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Fitalic - Atomic Atmosphere (Tribal Vision Records)
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clown
IsraTrance Full Member
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Posted : Oct 12, 2006 03:46
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Fitalic – Atomic Atmosphere (Tribal Vision Records)
Artist : Fitalic
Label : Tribal Vision
Format : CD Jewel Case w/ 8 page booklet + Dj sleeve insert
Cat : TVRcd011
Matering by : Willem Faber
artwork : http://show.saikosounds.com/cover.asp?titleID=6096
Cover design by : Tomas Silny
Website : http://www.tribalvision.cz
Tracklisting :
Lost in Space………. ……..07:03 122BPM
Liquid Motion……………..09:28 130BPM (Featuring Andres Bink)
Atomic Atmosphere ………08:36 130BPM
The Way …………………..08:49 130BPM
Airflow ……………………08:23 130BPM
Manufactured Miracles …...09:10 130BPM
Into the Night ……………..10:05 130BPM
Twisted Difusion ………….08:14 130BPM (Vocal’s by Cagri Eralp)
Distructible ………………..09:25 130BPM
Tribal Vision is back with yet another one of there debut artist album releases. This time we have the honor to hear 9 massive progressive tunes from Robin Fitter a.k.a. FITALIC. Fitalic was one to always impress me on the TV releases with his more housie groove to things and butt rocking percussions. Lets see if he lives up to his expectations with this one.
The album starts off with something different, something more breakbeat and smooth. This opener is nothing too complicated, yet it seems so very appropriate at this given moment as the melodies quickly take control of the situation. Ever get that feeling that you are alone on an island, lying in the sand with your sunglasses while two very cute women wave oversized leaves to cool you down ? Well, this tune brings that to mind as it helps escape from reality and automatically regulates your breathing patterns. You can really feel the waves in this one as the water splash’s against your toes massaging the under of your feet.
Liquid Motion changes the groove a little and the kickbass starts to pound and those hats start whipping. This one defiantly gets your groove going early . but wait, what’s this ?? A melody that sounds familiar, yet very original at the same time, reminding me of the good ol “oakenfold” days. This track is straight out of Miami Beach, as what starts off to be a pretty heavy track, ends up being something with a lot of melodies. There is even another breakbeat breakdown near the middle as the song builds up. This fits in perfectly for those more progressive sets. Nice !
Next up is the album cover song obviously titled Atomic Atmosphere. You can right away notice a dramatic difference from the last track, this one containing a much more tribal house groove and really what I think the name Fitalic represents the most. Although I state it has a housier feel to it, we must not neglect the beautiful atmosphere’s that surround this track. The melodies are a little dryer that the previous track and they are also less colorful yet I seem to be attracted more to this one.. It must be the consistent hat smashing that drives this one.
The Way wastes no time with intro’s and gets serious from the start. This one has a lot less melodies and focuses more on the crashing hats and short melodic outbursts. This one somewhat reminds me of those grindy hats that Atmos uses sometimes in his better tracks. They add a lot of chunckyness to this one and pretty much stand out. This one isn’t very tribalish and it is rather straightforward as a whole.. its an ok tune, but Robin has done better !
Airflow is a little different than the previous tracks as this one is an entire breakbeat track, but it’s a little faster that the break’s he has shared with us so far in this journey. I have a hard time dancing to this one and the fact that it never really kicks in (literally) leaves me wanting more. This one could have been better placed IMO and for a track smack in the middle of your album, I was expecting the ceiling to crack and fall down from excessive bass. I still see myself playing out this one as a set opener because the structure is still standard stuff and it can blend in easily with something that has a straight out 4/4 kick. It’s a little long though.
Manufactured Miracles is nothing new to the diehard Tribal Vision fan, hearing it before on the latest compilation release by the aforementioned label. I still think it’s the nicest piece of music found on this CD so far as it has a happier vibe to it making me smile and bounce around. If you love Fitalic, you have to love this one !! could have been fun to have a remix for the album as appose to the original, but if you missed the VA, your defiantly served with this one.
Into the nigh brings us a dark, deep house feel, with close to no melodies, lots of echo effects and darker synths. I kind of wish the album started out with something like this and just continued in that same direction, because this is defiantly a standout track on the album. The percs in this one are simply mind blowing and hypnotic as hell. It gets slightly more melodic as it progresses but not enough to overwhelm the mind, yet just enough to give it some flavor. Defiantly some interesting grooves in this one.
This next one follows down the same path as the previous track did, with a strong and deep atmosphere. This tune is defiantly what makes progressive music so great as Robin takes more time in getting this to the peak levels than he normally does. I’m not too keen on those little vocals but they don’t last long enough to get annoying so I guess we can say that they are well placed. This one is defiantly calmer than most of the tunes we can find on this album but the groove factor meter peaks at its highest. Defiantly interesting.
If you are the type to believe that the more you wait, the better things are, or if you often say “save the best for last” then this track will fit in perfectly with your usual day. Distructible is simple, yet effective with some tam-tam tribalism at times. Without getting carried away, this track seems to have some drive to it along with a more laidback loungy feel to it. There aren’t many melodies in this one either; instead they are replaced with some short echoed synth notes which I can agree with. This track is well balanced compared to a few previous one’s and that’s what makes its charm.
All in all I am proud of Fitalic for releasing his album on Tribal Vision because I believe that his style fits the perfect direction this label has taken over the past year and a half. It is defiantly right there with Tegma’s album, yet not as crisp, but not as dull as Sonic Cube’s album either. I was expecting a lot more house and tribalism in this one, but instead we got something along the lines of Greed’s album with better sound production and cleaner atmospheres.. it’s a defiant must for all those home listening progressive freaks out there, yet it still has a few dancefloor starters.
My fav’s are : 2!, 3, 6!!!, 7!!, 8!!, 9
  "VA - REWIRED" OUT NOW !! (techtrance invasion) ---> http://forum.isratrance.com/viewtopic.php/topic/86303/forum/9
http://psy.techno.fm <------- Jester Records's Internet Radio channel
www.jesterrecords.ca |
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Ulterior
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
35
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531
Posted : Oct 12, 2006 13:27
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such a great album, i cant wait to get it on original |
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zeb nation
Started Topics :
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31
Posted : Oct 19, 2006 15:02
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Class off Progressive Trance !
Great Album ! |
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LigaLize
IsraTrance Full Member
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Posted : Oct 19, 2006 17:48
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Lux
IsraTrance Junior Member
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Posted : Oct 19, 2006 21:22
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Excellent album!
Don't hope 2 much 4 something cause u may end up getting it... |
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Tox-pix
IsraTrance Junior Member
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Posted : Oct 23, 2006 15:15
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Although this is his debut album, Fitalic is by no means a rookie.
Robin Fitter from the Netherlands has been producing Progressive house & trance since 2000.
So far he released around 20 vinyl’s on high profile labels such as Vapour & John Digweed’s Bedrock. Personally I only discovered him about 2 years through his track “Bustanovice” on D-Nox’compilation “Prooved Vol 2” on Plastik Park. I was really impressed but couldn’t seem to find any new Fitalic-material, until now… Once again on Tribal Vision, who are really trying to bridge the gaps between house, trance & electro.
1. We start out slowly with “Lost in Space” but after a couple of minutes we’re already heading towards the 120Bpm mark. A nice openingtrack but nothing unforgettable…
2.: Muffled & subtle melodic loops build up a “Liquid Motion”, then finally surface & evolve into truly hypnotising strings. No cheap euphoria, but genuine goosebump-material, the track presents a carefully crafted mix of melancholy & optimism. This reminds me of the feeling I got when I heared “Bustanovice”(especially the break) & that’s a huge compliment.
3.The title track “Atomic Atmosphere” is a nice synthesis of the what Fitalic stands for. No catchy melodies, but waves of percussion echoing in the background in the best UK-tradition. Different layers of sound blending into each other to create an overall gloomy (but not scary) atmosphere. Fitalic proves that “progressive” is not the same as “fluffy“
4. “The Way” is made up out of pumping beats & has some influences from Detroit Techno. Not the banging kind but more warm textures. Not bad, but it doesn’t really grab me (yet)…
5. “Airflow”: this is one of the highlights for me: a real, full breakbeat-track. Highly original & pretty welldone too. The kind of track you can hear over & over again A nice remedy for a possible progressive-O.D.
6. Manufactured Miracles: This track was released on V/A : Limelight 2, as a teaser before the full album came out. Sexy female moaning & dramatic build-ups mixed with pounding tribal beats that aim straight for the dance-floor. A sure winner for any dj! Who says progressive doesn’t have any climaxes???
7. Deep sounds all the way to take us “Into the Night”. Slowly evolving & gathering strength, we’re not in a rush, are we? Halfway through the track, it’s all systems go & Fitalic unleashes another one of his dark club-tracks, which seem to build-up & evolve until eternity, forever changing. Great stuff that sends shivers up & down my spine. What a huge monster this is: over 10 minutes long & not a dull moment in sight!!
8. Twisted Difusion: The percussion establishes a real tribal feeling & then haunting vocals pave the way for the housey beats. Only after 2 minutes the groovy bass line kicks in & then Fitalic once more brings some Detroit sounds into play, that are deadly effective. Everything falls into place & we’re off for a slow ride through the dark-rooms of clubland.
9. Distructible: first of all, congratulations to Robin for not going for the cliché downtempo last track. Having said that the focus isn’t on the beats here, but rather more on gentle twirling melodic parts that leave you with a smile on your face.
Overall: this is mature music that will do well in sweaty club but also on sunny afternoon festival dance floors or in your own living room. The psychedelic elements are lacking, but that probably wasn’t the aim from the beginning. Nearly all tracks are exactly 130 BPM, so this will definitely be too slow for some people, but I just love it.
Favourites are tracks 2,5,6,7 & 8. Especially the second part of the cd shows that Fitalic has plenty of tricks up his sleeve. Stay tuned for more!
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pr0fane
Multiphase
Started Topics :
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Posted : Oct 29, 2006 22:49
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Artist: Fitalic
Title: Atomic Atmosphere
Label: Tribal Vision
Format: CD (Jewelcase with 8-page inlay and DJ case insert)
Released: September 2006
Cover: http://217.160.138.169/pic_b/tvr1cd011_b.jpg
Review:
If you've been listening to progressive house for the last couple of years, odds are that you have heard of Fitalic. The act contains of Robin Fitter from Holland, who has had a lot of success with his mixture of tech house, tribal house, progressive house and progressive trance, releasing on well-respected labels like Bedrock, Vapour, Pangea, Nascent and 19Box. In later years his name has also started to become quite well-known in the more psychedelic-oriented progressive house/trance scene, gaining support from labels like D-Nox's Sprout and Plastik Park, Iboga, Very Progressive, Plusquam, Nervine and lately also the Czech label Tribal Vision Records.
Tribal Vision Records is also behind Fitalics new debut album "Atomic Atmosphere", containing 9 tracks of which 8 where previously unreleased.
01. Lost In Space [122 BPM]
The album starts with "Lost In Space", a 7-minute long beautiful chilled intro, somewhere between lounge, laidback electronica and breaks. It has a very charming, almost naïve vibe to it, and I consider it one of the best album-openers I've heard this year. Great work.
02. Liquid Motion [130 BPM]
"Liquid Motion" is co-written with a guy called Andres Bink (I have never heard of him before), and with that tune the album goes into steady 4/4 beat territory. It has the Fitalic-trademark bouncy grooves, and has some simple and quite positive melodies, lovely little key-changes and is generally a nice and very charming little tune for warming up. Lovely.
03. Atomic Atmosphere [130 BPM]
Following up is the title-track for the album, "Atomic Atmosphere", also recently featured on an EP-release. It goes a bit deeper than "Liquid Motion", more tribal and not quite as uplifting, and generally I think it's among the weaker tracks on the entire album. Not necessarily bad, but doesn't really have any distinct features to catch my attention.
04. The Way [130 BPM]
"The Way" raises the quality once again, getting less trancy than the previous tracks, more tech-housey and deep, with some very delicious chord stabs and a cool breakdown with a nicely filtered male voice-sample. Maybe not the most distinct tune on the album, but not among the weaker tracks either.
05. Airflow [132 BPM]
With "Airflow" we get a short break for the 4/4 beat stuff with a breakbeat tune much more energetic than the album-opener. I have mixed emotions about breaks - when it's well-done I can't get enough, while I find mediocre breakbeat almost unlistenable. "Airflow" is somewhere in between - it certainly isn't unlistenable, but I couldn't really connect to it either. Does supply some variation though.
06. Manufactured Miracles [130 BPM]
We're taken back into 4/4 territory with "Manufactured Miracles", which was previously released on the "Lime Light 2" compilation from Tribal Vision Records, where I considered it among one of the highlights. I still consider it a good tune - it has a massive big-room sound, trancy and uplifting, but with very solid house-grooves. Will work wonders both at peaktime at a club, as well as in the afternoon outdoors.
07. Into The Night [130 BPM]
With the aptly named "Into The Night" the album is taken in a deeper direction. It's the longest track on the album, running for over 10 minutes, and is more tribal than the rest of the tracks, a bit deeper than the tracks in the first half of the album, and with some slightly melancholic melodies thrown in in the finale. Ok tune on its own, but among the weaker tunes on the album.
08. Twisted Difusion [130 BPM]
"Twisted Difusion" continue in the deeper, tribal direction from "Into The Night", but with much greater effect. It's even deeper than the predecessor, one might even say it's relatively gloomy, and it contains some really well-placed spoken voice-samples by Cagri Eralp, who also have provided vocals for artists like DJ Tarkan and 4Mal. Great stuff.
09. Distructible [130 BPM]
The album concludes with yet another tune for the dancefloors, and "Distructible" is certainly not your average "ok-we-have-8-minutes-to-spare-lets-make-something-chilled" closing-tune. It starts out pretty standard, but more and more layers of melodies are slowly added along the way, and it develops into a very charming and delightful melodic tune - quite subtle, and very suited for the afterhours. A really nice ending for the album.
Bottom line:
Ok, after listening to this extensively for well over 3 weeks I still have quite mixed emotions. On one hand this is, track by track, definitely among the better progressive house/trance albums I've heard this year, and I must say that it's also refreshing with a progressive album that doesn't fall for the current electro trend, but on the other hand - as a full-length album I feel that it doesn't quite reach its full potential, despite the two breakbeat-tracks thrown in at the beginning and in the middle.
If you would have asked me one week after I got the album, I would probably have rated it at 7 out of 10, but after repeated listens I have moved up to 8 - most of the tracks have really grown on me, and if you can ignore the laughable cover (by far the worst on a Tribal Vision release so far), I can highly recommend buying this.
Favourites:
1, 2 (!), 6, 8, 9 (!)
Verdict:
8/10
Link:
Tribal Vision Records: http://www.tribalvision.cz
DJ pr0fane (Iboga Records) | Multiphase
www.sunrisesupplies.com | www.iboga.dk | www.soundcloud.com/pr0fane |
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Acidhive
IsraTrance Full Member
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Posted : Oct 29, 2006 23:56
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Great stuff. I like all 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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kristyandmoe
Started Topics :
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Posted : Nov 30, 2006 06:34
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Great release, been playing it heaps. Has def grown on me and maybe one of those albums that needs more than 1 listen. |
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exotic
IsraTrance Full Member
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Posted : Dec 16, 2006 07:42
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Now thats what i call grooveey ! Fitalic is definately someone to look out for in the future. Lovely music for the day
missing plug-in |
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