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Dimension 5 - Transdimensional [Re-Re] (Suntrip Records)
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Jon Cocco
IsraTrance Junior Member
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Posted : Jun 25, 2007 06:34
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DIMENSION 5 – TRANSDIMENSIONAL
2007: Re-Mastered / Re-Released
SUNTRIP RECORDS
Track list:
01. 08'55" Iron Sun
02. 07'45" Purple Om
03. 06'33" Antidote
04. 07'28" Omega Centauri
05. 09'02" Deep Space 5D
06. 07'22" Psychic Influence
07. 07'22" Beetlesnuff
08. 07'50" Harmonic Convergence
09. 07'41" Utopian Dream
10. 07'59" Flow
Transdimensional is the debut Goa-Trance album by Dimension 5, remastered and re-released in 2007. It is or was considered to be the most sought after album in Goa-Trance by many Goa listeners and collectors throughout the world since the late 90's. I have not been able to find an available copy for under $100 in almost 10 years so I never owned a copy before. If you really wanted a copy throughout these years you had to perform terrible sexual acts.. no I'm just kidding!  You had to catch it on Ebay (for starters) where it appeared more than once for several hundred dollars/euros, a thousand, or more! Now that may seem like an insane price to pay for any album and I'd agree. Unfortunately this was how difficult it was to obtain an official copy of this thing. Why was it never reissued I don’t know. There’s a reason for everything and I'm happy to finally have it and have heard it, the full album, multiple times before writing this. Re-released by Suntrip Records in June, 2007, Transdimesional is finally available after all these years!
2007 version VS 1997 version: Every track has been remastered by Tim Schludt who's work remains top notch. I listened to parts of the original debut and compared it to the re-release. For starters the kick drum sounds harder as if the original raw files were run through a dance EQ. The 2007 sounds more clear and crisp as if in a higher quality. The melodies still have that tasty, juicy flavor. The 2007 has mastering that wasn't possible or available back in 1997. It's been reborn as the same spirit in a more attractive body for dancing and other forms of listening too. The 2007 is like a fresh coat of paint over an aging 1997 classic making it shiney again. The music is just as beautiful as ever. No song has been remade, remixed, or revised as you'd expect. This is the most faithful port from old to new mastering on an album I know exists because it is the only one.
01. Iron Sun is a very strong opening. It begins very Middle Eastern influenced. A sound combination includes ambient, a flute, another flute, claps, a voice sample, melodic bits both sustained and not, and more. "More" is a thing you'll be experiencing on this album quite often on this album. All these elements would be ineffective if it wasn’t for the smart sounds, mixing, and approaches in how they’re utilized. And this is just the beginning of the song! Suddenly the speed of the song increases. The previous introduction morphs into an aggressive rhythm. I don’t want to recreate every little thing that takes place but my description relative to you listening is two separate worlds connected to one. A catchy melody arrives, then another, and another. The repeating voice sample plays along like a tune. It’s short and effective in a subtle, appealing way. The speed alteration on the kick drum enhances the music. The song becomes more dynamic. There are multiple changes that take place with the music throughout. This is a terrific song because it begins attractive and develops attractively with a sound like a personality, likeable in the inside. It’s interesting and unpredictable in a sense. There’s strong melody structure. With exception to a nice transition or interlude in the middle, the song is constantly in motion. And it’s danceable. The returning voice sample adds a nice touch but a distorted melody at around 6:55 is unexpectedly great. One of the best things about this song is its ability to not lose sight of the foundation, returning to that pleasant sound to a degree after feeding its body with charm and charisma. The song is conclusive. Flawless. The reason why I don’t give it a higher score is because after excellent comes superb. A- / A
02. Purple Om is initially not as intriguing as the opening but patience is a virtue. Here takes place the second incoherent voice bit (male singing one word, one note) on the album and it works to solid, however short and minor effect. It plays like a tune. After the two-minute mark the melodies become more arresting. The beat is removed to compensate for a transition with tribal drums. The song becomes more engaging. Introduced is a Goa melody. A sweet spot takes place at 4:38 when the band of sounds distorts and skip. It’s cut and mixed very well. The sublime effect is hypnotic. Around 4:50 is a good melody. The catchy voice bit returns and a build up into another melody going on close to the five-minute mark. This is another strong track filled with a delectable combination of sounds, melodies, movement, warmth, and feeling. As with the opening track, it isn’t what I consider superb as a whole but there is nothing wrong with it either. I’m slightly more impressed with the first one. A-
03. Antidote is very different from the first two songs. For starters it sounds more serious. It isn’t dark per say but it isn’t as joyous (what some call beautiful others call cheesy) as the first two either. What crossed my mind through the emotive music was that someone’s dying and needs to be saved. In the end it’s sad but beautiful in the sense they are free. I don’t know how story driven the intent behind the song is or isn’t but have the feeling it’s deeper than the general listeners perception of what it is. Pay attention to how the melody waves rise from above the bigger wave of sound at around 1:45. This is what Dimension 5 contributed to beginning, the circulation and manipulation of less conspicuous supporting melodies mixed in with a second and sometimes third batch. Around 4:07 is the first real ray of hope but a down tempo melody sound crushes such hope. The tone in this song is very different than the upbeat, pretty sound carried throughout the first two songs. It has a very light filled closing nonetheless. I think this is a great song but the first two were better for what they were. It isn’t that less seems to take place here but rather what is done with less, which is more in a sense but not enough relative to the first two. This is a very good or great song for what it is. It’s the least upbeat and fun song so far I felt. B+
04. Omega Centauri has a very catchy melody in the beginning that sounds the most alien to me since a main melody took place at the final third of Iron Sun. The kick drum enters and another main melody puts its foot in the door. The next thing is the door is pushed wide open as all these sounds squeeze their way into the kitchen to score some food. No I’m just kidding but the track is an ideal pile of complimentary sounds and melodies that are never screaming or too subtle. Subtle applies throughout the album however. Omega Centauri is a return to the more driving layers of melody additions that the first two began. However this is more aggressive and driving. You don’t have a happy guy going “LA!” as I interpreted the word/note on the second track. I find very catchy a unique, lower in sound and frequency rolling psy-sound that rolls at the base of the track. This rolling sound is something Toi Doi would later take advantage of but now I hear where it existed before. Omega Centauri is not exactly happy nor sad, but determined, forceful (but never violent) and uncompromising in its ability to move forward. The song is more provocative in that it doesn’t pet the pets and smell the flowers. It drives right past them because it has an obligation, never speeding so fast as to evade the sweet landscapes. This is a great song; more mature or rather less bright (sometimes interpreted as cheesy) than the first two and overall more driving than the third I feel. A-
05. Deep Space 5D is superb. Okay wow. This is the best song on the album to me so far. I feel like I just experienced something significant by listening to this song. I value something super positive that can take place through music. At 1:10 begins the first great, if not excellent, standout leading melody. From that point forward at least two or three impressive parts take place, each gradually more moving. I actually felt more aware both during and after hearing this track. It’s one of those rare songs where the artists had the skill and ability to manipulate sound in a way to put the listener in a higher state. I love the entire song as is. And this is the first track I’ve ever given such a high score to by Dimension 5 to date. Congratulations. A
Continued below... |
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Jon Cocco
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
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Posted : Jun 25, 2007 06:34
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06. Psychic Influence is a return to the awesome, infectious combinations of melodies and sound. It’s inspirational sounding. I’m beginning more conscious of certain mind states, how I feel while leafing through my collection and listening to Goa albums I hadn’t heard in years. As if the rhythm wasn’t driving and upbeat enough there seems to be key changes. The sample of the man proclaiming “We will not go quietly into the night! We will not vanish! We’re going to survive!” The confirms my intuition and state that the song is definitely about being influenced alight. We’re rivaled, given the confidence, and put in the state we need to be in to do whatever it is we need to do or fight for. The voice sample is very cool and dark sounding in the sense a big fight is about to take place. The strong, emotive leading melody, which took place earlier on, slides into the flow once again. It rises from out of the general rhythm from where it had begun at around 6:42. It’s excellent. The entire song is loaded with warm, catchy sounds but the main melody compliments the entire song. More little sounds and melodies take place too but that’s how it always seems to be with this album. One sound leads to a string of others. A- / A
07. Beetlesnuff isn’t as focused on shining the light on its emotive hook as the previous song was. It’s constantly in motion like like liquid throughout. There’s nothing really to startle the wave save for a brief transition maybe. The motion never stops or seems to stutter even when the beat leaves for several seconds. Around 4:06 is a subtle, attractive fusion but it could have been going on from before that for all I know. This is one of those Goa-Trance songs where the leading melody isn’t standing out so much that you’re distracted by it. In giving less focus to the lead, (making it more high pitched, loud, etc.) the listener can come closer to an induced trance state with the combination of melodies and sounds because the lead doesn’t dissociate us from the thick band of sound. It becomes closer to being one if that makes sense. This is a wonderful song that may seem less memorable initially because the hook is closer to all else and it’s easy to remember a strong, individualized hook although many people will instantly hear what’s going on here. While I feel like the last was more my type of track, (it had that aggressive edge without losing it’s beauty) this too is one of the best tracks on the album. A- / A
08. Harmonic Convergence is the only song that seems to start off dark on the album. It’s a very traveling song with elements of greatness and excellence. I wasn’t drawn into this initially, the opening melodies. I like how this song and others on here build a strong melody structure as it progresses. The melody skips; altered to vibration effect and a pretty good Goa fusion takes place at around 1:42. Another melody arrives at 2:34 and these are just several sweet sounds that take place in the first third of the song! So far the song has many melodies but none of them are anything really great to me. The beat leaves soon into the three-minute mark for a short island transition. Soon things begin to build from the foundation up. Another strong melody enters at around 4:30 and than another at 5:07. I really like the one at 5:07. It’s deeper and fairly rougher in a sense. This is the most gripping part of the song I think, which gets better as it progresses. It drops its more upbeat, gentle sound completely and takes a major detour to compensate the new path to take on the journey. With the entire cool amount of leading melodies and direction change I’m not in love with the song because I feel like more took place but the strong build wasn’t as delectable as some of the other songs here. This is a great song, maybe excellent into the end, in my opinion. I find the decision smart that the artists took around the halfway point. This was the rare song I wasn't as into initially for some reason. B+ or an A-
09. Utopian Dream is a beautiful track. It begins more gentle and takes time to throw some more aggressive, liquid rhythm currents at you but be patient, they come. This could have been an Astral Projection song and I would have never known it. Actually that could be said for several songs on this album maybe do to the combination of energy, driving melodies on melodies, and more. Fortunately this song and others correlate greatly into the spirit of D5 on this album. I’m beginning to feel spoiled after hearing so many well-done songs. And get burnt out from taking hours over two days to hear the album, reflect, write, *repeat,* and note exact minute marks for song descriptions. I almost feel relieved from not hearing every song back-to-back. Sometimes it works wonderfully with trance states, you’ll be gone and the album ends and you’re still in harmony, the world created. My intuitions tell me this is one of those albums as I’ve gotten so many signs throughout it’s like reading wonderful short story “The Alchemist” all over again. A- / A
10. Flow is a very strong closing. This is an incredible, deeply felt, emotive, meditative chill piece. I think it's outstanding, another word assiciated with superb, and one of the finest closing album chill tracks of the golden era of Goa-Trance. Is it the best chill track ever made? Oh I don't know. Favorite tracks are subjective in a sense, even if we and others say we have great taste and high standards. This is way up there as one of the best chill numbers in my opinion. Just shut your eyes, try to release any current thoughts, and listen to it, loud! It’s impressive, the sound and rhythm carried throughout. I love the reinforced beat two-thirds of the way through and how it adds determination to a dreamy world through the subconscious mind into the dream. I sometimes wonder how artists create something that sounds on another level from most things we’ve ever heard. This final track doesn’t need to confirm that the album was no fluke. Nearly every track has shown that this dreamy sound is very much alive and real. Music this deeply felt is meaningful and not soon forgotten. A
In conclusion, Transdimensional is an excellent album for people who like and love the pinnacle, the golden years [96-98] of Goa-Trance. This is an intelligent release! I could throw a dart and virtually any song it lands on is wonderful. D5 fits into the Middle-Eastern category of Goa-Trance I believe. It's piled with graceful, lush, leading, co-leading, and supporting melodies, often energetic, driving, and dreamy. Some influences or examples of the general style can be associated with Astral Projection, California Sunshine, Cosmosis, Electric Universe, Jaia, Ra, X-Dream, and several others at their Goa peek. Such Goa Artists as Ethereal were subtler with their waves of sound. Artists like Astral Projection were generally the opposite with their leading, sometimes roller coaster melodies, buildups, and climax. I’d say D5 falls somewhere in-between. Fortunately it has its own style and sound. The melodies are juicy and flavorful. The sound is ultra-melodic and layered, fast, beautiful, elegant, warm, light-filled, positive and inspirational. I think it’s very appropriate for listeing to in the morning and during the sunrise, and at sunrise parties(!), dancing, and home listening. Suntrip Records has made a rare exception with Transdimensional. They’ve taken the initiative to re-release an album from 1997 that many consider a milestone, a classic in Goa-Trance. Thanks to the articulate re-mastering and care provided, the kick drum and other general sounds are more present and adequate to today’s standards. It's basically a technical improvement over the old mastering and I respect that some people will find the aged version just as classic untouched. That one isn't available however and this one is terrific for it's time too. Everyone please enjoy, cherish, and savor this wonderful rare album. Thank you Suntrip Records for re-releasing this!
Highlights: 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10.
Favorite Tracks: 1, 4, 5, 6, 9, 10.
9.6/10 or 4.8/5 = A (range)
Samples
http://www.psyshop.com/shop/CDs/sut/sut1cd008.html
http://saikosounds.com/english/display_release.asp?id=6628]http://saikosounds.com/english/display_release.asp?id=6628
http://www.suntriprecords.com/blog/news.php]http://www.suntriprecords.com/blog/news.php
http://www.beatspace.com/dettagli/dettaglio.asp?id=3543]http://www.beatspace.com/dettagli/dettaglio.asp?id=3543
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Alias
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
32
Posts :
984
Posted : Jun 25, 2007 13:22
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classic!
had this on tape cassete.....many years ago! 
well...for those who love goa ....is must have!
if i can compare this release with transwave the best of release...i choose the transwave!
keep up the good work Suntrip!
 www.myspace.com/aliasix |
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Sunai
Started Topics :
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1406
Posted : Jun 25, 2007 16:39
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nice review 4 a great album! |
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amphiton
Started Topics :
6
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136
Posted : Jun 27, 2007 01:54
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Received my copy today. Thanx for the stickers =)
Listened to the original album only in mp3 quality (well, because it was simply impossible to get it anywhere these days), so it's hard to tell the difference. Mastering freshened 10 year old music and those analogue synths sound very warm :)
This is an ultimate classic and every self-respecting goa-head should own this awesome album!
• [ cuBe ] :: cubeg.org • |
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Drosophila
Started Topics :
2
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38
Posted : Jul 26, 2007 10:35
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Fantastic music! 
D5 has always been one of my favorite Goa acts and this album is just an amazing collection of great great tracks! So yes if u like the Goa sound this is one of the safest buys you can ever get by!
Thanks to Suntrip for re-releasing this gem! 
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darkgnome
Started Topics :
1
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128
Posted : Jul 26, 2007 14:32
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Brilliant album, great to see this re-released 
Kimi-tachi wa keikoku sareta! |
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projekt^ufo
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
22
Posts :
408
Posted : Jul 27, 2007 18:53
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soulsphere
IsraTrance Junior Member
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21
Posts :
216
Posted : Sep 5, 2007 16:26
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amazing album... the 5th track is one of the best in the genre, simply launches u to outer-space HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!!! |
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Vileru
Started Topics :
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24
Posted : Nov 28, 2007 04:29
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Quote:
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On 2007-06-25 06:34, Jon Cocco wrote:
Here takes place the second incoherent voice bit (male singing one word, one note)
You don’t have a happy guy going “LA!” as I interpreted the word/note on the second track. |
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--Referring to the vocal sample in track 2, Purple Om--
Actually, the guy is chanting the "Om," I think that's how the track got its name.
P.S. I have no intent to be pretentious or whatever, but if you happen to not be familiar with the "Om," check it out here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Om |
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full_on
IsraTrance Team
Started Topics :
279
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5475
Posted : Nov 28, 2007 06:25
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This is an awesome release, my favorites are Deep Space 5D and Psychic Influence... Both awesome tracks.
Psychic Influence has a history inside it, at the begining it feels like the aliens are landing, then a tension is build and the war rages... the samples fit well.
DS5D also has great alien related samples: "If you space people heard it, come on, let's do it!"
Thanks Suntrip for making it available in better quality, I really appreciate that effort. 
Respect!
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...Be gentle with the earth...
...Dance like nobody's watching...
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...I don't mind not going to Heaven, as long as they've got Coffee in Hell... |
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LeonDesnu
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Posted : Jul 17, 2012 20:03
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Purple om is the reason I searched for this album. I'm in possesion of the great old compilation Trance Experience 2:The second Coming since it's release.
I always thought this track is a gem and yet underrated.
It seems that the whole album keeps the quality top notch something that put a big smile on my face. This is pure psychedelic music with clear sound, banging kicks, old school goa melodies and great basslines. Every track passes it's message to you without being fluffly or too complex.
Not a single track is skippable. You press the play button and the journey begins.
Nice review Jon Cocco |
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Transcriticism
Started Topics :
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51
Posted : Nov 9, 2012 21:51
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The album itself is an all-time classic of the genre. But Tim Schuldt's mastering is a total disaster there. He clearly mastered it like a full-on release. He emphasized way too much the tracks dynamic, bassline and 303 top the other sounds, hiding melodies and sensitive pads as a result. The unique spiritual signature of the album is gone. Intastella version still remains the best. |
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OzMike
IsraTrance Full Member
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148
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1681
Posted : Apr 2, 2013 15:22
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Lol. I own both the original and reissue & think Tim did a wonderful job remastering it. I'd like to see you do better.
Cuntus Maximus. |
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snorklediver
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Posted : Aug 21, 2013 17:57
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great stuff! |
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