blue eyes stand Michael Abel-Larsen aka DJ Banel, and Rene Nielsen from Beat Bizarre. Banel, one of Iboga’s head honchos, has been delivering some of the best progressive music for almost 10 years, and is also known as an accomplished DJ (his set at the last Boom festival was one of the highlights of the progressive afternoons). Producer Rene Nielsen of Beat Bizarre fame has 3 artist albums under the belt, and countless important releases on the foremost trance labels. This double curriculum is already very impressive. In 2005 they joined forces to produce a deservedly much lauded first album, entitled simply “Behind Blue Eyes”, published at their home label. Their unique sound could be roughly summed up as fat Scando progressive with a psychedelic touch that stems from the Beat Bizarre influence. Almost 2 years later, after a couple of releases on compilations - such as the memorable ‘Deep Impact’ track released at Iboga Mexico, and the outstanding ‘Diamonds in the Rough’ co-written with Perfect Stranger – they have felt the need to present us with what their music has become after the many live gigs they have played all over the world and hours spent in the studio working on a new live set. The result is this 2 CD album, the 1st of which is conceived as a live studio recording integrating the best elements of their initial album, and blending them with new sounds into a giant mix.
Track list CD 1
1. Rumble in the city
2. Dream weaver
3. Connection to the past
4. The sun sets
5. Epitomizing the samba
6. Misty morning / Voices in the mist
7. So close, yet so far away
8. Hyperdrive (Behind Blue Eyes rmx)
9. Ride Control (Behind Blue Eyes rmx)
Track list CD 2
1. Sunshine (Holm and Andersen rmx)
2. Brumbasse (Luna Spice rmx)
3. Excerpts from Dreams (Trancemission rmx)
4. Brumbasse (Flowjob rmx)
5. Rumble in the Jungle (Zen Mechanics rmx)
6. Sunshine (Odiseo rmx)
7. The Epitome (Perfect Stranger rmx)
8. The Epitome (Beat Bizarre rmx)
9. Excerpts from dreams (Sun Control Species rmx)
CD1
1. Rumble in the city
As you might expect from the title, this opening track takes up the same fat drum/kick bass combo as ‘Rumble in the Jungle’. A strange floating pad soon comes in while a techno-ish lead adds some rhythmical thrust. Conversing voices step in but the focus of the track remains mostly rhythmical, with a relatively stripped down-minimalist orchestration. Quite a nice intro that sets the mood and tone of BBE’s music for the album.
2. Dream weaver
’Dream weaver’ showcases pretty much the same undulating bassline as ‘Excerpts from dreams’ and also integrates an excerpt from ‘Sunshine’. It is layered with weird gurgles combined with rocket shooting sounds. Some gentle pads, which could be featured in a Vibrasphere track such as ‘Seven days to delight’, pop in to soothe the already strange atmosphere of the 1st sequences. New rhythmical ideas are added to make this track a strong asset for the dance floor. As a result, we have a fascinating track, fusing well-known elements from the seminal album with new ideas, thereby producing a dreamy atmosphere wherein familiar objects are estranged.
3. Connection to the past
’Connection to the past’ features a similar bass/kick combo from ‘Remember this’, but again the emphasis on the rhythmic section has been upgraded with new echoing driving forces. The lead is just mesmerizing: it is made of the weaving of frenetic metallic lines shivering under the full sway of delayed effects sounding like a har-psy-chord going wild, tempered only by the recurring Vibrasphere-like pads. Some panting synth chords complete the rhythmic frenzy and entrancing mood of this piece.
4. The sun sets
’The sun sets’ starts with a beautiful, delayed, fragmented and luminous melodic line, probably derived from ‘Excerpts from dreams’, with distant Wagnerian accents. It is very quickly disturbed by some elephant-like cries (which Georges Clinton, the godfather of P-Funk, called 'trombipulations') echoing in the distance. A relentless rhythmic combo integrating the first Brazilian batucada elements after the break manages to achieve musical complexity in an astonishing bomb for the dancefloor.
5. Epitomizing the samba
Once again, this fifth track features one of their signature massive bass/kick combos, only to pave the way for the onslaught of the rhythmic fury of full-fledged Brazilian batucada. Even the whistles are there, as well as some twisted crowd rumour samples, flavoured with acid synth lines. The break spectacularly changes the mood. A subterranean synth opens the way for an amazing orchestration of tasty layers of sounds and effects. This state-of-the art construction enhances a hypnotic, samba-like lead, and the intervention of a humming female voice only punctuates the compelling thrust of the end. Stunning for the ear, and massive dance-floor response guaranteed. Standing ovation!
6. Misty morning / Voices in the mist
’Misty Morning/Voices’ is a pitched down reedit of the magnificent ‘Brumbasse’. Yet the vocal presence radically changes the soundscape: the humming female voice from the previous track reappears here and is soon followed by an ululating companion and other twisted vocal samples which converse like frogs after a tropical rain. Now, what would you expect the duo would do with their exquisite original melody while other talented remixers are working on it? It is deconstructed and looped, but, last but not least, they added an irresistible element of humour and self parody: a rooster!! This is quite daring, but definitely brilliant!
7. So close, yet so far away (Diamonds 2007)
As the subtitle suggests, this is a reedit of ‘Diamonds in the rough’, released on the last ‘Summer collection’ compilation. The original was already a blast, and this 2007 reedit spectacularly opens with an eerie vocal fragment distorted beyond the level of understanding which recurs throughout the track. The original irresistible groove is intelligently taken up with extra percussive treatment, some of which is inspired by the samba. The 2nd half of the track features yet again a strange voice, strongly affected by ‘unheimliche’. Amazing rmx again and second standing ovation!
8. Hyperdrive (Behind Blue Eyes rmx)
BBE’s rmx of Perfect Stranger’s gently grooving ‘Hyperdrive’ featured on his 2005 album at Iboga takes both the original music and the live-set in new directions. The piece focuses mainly on a hypnotic repetitive lead which gets subtle variations towards the end, while some sparse rumbling noises from the jungle give BBE’s trademark arrangements. The melodic line which runs along a few sequences in the middle of the track seem, IMHO, a bit clumsy there. But it’s still a nice way to cool off a bit.
9. Ride Control (Behind Blue Eyes rmx)
Finally, the live closes with a rmx of Wombat’s (aka Sun Control Species) beautiful track released in Dec. 2006 on the Open records compilation ‘Slow release’. The result is quite different from the previous stuff BBE has delivered in this album. The bouncing bassline and light reverberated hypnotic synth lines coalesce to keep the atmospheric mood of the original. A sweet ending.
Bottom line
Just for this 1st CD, this album is a must-have. The hours in the studio have produced an amazing reedit and recreation of the already splendid material from the first album. Globally speaking, the tempo is slower at 130 bpm, and the kick is not foregrounded in the same way it was in the seminal first album. Furthermore, the orchestration is stunning, the orgy of rhythm is expertly constructed, the use of effects is virtuoso and captivating, and the standards they set for themselves in the use of samples (especially voice) are admirable. This is pumping and highly psychedelic progressive trance that constantly seduces the discerning ear and also takes the risk of a humoristic touch. However, I feel that the strength that one finds in the first 7 tracks slightly slackens towards the end, or, to put it in other words, that the insertion of the last 2 rmx from other home-based producers slightly undermines the unity of the CD, even though the sounds from the new arrangements can be heard throughout the whole album.
That minor qualification said, Behind Blue Eyes will definitely be one of the most interesting live acts to watch for in the future. |
|
|
aden
IsraTrance Full Member
Started Topics :
81
Posts :
212
Posted : May 17, 2007 16:21
|
CD2
1. Sunshine (Holm and Andersen rmx)
The opening rmx is signed by Holm and Andersen, one of them being Kristian Trinning from the Elyseum project. It takes the BBE sound straight into the realm of House, and refers very little to the original material. This is a nicely written and groovadelicious piece, perfect for the late afternoon cocktail on the beach. However the voice sample is a bit too explicit about the original title, and that might annoy a few listeners.
2. Brumbasse (Luna Spice rmx)
French duo Luna Spice take the original gem into more prog-house territories. They have stripped down the melody to a couple of notes arranged with different effects and make it converse with nice pads and other brief melodic ideas. Nice rmx.
3. Excerpts from Dreams (Trancemission rmx)
Ojos and Gandulk aka Trancemission from Mexico DF remain quite faithful to the original. However, they bring the nice pumping bassline together with pleasant harmonic treatments which at times resonates with Antix’s music. The least radical rmx so far, but the result is still a fine piece of morning Trance.
4. Brumbasse (Flowjob rmx)
This second rmx of Brumbasse is from the Danish duo Flowjob from the Iboga roster. It was one of the most interesting tracks on the ‘Superstitions’ compilation published earlier at Iboga Mexico. It has a very nice groove, pretty much in the vein of two other good tracks released only on download shops, titled ‘SOS’ and the ‘Asian Persuasion.’ What they do with the melody here – fragmenting and displacing it – is absolutely convincing.
5. Rumble in the Jungle (Zen Mechanics rmx)
After rumours of a release at Mikrokosmos, it was about time this rmx of ‘Rumble in the jungle’ came out! This one rocks big time! And it is already a top seller in the Beatport charts. The nice intro recalls the original’s brief theme and unfolds a shifting bass line at the same 135 bpm cruise speed. After a few sequences, the mood is set for a more full-on rocking treatment with large pads contrasting with thematic elements of the original. The perfect break sets the finishing sequences on fire. Thumbs up! Another teaser for his forthcoming album at Neurobiotic.
6. Sunshine (Odiseo rmx)
Mexican producer Odiseo, co-head of the Iboga Mexico label, continues the work with another rmx of ‘Sunshine’. It features a forceful bassline which resonates with samples of the original’s timbales. The melody unreels its beaming light while being overlaid with electro shades. A convincing fusion of diverse stylistic influences.
7. The Epitome (Perfect Stranger rmx)
We know from his comments in this forum on BBE’s first album that ‘The epitome’ was one of Perfect Stranger’s favorite tracks. His rmx showcases his signature bouncing groovy bassline (check out his recent beautiful ‘Ode Ao Sol’ published at Flow!) which gets distorted at times. It focuses on a rhythmic idea in the original and adds a few of his percussions here and there and a few crispy sounds. A pseudo-oriental melody pops in for a short time which might not be to everybody’s liking. However it is not foregrounded in the mix, so it is not really annoying. A very good rmx and a great teaser for the forthcoming album, which features a rmx of Atmos, and is already causing serious stirs. Here’s to hoping that the threesome will go back to the studio to make a few more killer tracks like their ‘Diamonds’.
8. The Epitome (Beat Bizarre rmx)
Beat Bizarre takes the piece into his idiomatic soundscape, not far away from BBE’s territory though. You will recognize from the previous albums the typical deep bassline with a soft kick which builds a gentle groove. The emphasis here is not so much on dancefloor music but on the eerie-unheimliche mental atmosphere that makes Beat Bizarre so unique, exemplified by the chicken hiccups taken from the original. Delightful!
9. Excerpts from dreams (Sun Control Species rmx)
Andrew Davidson, aka Sun Control Species and Wombat, who is about to release a much anticipated first artist album at Iboga after a few tracks on his home label’s compilations, brings the luminous ‘Excerpts from dreams’ into his sonic chiaroscuro: fat bassline, large reverberated changing pads overlaying the staccato of the original theme, completed by extra melodic ideas. Great finish, and another great teaser for the forthcoming album!
Bottom line
A very good and interesting rmx CD with varied stylistic influences. My highlights are # 5, 4, 2, 7, 9. Considering that this album is packaged with a nice booklet, and that all this great music comes in a Magnum bottle at the price of a single one, May 2007 is simply an outstanding vintage for BBE.
Related links
www.iboga.dk
myspace.com/ibogarecords
Get it :
At your usual online store
Progressivetunes.com
Beatport.com
Trackitdown.com |
|
|
|
aden
IsraTrance Full Member
Started Topics :
81
Posts :
212
Posted : May 18, 2007 16:55
|
PS. Three errors need to be corrected :
-The BBE project was formed in 2004
-The last two tracks of CD1 are not part of the live, but bonus tracks.
-The album is not available at Trackitdown.com
Enjoy! |
|
|
|
LigaLize
IsraTrance Full Member
Started Topics :
52
Posts :
1380
Posted : May 20, 2007 06:24
|
great album and best remix by Zen Mechanix
 Dance is - As a matter of fact, socially admissible public analogue of the sexual act :)
http://www.myspace.com/djligalize |
|
|
|
papay
Started Topics :
6
Posts :
213
Posted : May 26, 2007 10:41
|
i really like the 1cd very solid ride from start to finish...but the remix cd was little bit too boring for my taste even though sun control species rmx was a goodie the rest i didn t like that much
ps:banel any info when the next beat bizarre Cd coming out?
|
|
|
|
Banel
Behind Blue Eyes
Started Topics :
96
Posts :
415
Posted : May 26, 2007 11:47
|
Quote:
|
On 2007-05-26 10:41, papay wrote:
ps:banel any info when the next beat bizarre Cd coming out?
|
|
Most people already know that Rene & Martin has decided to split. They decided that Martin is continuing the Beat Bizarre project alone now.
I know from Martin that he is working on the next album these days.
So we will know whats up during the time to come!
www.myspace.com/michaelbanel |
|
|
|
Acidhive
IsraTrance Full Member
Started Topics :
76
Posts :
2014
Posted : May 26, 2007 15:10
|
Quote:
|
On 2007-05-26 11:47, Banel wrote:
Quote:
|
On 2007-05-26 10:41, papay wrote:
ps:banel any info when the next beat bizarre Cd coming out?
|
|
Most people already know that Rene & Martin has decided to split. They decided that Martin is continuing the Beat Bizarre project alone now.
I know from Martin that he is working on the next album these days.
So we will know whats up during the time to come!
|
|
Nice. Rene's first solo track was on Tabernanthe 2, and if that one is any indication for the upcoming album then I say: bring it on! I always liked Beat Bizarre. Now I like Behind Blue Eyes as well. This remix album and live performance is pretty good, but I like the original better. Best remixes for me are the Sun Control Species one and the Flowjob one.
"Subconscious unravels at the point of death, and all time it has known erupts into a moment. As death extinguishes us, so we become it."
[Esoteric: Subconscious Dissolution Into The Continuum] |
|
|
|
Alias
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
32
Posts :
984
Posted : May 29, 2007 16:09
|
|
pfc
Started Topics :
1
Posts :
58
Posted : May 29, 2007 16:14
|
|
brilliant album and best remix by Beat Bizarre. |
|
|
|
Banel
Behind Blue Eyes
Started Topics :
96
Posts :
415
Posted : May 29, 2007 19:27
|
|
Voice of All
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
48
Posts :
762
Posted : May 30, 2007 00:34
|
great stuff again!  just awesome tunes are in here! like hyperdrive... and nice remixes also! all the best!
Spiritual guides are to practice and serve in ways that cultivate awareness, empathy, and wisdom. |
|
|
|
|
|
It is now...