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Drone - 23 Days (Headstick Recordings, 2005)
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krelm
IsraTrance Full Member
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Posted : Feb 18, 2005 03:48
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Artist: Drone
Album: 23 Days
Label: Headstick Recordings
Genre: Progressive Trance
Year: Feb. 2005
Tracklisting:
01. Airwave
02. The Blackroom
03. White Screen
04. Not
05. So 15b
06. Next Time
07. Anything
08. Enstikt
09. Active Reserve
With their first release – the often-unclassifiable tek-flavored album from label-head Igneous Sauria – Greek upstart Headstick Recordings proved themselves as a label willing to dispense with any trends and blaze a their unique path into a musical wilderness. In “23 Days”, the smoothly atmospheric follow-up from fellow Greek duo Drone, Headstick continues to carve their own niche into progressive psychedelia: original, undefinable, progressive-minded, and thick on groove.
The music:
With a mish-mash of influences pushing through the soundscapes in 23 Days, the most definable characteristic to firmly grab the listener is an atmospheric sense of melancholy. Each song is an expressive, often emotional ride, but the story is gently expressed through subtle developments in atmosphere, percussion and structure. Underlying each song is smooth tribalistic percussion and a throbbing bassline. Despite the similar elements throughout, the specific flavor of each track still varies enough to avoid monotony. From the start, Drone holds no punches – the opening track “Airwave” is easily one of the best on the CD, providing a dark underlying mood while skillfully traversing a journey of hypnotic rhythm, crafty melody and eery FX. The ride through the first 6 songs is utterly fantastic and diverse. The subtly emotional “The Blackroom” manages to smoothly speak volumes using only minimal variations in atmospheres and progressions while “White Screen” is a trip into relaxed tribal hypnosis (literally). “Not” and “So 15b” beg for a late-morning dancefloor under the sun with their lush sampling and house-influenced rhythms. “Next Time” combines a heavy dub flavor reminiscent of Pitch Black with ethereal atmospheres – perfect for the last few hours of daylight. The CD loses a bit of steam and direction in the next two tracks before finally closing on a high note with the bouncing and redeeming house & breakbeat-flavored “Active Reserve”.
Overall:
Drone have managed to produce a striking collection that contains both enough variety and consistent musical unity to hold together well as a worthwhile album. The unique and subtle approach to progression within each song needs a few listens to fully grasp, but causes a few instances of picking your jaw up off the ground when you realize what they are doing. A mixture of influences can be heard here – progressive, breakbeat, house, tribal and psychedelic. It all works together extremely well and gives scarce boring moments. A pair of tracks (“Anything” and “Enstinkt”) aren’t particularly exciting when compared to the rest, but the unique and individual character of the other 7 tracks is more than enough to leave an overwhelmingly positive impression.
Rating:
8/10
Favorite tracks:
1-6, 8
(1, 2 and 4 are particularly nice on good headphones  )
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Dr. Krelm DJ Mixes and Broken Symmetry archives - http://www.krelmatrix.com
Broken Symmetry on MCast - coming in 2007.... |
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Glen.C (Iboga Rec)
IsraTrance Full Member
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Posted : Feb 18, 2005 20:22
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George
Interphaze
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0
Posts :
4
Posted : Feb 19, 2005 13:56
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Very nice work..!!! Positive feeling..+ !!! |
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duyoush
IsraTrance Full Member
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Posted : Feb 20, 2005 17:57
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nice album.. good atmosphere 
keep it up drone 
cheers
"The external world became changed as in a dream and colors became more glowing.When the eyes were closed,colored pictures flashed past in a quickly changing kaleidoscope.what had caused this condition?"
Albert Hofmann Laboratory Notes (1943) |
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Basilisk
IsraTrance Full Member
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Posted : Apr 1, 2005 19:54
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I find this lacks a certain spark which would otherwise make the good production and pleasing style actually interesting. Kind of dull for a progressive release nominally on the psychedelic side.
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Nokturnal
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
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171
Posted : Apr 3, 2005 00:56
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Great review.
I agree with you at first Basilisk, but after listening to it a few times I am thinking that the subtlty of the production may actually sound pretty killer on a big system. I remember being disappointed with the first couple of moshic records I ever bought, that they sounded really washed out and lacking crispness or distinct presence, and then heard them ona big system and was utterly floored.
I am thinking that this cd will be of a simular effect.
I hope so!! |
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kristyandmoe
Started Topics :
4
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224
Posted : May 2, 2006 04:17
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Only found this release due to the Drone track on Va - Joyride, but im glad i found it.
Excellent album. |
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kikola
IsraTrance Full Member
Started Topics :
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Posted : May 2, 2006 10:07
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i find this release one of the most original releases that came out latelly 
Quote:
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Great review.
I agree with you at first Basilisk, but after listening to it a few times I am thinking that the subtlty of the production may actually sound pretty killer on a big system. I remember being disappointed with the first couple of moshic records I ever bought, that they sounded really washed out and lacking crispness or distinct presence, and then heard them ona big system and was utterly floored.
I am thinking that this cd will be of a simular effect.
I hope so!!
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yep Nokturnal I've tried Airwave and it sounds just like you expect it to sound
@Iono_Music
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www.ouim.net/djs/kikola |
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Acidhive
IsraTrance Full Member
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Posted : May 2, 2006 11:03
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Great album that's been overlooked by a lot of people. I've had it for some time now and I can say that this is an album that deserves to be listened. It's excellent for parties and for homelistening as well. I usually listen to it while biking or travelling. Great stuff and I like all the tracks.
"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] |
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