| |
| Author
|
Liquid Soul - Synthetic Vibes (Iboga, September 2006)
|
pr0fane
Multiphase
Started Topics :
418
Posts :
3816
Posted : Oct 22, 2006 19:32
|
Artist: Liquid Soul
Title: Synthetic Vibes
Label: Iboga
Format: CD
Released: September 2006
Cover: http://217.160.138.169/pic_b/ibo1cd042_b.jpg
Review:
Liquid Soul is the project of Nicola Capobianco, a Swiss producer who has had a meteoric career over the last couple of years. I remember him playing at VooV Experience in 2004 - back then he was practically unknown, with only a 12" release on Interzone, but after his appearance at VooV things started to move at a pretty fast pace for the upcoming act, releasing on labels like Iboga, Plusquam, Flow, Domo, SOG and many more with much success since then. The summer season 2006 has been especially busy for Liquid Soul, playing all around the world, leading up to the release of his debut album "Synthetic Vibes" on Iboga, which I will focus on in this review.
1. Synthetic Vibes [135 BPM]
The album starts with the title-track "Synthetic Vibes", and followers of Liquid Souls sound will feel right at home from the first second. It starts out very laidback, with sweet soothing sounds phasing in and out, simple melodic structures and a calm female voice-sample giving the track a very positive atmosphere, yet never really taking off. An ok opening tune.
2. Crazy People [135 BPM]
The energy is given a distinct boost with the next track "Crazy People", which in its ground-form and use of sounds seems somewhat similar to his outstanding remix of FREq's "Strange Attractors", meaning phat powerful progressive outdoor grooves, big takeoffs and great energy throughout. Sadly I found the repeated use of the "Crazy People" voice-sample over-used and almost on the verge of being annoying. A real pity, since this track had lots of potential.
3. Escape [135 BPM]
"Escape" proves to be the first real highlight on the album for me, stylistically being somewhere between the first 2 tracks - not quite as energetic as "Crazy People", and not quite as melodic as "Synthetic Vibes". The result is a subtle, but very charming tune, embellished with a very easily recognisable sweet theme and acoustic guitars. Great anthem for the afternoon at the outdoors.
4. The Source [135 BPM]
The quality is maintained in "The Source", not going quite as deep as "Escape", but with some more distinct and uplifting melodies and atmospheres, giving associations to some of the material from the new FREq-album. Yet another highlight, possibly my favourite on the entire album, and another tune that'll cause bliss on a sun-filled dancefloor somewhere outdoors.
5. I Get A Rush [130 BPM]
"I Get A Rush" was released on a 12" before the album, also featuring a quite successful remix made by French act Motion. Here we have the original version, which is among the 2 slowest dancefloor tracks contained on this album, trying to appeal to the progressive house crowd, but still maintaining the rough and more psy-oriented edge. The crossover is interesting, but I've heard better.
6. Unannounced Portal [133 BPM]
With "Unannounced Portal" we're back with the purely progressive psytrance sound, again with a positive atmosphere and lovely afternoon grooves. What promised to be one of the standout-tracks on the album is again sadly degraded by something I consider a somewhat misplaced and unnecessary voice-sample from the movie "Doom": "In the year 2026 archaeologists working in the Nevada desert discovered a portal to an ancient city on Mars". Apart from that sample, a good track.
7. 06:15 AM [130 BPM]
"06:15 AM" is, along with "I Get A Rush" the slowest dancefloor track on the album, and like the latter it's a crossover between the progressive house grooves and the rough, more trancy progressive psytrance sound. The main-groove is maybe a bit too static and monotonous for my liking, but the main hook-line is well-executed and prevents the track from being one of the more mediocre on the album.
8. Capoccino [135 BPM]
After a couple of slower tracks, we're back at what seems to be Liquid Souls favourite BPM, 135. As the closing dancefloor track on the album it packs a hefty punch, and is certainly the most intense, relying on a massive full on style rolling bassline, yet still not falling for the trend of making fast and stressful Israeli-style melodies. Massive tune, definitely among my favourites on the album.
9. Tagtraum
The album concludes with the almost mandatory laidback psychillout tune - but where other acts fail miserably in this task, "Tagtraum" (which is German for "Daydream") is actually a pretty charming little tune. Ok, it's not on level with Ott or Solar Fields, but it does have a lovely sound with big sweeping pads and nice, dreamy mood. It won't win any awards, but it's a pretty good conclusion for the album.
Bottom line:
The hype around the debut album from Liquid Soul has been enormous - well-deserved in many aspects, but with the album finally out, I don't think he could fully live up to the huge expectations. Apart from a few unnecessary voice-samples I found the general standard on the album quite good, but it never gets really exceptional like I personally had expected. The best tracks here are really good, but doesn't stand up to his best previous singles and remixes, and it won't cause as big an impact as when FREq released his "Strange Attractors" album back in 2004 - the reason for this comparison is that I find many common elements in FREq and Liquid Souls music.
All that being said, "Synthetic Vibes" is certainly not a bad album. It's very dancefloor oriented progressive with a generally high quality and as a DJ-tool it's a solid, but it's by no means a milestone in the history of progressive psytrance.
Favourites:
3, 4 (!), 8
Verdict:
7/10
Links:
Iboga Records: http://www.iboga.dk
Liquid Soul: http://www.liquidsoul.ch
  DJ pr0fane (Iboga Records) | Multiphase
www.sunrisesupplies.com | www.iboga.dk | www.soundcloud.com/pr0fane |
|
|
|
Sound Surgeon
Crater / Mish-kah
Started Topics :
250
Posts :
2244
Posted : Oct 22, 2006 20:20
|
Really nice album, but maybe the expectations were too high.
It works great in the dancefloor, but just as you said profane, its not a milestone
|
|
|
|
***Sideffect***
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
36
Posts :
281
Posted : Oct 22, 2006 22:08
|
very good progressive album,
one of the best progressive releases this year,
nothing new, but everything is subtle and fits at the right place,
and that's my concept,
so it scores 
http://www.last.fm/user/LastFmKoen |
|
|
|
Osher (Ananda Shake)
Ananda Shake
Started Topics :
22
Posts :
315
Posted : Oct 23, 2006 01:22
|
|
stile not stop to listen this album is totaly talking to me great style everthing is realy take u into a Trance all the tracks is perfect great music wish u good luck friends...
New Album Coming Soon Ananda Shake - Inside The Sound. |
|
|
|
Nathan
IsraTrance Senior Member
Started Topics :
301
Posts :
3605
Posted : Oct 23, 2006 06:57
|
This album is good but not as good as I expected. Don't get me wrong, I love it but the tracks here are one level beneath his singles like: go reality, colorus,airwave and the reason. They are calm and there is nothing wrong in it. I just expected more energy. It reminds me little bit Cosma's style in the first album.
This week he is in Israel 
-=The Meaning Of Life Is To Give Life A Meaning= |
|
|
|
LigaLize
IsraTrance Full Member
Started Topics :
52
Posts :
1380
Posted : Oct 23, 2006 12:45
|
Very hot album track's like Escape,Crazy people,Unannounced Portal.super
Dance is - As a matter of fact, socially admissible public analogue of the sexual act :)
http://www.myspace.com/djligalize |
|
|
|
aden
IsraTrance Full Member
Started Topics :
81
Posts :
212
Posted : Oct 23, 2006 15:47
|
Capo's live at Boom was a highlight of the festival, but sure enough a fair amount of the new tracks that featured in his gig are missing from this album. So it makes me hungry for future releases like the collab tracks with Ace Ventura, or the coming up rmx of Gaudium.
We have a very good and solid album of progressive trance here, at last delivering tracks that distinguish themselves from the overwhelming prog-house taste, which is something that has become rare these days. Just for that reason I really appreciate it. |
|
|
|
Mr.Hanky
Ace Ventura
Started Topics :
21
Posts :
1088
Posted : Oct 23, 2006 16:30
|
Quote:
|
On 2006-10-23 15:47, aden wrote:
Capo's live at Boom was a highlight of the festival, but sure enough a fair amount of the new tracks that featured in his gig are missing from this album. So it makes me hungry for future releases like the collab tracks with Ace Ventura, or the coming up rmx of Gaudium.
|
|
the only unreleased track @ capo's set @ boom was the Remix to Gaudium.
other than that he played only tracks from his album and some oldies!
i must say regardless of the high expectations of the ppl here,which apperintly LS did not live up to - this album is going to be the MOST PLAYED album in parties for a while now. The man knows how to keep the dancefloor going like no other...
Perhaps the album wasn't as deep as one could expect....
but EACH and every tune in this album is happy-dancefloor guarenteed.
Now that isnt something u can say about alot of releases can u ?
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Ace-Ventura/6139679270
---------------------------------------------
www.myspace.com/aceiboga
---------------------------------------------
http://iboga.dk/index.php?artistprofile=22
---------------------- |
|
|
|
-Abatwa-
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
42
Posts :
1087
Posted : Oct 23, 2006 16:51
|
|
Weak album compared to Liquid Soul and Iboga standards. Whats with all the fluffy vocal stuff? Not my cup of progressive at all.
`Bottomless wonders spring from simple rules, which are repeated without end` Mandelbrot |
|
|
|
rumble pack / motion drive
Rumble Pack
Started Topics :
23
Posts :
270
Posted : Oct 23, 2006 17:37
|
after many listenings i can say its for shure a very pleasant album for sunny days and positive feelings.
On the other hand i get the same feelings like some other ppl here..that theres missing this last punch sometimes and its maybe a bit monotonous, or that it sounds somehow a bit freqish(wich is not bad thing:) ).
but all in all..a very solid debut album, and im curious what this guy is cooking in the future www.myspace.com/motiondrive
http://www.myspace.com/rumblepacknaturalflowmotiondrive |
|
|
|
guy cohen
IsraTrance Senior Member
Started Topics :
417
Posts :
2871
Posted : Oct 23, 2006 17:43
|
In my opinion this is a super-excellent album.
Liquid Soul is one of the main reasons for the progressive of nowdays sound so varied and special.
His debut album "Synthetic Vibes" is a must-tool for any groove fan around the globe.
I simply liked most of the track, especially :
3 - The soft melody on this track is make me things I can't explain...I feel like in dream...perfect building and atomic exploding on 04:45.
8 - Listen carefully for what I think about this track - "Capoccino" is the BEST progressive track I heard ever with the most powerfull moments. I want to see the man who hear this track on high volume and not move his legs.
Capo - thank you so much for great moments of flow in the sky.
Also thanks for Iboga with this fantastic release. |
|
|
|
djmeghan
IsraTrance Full Member
Started Topics :
80
Posts :
475
Posted : Oct 23, 2006 21:28
|
|
aden
IsraTrance Full Member
Started Topics :
81
Posts :
212
Posted : Oct 23, 2006 23:17
|
Quote:
|
On 2006-10-23 16:30, Mr.Hanky wrote:
Quote:
|
On 2006-10-23 15:47, aden wrote:
Capo's live at Boom was a highlight of the festival, but sure enough a fair amount of the new tracks that featured in his gig are missing from this album. So it makes me hungry for future releases like the collab tracks with Ace Ventura, or the coming up rmx of Gaudium.
|
|
the only unreleased track @ capo's set @ boom was the Remix to Gaudium.
other than that he played only tracks from his album and some oldies!
i must say regardless of the high expectations of the ppl here,which apperintly LS did not live up to - this album is going to be the MOST PLAYED album in parties for a while now. The man knows how to keep the dancefloor going like no other...
Perhaps the album wasn't as deep as one could expect....
but EACH and every tune in this album is happy-dancefloor guarenteed.
Now that isnt something u can say about alot of releases can u ?
|
|
Thanx Mr Schatsi for the Boom reminder! But it seemed that "crazy people" (which is difficult not to remember, and that I like a lot) was not in LS's playlist. And the Gaudium rmx did such a great impression on me that it eclipsed -unjustly enough I acknowledge- some of the other tracks.
As for the rest, don't get me wrong : Synthetic Vibes is a first class album, finely produced, another one from Iboga, and I will for sure be playing loads of his tracks very soon... until you come up with your own album (hehehe). Anyway, congrads Mr Capo! |
|
|
|
kristyandmoe
Started Topics :
4
Posts :
224
Posted : Oct 24, 2006 00:25
|
|
The only thing i wasnt keen on in this album is the vocals in crazy people. The remainder of the album is wicked and ive been playing it to death. It would be in my 5 favourite releases this year no problem. |
|
|
|
LigaLize
IsraTrance Full Member
Started Topics :
52
Posts :
1380
Posted : Oct 24, 2006 14:16
|
Quote:
|
On 2006-10-23 17:43, guy cohen wrote:
8 - Listen carefully for what I think about this track - "Capoccino" is the BEST progressive track I heard ever with the most powerfull moments. I want to see the man who hear this track on high volume and not move his legs. |
|
Indeed 
Dance is - As a matter of fact, socially admissible public analogue of the sexual act :)
http://www.myspace.com/djligalize |
|
|
|
|
|
