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Etic - Touch Ups (Trancelucent Productions 2004) CD
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DeathPosture
IsraTrance Full Member
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Posted : Jun 25, 2004 17:57
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Etic – Touch Ups
Cover: http://217.160.138.169/pic_b/trl1cd009_b.jpg
Format: CD
Artist: Etic
Title: Touch Ups
Label: Trancelucent Productions, Israel
Cat. #: TP-009
Year: 2004
Track listing:
01. 09’05” Winter Intro
02. 08’15” A-U
03. 08’10” Deep Night Dream
04. 08’07” Night Time
05. 07’40” One Man Band
06. 06’59” 1st Element
07. 08’00” Human Voice
08. 07’45” Touch Ups
09. 07’43” Some Piece In Half Speed
Review:
Groovy hybrid trance…
Trancelucent Productions is out with the debut album from Etic (Etay Harari). This time the label strays from their usual full-on approach towards more progressive/deep trance… Nice to see that for a change… I’ve never heard any Etic tracks before, so I have no idea what to expect…
Let me take you thru the tracks…
#01: The intro-track starts with undecipherable female samples… I can’t make all of it out, but it resembles the good old Music Instructor idea where different musical elements are added through the track… “Add some bass!”… It’s a funny, yet not highly original idea… Anyway, the style is a mixture between full-on and progressive, leaning mostly towards prog… A hybrid really – it’s nice and groovy… “Take it up”… Very nice intro-track!
#02: Let’s dwell deeper into A-U… This is prog-trance with Israeli hints… I mean, it’s not progressive like Son Kite or FREq, the bass is somewhat more full-on, yet very groovy… It’s hard to describe really… Thumbs up for funky echo-effects and all the cool pads… Wicked percussion work as well… Sweet!
#03: Rich intro, with metallic digital drops and synth-effects… The bassline is deeper than the previous 2 tracks, so the title of the track is well-chosen!... I’m sure this will put a few sound-systems to the test… Again, the percussion work is really impressive – I really like how Mr. Harari has incorporated the percussion into the main “melody” - it’s a challenge NOT to move to this… Nicey nice!
#04: Again, the track title says it all… Its night time on the progressive trance floor now… The intro is dominated by hi-hats and a phat-ass bassline… Much more brutal than the previous tracks – and with the addition of all kinds of psychedelic FX this truly is a twisted track… There is a passage in the middle of the track, where it gets too minimal for my taste, but luckily it’s only for a short while… Though the samples might appear cheesy, I dig them… Especially the Shidapu’esque pitched up male voice… Another fine track!
#05: Still night and Hariri launches into a seemingly more minimal approach towards progressive nite trance… It’s dark and fast, yet somehow the groove is intact… There are no voice samples or random tweaking going on here, it’s just pure, smooth, building trance… This would mix well into a FREq-track… Nice!
#06: Continuing in the same vein, but more experimental – the bassline is run through different filters, and more twisted effects are added, making this track more psychedelic… The sweet percussion and voice samples are also back, added are a few subtle acid lines – and there even a little synth melody popping up now and again… Great combo!
#07: Digital drops, electronic farts and sonic burps… Always a pleasure! As you might’ve guessed, this is another progressive night stomper… Slightly faster than the last one and with a more clanging sound… And of course there is a computerized human voice repeated throughout the track! Halfway through, the track changes into a very psychedelic piece with rolling percussion and subtle acid melodies… Beautiful!
#08: The title track kicks off with a much more repetitive bassline – not as groovy as the others… Bummer! The surrounding effects are all nice though – we get some really nice floating melodies, epic even! As the track progresses the funk creeps in slowly, yet the paramount flaw is that it never reaches the high standard as the rest of the album… Decent track!
#09: Sonic manipulation - The last track is Harari goofing around in his studio, experimenting with all kinds of FX…This doesn’t really do anything for me, but it’s obvious that the man has talent… Average track!
Wow – I was caught completely off guard with this album… I mean, with most releases you kinda know what to expect… I figured this would be another semi-boring Israeli full-on album, but talk about being wrong! It was in fact one of the most positive surprises I’ve had this year… With the exception of the last two tracks, all tracks are above average standard… I love surprises like this… Hats off to Trancelucent – this is the best CD I’ve heard from them (though I’m reviewing the Misted Muppet soon – strong contender for that title)… I’d recommend this to any fan of progressive trance with a touch of nite-time full-on… Enjoy!
8/10
Favourites: 1, 4, 6, and 7 super-nice… 2, 3 and 5 are nice… 8 and 9 are decent. ;o)
DeathPosture
External links:
Trancelucent Productions: http://www.trancelucent.com
BOA Distribution: http://www.boadistribution.com
Psyshop: http://www.psyshop.com/shop/CDs/trl/trl1cd009.html (Audio samples available!)
Saiko Sounds: http://www.saikosounds.com/english/display_release.asp?id=4110
Trance Shop: http://www.trance-shop.com/de/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=3879&osCsid=6b5a3e37e836bb99e92f2510a590307a
  On really romantic evenings of self, I go salsa dancing with my confusion... |
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Le Lotus Bleu
IsraTrance Full Member
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Posted : Jul 1, 2004 12:22
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Etic (Etay Harari) makes some clubby progressive trance.
Winter is a perfect example of his dominant style all along his album, a smooth groove with clubby melodies, it’s an ok track but no more for me.
A-U sounds dull to me & flat, the track isn’t that bad but seriously lacks of creativity & the musical content is resulting weak.
Deep Night Dream &Night Time are 2 attempts of more night groovy stuffs, ok it confers variety to the album but once again sounds so empty. Nevertheless i must admitt that in track 3 Etic tried to make something slightly more psychedelic but he didn’t make a strong effort here, it’s quite confuse. Track 4 is just fully night oriented.
One Man Ban is better, more living but this clubby aspect still disturb me, less linearity would have been welcome.
1st Element confirms the improvement but it’s shy, it’s strange Etic’s music gives here me the impress of someone sleeping with wide open eyes animated with a low energy.
Human Voice enters the hypnotic area but as i already fall asleep with nearly all previous track it’s getting redundant.
Touch Ups fits me better in funky-groovy style, it’s really pleasant the best track of the album by far.
It seems unfortunatly that Etic has waken up a bit lately for me coz i only appreciate now his sound, here an asiatic-groovy sounding production with more contrast between tones.
Sum up keys :
First of all the cover art is awful (indeed if you don’t posses a good covert design instead of putting a lame one, just make black writting on white background, simple & minimalist but still effective) which was a bad omen for the musical content.
The sound is definitivly melodico-clubby progressive but it’s too honeyed for me, furthermore i’m not that much fan of the mastering.
According to me, this Etic project wasn’t mature enough to be ready for cooking a real full debut album. Touch ups sounds to me more like a demo, i think it was a too early for an album production but with the experience of this one the guy would be able to improve his skills.
Favorites by order :8,9&1
Mark : 6/10 (maybe some hardcore proggy lovers will enjoy it more than me)
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Maya bee
IsraTrance Junior Member
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Posted : Jul 7, 2004 02:13
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A mazing progressive tuns..........amzing cd ....yeaaaaaaaaaaa ....
well i'm just hearing this amazing cd ......very good tuns ...alot of sprit....great belding.
Flow & realax=Good progressive!!!
fevourites:
1,2,3, 5,6,7,8,9
Touchups is one of the best progressive cd that i'v heared this year.
Thanks for a great cd etic!
Maya The Bee says :Be & Beezzzzzzzzzzzzzz |
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NirI
Started Topics :
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Posted : Oct 6, 2004 15:36
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Not enough attention was given to this c.d as far as i'm concerned. Unfortunatley i am not to good in writing reviews, this job is there for other people.
Nevertheless i would like to add that, "Lotus", i think you have to give this album another try, 'cause as far as i know your taste it deserves more than 6/10- in my opinion ofcourse.
Than, i would like to say that my favourits here are the "winter intro", and "night time". Apart from these tracks it is a very interesting proggy album. You know, not that i say that i would like to hear all its tracks on the dancefloor, but if you are easy, and just looking for a c.d to chill and let it run through with freinds or girlfriend---------->
Have it than!
Keep it goin' on. |
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kameleonpangea36
IsraTrance Full Member
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Posted : Oct 6, 2004 18:44
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le lotus bleu, why do you put a review up about music you dont seem to like, if you like dark hardcore stuff of course your not going to like something thats progressive and chill, |
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Le Lotus Bleu
IsraTrance Full Member
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Posted : Oct 6, 2004 21:20
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coz it's also interesting to give an opinion when it's not totally positive, life isn't always perfect & it's a matter of tolerance & open minded attitude to respect (i don't say to caution) other people's mind especially when this one is different from your one.
If people were only giving positive review, life wouldn't have any sense, furthermore why i shouldn't give a negative feedback , are you for censure? Personally i'm for freedom of expression , it seems it's not your case...
PS:i like proggy & chill stuffs, you can check all the reviews i already wrote...
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kameleonpangea36
IsraTrance Full Member
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Posted : Oct 7, 2004 05:09
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chillax life is insanely good |
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Lux
IsraTrance Junior Member
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Posted : Oct 7, 2004 13:50
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After hearing this album my feelings about it were mixed. What I mean is that overall it was a pretty nice album, but there was something missing.
I mean if you notice the tracks most of them have exactly the same kick and bassline, which for me is a bit "cheap".
I reckon that his next album is going to be better both in production and ideas as well. Not too bad for a first one though...
Don't hope 2 much 4 something cause u may end up getting it... |
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Mat N
IsraTrance Senior Member
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Posted : Oct 7, 2004 14:50
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one of the most interseting albums that came out from israel recently. and as i heard etic is very active these days so expect more from him soon...
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Zombi
IsraTrance Senior Member
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Posted : Oct 8, 2004 01:29
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etic have a nice sound and some friendly moments. i was not realy impressed by this album but im for sure looking forward his future releases becoze he got a big potential imo.
Believe your soul ! |
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MercuryFall
IsraTrance Full Member
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Posted : Oct 9, 2004 12:37
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I was really not fond of this album when i received it last summer, but it somehow grew on me, and i must say some of these tracks work very well on the dance floor.
I don't like the three first tracks, i find them utterly boring, but No 4 (night time) and 5 (one man band) are quite dimensional, and No 6, 1st element, is a nice groovy smooth track that i tend to play towards the start of my mixes.
Human Voice, track No 7, is the gem of the album I think, it's more psychedelic than the rest, but still smooth, and the constant bass is quite extatic on this one.
Just like Zombi, I'm waiting to see what this guy can come up with in the future! Good luck Etay! |
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SHAMIL
Invisible reality
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Posted : Oct 9, 2004 13:00
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Mike A
Subra
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Posted : Oct 10, 2004 01:28
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I'd say one of the only as well.
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SHAMIL
Invisible reality
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Posted : Oct 10, 2004 06:19
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natia
Started Topics :
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Posts :
12
Posted : Oct 20, 2004 20:09
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well, it took me a long time to discover this great album. i actualy found out about it after hearing etic's very good remix of U2's- "new year's day" (which by the way does not appear on this album and i'll be glad to have it. if someone knows where i can get it please let me know...)
the album is well written ,with lots of new sounds i have'nt heard before , suphisticated rythm sections , groovy base lines and great atmosphere over all .
what i like most about this album (besides its cool cover) is the fact that you could realy hear that lots of thought was put into it.
after listening to "touchups", i think etic is a gifted artist and is definetly under rated.
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