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M.E.E.O. - Highlight Me Please (Demon Tea, 2008)
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amphiton
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Posted : Feb 19, 2008 17:46:11
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M.E.E.O. - Highlight Me Please (Demon Tea Recordings, 2008)
Cover.front: http://images.juno.co.uk/full/CS296649-01A-BIG.jpg Cover.back: http://images.juno.co.uk/full/CS296649-01B-BIG.jpg
Label: Demon Tea Recordings
Catalog#: DMTCD16
Format: CD, Album
Released: January 2008
Distribution: Wirikuta
Artwork: Sara Forsberg, Mathias Eriksson
Mastereing: Hakan Kristofferson
Tracklisting:
1. 08:12 Grow To Become A Child (135 bpm)
2. 08:52 Loads Of Laughter (145 bpm)
3. 08:53 Ball Of Gum (140 bpm)
4. 08:47 Lowrider Mono To Phono (140 bpm)
5. 08:38 Dumble My Humble (138 bpm)
6. 08:30 Mandelbitter (143 bpm)
7. 07:33 Recorde De La Tisco (145 bpm)
8. 07:37 Not As Animal As An Animal (140 bpm)
9. 08:46 Everyone Is Looking
Review:
M.E.E.O.? Never heard this guy before and never would. Fortunately, artwork and the magical “Demon Tea” next to this release caught my attention, and after listening to the samples, which I seldom do these days, I decided to give it a try. M.E.E.O. stands for Mathias Eriksson Electronic Orchestra, after searching the web, it looks like he had never released anything before. Demon Tea’s latest album came out in 2007, it was a triple CD by Tea Chairs (Tim Thick), before that they looked dead for a few years (Benza, 2003), only their sub-labels, Killah Tea and SunDance, were releasing, but then again, after Talpa in 2004 and Nystagmus in 2005, some may also add Planum to the list, their releases were generic in my opinion. So what has Demon Tea baked for us this time?
Let me take you through the tracks... © DP
#1. Grow To Become A Child
We start off with a pretty slow tune. Bass+kick reminds something Simon Posford did about 10 years ago. Also if you look at everything else, seems like Mathias likes Hallucinogen and some other Simon’s project. I’m not saying he is copying, no. This track evolves slowly, he’s in no rush. A soft break in the first part and it starts all over again. Filtered female vocals are present, but they don’t cut your ears with the cheesiness, and a melody! Yepp – it’s a melodic album :) This melody is built on the vocals and is a continuation to them. I liked the start to this album, interesting how the story goes after this.
#2. Loads Of Laughter
Not only is this track 145bpm compared to 135 of the first track, that wasn’t any kind of an intro, it starts with banging beats after the first seconds. That’s probably the most annoying thing in this album. There are places this track could fit better. I like it smoooooth and accurate, this one just hits you out of balance. After a couple of minutes you forget you were hit off to the ground and start trying to follow the storyline. The track itself is intense and hard, it builds up right to the end with a major break. Kaboom! And there it goes. It feels like someone wants to tell you something very important and very fast with drops of spit almost falling out. It would fit someone sets, but it’s efficiency on this album in this position is in question.
#3. Ball Of Gum
Interesting, you can find this track under “Gumball 2000” name on his myspace. We start with a funky disco-vibe, normal 140, he’s in no hurry again. Distorted sounds in and out. I enjoyed this album because it’s totally unpredictable. You’re always like “What was that?” and “Where did it come from?” I’m not sure what are these sounds, but I get a certain association with crows, filtered this time. Disco feel turns melancholic in the middle and omg these crows are back again. And they are not alone this time – they brought an acid-line with them. It suit’s perfectly, right time, right moment. Thank you.
#4. Lowrider Mono To Phono
Every artist has special relationship with his track names, Mathias is no exception. He’s playing with them just like he’s like he’s playing with sounds and samples. You can get a slight idea of what going on just by looking at the track name. He always reaches the point when titles make no sense. Maybe they do and I don’t get it, but you have to agree there’s tons of releases where track name makes more sense than the music itself ;) This one is a piece of uplifting psytrance with a message from aliens @ 1:22. All in all – a pretty balanced melodic morning tune that blooms in the second part.
#5. Dumble My Humble
That’s probably not a good thing to say again and it won’t give more credit to Mathias, but I get the feeling of God’s presence. Yes, I’m talking about Simon Posford. I have to say I’m always sarcastic about all this “Simon the God”. Looks like psychedelic trance hit the point where its damn hard to sound original and unique, lack of ideas (in general) maybe. On the other hand, who wouldn’t want to hear that his work reminds Hallucinogen? And I’m talking about his latest tracks, of course. Humble Dumbled. It changes sound and direction with every break, a lovely diverse tune. You should hear it!
#6. Mandelbitter
MEEO absorbed and chewed lots of music – many influences in his work. Demon Tea wouldn’t release generic psytrance, considering their discography, right? They are Australian, so aussie craziness guaranteed. You can hear, as I said, something Twisted here and there, Mathias is Swedish, so he’s got Finnish friends for sure – souminess is also present. The melody reminds me of Aavepyora or James Reipas, Finnish flavor anyway :)
#7. Recorde De La Tisco
Broken beats lead us to 4/4, this is fast, flat and I like. You even start knocking your head in way you do to dancefloor-oriented psytrance. Well, maybe you didn’t, but I just did that :) There’s a break and it goes a bit more colorful from there. Then it turns a bit boring, frankly speaking, but a break saves it again. He always puts the desert in the end. You knock your head and all of a sudden elfs, trolls or whatever with colorful clothes, glow-sticks and music instruments pop up and you’re in the centre of a festival. Surprise-surprise! I would have thought it’s my birthday, is it was summer ;)
#8. Not As Animal As An Animal
This is the perfect continuation to the previous track, it’s got the same mood, only calmer. Just like you woke up after you birthday party. I’d love to hear this that day, so if you know me and you’ll get invited –put MEEO in the cd player and press “8”. And don’t forget about the desert. Acid for desert by chef Mathias. Lovely.
#9. Everyone Is Looking
We finish up with a downtempo tune. Hard to describe, but imagine Outolintu was his younger and much crazier brother. Not that twisted, but chilling. It brings you exactly to where you started when you pressed “Play”.
Bottom line:
Style-wise it’s difficult to put it under any category and for sure it doesn’t suit today’s prog/fullon/dark concept. It’s just different. M.E.E.O. is the project to watch for all psytrance lovers out there, personally I will and I’m happy to have discovered this album so early, though it's not the best thing Sweden gave us after vikings, but it's definitely worth a listen to everyone trapped in the psytrance stream. This is the kind of music that keeps me listening to psytrance and reminds me what it’s all about.
Favourites: 3, 4, 5!, 7, 8, 9
Related links:
Demon Tea Recordings: http://www.demontea.com
M.E.E.O.: http://www.meeo.se/ , http://www.myspace.com/electronicorchestra
Discogs: http://www.discogs.com/release/1214021
Shops:
PsyShop: http://www.psyshop.com/shop/CDs/dem/dem1cd016.html
SaikoSounds: http://www.saikosounds.com/english/display_release.asp?id=7017
Juno: http://www.juno.co.uk/ppps/products/296649-01.htm  • [ cuBe ] :: cubeg.org • |
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mk47
Inactive User
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118
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4444
Posted : Feb 20, 2008 07:00
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very nice music ! .. bit surprised it on demon tea .. but very nice anyway .. ordered =)
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ryggsill
Started Topics :
8
Posts :
33
Posted : Feb 21, 2008 16:59
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Brilliant album! Big thanks to Mathias and Demon Tea!
You can also check a sample of
M.e.e.O-Everyone is Looking (Yggdrasil remix) at:
www.myspace.com/ryggsill
/Andreas
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le barde
Electrypnose
Started Topics :
32
Posts :
348
Posted : Feb 23, 2008 12:49
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enjoyed your set in brisbane a lot.
i'm sure the album is high quality cream.
catch you somewhere around, sometime.
____
so many knobs - so little time |
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full_on
IsraTrance Team
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279
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5475
Posted : Feb 25, 2008 01:08
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N-A-S-A
Nasa/The Gnome Effect
Started Topics :
23
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165
Posted : Feb 25, 2008 20:23
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::bedbug::
Started Topics :
9
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243
Posted : Mar 13, 2008 23:31
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absolutely delicious... |
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exotic
IsraTrance Full Member
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200
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5057
Posted : Mar 17, 2008 13:45
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Very diverse music this. my most played album in the last month or so. lots of unconventional sounds and ideas have been explored. 'ball of gum' and 'humble my dumble' are my favorites.
Good luck to M.E.E.O for the future. 
missing plug-in |
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Procs
Procs
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4
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220
Posted : Mar 19, 2008 13:17
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Rattamahata with fluoro-stick
Started Topics :
5
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342
Posted : Apr 10, 2008 13:05
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