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Greed - Greeds Temptation (ACDC 2006)
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aje
IsraTrance Full Member
Started Topics :
99
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1145
Posted : Mar 12, 2006 17:51
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1 André Absolut & Greed - The Other Side (8:28)
2 Kasey Taylor & Greed - Hardface (8:26)
3 Atmos - KNS (Greed Remix) (10:28)
4 Greed - Nihil Nulla (Part2) (9:49)
5 Mental X & Greed - Lumiera (8:48)
6 Tango & Greed - Inside The Crystal Circle (9:44)
7 Greed - Rolling Hills (10:02)
8 Greed - Bending (11:24)
Tobi Wirz aka Greed has had quite a stunning output in the past focusing on the trancey melodic side of progressive house. Being the cheese connoisseur that I am, some of his tracks have really impressed me and therefore I was more than happy when one of my fav. labels, ACDC, announced the release of a full-length album. ACDC and Greed cannot go wrong I thought, but unfortunately I was mistaken. From the very first listen on I didn't "get" this album, and I'm sad to report my initial reaction hasnt changed in the last 2 or 3 weeks. I have given this CD lots of chances and listened to it various times, but a two things really bother me about this record.
1: The Sound Quality/Mastering/Whatever: I'm certainly no expert when it comes to the technical side of sound engineering, but I have ears, and there is something about the sound quality/production/mastering that really turns me off. The sound of the whole record is very dry, muffled and strangely dense. There seems to be no separation between the different layers, the beats sound lifeless, its like listening to a CD through very bad speakers. I dont understand how a label like ACDC and someone like Greed, who on previous 12" excelled with outstanding soundquality, can release something in this poor quality. The best example here is probably the track "Rolling Hills", musically certainly great , but it sounds so muffled and just "weird" that it takes away all my listening pleasure. Usually a track like that produces immediate goosebumps, but whenever I listen to it I keep running back and forth to the amp to adjust settings to make it clearer. What a shame!!! (im still really looking forward to the Shiloh mix, however)
2: The tracks sound like very generic trancey prog. house: Apart from Rolling Hills and one or two others, none of the tracks really move me from a composition point of view. Greed usually is Goosebump music, but these tracks are not with that one exception. As some of you might know there are computer programms to automatically generate Pop Music hits, and most tracks here sound like someone told one of those programs "Make me a trancey prog. house track" and the average trancey house track was spit out 5 mins later. Some tracks are probably aiming for the emotional hands in the air feeling, but they are missing and end up sounding superficial and saccharine, especially "Inside the crystal circle" and to a lesser extent "Nihil Nulla". Others try to be deep and dense and end up sounding like drivel, the best example being the awful closing track "Bending" but also "The Other Side" and the Atmos KNS "remix", which really doesnt have anything to do with the original except a few short soundbites.
Ok, enough dissing for now. At this time time it might be in order to say that I got Greeds temptation at the same time as the absolutely stunning Fusion - Black Magic (review to follow soon), so it was up against hard competition, and also Ive mostly been listening to german techno a la Robag Wruhme and Dominik Eulberg , so my "ear " and listening behaviour has changed a lot since the time when I was really into prog. house one or two years ago. That being said, there are some enjoyable moments on this album, as I mentioned "Rolling Hills" is a real emotional gem if it had a clearer sound, and the Mental X collaboration Lumiera is also great with its soaring 303 lines, I bet it works wonders on the dancefloor. "Bending" and "Inside the Crystal circle" are bad tracks IMHO, but the others are enjoyable, average solid trance-house tracks.
To sum it up, Greed can do better. This whole CD feels like a "loveless" rushed collection of tracks, rather than an album. It starts with the many collaborations and the already released remix, and ends with the bad mastering/production/soundquality. I would recommend to pick up one of Greeds many 12" rather than this album, maybe the excellent "City Lights" released on his own label Sog Records, but íf you like trancey prog. house, you can do worse than this. And I almost forgot, I really like the Cover, it reminds me of an all-night drug-orgy with our very own Gay Satanic Coke Mules.
  Check out my album: http://www.ektoplazm.com/free-music/gay-satanic-hippie-tiefenrausch |
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Christian
D-Nox
Started Topics :
55
Posts :
321
Posted : Mar 13, 2006 10:31
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same i have to say, the album just doesnt has it.
bad soundquality
soulless & boring tracks
its sound like 5 or more years ago, I cant dig any of theses tracks. I tried to understand the idea of this album but as I said I just cant get it.
Sorry Tobias, we expected much more from you. I'm playing the Glamour to Kill track because it rocks the floor but the tracks on ur album will kill the floor.
sorry for the bad feedback
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Mr.Hanky
Ace Ventura
Started Topics :
21
Posts :
1088
Posted : Mar 13, 2006 13:37
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Hehe looks like we got here some kind of German Vs Swiss Conspiracy now do we 
Just kidding,you are not so far off guys,there is some kind of a problem with the general sound of the album,but i doubt toby himself sees it as a problem,this is probably the sound he was looking for.
In some tracks its better(like the opening track with Absolut),but the general feel is indeed very "dry".
There are some good tracks though(such as the Tango & Greed track and the collab with absolut,although that one's been out already) and a good word goes to the small but details-filled booklet with amusing stories about the tracks.
Sog has been releasing much better output than this(even though this is on ACDC),maybe thats one of the reasons for dissapointment...
Looking forward to Sog Files 3 from Greed and the boyz,Better luck with the next album.... |
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aje
IsraTrance Full Member
Started Topics :
99
Posts :
1145
Posted : Mar 13, 2006 16:12
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clown
IsraTrance Full Member
Started Topics :
97
Posts :
1777
Posted : Mar 13, 2006 17:05
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I picked up the album and gave it a few listens. The tracks by themselves i really like. The more housy direction and the trancy atmospheres are just perfect. I especially like the tracks with a little bit of electro influences.
The only problem i feel with this album is the lack of "Juice" in the mid section of most to all the tracks.. even my girlfriend who doesn't qualify as the most knowledgable sound enegeneer made a comment in the car saying we only hear the hats and the kick.
When we look at the flip side, it has a more Vinyle sound to it and probably would have sounded better if it were pressed on wax.
"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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orange
Fat Data
Started Topics :
154
Posts :
3918
Posted : Mar 14, 2006 08:34
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kristyandmoe
Started Topics :
4
Posts :
224
Posted : Mar 14, 2006 08:54
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Guess im in the minority on this one but im pretty sure I get the album.
Im really enjoying the album, and havent noticed any sound issues but then I'm not a sound engineer. Rolling Hills is my fav track on the album, but i dont consider any of the tracks weak.
Im glad I brought it and can see myself playing these tracks for years to come.
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-Abatwa-
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
42
Posts :
1087
Posted : Mar 14, 2006 19:11
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Quote:
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On 2006-03-13 16:12, aje wrote:
Oh shit, you are on to us. Actually I wrote this review on special order from my turkish neighbour Hakan, we are trying to demoralize the Swiss before the World Cup in order to get them back for kicking out the Turks in the qualification round 
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now thats funny 
On a side note I didnt enjoy this album much either. Musically its not doing much for me. `Bottomless wonders spring from simple rules, which are repeated without end` Mandelbrot |
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john_c
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
47
Posts :
263
Posted : Mar 16, 2006 00:25
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poorly mastered? are you guys kidding me?
the sound quality of this release is superb. Maybe you guys don't get Progressive House basslines that are lot subbier and not as obvious as the Prog-psy stuff. Seriously, the quality is great. Tracks are solid as hell, goign to get big play by me. |
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Cyzum
Cyzum
Started Topics :
77
Posts :
347
Posted : Mar 16, 2006 00:35
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:shrug:
I like this album, it's great for warming up a dance floor. |
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yossi
IsraTrance Full Member
Started Topics :
72
Posts :
1641
Posted : Mar 16, 2006 08:14
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ineed... weak 
if you want to be rich, u`ve got to be a bitch! |
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Acidhive
IsraTrance Full Member
Started Topics :
76
Posts :
2014
Posted : Mar 16, 2006 15:00
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On 2006-03-16 00:25, john_c wrote:
poorly mastered? are you guys kidding me?
the sound quality of this release is superb. Maybe you guys don't get Progressive House basslines that are lot subbier and not as obvious as the Prog-psy stuff. Seriously, the quality is great. Tracks are solid as hell, goign to get big play by me.
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I agree. The mastering sounds pretty good to me. Nothing wrong with that. Maybe some of you just don't get this style of music. Anyway, a pretty good album, although it could have done with some more unreleased tracks maybe. Oh well, the material at hand is good stuff. If you're into this kind of music this is a good release.
"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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aje
IsraTrance Full Member
Started Topics :
99
Posts :
1145
Posted : Mar 16, 2006 15:27
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Naa, I have around 200 prog. house Vynils at home and about 10 GB prog. house from beatport, I am aware of the difference between psy prog. and prog. house. Also, like Clown said the problem isnt so much the bass, but the mids and the overall distorted feel and "sound separation".
Im glad some of you like it, afterall it's a matter of taste and Im usually a big fan of Greed and ACDC and I wish them all the best. BTW, thanks Christian for pointing out that Glamour to Kill remix, I just got it from Beatport and that one certainly is killlaaaarrrggghhhh!!!!
Check out my album: http://www.ektoplazm.com/free-music/gay-satanic-hippie-tiefenrausch |
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pr0fane
Multiphase
Started Topics :
418
Posts :
3816
Posted : Mar 16, 2006 15:44
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It isn't the masterpiece I was expecting from a highly respected producer and musician as Greed, but I don't find it downright bad either. The highlights for me are "The Other Side" and "Rolling Hills" - but the remix of "KNS" is also really strong (although not highly interesting musically), and I also kind of liked like "Nihil Nulla" - the groove is very deep and dynamic, and generally the track feels sort of like a live jam-session. Quite cool in my opinion.
Generally worth the money, but not as good as I was hoping for. DJ pr0fane (Iboga Records) | Multiphase
www.sunrisesupplies.com | www.iboga.dk | www.soundcloud.com/pr0fane |
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Acidhive
IsraTrance Full Member
Started Topics :
76
Posts :
2014
Posted : Mar 16, 2006 17:57
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Quote:
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On 2006-03-16 15:27, aje wrote:
Naa, I have around 200 prog. house Vynils at home and about 10 GB prog. house from beatport, I am aware of the difference between psy prog. and prog. house. Also, like Clown said the problem isnt so much the bass, but the mids and the overall distorted feel and "sound separation".
Im glad some of you like it, afterall it's a matter of taste and Im usually a big fan of Greed and ACDC and I wish them all the best. BTW, thanks Christian for pointing out that Glamour to Kill remix, I just got it from Beatport and that one certainly is killlaaaarrrggghhhh!!!!
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If you're into house you should check out some releases of the Thinner netlabel. They have some pretty interesting releases. Nice laidback house grooves or downright minimal house, you name it, they've got it. They're free for download and they're pretty good. Check it out here: www.thinnerism.com
"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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