| Author
|
Maelstrom - "Lights on" (Iboga rec. may 09)
|
aden
IsraTrance Full Member
Started Topics :
81
Posts :
212
Posted : May 15, 2009 12:39:57
|
Artist : Maelstrom
Title : “Lights on”
Format : CD
Label : Iboga records
Release date : may 09
Tracklist:
1. As it should be
2. Bitch
3. React (with Liquid Soul) - Rocky rmx
4. Enough cash to escape (with Rinkandink)
5. Bit Kitchen
6. Wasted Youth (with Lenny Ibizarre) - Maelstrom Version
7. Sake Head
8. Retro Nights
9. Remember your inputs
10. Brisker & Magitman : Just another day (Maelstrom's Tech Trance rmx))
Maelstrom is the second moniker, chosen sometime around 2007, of Mikael Dahlgaard aka Dj Emok, co-founder and head of the venerable Iboga records label. Teamed with Jeppe Ornkilde, he is also known for his music production as Phony Orphants. He now has a total of three albums to his name, including the splendid, now classic 2003 “Symphony” landmark album, as well as a few prestigious and successful collabs with some of the hottest home artists such as an Ian Ion, Liquid Soul, Nyquist, and Ace Ventura. Emok’s musical taste was crossing the strict boundaries of progressive trance early on, as he was one of the first of the scene to venture into the Electro-House register with his second Phony Orphants album. This openness and taste for experimentation is carried on into Emok’s new album which was preceded by a nice digital EP resulting from the collab with his compatriot Lenny Ibizarre.
1. As it should be
“Lights on” kicks off with a cool combination of tech house infused rhythms, with that dubby undulating bassline spurred by large echoing pads and string-like lead. It soon opens the way to a plain arpeggiated melody that will get its full development over the last half of the track. It is half spooky, half nostalgic, growing in intensity during and after the break with a dramatic crescendo. The melodic vein of Phony Orphants is not so far away, only here it is updated with new arrangements. Nice intro.
2. Bitch
Intricate rhythmic lines lead the dance over a roaring transposed bassline. It is a good fusion piece, with electroish reminiscences and a cheeky allure all the way, and it will have good dance floor appeal to the very same young ladies to whom it seems to be dedicated. It becomes more overtly melodic in the end, but only for a swift moment of off beat playfulness.
3. React (Rocky rmx)
Next comes a rmx of the hit track Emok cosigned with Capo/Liquid Soul for Maelstrom’s last album. Rocky, the well known full-on project of Roy Tilbor, returns to Iboga after a very active spring marked by releases on Israeli labels, such as an EP at Echoes, and a compilation for Phonkol. Given his moniker, you’d expect our man not to lighten the punch of the original bassline, and you’d be damn right. But he does endow it with a clubbier approach, owing to distant tech house influence sliced with large slabs of the seminal synth work and a cool voice sample. Not a radical reworking, but a well crafted dance floor friendly tune.
4. Enough cash to escape
Next is a further collaboration with a South African artist, the well known full-on project Rinkadink, a regular at the famous UK imprint Alchemy records. They deliver an unconstricted stomping dancefloor track that again fuses classic, yet effective rhythmic devices of the prog-trance/prog-house repertoire with the appearance of a brief melodic idea modulated and pitched up towards acid and psyish overtones that soars and expands in the last sequences. It rocks! and is certainly destined to thrive in open air venues. A much more convincing piece than the previous collab on his former album.
|
|
|
aden
IsraTrance Full Member
Started Topics :
81
Posts :
212
Posted : May 15, 2009 12:41
|
5. Bit kitchen
“Bit Kitchen” changes register and in a nice way. At first, it distantly but deftly evokes a techy atmosphere, without embarking onto the fusion wagon. It’s a very personal piece that features distorted voice samples and acid chord stabs stacked atop a twisted melodic treatment that has lysergic reminscences. It hints once again at the Phony eerie atmosphere, but without nostlagia.
6. Wasted Youth (Maelstrom version)
The album offers us Emok’s take on the collab piece signed with his compatriot and Ibiza based producer Lenny Ibizarre, which had a release on a recent digital EP. Emok’s interpretation of “Wasted youth,” a rather techno-infused stomper with a fat pumping bassline and plenty of percussion flourishes, quickly establishes an effective drive, while a smattering of the now classic driplets are sprinkled atop. The real highlight of the track hinges on the break sporting the minimal theme which gets plenty of transposes and delay, while another spooky, twisted and sinuous theme lacerates and swipes across the stereo field. The psyhead will relish this one.
7. Sake Heads
It starts with a powerful bass/kick combo in a techy sort of way, but the introduction of the tight arpeggiated lead and uplifting reverb-laden pad astutely curves the direction of the track towards more trancey horizons, and “Sake heads” concludes in a truly anthemic dimension. Another dance floor minded tune that will suit demands of morning glory.
8. Retro Night
The next piece is a tribute to Emok’s former grand style, back in the day of Phony Orphants’ superb “Symphony”. The rhythmic combo is reminiscent of those happy days and the melody has a sepia, slightly nostalgic old school flavour. This is classic prog trance, executed with taste by one of the foremost contenders of the scene.
9. Remember yout input
This track is a rerelease of Emok’s contribution to the Set 8 compilation in feb 08, which I had the pleasure to review. Its inclusion in this CD is more contingent than anything, and seems more like a generous gap-fill.
10. Just another day (Maelstrom’s Tech Trance rmx)
Given the early acquaintance of our man with Electo-House, it comes as little surprise that the album closes on a rmx of Brisker & Magitman. The choice of the track is interesting, as “Just another day” was a stand out track from the prolific duo’s artist album signed at Tribal Vision a year ago. It contrasted with the rest of their album in terms of the quality and originality of the melodic development. Here, the fairy-talesque harpsichord theme is played down and contrasted with a hoarser synth arrangement, and Emok’s rework keeps most of the harmonic progression of the chord build up and a lot of the original rhythmic techy material is maintained. It is not a groundbreaking rmx, but it closes the album with a delicate and sweet clubby piece, on a bluesy mood.
Bottom line
Emok has come up with a renewed soundscape, and that is praiseworthy at a time when too many artists and labels keep trotting out the same recipies. His progressive approach to music has never neglected psyish overtones and at times they are combined nicely with an intense emotional charge. Already favoured by leading lights of the progressive mundillo, the strength of the album lies, IMHO, in the first 8 tracks, and of these, I would strongly recommend the dance floor bangers as nice dj tools.
Aden
Related links :
http://www.iboga.dk
http://www.myspace.com/ibogaemok
|
|
|
|
Glen.C (Iboga Rec)
IsraTrance Full Member
Started Topics :
52
Posts :
686
Posted : May 18, 2009 00:30
|
|
|
