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Trance Forum » » Forum  Music Reviews - Koan - When Invisible Becomes Visible EP (Otium.ru, December 2005)
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Koan - When Invisible Becomes Visible EP (Otium.ru, December 2005)

pr0fane
Multiphase

Started Topics :  418
Posts :  3816
Posted : Dec 15, 2005 20:25
Artist: Koan
Title: When Invisible Becomes Visible
Label: Otium.ru
Format: WAV/MP3
Released: December, 2005
Cover: http://otium.ru/img/upload/release/bimg/otr024.jpg


Review:

Based in the enormous Russia, mainly known for the dark and heavy psychedelic trance, Daniel Roeth & Vladimir Sedov, are going in a completely different direction. Under the project names Vacuum Stalkers and Koan they are starting to make a name of themselves in progressive and chillout circles, so far appearing on a few releases on Horns And Hoofs. "When Invisible Becomes Visible" is a new chillout release with their Koan project, released on the Russian netlabel otium.ru.


01. Nasca Lines
"Nasca Lines" has a very eastern influenced-atmosphere, but not with those sunny summer-vibes that seem to come out on a lot of psychillout releases lately. The sound is colder, and maybe a bit on the static side, but definitely has its charm. A fine track - sweet and with a very loveable naïve touch.


02. Mai's Crystal Bridge
"Mai's Crystal Bridge" is exactly the kind of feel good tune that fits my mood in these cold northern European winter days. It seems to be based on the same theme of sounds as "Nasca Lines", but the result is a lot better, more organic and generally more distinct. The sound is again relatively cold, but with a very catchy, uplifting theme-melody. Overall the track kind of reminds me of going through a beautiful snow-covered landscape. Delicious.


Bottom line:

"When Invisible Becomes Visible" is a sweet release. Don't be fooled by the fact that it's 100% free - it's far from being amateur, and especially "Mai's Crystal Bridge" is a very enjoyable track, which, in my opinion, might as well could have been released on a well-respected labels on the psychedelic chillout scene. Not the best chillout-release I've heard this year, but given the fact that it's free, I can only recommend it.


Favourites:

1, 2 (!!)


Verdict:

7/10


Link:

Otium netlabel: http://www.otium.ru
Download the release: http://otium.ru/en/releases/?id=32           DJ pr0fane (Iboga Records) | Multiphase
www.sunrisesupplies.com | www.iboga.dk | www.soundcloud.com/pr0fane
Voice of All
IsraTrance Junior Member

Started Topics :  48
Posts :  762
Posted : Dec 15, 2005 20:34
news from russian non-commercial internet label http://www.otium.ru.

number: OTR024
artist: koan
title: when invisible becomes visible EP
date: 15.12.2004
style: ambient
cover: violet

you can get this release in two variants: mp3/wav
enjoy: http://www.otium.ru


less then a year since koan chill-out and downtempo project of daniel roeth and vladimir sedov (they are also known as participants of tecnho-psy project vacuum stalkers) released their debut talking stones. album was out also at otium label. now koan release their next pair of tracks with ep when invisible becomes visible.

since their previous work guys turned their style to more traditional sounding. while talking stones was full of asian influences and oriental natural scent new work shows their interst to new music direction. still enchanted with east harmony and features tracks sounds more saturated and crispy. but koan still ramains faithful adepts of expressing various national and ancient music traditions. leaving indonesian and philippine features behind they decide to incarnate some of chinease and peruan motifs and do it with pair of great tracks.

.....nasca lines

"the nasca lines are an engima. no one has proof who built them or why. since their discovery, the nasca lines have inspired fantastic explanations from ancient gods, a landing strip for returning aliens, a celestial calendar created by the ancient Nazca civilization -- putting the creation of the lines between 200 BC and 600 AD, used for rituals probably related to astronomy, to confirm the ayllus or clans who made up the population and to determine through ritual their economic functions held up by reciprocity and redistribution, or a map of underground water supplies."

with this track koan try to attract our attention to ancient inca culture. it starts with distorted voice echo that sounds from far away and with breakbeat-like but soft drums. nice delicate melody performed with combination of synthetic and guitar-string sounds. it untwists and then fades away. and again... at about 4:00 there is a pause in track developing but then melody again becomes a leader. at 6:00 new sound appears. it is deep and vibrating bass note.

.....mai's crystal bridge

this track provides a connection between koan's album talking stones and their 'new style'. here you can learn how drumwork can easily turn from asian influence to more traditional european sound. authors removed most of bells and bongs themes and leave only base drums that brings taste of their music closer to some bluetech's tunes. chorus in the begining continues with rather fat beats. nice melody with very touching atmosphere in it spreads in the track and dies away at about 3:00. then new chorus echoes brings new variation of the melody part and whole atmosphere seems to be "reborned" with this move.

im very happy to note two things with this release. first of all it is crystal now that russian electronica do not represent only mad and sick moods and states of mind but also connected with natural and chill sounds... and the second is that otium have now an expirience of releasing 'high-quality music in high quality'
          Spiritual guides are to practice and serve in ways that cultivate awareness, empathy, and wisdom.
Roam
IsraTrance Junior Member

Started Topics :  24
Posts :  187
Posted : Dec 16, 2005 13:38
Koan is the BEST down tempo group i've ever heared!
I don't understand how come those guys didn't signed any big label yet...
Their music makes me be a better persone.
Daniel Roeth
Koan / Vacuum Stalkers

Started Topics :  2
Posts :  14
Posted : Dec 16, 2005 13:54
Quote:

Their music makes me be a better persone.


There is very important moment for me. Thank You very much Roam!
blueOrb
IsraTrance Full Member

Started Topics :  100
Posts :  1698
Posted : Dec 16, 2005 20:13
hey i cant download this one           New mixes on
http://soundcloud.com/blueorb

Older Mixes on
http://blueorb.podomatic.com/
ND
ProSect

Started Topics :  44
Posts :  919
Posted : Dec 22, 2005 12:22
Great work from the guys, they allways represented a different side of russian scene for me. I hope something will work out for them in the future.

Great EP, my favourite is the Mai's Crystal Bridge. Ethnic and positive. Keep the good work!

ND           Without Deviation, Progress Is Not Possible.

www.andivision.com
Sound Field / ProSect / Sonify / Radio Mess
N-A-S-A
Nasa/The Gnome Effect

Started Topics :  23
Posts :  165
Posted : Dec 25, 2005 20:37
This is very surprising. A solid chillout release, free to download, and still with superb professional production.

Keep it up, and im looking forward to the next release from you           http://www.facebook.com/nasa.tranceproject
http://www.psyshop.com/shop/CDs/inm/inm1cd036.html
http://www.junodownload.com/products/1537910-02.htm
https://www.beatport.com/en-US/html/content/release/detail/222773/unique#
Alex Boshke
IsraTrance Full Member

Started Topics :  59
Posts :  613
Posted : Jan 2, 2006 21:20
I wonder how its possible that Koan project hadnt been released so far on none of those BIG chill labels, Koan's music deserves to be released for more wider audience!


This is EP is just a proove for the said above.

Irresistable mixutre of ambient with chilled electrogrooves and beautiful melodies.
Emotional !
Top Class Production.

thumbs up for Koan!

ovnimoon
Ovnimoon

Started Topics :  63
Posts :  292
Posted : Jun 1, 2006 19:27
my favourite track is!!!!


Mai's Crystal Bridge

very good!

great koan!
Madpup
IsraTrance Junior Member

Started Topics :  21
Posts :  174
Posted : Jul 30, 2006 01:48
This is really, really good. I think Koan are one of the best downtempo artists around, their have their signature sound which is very luscious and very uplifting. Keep more releases like this one coming!
LigaLize
IsraTrance Full Member

Started Topics :  52
Posts :  1380
Posted : Jul 30, 2006 02:39
the album is nice,but i cant hear that kind of ambient more than few traks...           Dance is - As a matter of fact, socially admissible public analogue of the sexual act :)
http://www.myspace.com/djligalize
sure_smoke_alot
IsraTrance Junior Member

Started Topics :  45
Posts :  6874
Posted : Jul 31, 2006 08:00
really a solid release and that too free!!!!!           the problem with valuing art is, till u dont understand it, it's worthless but wen u do understand it, it's priceless!!
lucidpicnic
Lucid Picnic

Started Topics :  132
Posts :  855
Posted : Jul 31, 2006 21:32
i love downtempo KOAN never heard of uptempo stuff from you
keep it up Daniel and Vladimir
cheers
          Whatever the Thinker thinks, the Prover proves

http://soundcloud.com/obliviongarden
http://www.myspace.com/letshaveapicnic
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Lucid-Picnic/159819784056784
the_dude
IsraTrance Junior Member

Started Topics :  23
Posts :  152
Posted : Aug 1, 2006 23:03
heard the set this weekend
nice music indeed!!           www.freakout.ru
Voice of All
IsraTrance Junior Member

Started Topics :  48
Posts :  762
Posted : Aug 1, 2006 23:26
i also was there at very nice festival in croatia - underwater overgound 4. daniel was playing in the first day of the gig and it was very nice set full of energetic breaks with essential koan ethno parts puted in between. i was glad to hear huge portion of new material there so beware of next album guyz & girlz!
          Spiritual guides are to practice and serve in ways that cultivate awareness, empathy, and wisdom.
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