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E-Mantra - Pathfinder (Suntrip Records, 2011)
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Jon Cocco
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
17
Posts :
18
Posted : Feb 28, 2012 06:45:18
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E-Mantra - Pathfinder
Suntrip Records
2011
1. Pathfinder
2. Metamorphic Resonance
3. Dansul Ielelor (Neurosect Edit 2011)
4. Valley of the kings
5. Above the skies
6. Distant Signals
7. Afterglow
8. Approaching Nibiru (Eleusyn rmx)
9. Deep Descent
10. If there is nothing
Pathfinder is the psychedelic goa-trance follow up to Arcana. It has more energy and melodies, but is it better? A full review ensues.
1. Pathfinder begins with an interesting alien-esque opening. A melody lead with various supports after the fourth minute enhance the song. The leading melody returns in the end that makes the song feel more structured in a good way here. This is a solid, catchy opening. B+
2. Metamorphic Resonance gets tastier, more powerful as it progresses (especially after the two minute mark). The crazy, echoed goa sounds at 4:24 are delicious. The vehicle carries infectious goa designs, atmosphere, melody leads, power, dynamic energy/build-up, and more (i.e: echoes creatively placed to enhance certain sounds). The artist incorporates a signature sound/melody lead (from 3:48 to 4:50 via War of the Hierophants) from the Arcana album. It's very catchy!, though, I found that it stood out more, the way it was produced on the debut. It works very well here nonetheless, and elevates the imaginative track even further. This song is like soaring through a futuristic worm hole. Stunning track! A
3. Dansul Ielelor (Neurosect Edit 2011) starts off with the strong, characteristic tune from the original and progresses well. The song seems to offer less absorbing work in the last few minutes. While I'm a huge fan of Dansul Ielelor on the debut, (my favourite uptempo song on Arcana) the new version is good. The original stood out to me more for its originality, but numerous details enhance this sci-fi solid remix. B+
4. Valley of the kings begins with deeper sounding beat emphasis. The melody/sound work is fantastic, especially from the second to nearly fourth minute. The ambient notes flow well too. I simply wish that the part after the forth minute transition included work as engaging. There is a cool buildup just before the fifth minute, and some catchy goa sounds. The last segment just seems a bit anti-climactic, or lacking in what made the first two thirds so catchy. This is a good song that could have had a stronger final act. B+[b]
[b]5. Above the skies takes off with a delectable, echoed effect in its first minute. The chilling ambient notes in the background are effective; I simply wish they took place more. You can hear them clearly around 1:40. A solid, leading layer soon enters that is very catchy, and the shuffling sound enhances it. A brief interlude via pan-flute opens to new harmonies until another interlude takes place. A new melody lead arrives, accompanied by a bouncy goa tune. Although the last third feels refreshing, it's approach softens the intensity of the track's previous two thirds I feel, and thus lessons the song's excitement to some degree. There are some nice sounds towards the end. I just wish that more took place to captivate me towards the end. Strong track. B+
6. Distant Signals first third involves an incredibly catchy, driving sound (around 0:55...) that solidifies a contagiously driving rhythm. The beat is temporally lost during a relaxing transition that fronts a solid buildup into new formations. The next part sounds great, though I initially missed the driving feel early on that made the first third (or half) so sweet. Nonetheless, the song avoids monotony (too much of a good thing can lose its edge) and develops well. The buildup/release around 4:50 is solid, and the layers compliment. Even though I loved the first act, and imagined the artist re-releasing the driving element (sound/feel around 0:55) in the last act with even more energy and intensity than ever before, I think he did a great job with the psychedelic and melody driven ending. Excellent track. A-
7. Afterglow begins with characteristic, sustained notes that take place throughout parts of the song; these providing a personality and add appeal. The gentle melody around 2:20 stands out in a good way, and another, more psychedelic one around 2:36 compliments it. The flight reaches a nice transition that fronts a delectable evolution of psy/goa trance! This is an example of a song that starts good and gets better as it progresses! A greater sense of intricacy takes place in the middle act, with great, echoed sound effects to boot. A tweaked, sustaining melody via 4:09 takes edge off the excitement; the song could have done without it, but it's not bad. Suddenly, a buildup ignites gear and the vehicle lifts higher at 5:36. Additional layers and variations amplify the broth, and the key (that later become sustained) notes via sixth minute provide a moody, attention-grabbing quality. Strong track! A-
8. Approaching Nibiru (Eleusyn rmx) has a intriguing introduction, excellent progression, and strong, background atmosphere that seems to be moving with the marvelous soundscapes. Just before the third minute, the song picks up with new moves, edge and rhythm. The style and approach here is phenomenal. The song continuously becomes more infectious as it moves forward. How the beat/sound switches up around 2:50 for instance is incredible, exciting. A gripping mid-tempo transition takes place after the fourth minute. Superb melodies enter around 4:25 and at this point (and to be fair, regardless), this is one of the best tracks I've heard all year. After a brief drum beat, the uptempo energy, now evolved, releases at 4:40. My gripe (or nitpick) here is that the uptempo work before 4:40 had been on a getting-more-infectious path. The last segment here sounds great, but along with the powerful rhythm, seems to lack something even more infectious (possibly another layer) to really make this thing stunning in its final moments. Some song examples Suntrip Record's artists that blew many of us away at the end of their tracks include: Filteria's Earthrise on the Daze Of Our Lives album, Khetzal's Djaningar (on the Corolle album), and Merr0w's Citrus Circus (on the Temple Of Chaos) compilation. The artist here is on the right track and includes a strong, memorable ending nonetheless. The song is superb. A-
9. Deep Descent is the first downtempo track. It makes me want to here the next Distant Systems album, just to hear even more great, space-ambient-influenced downtempo. There is a brief sound at 1:18 (spaced apart multiple times) that sounds like a baby alien throwing a temper tantrum. The track could have done without, or something in its place. Otherwise, the song is excellent. This up there with some of Distant Systems/Asura's best space ambient-influenced downtempo works. Had Filteria's Float Away and Disappear (last track on the Daze of Our Lives album) extended its catchiest (tasty psy/goa) part, and had a more seamless intro and outro, it could have been closer to the greatness here. Although the first several minutes are strong, the gradual emphasis/sounds after the third minute is even more arresting. Furthermore, the goa influence is absorbing. A-
10. If there is nothing is another psy/goa-influenced (mid or) downtempo track. The previous seemed to have more taking place and that which hooked me, but this is well done. There is some good atmosphere too, and catchy melodies that develop into the second half. B+
In conclusion, Pathfinder is great. I initially missed (meaning the album doesn't have) the catchy, psychedelic, mid-tempo passages that existed on some of the uptempo tracks on Arcana. But the artist has found a way to cross over some of that amazing work into the uptempo here! The melody/lead work in general is a big improvement too. Still, more melody/sound leads in the future would probably not hurt. I found more memorable tunes on Artifact303's Back To Space album, though the work here is more atmospheric and on numerous occasions, more psychedelic. Those who are looking for leading melodies to the extent of Filteria or Khetzal may want to look elsewhere. That said, this is a strong psychedelic goa-trance release. After the fifth time through, I continue to notice subtle alterations and psychedelic details.
I found that the uptempo work on Arcana, with exception to Dansul Ielelor was too repetitive. That's not the case here. One of my gripes with Pathfinder is that a few of the songs could have had more memorable endings, or last segments/acts. That said, the songs are often interesting. They pack much energy. There are climaxes. The melody/sound (lead) work on Metamorphic Resonance for instance, is outstanding and includes some of the best buildup/energy moments and sounds I've heard all year! Also involving great leads (sound or otherwise) includes Distant Signals, Approaching Nibiru (Eleusyn Rmx), and Deep Descent. The album is creative, involving, immersive, and at times labyrinthine. In addition, E-Mantra's down/mid-tempo work is excellent. Deep Descent I currently favor over If There Is Nothing, but both are interesting and enjoyable space/ambient-goa pieces. This sequel is more homogenous than Arcana. While it is less risky in that it avoids mid-tempo goa designs in the uptempo songs that added creativity to Arcana (while making the debut less dance friendly I may add), Pathfinder takes other risks that often excel the uptempo work. This is a easily one of the best Psy/Goa albums of 2011.
Favorite tracks: 2, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10.
A-
Samples / Buy
http://www.goastore.ch/e-mantra-pathfinder.html
http://www.saikosounds.com/english/display_release.asp?id=8914
http://www.psyshop.com/shop/CDs/sut/sut1cd023.html
http://www.beatspace.com/6726/Suntrip+Records/E-MANTRA/Pathfinder+/detail.aspx
http://www.suntriprecords.com/product/item/SUNCD23/ |
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Transcriticism
Started Topics :
2
Posts :
51
Posted : Feb 29, 2012 04:21
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The reviewer above has been way too generous giving a A- for this goa trance album. I wouldn’t dare to ask him the rating he would give therefore to “Trust in Trance” of Astral Projection or “New Kind of World” of MFG ? Comparison is allowable, E-Mantra is clearly inspired by the old masters: “another world” track material is reprised in many ways in almost all the uptempo tunes, classical “mfgish” leads appear on a regular base too. Not being a fan of “deja-vu” sounds, better avoid this subject and base my judgement on creativity.
So what’s the result there? Well the last ambient tracks, they’re probably enough good to make worth to buy the whole album.
But the uptempo tracks are different story… that’s one of those cases where I feel once again sceptical about this new approach of the prehistoric goa genre. I smell lot of involvement in this album. This guy worked hard on production, no one can deny it. But his efforts are not used in a correct way. Let’s show a couple of weak points and hope the artist will accept criticisms in a constructive manner.
First, the tracks are propelled mainly by well polished melodies that aren’t enough to hide their laborious organization. Structurally speaking, buildings of the tracks are quite hazardous to say the least. They use to start with a good intro, a strong rhythm & dynamic kicks, joined by a couple of good melodies, ok quite classical methods, based on old goa stereotypes. But after 3-4 minutes, here comes the problem: it’s like the tracks lost impetum and don’t know which direction they have to follow. You listen a series of different melodic sequences here and there, sometimes without real connection between them. Which shows the artist had not a clear idea from the beginning of how the tracks will evolve and how it will end, or his creativity is very limited… What’s the real point there? the tracks clearly lacks direction, a main epic melody or sequence we can sufficiently rely on and would make the track immediately recognizable. The artist missed totally that point for each track.
This brings me to the second point: the tracks sound very repetitive. We can’t distinguish them easily. That’s a general feeling. Saying they are not repetitive, because some tunes are a little bit brighter than others, or melodies adopt one or two different notes or textures, this argument doesn’t hold water…
The reason is thirdly because the album lacks concept and a storytelling line. Name tracks with cosmic or folkloric references are good, but they don’t always coincide with the imagery/vision of the track. I have no vision of "the supposed valley kings", nor of Nibiru.
The tracks used almost the same basic material, which makes the whole thing harmonious in some way. But that’s not enough to create a concept. Ideas and material utilized to illustrate the ideas, that must be the motto. But ok, concept album seem so oldfashioned nowadays, let’s not blame too much the artist, even if in this case, it would have been welcomed though…
And last, but not the least: where’s the well-known magic psychedelic “goa” feeling? I hardly found a single melody or sequence in this album where we could say: “OMG, that’s the SHIT! It’s worth to play it again and again”.
The goa artists of the new generation seem naive to think well produced melodies, high quality production, thousand skills & VST’s are enough to compose good goa tracks. They’re wrong all the way. If the trance feeling is absent, which is the essence of that genre, if melodic keys aren’t touching and carefully chosen, in other words if there's no "melodic moments", tracks are simply cold and dry. It’s like emprisoned dreams in the stone. Nothing can escape out there...
In short, while listening to this album, I was looking for astral dreams, for a projection into the dancing galaxies, but nothing happened and I stayed on earth…
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604delic
Started Topics :
3
Posts :
123
Posted : Jul 17, 2012 20:42
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The 2nd album by E-Mantra after their debut back in '09 with Arcana.
This album is a great journey into some real melodic GoaTrance sounds!! HQ Stuff!!!
Fav; Above the skies
6. Distant Signals
7. Afterglow
8. Approaching Nibiru (Eleusyn rmx)
The 2 ambient traxx in the end make it so much more special 
Keep up the good work Emmanuel ! |
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