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Motion Drive - In the Dirt (Iono Music)
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mercury
IsraTrance Junior Member
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Posted : Jun 14, 2010 17:33:53
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4 years after the debut of his solo project Philip Guillaume, aka Motion Drive, finally releases his first album. Was the wait worth it?
Motion Drive
Philip Guillaume started his production career with his friend Andreas Märki. This collaboration resulted in the release of two albums as Vortex and Rumble Pack. In 2006 Philip decided to launch his solo project Motion Drive and his productions started to appear on various compilations. In 2009 he signed with label Iono Music and compiled his first compilation, Sunset Delights, for them. The same label that has released this year his debut album reviewed in this post.
Motion Drive - In the Dirt (Iono Music)
1. Atmos
The album kicks off with a track that recycles the sounds of previous Motion Drive productions. Obviously an artist has his own trademark sound and wants to make his listeners feel at home, but this Atoms does not seem to want to take that sound forward. Also the electro-like melody introduced at the 3.40 mark feels out of place and unnecessary. Only the last 3 minutes can be saved, this is how we would have liked the entire track to be.
2. Dropout
Dropout starts with a nice melodic intro, before the kick and a deep bassline are introduced. The track remains highly groovy throughout his whole length. Nothing really groundbreaking, but a decent filler track that will do his work on the dancefloor.
3. Facts of Life
The album steps up a level with the banging Facts of Life. The male voice sample mostly used in the first half of the track is wonderful and gives a mystical tone to the production. Unfortunately as the time goes on the song becomes more and more flat, a pity considering how good the track started and evolved until the 5 minute mark.
4. In the Dirt
The track that gives the title to the album starts in a mysterious mood with a very well crafted intro. The groove reminds somewhat some of the productions of Solid Snake in their debut album Unleashed. This is the first track where the Trancey melodic arrangement has a more prominent role and the darker atmosphere helps give it a deeper dimension. Finally the song is also able to be consistently good from start to finish.
5. The Journey
This is the Motion Drive we have learned to appreciate in the years. This is how uplfting melodic Psychedelic Progressive should sound. This track delivers what the title promises: a driving journey in harmonic melodic sounds. The way the melody grows and grows is a simple but brilliant touch.
6. Heart of the Sun
Since years one of the masters in crossover tracks, Motion Drive shows off his talent in handling more classic Progressive Trance sounds with this Heart of the Sun. The relaxing mood is very well crafted, however we could have done without the cheesy female voice. Still this remains one of the best tracks of the album.
7. Stars
The album returns in a more darker and deeper direction with Stars. We are not at the level of The Journey and Heart of the Sun, but this is another fairly convincing effort. The way the track remains highly driving throughout his length is praiseworthy.
8. Simulated Experience
Simulated Experience really had the potential to be great, but is ruined by a fairly anonymous and uninspired breakdown. A real pity because the second half of the track is one of the musical highlights of this album.
9. Hypnotized
The first solo artist album of Philip Guillaume closes with Hypnotized. This is pretty much the typical Motion Drive track that we have been used to hear lately in the various compilations that featured one of his productions and it is a tested formula that works. A good finish.
Verdict: a decent debut album by Motion Drive penalized by an overall lack of consistency. While there is a real gem like The Journey and a few other notable tracks, we cannot forget how uninspired some other productions turned out to be. Obviously it is not easy to deliver an artist album with 9 great tracks, but we still felt that Motion Drive picked a too safe route and did not express his talent completely with this album.
Rating: 6/10
Tracks to not miss in order of preference: 5.
For Youtube and purchasing links, check out the post on Trancealert.com: http://www.trancealert.com/album/motion-drive-in-the-dirt-iono/
For more information about Motion Drive and Iono Music, check out:
http://www.myspace.com/motiondrive
http://www.ionomusic.com
  Track the best in Trance with http://www.trancealert.com
Participate in our forum, subscribe to our weekly newsletter and let us to become your source for Trance/Progressive/Psy music! |
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Nathan
IsraTrance Senior Member
Started Topics :
301
Posts :
3605
Posted : Jun 14, 2010 22:35
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Quote:
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On 2010-06-14 17:33:53, mercury wrote:
3. Facts of Life
The album steps up a level with the banging Facts of Life. The female voice sample mostly used in the first half of the track is wonderful and gives a mystical tone to the production. Unfortunately as the time goes on the song becomes more and more flat, a pity considering how good the track started and evolved until the 5 minute mark.
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I have been waiting for someone who will use that sample From "Blade Runner". Gr8 album!
-=The Meaning Of Life Is To Give Life A Meaning= |
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Visua
Visua
Started Topics :
7
Posts :
50
Posted : Jun 15, 2010 13:08
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Congratulations Philip! Big album!
Atoms is one of my favorites! 
Sound is created by a disturbance that travels through an elastic medium. In water, sound travels approximately four times faster than in air. |
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pr0fane
Multiphase
Started Topics :
418
Posts :
3816
Posted : Jun 15, 2010 16:30
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I love the atmosphere in "Dropout" - what a perfect morning breakdown! For dancefloor effect I think that "The Journey" and "Simulated Experience" are proper banging tunes for the big, outdoor festival dancefloors, and "Hypnotized" is a great, atmospheric closing tune.
Generally a well-produced, positive and uplifting progressive psytrance sound on the entire album.
DJ pr0fane (Iboga Records) | Multiphase
www.sunrisesupplies.com | www.iboga.dk | www.soundcloud.com/pr0fane |
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Pavel
Moderator
Started Topics :
313
Posts :
8648
Posted : Jun 15, 2010 23:34
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Quote:
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On 2010-06-14 17:33:53, mercury wrote:
3. Facts of Life
The album steps up a level with the banging Facts of Life. The female voice sample mostly used in the first half of the track is wonderful and gives a mystical tone to the production. Unfortunately as the time goes on the song becomes more and more flat, a pity considering how good the track started and evolved until the 5 minute mark.
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It's not a female but a male, Demis Roussos.
A very common mistake
Everyone in the world is doing something without me |
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Basilisk
IsraTrance Full Member
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168
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2984
Posted : Jun 16, 2010 00:49
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Progressive psytrance is in a bit of a bind. It doesn't seem like anyone other than Zenon is bringing any new ideas to the table--the rest of what's out there just sounds like a rehash of the same old sound that burst onto the scene with FREq's Strange Attractors in 2004 and ran out of steam a few years later with fantastic albums by Ticon, Tegma, Jaia, and others. Everything since then has sounded unexciting to me--pleasant, perhaps, but unexciting nonetheless.
Motion Drive breaks no new ground with In The Dirt (even the title is cribbed from Ticon) but that is just where things are at these days. No matter--it might be a total rehash but it's a good rehash: clean, melodic, emotional, with a few good samples (i.e. from Vangelis) to spice it up. Nothing feels out of place but nor does it suffer from the kind of sterility that plagues most of the progressive psytrance I hear these days. Overall, a good balance, and I would recommend this album to all fans of the good old days of progressive psytrance. There's nothing new under the sun but at least it's a nice trip!
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mercury
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
21
Posts :
30
Posted : Jun 16, 2010 02:06
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Quote:
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On 2010-06-15 23:34, Pavel wrote:
It's not a female but a male, Demis Roussos.
A very common mistake
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Thanks to you and Nathan for pointing out, I have corrected on the website. Unfortunately I cannot do it here on the forum anymore.
Good to see that there are still people here willing to discuss a Progressive Psy Trance release. The lack of posts and reviews in the last months was rather worrying.
Track the best in Trance with http://www.trancealert.com
Participate in our forum, subscribe to our weekly newsletter and let us to become your source for Trance/Progressive/Psy music! |
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pfc
Started Topics :
1
Posts :
58
Posted : Jun 16, 2010 10:12
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Best psy-prog album 2010.
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amphiton
Started Topics :
6
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136
Posted : Jun 16, 2010 14:43
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I completely agree with Basilisk. Nice listen anyway.
• [ cuBe ] :: cubeg.org • |
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Pavel
Moderator
Started Topics :
313
Posts :
8648
Posted : Jun 16, 2010 18:07
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Quote:
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On 2010-06-16 02:06, mercury wrote:
Quote:
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On 2010-06-15 23:34, Pavel wrote:
It's not a female but a male, Demis Roussos.
A very common mistake
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Thanks to you and Nathan for pointing out, I have corrected on the website. Unfortunately I cannot do it here on the forum anymore.
Good to see that there are still people here willing to discuss a Progressive Psy Trance release. The lack of posts and reviews in the last months was rather worrying.
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I will correct it, no problem.
As for the music, I cannot say I really liked it unfortunately... Perhaps will try to hear it again.
Everyone in the world is doing something without me |
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GuyShanti
Aerospace
Started Topics :
112
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877
Posted : Jun 17, 2010 15:52
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J
IsraTrance Full Member
Started Topics :
193
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3858
Posted : Jun 17, 2010 21:51
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Awesome music.
Rumble Pack rules... Motion Drive is even better. 
Great album!!
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rumble pack / motion drive
Rumble Pack
Started Topics :
23
Posts :
270
Posted : Jun 18, 2010 11:53
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thx everyone for the nice comments and the constructive critics.
nice to see there are still some ppl gooing a bit deeper in their comments and showing reall interest to share their opinions...something that became a bit rare these days in this forum.
concerning the comment about the music beeing kinda rehash of the progg trance from '03 / '04...i cant say its fault. Actually for me progg trance was at its peak at that time...so im mostly influenced by that music. Its for shure not the re-invention of the weel, but that was not my goal and i dont see myself capable of inventing anything new neither
www.myspace.com/motiondrive
http://www.myspace.com/rumblepacknaturalflowmotiondrive |
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Dj Cowan
Started Topics :
1
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8
Posted : Jun 18, 2010 13:39
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Great album brother!! i like the fact that not 2 tracks sounds the same, every track has its own storry and flow, witch make the album worth listen over and over again without tuggle throo some tracks!
And then you know how happy i am to hear some good old Motion Drive production in some tracks!! Really good stuff!
All the best with the album and also your new released EP!
<3
Les |
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rumble pack / motion drive
Rumble Pack
Started Topics :
23
Posts :
270
Posted : Jul 13, 2010 15:10
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