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Decoy - Not Responding To Light (Dance N Dust Records 2006) CD
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DeathPosture
IsraTrance Full Member
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Posted : Mar 14, 2006 16:48
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Decoy – Not Responding To Light
Cover: http://tinyurl.com/l8y5l + http://tinyurl.com/hukc9
Artist: Decoy (Australia)
Title: Not Responding To Light
Format: CD (jewel case)
Label: Dance N Dust (Israel)
Cat. #: DNDCD06
Distribution: Arabesque
Date: 13 February 2006
Track listing:
01. 07’05” The Ride
02. 09’55” Milkiness Of Infancy
03. 06’42” Snakey Wave
04. 10’10” Pio Pio
05. 07’15” The Feral Kid
06. 09’16” Akoha
07. 07’23” Playing 4 Time
08. 08’11” Rainwashed
09. 01’46” Afro Ken
10. 08’22” Ornette’s Nest
.m3u-playlist: http://tinyurl.com/qjukp (all tracks!)
Review:
Progressive mardi gras…
The Aussie duo Decoy (Ian Chaplin & Philip Rex) used to make a living playing jazz and they’ve now successfully crossed over into progressive trance. I’ve only heard a handful of tracks from them, and especially their most experimental stuff has been very interesting… And judging by the long list of supporting musicians on this album, we’re in for something quite different here… And by that I mean real music, played by real people with real instruments… Sweet!
Let me take you thru the tracks…
#01: The Ride
The opening track is a slow-burning, afternoon venture into funky electro-groove… The live percussion is rich and the spoken vocals by Jeff Norris have stamina… It reminds me of a progged-up version of a Tristan… There’s nothing too complicated going on here, it’s just pure, edgy progressive trance with a fair bit of psy chunked in during the final run-down… Very tasty!
#02: Milkiness Of Infancy
The next track takes us further into cross-over territory… This is like a big melting pot of jazzy twirls mixed with ethno world beats and lush, plush progressive trance… Piano, didgeridoo and some hot vocal and throat noises by Mia Salsjo…. It’s like Kaya Project meets Tegma, and oh my, that’s a nice combo for sure… My only gripe is that this track runs for a little too long… It could easily have been slashed by a couple of minutes to avoid boredom…
#03: Snakey Wave
But do not despair, track #3 is here! And this is where it gets really interesting for me… This is definitely the tranciest tune thus far, and besides some thick morning psytrance influences we’re also exposed to a heavy dose of percussion trickery and some trademark Aussie phat reverbs… FREq meets Protoculture meets Antix meets Mr. Peculiar meets Kenny G… Yeah something like that... With a live rhythm section and a real trippy saxophone! Pretty damn nice!
#04: Pio Pio
And if the guys hadn’t crossed over yet, they sure do now… This is the oddball tune off the album which features the distinct Marcello Salvo vocals… Anyway, the basis for this track is a deep, rolling progressive morning tune… Packed to the rim with uplifting melodies and rich, groovy percussion – and of course the South American singing/chanting…Whatever it is, it sure is very different, and I nearly dropped my jaw the first time I listened to it… But after a while I got completely sucked in… I’m loving every second of this ethno-lush, Juno Reactor’esque bundle of joy… A stand-out track if there ever was one!
#05: The Feral Kid
The next track goes even deeper… This is ripe, tech-trance with enough phat progressive elements to satisfy both minimalists and progressive trancers… It’s kinda minimal but still has lush parts… A very mature and edgy track… Would be the perfect first track in an edgy, darkish progressive set – and in the same notion, I think this works less good for home-listening… But I’m not complaining, this is a pretty neat underground track…
#06: Akoha
Whereas the previous track was underground, this is way above the ground… Epic, uplifting and maybe not unlike 12 Moons, Gaudium or Antix… A little clubby and maybe even a little commercial – and in that regard, it reminds me of the Decoy on the recent Plusquam compilation Kodama… It’s not bad, but it’s just too silky-smooth for my taste…
#07: Playing 4 Time
“Time does not belong to you. It spreads itself like air…” This track pretty much stays in the same clubby lane as the previous one – though with a distinct harder edge… And edge is just what tickles my nuts, so I appreciate this cross-over track a great deal more… There’s a great deal of instrumentation going on here, and I can vividly visualize the guys jamming with their mates in their studio… The AOL-txt-language title doesn’t do the track justice… It’s actually pretty neat, and works better for sofa trancing than trancefloor dancing…
#08: Rainwashed
Another highly uplifting, melodic piece of epic morning trance with deep progressive roots… The intro seems to sample some Badalamenti melodies or something similar… Whatever it is, it sure is trippy… Floating, melodic and epic trance with a distinct fusion-jazz touch to it… Unique yes, but I tend to like the previous track over this one…
#09: Afro Ken
This track is a short transition/intro track which features some hardcore live percussion – possibly by Afro Ken!? Deep, hypnotizing, tribal stuff… Very nice – but I’d have preferred it to be a more integrated part of the last track…
#10: Ornette’s Nest
The final track is a good example of what Decoy does best: The fusion of rich progressive trance with an array of diverse music influences… Piano-riffs and jazzy saxophones are not exactly what we’re used to hearing in progressive trance, but it works like a charm here… The framework is distinct, reverb-soaked Aussie proggy pads… Guaranteed to throw a bunch of hands in the air and get some asses wiggling… Funky, groovy and totally sexy! A brilliant way to end the album!
So, what are we dealing with here? I’ll tell you what… Build around a framework of lush progressive trance; this is an eclectic, unique album of rich, diverse musical influences… Ian and Philip’s jazz-background shines thru in a number of tracks, but we’re also witness to dub, ethnic world music, morning-, club- and tech-trance here… Not to mention the frequent usage of live instrumentation… Something that’s getting rare within our scene! And when it’s done as good as on this album it makes me smile… Sure there are a couple of tracks here that is a little too clubby for my tastes, but they are easily outweighed by the many great tracks…
The cover art it absolutely pants, but the music more than makes up for that… So, to conclude I’ll recommend this to fans of diverse progressive trance – which crosses well into other genres… Also the broad spectre of real instruments should draw some attention – it’s not up to par with Juno Reactor, but who knows what the future might bring? I for one was positively surprised by this debut album… It’s lovely! … Enjoy!
Favourites: 1, 3(!), 4(!), 5, 7, 10(!)
DeathPosture
External links:
Dance N Dust Records: http://www.dance-n-dust.com
Discogs: http://www.discogs.com/release/623913
TranceShop: http://tinyurl.com/ocwe6
Psyshop: http://tinyurl.com/ngqz5
Wakyo: http://tinyurl.com/qckux
Saiko: http://tinyurl.com/rumva
Chaos: http://tinyurl.com/pvyfg
Ajuca: http://tinyurl.com/rnd7z
Juno: http://tinyurl.com/pysjf
  On really romantic evenings of self, I go salsa dancing with my confusion... |
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Voice of All
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
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762
Posted : Mar 14, 2006 18:32
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thanx for your great review deathposture... once again... im definetely your fan 
waiting for this cd...
Spiritual guides are to practice and serve in ways that cultivate awareness, empathy, and wisdom. |
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erik
Started Topics :
1
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57
Posted : Mar 16, 2006 15:08
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great review deathposture, great album by decoy
best track for me 2!,3,4!!,7!10!
decoy album is 1 of the best i hear for long time naw,pio pio is rock me over
more from that pls |
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ovnimoon
Ovnimoon
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Posted : Mar 16, 2006 16:30
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VEry good review!!!!!
pio pio track surprise me....
here in chile(and latin-america) , you can listen a similar pio pio song . but in Cumbia Style , and for me is no usual listen Cumbia into trance music, or proggy trance style, for this reason surprise me that... is crazy into my reallity jejejeje
nice album!
and review
BooM! |
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Boogieman
Boogieman
Started Topics :
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163
Posted : Mar 16, 2006 19:34
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dj_yami
IsraTrance Junior Member
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204
Posted : Mar 16, 2006 20:31
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 Good luck ahser and all Dance N Dust team 
my best desires !!!  |
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Slater
IsraTrance Full Member
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Posted : Mar 22, 2006 15:01
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good job, nothing I could really play, but musically very interesting stuff...worth buying for psyprog fans for sure
Out now:
*V.A. - Vanguard vol. 3 compiled by Duca & DJ Slater |
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Dance N Dust
Dance N Dust
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Posted : Apr 4, 2006 19:51
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klaxer
Koan / Vacuum Stalkers
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380
Posted : Apr 4, 2006 21:41
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My favorite track - is "Pio Pio". Great job guys!  |
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furthur
IsraTrance Junior Member
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1383
Posted : Apr 5, 2006 00:15
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not much feedback on this album, but dp's review made me very curious indeed
and slater saying it is interesting musically, but not that fitting for a dancefloor, exactly what i am looking for
Load Universe into Cannon. Aim at Brain. Fire.
www.ganesha.ca |
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sam i am
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
40
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Posted : Apr 5, 2006 04:39
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I didn't think much of it.. think they can do better
they won an ARIA award for writing jazz...
makes me think there's better "music" to come
new Hadal Drop album on the way
if you don't have the last one get in touch |
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Bom*shankar
IsraTrance Junior Member
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512
Posted : Apr 5, 2006 19:21
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This is really good stuff. Very musical for trance and nice to listen to at home. DnD surprised me here- heard it at a friends place and went on an order it. I've listened to it 4 times alreaedy and had a very good time. Hope to write a proper review soon if I find some time. |
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Fingax
Cosmic Station
Started Topics :
82
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1235
Posted : Apr 7, 2006 17:53
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Pio Pio is a amazing one cant wait to hear the whole album. fresh style and great sound. way to go Decoy
well done Asher!
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Psyproyect
IsraTrance Junior Member
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Posted : May 8, 2006 13:19
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hehehe goood luck  well done asher its very good congratulations dance and dust recs.  cheersss
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http://www.mistika.co.uk
Psypro/Deep Impact |
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Spintwista
Spin Twist records
Started Topics :
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159
Posted : May 8, 2006 13:20
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...pio pio pio pio...
wow amazing,very good release,like this one so much.
all the best from spintwist.Records
www.spintwist.de
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