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Joti Sidhu "Punktuator" Neurobiotic Rec.
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edoardo@neurobiotic
IsraTrance Full Member
Started Topics :
65
Posts :
441
Posted : Feb 1, 2005 08:59
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Phonic_Request
Phonic Request
Started Topics :
4
Posts :
91
Posted : Feb 1, 2005 11:27
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HujaBoy
HujaBoy
Started Topics :
27
Posts :
492
Posted : Feb 1, 2005 13:59
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Very nice album Joti !
only think that botheres me a bit was the big difrenses in production between trax.
TAXI...
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Osher (Ananda Shake)
Ananda Shake
Started Topics :
22
Posts :
315
Posted : Feb 2, 2005 01:17
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realy grat album i like them all sounds like goa trance for me its realy power full one cant stop hear it BOOM
 New Album Coming Soon Ananda Shake - Inside The Sound. |
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kabooki_cat
Started Topics :
3
Posts :
76
Posted : Feb 2, 2005 09:32
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this album ok, not so good as PSYCHAOS. not very fun music.  |
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hypergill
Hyper Frequencies
Started Topics :
8
Posts :
268
Posted : Feb 3, 2005 12:42
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since a very lonnnnnnnng time, joti is one of the Master!
I like your music brother!
kisses
gilles |
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altom
Altom
Started Topics :
2
Posts :
49
Posted : Feb 3, 2005 16:11
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this album is killer for sur without the maybe
speak soon
the altomz |
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Jansive
Started Topics :
0
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12
Posted : Feb 3, 2005 19:25
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Good luck to the new label ! |
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Silver Surfer
Started Topics :
0
Posts :
34
Posted : Feb 7, 2005 06:22
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I know Joti since one of my 1st parties here in Portugal, in 1998, in a beach club. He came to replace Tsuyoshy Suzuki, and it was the worst night of my life, due to the set he played and the drugs i used... heheheh never could eat any E's again. So i've been quite reluctant to hear anything related to him, for a long long time... When i heard of Punktuators release, i ran to get it, so i could prove myself wrong . Im glad i did, its a good album, not so dark as i expected, with 70 % good trax.
Thanks Joti, keep 'em coming
Thanks Joti, keep 'em coming
There are more things in heaven and
earth, Than are dreamt of in our philosophy. |
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Predator
Started Topics :
0
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2
Posted : Feb 12, 2005 00:08
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Punktuator is the best album in 2004!!(my opinion).I can't wait to hear his live act here in Belgrade!Its gonna be a killer party! |
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[Ada-superwoman]
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
17
Posts :
232
Posted : Feb 12, 2005 23:51
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moondancer
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
32
Posts :
69
Posted : Mar 6, 2005 12:54
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1. New Sensations
2. See The Music
3. Chaos To Order Remix
4. Punktuator
5. Long Long Arms
6. Twinight
7. Live Fast Die Young Remix
8. Situation
9. Signals
You all will want this album for one reason: track no. 5 Long Long Arms is a collaboration with "master" Simon Posford . And I know that there are a LOT of people out there who will buy an album with closed eyes just because that magical name appears on the credits... even if the track itself is nothing special!
So anyway, how does the rest sound?
Well, to be honest, as much as I like Joti as a DJ I never really found his own stuff to be particularly good. Just the kind of trance that is fashionabe at the moment... so you can imagine that this is yet another full-on clone. Sure, there are good moments in it, like the mystical melody that kicks in around 1:50 in the first track. But there's a difference between good parts in some tracks and a good album..
See the Music is VERY average, the kind that you wouldn't mind hearing in a set but with 0 value for home listening.
Chaos to Order is less "typical" and goes into dark trance territory. It's the standout track here for me, but again, it's a very good track, not a great one.
Punktuator reminds me a bit of Tim Schuldt's style (rather dark feeling and the presence of a guitar, giving it a bit of an industrial feeling). Still, let's just say that Tim Schudlt does it much better... But together with the previous track, this is one of the better tracks here.
and then it comes, the one you've been all waiting for... actually if you had the album, chances are high you would've skipped already to this track by now You can tell that Simon P has been involved in this one since the very beginning of the track. It starts with one of those trademark distroted voices saying something really wierd "Green and blue patterns were pulling over me like a deck of cards..." and "Long long arms covered with beautifull feathers" and so on (can't make out what he says all the time since the voice is so distorted). Not 100% sure but I suppose it's Terence McKenna speaking of one his DMT experiences yet again. Well, it's fun but you'd think that Simon P would pull out other tricks out of his bag by now... Then the track itself starts: basically full-on with some typical Simon P random sounds as well as a very airy nice atmosphere in the background. It sounds a LOT like the stuff released on the Unusual Suspects comp and rumours have it that this will be featured on the upcoming Unusual Suspecs 2. Well basically I don't find this has anything special in it. It's just full-on with some typical Hallucinogen elements in it.
Twinlight goes a bit darker again. And yet again, this is the kind of track that would work well on a dancefloor but isn't very enjoyable at home...
Live Fast Die Young is a remix of Dino Psaras' track, yet another psytrance icon. Well, let's just say that I didn't think much of the original to begin with... And interestingly enough almost the EXACT same sound that was in the Hallucinogen collaboration is in this one too!!
Situation is a more "goofy" track, kindof jazzy. Don't like this one at all...
And last track is a remix of full-on icon Eskimo . Haven't heard the original of this one so I can't compare but overall there's a very catchy melody that kicks in around 2:50. Don't know if this was Eskimo's or Joti's contribution to the song, but it's the best part IMO. However, yet again, a good part in a song and a good track altogether are 2 different things...
Conclusion First of all, if you're one of those people who has to have every track with Simon P's name in the credits then don't bother reading this, run to the store and get this now! For the others... well... it's a nice album for the dancefloor but I can't shake the feeling that this is one of those "now" releases that will be outplayed for one month or 2 on the dancefloor and after that everyone will forget about it. It simply isn't intricate enough to get you interested for a long time (but then again, how many release ourdays are?). And no, the Hallucinogen collaboration isn't particularly good either... unless you want to hear Simon's pick at full-on. 6/10 for me
“I think I've discovered the secret of life - you just hang around until you get used to it.”
Charles M. Schulz |
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Basilisk
IsraTrance Full Member
Started Topics :
168
Posts :
2984
Posted : Mar 23, 2005 19:39
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Joti Sidhu - Punktuator [Neurobiotics 2004] CD
New Sensations
See the Music
Chaos to Order [Remix]
Punktuator
Long Long Arms
Twinight [Live]
Live Fast Die Young [Remix]
Situation
Signals [Remix]
Joti Sidhu as Psychaos released his debut album Cause and Effect on Atomic Records back in 1999, during a period of upheaval in the psychedelic trance world. The old style was metamorphosizing into a more rigidly dancefloor-oriented techno sound at the time, and the material there reflected that developing movement. Now he's returned, five years later, with a groovy synthetic psytrance manifesto that echoes today's current trend: that of full-on. The production quality is impressive and everything sounds as crisp or dirty as needed, with some solid mastering from Four Carry Nuts. The old Psychaos sound has been replaced by a far smoother and highly processed approach, though hints of the original sound will show through in some sequences.
New Sensations opens the album with a sign of things to come. The sound is very full, with a groovy synthetic flavouring that is arguably an evolution beyond the artist's previous work. It sounds as if Eskimo has had some influence on Joti with regards to the big digital bass line that persistantly rolls beneath the punchy kick. The playful atmosphere is quite dancefloor friendly, and does a fine job of opening this blasting album with a wake-up call that is sure to delight those who appreciate the full-on sound.
See the Music continues on in a similar vein with jumpy bouncing beats and predictable samples about the hallucinatory state of mind. Three minutes in a rather slick melody slides in to dabble around, reverberating nicely across the stereo field as it develops after a quick break. A tangible use of layers is heard in the later minutes as the song drives on towards the finale. Another piece of above average full-on psytrance that unfortunately won't challenge the home listener.
Remixing the old Psychaos classic Chaos to Order is a recipe for disaster given the artist's new predilection for the over-used full-on sound, but he manages to pull it off quite well - this is one of the two gems on the album. The original groove is in place, rumbling from note to note as obsessively precise percussion drops into all the right locations. After a slick drop the first stark hook invades in a timely fashion, driving the song on to an early breakdown. The atmosphere grows spooky, we hear the sample "I bring chaos" (followed later by the conclusion: "to order"), and a spine-tingling rise of sound accompanies the building tension. After a last minute drop the beats come churning back in and drive onward for the body of the song. As the story unfolds several more tricky drops occur, the melodies shift around and take turns emanating from the speakers, and the beats and bass combinations stays intense. I was skeptical at first but Joti does a great job on the update for this track - it remains distinct, menacing, and rich in dark sounds, while benefiting from excellent production and arrangement.
Fourth in line is the title track Punktuator, which formally begins after nearly a minute of introductory dabbling. The beat is more mechanical on this offering, with the same cultured rhythmic poise that has kept the grooves so enticing thus far. The crispy drums and groovy head-nodding bass lines are a key feature of the music, with several dark and intense atmospherics used liberally throughout the proceedings. The key sound which appears around the three minute mark is a highly processed noise that shudders and contorts through a variety of sinister modes. At times it will loop to signify an increase in tension as the beats ceaselessly churn beneath, while at other times it rises towards a menacing peak of intensity. Five minutes into the journey, as distorted industrial sounds proliferate in the background, a rough guitar enters the fray. The beats return and the key atmospheric sound makes a series of returns, after which the rock influences exit stage left. The rest is all pre-ordained, but it doesn't stop this song from being rather good for the dancefloor, and one of the better pieces from the album.
Long Long Arms, made in collaboration with Simon Posford, has already become known as the psychedelic highlight from this album. Hallucinogen's influence is quite apparent, from the signature sample manipulation to the playful upbeat character of the track. The track begins with a psychedelic story which leads into some bouncy beats that fit well on this album. Trippy sounds can be heard at all corners of the sound field, and soon a big lead enters. The layering is what develops the spaced out atmosphere particularly well, as several noises mesh to provide a delightful synergy as the tale of sonic intrigue progresses. A short break allows a female vocal sample to enter, sounding reminiscent of Younger Brother's The Finger. This drives the song into another break full of euphoric sounds that build and combine to an anthemic return. The sample which gives this track its name replays in full, right at the heart of the song, and leads the track into the final stages of psychedelic bliss. Truly a gem for the upcoming festival season.
Twinight takes little time in picking up energy, and rapidly evelops a hard-hitting punisher of a beat. The irritating sound of sea gulls rests in the background to provide a haunting atmosphere. I've heard crow sounds used for this purpose, but never gulls. It actually works in context, though I do despise those birds. An extensive sample in an early break discusses electrical impulses and the brain, and then the track is off on another pumping drive with the first real melodic hook. Few surprises await the listener - this is purely dancefloor material for getting the place shaking. At least a few layers are on the go at times, so this remains more interesting than some other full-on, but without a key melody or an unconventional diversion with the beat, there isn't much to make this distinct. Decent, but not great.
The remix to Live Fast Die Young, originally made with Dino Psaras, is placed at the point of the album where everything is starting to blur together to an extent. Here we have the expected full-on sound with that synthetic sound that is heard all over this album, now combined with some rather disconcerting samples that are chopped and thrown all over the place. An abrupt transition occurs near the middle, right after a cacophony of sample usage, when the whole array boils down to nothing but the bubbly beat and bass combination. After building for a while we finally hear some of Dino's presence in a searing lead that comes up from the depths to snake around like an untamed bolt of lightning. Soon this reaches a peak and more samples invade: "live fast, look beautiful, die young - the bomb may drop tomorrow". After another run this Dino lead evaporates into more of the jumpy synths from Joti's side, and the song pans out in predictable fashion. There are some things here that irk me, but considered in a dancefloor context it will do the trick. Within the album it comes across as something of a weaker example of the style however.
Situation is the smoothest of the lot, perhaps. I had to listen to it on repeat a few times to develop any kind of impression, to tell you the truth. This one sounds less like Joti and more like some of the other anonymous full-on producers like Wrecked Machines or Cyrus the Virus, in some ways. Later on the leads begin to sound more familiar, but the song never does anything particularly surprising. Mediocre at best.
Joti's remix to his collaboration with young Eskimo, entitled Signals, is the closing track on the album. The sound is about as synthetic and as full-on as it gets on the album, with the usual bubbling bass lines and big rushes. The lead that develops early on is a simple cycling melody that accentuates the drive of the throbbing beat nicely. After a quick build, the melody breaks out into something more high pitched, and then a break drops in featuring a sample one will recognize from Talpa's album. More anonymous dabbling proceeds, and the track drives onward to a much larger breakdown later on. The beat returns after a crazy distorted build-up in an understated way, and the journey is into the final minutes. Nothing surprising occurs as the album draws to a close with this average piece of full-on.
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Basilisk
IsraTrance Full Member
Started Topics :
168
Posts :
2984
Posted : Mar 23, 2005 19:39
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(continued...)
I often avoid reviewing full-on releases simply because they're far more fun to dance to than they are to write about. Some of that applies to Punktuator, which only marginally excels beyond the standard full-on release. There's no question Joti has his own touch on the sound, but it isn't often distinct enough from the mainstream to really generate enthusiasm. Nonetheless, the album does have a few strong points - the quality of production remains high through-out, the drops are particularly well-crafted, and some of the leads have a devilish quality to them that puts an evil grin on my face. Unsavoury traits also exist, mainly centered around the generic nature of some of the tracks found here. The album remains cohesive thanks to the trademarked sound and the abundant use of themed samples, all about various trips and hallucinatory experiences, and living life on the edge. Sone people are really keen on this kind of thing, whereas with the amount of psytrance I listen to I've grown to harbour a slight distaste for this unsubtle approach to manifesting the psychedelic experience in the listener's mind with the use of hackneyed samples.
For all you previewers out there, take note that the mp3 release is a fake - you'll have to get the actual CD to hear what is really on it. The digipak cover design is all right, and 71 minutes of music can be found on here which isn't bad at all. A case insert comes with this, which is always a good feature for the DJs. My verdict in the end is that this is an above average release, but not particularly remarkable. It is another CD with more of a dancefloor application, which does draw away from its staying power and overall worth. Full-on fans will find this to be a slightly different deviation of the usual theme, with several blasting tunes to rock the world's dancefloors.
Faves: 3(!), 4, 5(!)
Rating: 6/10
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Antbreath
Started Topics :
8
Posts :
72
Posted : Mar 23, 2005 20:48
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I really liked this Album, but when ive played it out people dont really go for it too much......
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