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Pitch Black - "Ape To Angel" [KOG, New Zealand]
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BrettFromTibet
IsraTrance Full Member
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Posted : Nov 12, 2004 20:57
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CD Review: Pitch Black – “Ape To Angel”
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Artist: Pitch Black
Title: “Ape To Angel”
Release Date: October 5th, 2004
Label: KOG (New Zealand)
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10 years ago, the quality standards for chillout music were much lower. I remember listening through a dozen mediocre compilations (called something like “This is Chill : Vol 2”) to find a couple of gem tracks. Now we’re better off, and blessed with a virtual avalanche of great quality releases. And you have take time to listen through all this “great” material in order to find the ones that are truly something extraordinary. To help you cut through the large choir of overqualified saints and angels, I want to point out an exceptional duo from New Zealand called Pitch Black. Anyone wanting a little glimpse of into the future sound of downtempo beats, would do well to investigate them. Their newest CD “Ape to Angel”, out in New Zealand and Australia, is a great place to start.
While appreciated ‘down under’ for some time, the Pitch Black sound has finally come to the attention of the international chillout universe. In 2004, tracks were released on Liquid Sound Design and Iboga label compilations. And the distinct sound has provoked some DJs and listeners, from different corners of the globe, to rave about it.
Pitch Black is Paddy Free and Michael Hodgson. Paddy has been tweaking around with electronic music since 1985, and he worked early-on with Youth (of early Orb and Dubtrees fame) to learn some of the finer points of electronic music production. In 1996 he met Michael, who had some amazing ideas. They teamed up, traveled wide and far, and used their synergy and inspiration to create a sparkling new entity of sound.
That sound is awfully clever at defying genres. But since this is a review, I’ll stretch things to say that it’s like an invigorating future translation of dub, laced with “bouncy” shimmering-squelching rhythms. These rhythms throttle over liquid breakbeats, dubchords and keyboard riffs… with short, but sweet ambient interludes. Unique sounds slither in and out of the stereospace… like sonic sylphs … only to pop back at the most unexpected moments. The whole spectacle sounds remotely like the dubby edge of Vibrasphere’s progressive-trance sound, if it was knocked up with some of Puff Dragon’s holographic sorcery. At home you can’t help but be delighted. And at a party, people have no choice but to dance like mad!
There’s also some contemporary pop vocals (on 2 tracks), and a trace of IDM/experimental moods. I can sense that the sound was sweetened up, just a little, to give it more pop appeal at home in New Zealand. That being said, there’s no denying Pitch Black are genuine masters of lysergic sound manipulation. They drop some serious beats and bombs. The duo describes their album as a “lush deep dubby journey with a few surprises”. It clocks in at just under 65 minutes, but the overall quality keeps me from complaining.
King Tubby pioneered the electronic Dub sound in Jamaica three decades ago, and you would think most of the reverb effects, basslines, ethnic influences and stereophonic tricks have been heard before. But Pitch Black has done the improbable. And to distinguish them further from the aforementioned avalanche of “good” downtempo releases we have today, the best tracks on this album TRULY ASTONISH me. I can’t say that about most CDs I bought this year, or ever, actually.
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Review of the Tracks:
1. Ape to Angel
An epic evolution of consciousness captured in post-modern, dubbed sound frames. The whole tender expanse of our passage from primitive animals into conscious human-aliens is unsealed and revealed. A very powerful story, told with delicate care. Sounds like Puff Dragon remixed Sounds From the Ground. Saiko! A+++
2. Freefall
The cutting edge of tech-dub meets tribal house, with a little bit of smooth vocals. Tantalizing ending ambience. May result in gravity loss.
3. Lost in Translation
A down-n-dirty acid breakbeat attack, strangely plastered smoothly over dub chords and soft atmospheres. A bewitching vocoder chorus of strange tongues, speaking a rhythmic ‘Tower of Babel’ really makes it sizzle! This sounds like it could have been a lost outtake from the ‘Hallucinogen in Dub’ sessions. Play this at the peak, and watch the party FREAK! A++
4. Big Trouble Upstairs
A squelching morning trance groove, a sonic fractal that uncoils itself many times over. Beautiful and blissful with a 100% chance of sunshine. Rock ‘n roll! A+
5. Flex
Flex a flawless, epic, orchestral arrangement. Beginning with an ambient interlude…It heats up with stunning speed. Around 2’55” the percussion disappears, and the track slowly crystallizes into a perfect audio diamond. But the jewel soon shatters, refracting haloes of ambient light. Rivers of groove trickle out, and then flow steadily … and all the precious colors of the sound spectrum sneak back into the mix. As the song pieces itself back together… you’re reminded of how very sweet it is to be alive. This humbling, high-impact track forges into never-before-explored sonic territory. … A+++
6. Elements Turn
Pitch Black goes “soulful” here, and drops a 2-step dub with R-n-B style vocals. This track doesn’t really do it for me. “>>”.
7. The Random Smiler (live)
An experimental space station exploration, splashed with a generous shot of funky breaks. Served with squelchedelic alien dub signal transmissions, and mellow melodic atmospheres. It’s original, and freaky!!! Play it on the Playa.
8. Empty Spaces, Missing Units
Introspective IDM. A dark, theatrical ponderance of the missing spaces, gaps in our life and in the universe…and vistas left to explore. Think: Reintegration , coming down, a little bit of skepticism.
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Conclusion:
A white-hot smasher with a delicious Kiwi flavor. These beats march to a different drum machine than what we’re used to hearing from the major chill labels in the Northern Hemisphere. Expect the same production quality and taste, but a different style of musical handwriting.
Pitch Black runs quite experimental, so not all of the tracks are perfect gems. But it’s truly psychedelic, in that I feel my sense of musical perception was expanded and polished a little bit , just from listening to it! This disc is delightful, and guaranteed to cause serious destruction on any downtempo dance floor.
Rating: Three thumbs up!
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Artist Info: http://www.pitchblack.co.nz
Label Info: http://www.kog.co.nz
CD Available Internationally at: http://www.smokecds.com
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Review by BrettFromTibet – Portland, OR - USA
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blupeter
Started Topics :
6
Posts :
177
Posted : Nov 13, 2004 22:22
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there are 2 tracks from PITCH BLACK in 2 V-A albums..... Selected Atmospheres and YOUTH last album...
More dubby sounds.. |
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maer
IsraTrance Junior Member
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Posted : Nov 13, 2004 23:57
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sherlockalien
IsraTrance Junior Member
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Posted : Dec 14, 2004 14:14
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Hey, good news, pitch black to be sold soon on amboworld! |
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sherlockalien
IsraTrance Junior Member
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Posted : Dec 15, 2004 00:47
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BrettFromTibet
IsraTrance Full Member
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Posted : Dec 15, 2004 21:03
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I'm also enjoying "Electronomicon", which they released in 2000. that album is darker, more powerful and less pop - "FULL ON DUB"
if there is such a thing...good for dancing...
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djsoma
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Posted : Jan 28, 2005 10:26
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Flex is just wonderful, deep and haunting. I played it in a party with an MC with a microphone on top, and the atmosphere in this small party became very intense and people were really into what was happening. Great song, great act, I'm hoping to get enough money to buy all the great cd's out or to be released, and this has been on my shopping list since I first heard about it.
 http://musicandhappylife.blogspot.com/
djsoma@gmail.com |
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elektric sheep
IsraTrance Junior Member
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Posted : Feb 7, 2005 13:28
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This is by far the biggest psydub album of 2004. Every bit of this gem oozes quality. Tons of effects and psychedelic noodlings to keep any head (& feet) busy. Have been savouring this one a bit at a time 
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Rui Ferreira
IsraTrance Junior Member
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Posted : Feb 7, 2005 16:11
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Quote:
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On 2005-02-07 13:28, elektric sheep wrote:
This is by far the biggest psydub album of 2004. Every bit of this gem oozes quality. Tons of effects and psychedelic noodlings to keep any head (& feet) busy. Have been savouring this one a bit at a time
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I wouldn't call it a psydub album.... It's more like a melting dub album,)...Very very good stuff! |
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merivah
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Posted : Feb 14, 2005 03:26
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after listening to his tracks on lsd and iboga, i´m very curious to check out this album. And even more after reading this review  |
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blupeter
Started Topics :
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Posted : Apr 24, 2005 16:11
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Quote:
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On 2005-02-07 13:28, elektric sheep wrote:
This is by far the biggest psydub album of 2004. Every bit of this gem oozes quality. Tons of effects and psychedelic noodlings to keep any head (& feet) busy. Have been savouring this one a bit at a time
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I am with you... Excellent work, worth your attention  |
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Quasga
Inactive User
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498
Posted : May 3, 2005 02:57
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This has been sitting in the shrinkwrap awhile now.... maybe I should check it out.
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Vatos Locos
Vatos Locos
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Posted : May 3, 2005 06:14
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Congratulations to the Pitch Black guys....They really deserve the attention as their music is amazing!!!!
4 years ago, Zulu Lounge Music released a track from them in their first CD taken out from their Electronomicon album....Now they will hit the world up by storm!!!!
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BrettFromTibet
IsraTrance Full Member
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Posted : May 7, 2005 02:55
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still sounds good to me  these guys are very talented in the studio. |
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