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Protoculture - Circadians (2006) - ~Nano Records~
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***Sideffect***
IsraTrance Junior Member
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Posted : May 2, 2006 04:55
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Protoculture - Circadians (2006)
~NANO RECORDS~
1. Out of Reality
2. Sweet Fine Crystaline
3. Break Out
4. TerraTronics
5. Circadians
6. Innit
7. Hitched
8. Driven
9. Terra Tronics
10. Halo
http://www.psyshop.com/shop/CDs/nar/nar1cd014.html
Well it seems to be no one has reviewed this album yet considering the search, and it has been requested + I like this album,
Well I have written many reviews in Dutch so reviewing track by track is not my style anymore,
I prefer a short trying to be as objective possible review to give the reader a concept what this release is actually about,
Well first and very important, when protoculture first released their album in 2003 I guess called ‘refractions’ If I remember correctly it was a blast,
Everybody loved it and it was revolution air, off course the morning fullon wave was fresh so artist had lot’s of credits back then comparing to today…
This album has imo two interpretations, if you are actual I die hard protoculture fan there is a big chance this album will disappoint you cause protoculture went into a totally different direction comparing to their first album, this is not the protoculture we are used too, still I see no negative points in that, changing styles and directions is a challenge for producers and who wants to make the same music over and over again, I wouldn’t,
Well over with the history class lol J
This year 2006 we meet protoculture again, and what do they have to offer,
The concept protoculture gives us is the pure typical morning fullon formula, nothing special, been done before, heard before, but still they imo created a typical touch with the morning fullon formula especially when it comes to atmosphere…
This is so warm and subtle morning fullon, is it cheesy, I guess most people will say yes, but hey I like cheesy J
I’m an old skool fan and astral projection, mfg and etc was cheesy too and I still like their old track so why shouldn’t I like cheesy fullon  …
The sound they created is not new, it’s a bit similar to the fullon climaxes like astrix, delirious, explaining very one layer, just synths going up and down,
This album hasn’t got a very high psychedelic level is more based on ‘the euphoria concept’ ,
Not all tracks have full climaxes, some are just filled with a continue of warm sounds going up and down, speaking through your speakers…
One thing is sure, protoculture managed to keep you busy from minute one until the end, it’s not like you have the feeling you have to wait until the 6 minute to hear the climax and that’s it, now the advancement is good and is detailed…
What I do prefer is that protoculture used very good samples in this album, the hype of singing women like MICHELLE ADAMSON, which I don't mind don't get me wrong, is not present here, the samples are all from movies I guess, one I recognize from 'what the bleep do we know' but I'm not quite sure, what I'm sure is that the samples are used very professial and fit perfect within the concept they created...
Conclusion: this is very very warm and emotional fullon, listening the release you have moments to lay back and enjoy the little sounds and once and while you get euphoria and they create the concept to make some dance steps…
Everything fits at the right place and every sounds comes perfectly when it’s needed, some see that as predictable others prefer that as an comfort…
Well I like it, not considering the categories of goa I always preferred the subtle trance and within the concept of morning fullon today you can call the new protoculture album as subtle morning fullon, it’s not super fast and not nervous but very smooth…they never go over the top, although there is one climax that is very euphoria and almost a clone of astrix, but for the rest you can count on the fact they stay more low profile…
I don’t rate albums anymore, rating is up to you
grtz koen |
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full_on
IsraTrance Team
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Posted : May 2, 2006 05:38
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Welcome to our forum, ***Sideffect***.
Nice and fair review. 
I think this album is not bad, but it's not what I was expecting.
On the good side, the production level is very good, the tracks are fit well and not that much far from the usual Protoculture style, so I think it is safe to say this is a concise album. I'd add that it is good for home listening.
On the bad side, two of the best tracks here, Circadians and TerraTronics were already released on compilations (before the release of this album).
Also I felt a certain lack of innovation and even maybe "copying" some usual formulas, for example check the track Break Out, in the last break you can hear that it is VERY similar to Astrix - Chaos.
So I think it is a nice release, but worse than his debut album, Protoculture - Refractions.
Respect!
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...Be gentle with the earth...
...Dance like nobody's watching...
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...I don't mind not going to Heaven, as long as they've got Coffee in Hell... |
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***Sideffect***
IsraTrance Junior Member
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Posted : May 2, 2006 05:43
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Quote:
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Also I felt a certain lack of innovation and even maybe "copying" some usual formulas, for example check the track Break Out, in the last break you can hear that it is VERY similar to Astrix - Chaos.
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completely agree at the end of my review I refer to the fact that one climax is almost a clone of astrix well we are talking about the same track,
absolutely true
thanx for the nice welcome by the way 
http://www.last.fm/user/LastFmKoen |
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Acidhive
IsraTrance Full Member
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2014
Posted : May 2, 2006 11:10
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Keep in mind that Protoculture is a single man, and not a duo as you seem to think. Nate has been doing this stuff single since the beginning and is in fact only a duo when he's in the Silver Surfers group. Anyway, that aside: A great album from start to finish in my book. Finally some melodic psytrance with 'oomph' to it. Better than most other full-on out there at the moment, this is a stellar effort and in my ears this is better than his first album. Nate has found his style so it seems and it's all the better this way. Keep it up and here's hoping for the third!
Oh, and about the Astrix track.. Well I never heard that one so I can't say. I just like the track that's done here so who cares? Circadians sounds a lot like 'Greece 2000' from Three Drives on a Vinyl, but a lot of people haven't heard that one obviously, or they would have commented on that one too. Anyway, when the music sounds good in your ears does it really matter if it resembles another song? Originality can only be upheld for so long before it sounds 'forced'. And I for one love music that sounds 'natural' and not forced. "Subconscious unravels at the point of death, and all time it has known erupts into a moment. As death extinguishes us, so we become it."
[Esoteric: Subconscious Dissolution Into The Continuum] |
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Nygma
IsraTrance Full Member
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Posted : May 2, 2006 12:00
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Nice review for a nice album
I'm with acidhive on this one. the circadians albums has such a smooth flow to it with such evolved and sophisticated sounds, something for a real psy gourmet for me it doesn't matter if two tracks have been released before... not everyone has the other compilations in their collection.
well done and much thanks nate, hope to hear more such sounds from you in the future.
www.frakasoundrecords.com
fraka is a state of mind |
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:august:
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Posted : May 2, 2006 14:38
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On 2006-05-02 12:00, Nygma wrote:
Nice review for a nice album
I'm with acidhive on this one. the circadians albums has such a smooth flow to it with such evolved and sophisticated sounds, something for a real psy gourmet for me it doesn't matter if two tracks have been released before... not everyone has the other compilations in their collection.
well done and much thanks nate, hope to hear more such sounds from you in the future.
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^^^ i have to totally agree
https://soundcloud.com/augustenz
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peace love unity respect |
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pr0fane
Multiphase
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Posted : May 2, 2006 16:24
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Let me start out saying that I'm a huge "fan" of Protocultures productions up till now - to me, he's one of the top3 full on producers, and of all his tracks so far, it's only been a few that I didn't like, and the vast majority are downright amazing.
"Circadians" is a good album - actually I consider it one of the best morning full on albums I've heard for quite a while, and tracks like "Out Of Reality", "Sweet Fine Crystaline" and "Halo" are stunning. But where some parts of the album are everything I hoped it to be, others are quite disappointing. To me, Protoculture always had a unique touch to his sound - hereby I'm not saying that he's a unique artist or anything (because let's face it, he's using the same formulas as everybody else), but he's always had a trademark touch to his sound, so that when you heard a track at a party, you could easily tell that it had been made by him. In my opinion too many of the tracks on the album miss that touch. Take for instance the "Greece 2000" ripoff "Circadians" and especially the two tunes "Break Out" and "Hitched" - both sound exactly like they where made by Astrix, and not like they where made by Protoculture.
Don't get me wrong - it's very enjoyable music, and after experiencing him live on Soulclipse, I can say that all the tracks are wonders on the dancefloor, but I guess I was hoping for something magical and absolutely spectacular, and all I got was something good. I Guess I have to learn to lower my expectations
DJ pr0fane (Iboga Records) | Multiphase
www.sunrisesupplies.com | www.iboga.dk | www.soundcloud.com/pr0fane |
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rajatrao2
Inactive User
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Posted : May 2, 2006 17:36
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expected more from this album.... if only every track had an epic melody at its climax....out of reality, terra tonics, and circadians were brilliant.... the rest of the album however had great production too but lacked the cutting edge....
keep going nate...your the man
rajat |
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joshua666daniel
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Posted : May 2, 2006 20:17
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On 2006-05-02 17:13, algeronin wrote:
I'm very curious to listen to this album.
I really love 'refractions' so I got high hopes for this one.
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Me too, but it would be better if you listen to 'Circadians' without having 'Refractions' in Mind.
I am not dissapointed, but this release sounds different. I like it some may not.
"When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be." - Lao Tzu |
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fineedge
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Posted : May 2, 2006 23:00
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I have been living with much of the substance on this album for almost a year now and whereas I too felt a little uneasy when first hearing it it has grown on me to the point where I find some of these tracks even better than some on Refractions. I agree with Acidhive in who gives a damn if some parts sound like someone else, and who cares if someone finds it too different from Refractions (check out Nate's interview in the latest BPM mag to fing justification in what he says about a second album) and who cares if two tracks were released before (maybe this happened because of the slow timing of getting the album released- it was supposed to come out last year Sept I think ) and lastly who cares if some guys see cheesy here. I don't. I tend to judge an album by how quickly the disc lands up on the bottom of the pile on my shelf and so far the Circadians stuff is going strong after almost a year, it remains a pretty good piece of work with Driven being my favorite track aside from Halo. By the looks of the various sales charts out there it seems as though there are plenty of people who are going to make this into another massive album for Nate. Brilliant and keep it up. ps what would be the point of releasing another 'refractions' type album. Then the detractors would have criticized it for being the same. |
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sketi
Started Topics :
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Posted : May 3, 2006 04:39
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sadly dissapointed by this album  protoculture has lost his magic - it all sounds like old proto at the stage when it is building up to something amazing but it never goes anywhere....
unoriginal and boring
so dont get too excited everyone - a few of the tracks are ok (hitched is a fat tune) but compared to refractions and older comp releases its nothing - its shit
anyone with expectations of an album like refractions will be sadly disapointed also
and yeah two of the best tracks were already released - wtf
sorry - just my opinion - keep on rocking
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psyreviews
IsraTrance Full Member
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Posted : May 3, 2006 05:40
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Protoculture
Circadians
Nano (UK)
After Refractions, where next? Well, judging by the various compilation tracks, it looked like Protoculture was heading towards becoming a parody of himself, as though he was his own tribute band, trying desperately to reach those heady heights again, like a pill-monster double-dropping on a sleep-deprived Monday morning. Circadians sees this transformation complete. Out Of Reality is firmly in Protoculture territory, sheenily produced and with a layered melodic midsection driving it along, before some saccharine but effective topend melodies come in and do their bit. It’s nothing particularly special, but it is a nice little track that sounds as though he’s reminding us who he is, what he does, and that he’s back. Sweet Fine Crystalline has more to do with the lower half of the spectrum, and as such doesn’t really have much room for Nate to do what he does best: so it gets a little lost. Breakout is overflowing with melodic chumminess, nicely-done but somewhere around the middle of the second, hugely over-long breakdown you’re sort of wondering what happened and why are you listening to Robert Miles. Circadians builds atmosphere well, before a ninety-second breakdown (long enough to curl one out on the dancefloor) signals the commencement of the Great 2006 Keychange Battle – the chords here are singularly sickening, unfathomably fluffy, and a great way for DJ’s to meet chicks. Make of that what you will. Innit sees the change shift: we’re less concerned with the melody and more concerned with the groove. Which, unfortunately, means there’s not much going on at all. Too many old tricks with not nearly enough substance: likewise Hitched, which has some nice touches with a warped vox moving around the place, but it sounds so limp and uninspired that it’s an effort to listen to. Back onto melody central, Driven is great fodder for those just discovering psytrance. The singular point of interest here is a ten-second glitchy section which suggests that there is something interesting in this man’s brain after all; the remainder of the track is like the sonic equivalent of completing a tax return. Terratonic is strong, but generic – it sounds like anything off the second half of Refractions, only with a certain additional obviousness about the melodies. Finally there’s a washed-out breaksy chill number called Halo, which sounds like it’s just pretending. Which I think is the central problem here: in this universally uninspiring artist album, there’s nothing here that appears to challenge either the listener, or especially the artist himself. I think this is the point here. Even in its more melodic moments, Refractions had a believable sense of passion flowing through the music. Circadians has nothing.
3
http://www.psyreviews.com
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goaren
IsraTrance Full Member
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Posted : May 3, 2006 13:46
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its a nice melodic album but what the hell is that ripoff for greece 2000?????
i thought club trance died like it should have in the same year it started... big loss of respect for that one... but except that track (circadians) its a nice album if u like melodic morning sounds |
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Acidhive
IsraTrance Full Member
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Posted : May 3, 2006 14:59
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On 2006-05-03 04:39, sketi wrote:
sadly dissapointed by this album protoculture has lost his magic - it all sounds like old proto at the stage when it is building up to something amazing but it never goes anywhere....
unoriginal and boring
so dont get too excited everyone - a few of the tracks are ok (hitched is a fat tune) but compared to refractions and older comp releases its nothing - its shit
anyone with expectations of an album like refractions will be sadly disapointed also
and yeah two of the best tracks were already released - wtf
sorry - just my opinion - keep on rocking
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You say it's just your opinion. But tell me this then: why is it that you bring up all your 'arguments' as facts? I mean, unoriginal and boring? That sounds like you say it's a fact, while it's a fact in your opinion. Don't forget that tiny little detail next time mister. As for the rest: don't be disencouraged by this user, there's plenty to be loved in this album if you like melodic full-on. And who knows? For some it might even turn out to be better than Refractions.
"Subconscious unravels at the point of death, and all time it has known erupts into a moment. As death extinguishes us, so we become it."
[Esoteric: Subconscious Dissolution Into The Continuum] |
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Nathan
IsraTrance Senior Member
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Posted : May 3, 2006 15:08
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Very nice album with the strong style of Nate. All tracks are gr8 but the ones who are pure copycats of Astrix. They contain in it proto's style but with Astrix's typical melodies:
Break out & Hitched. Why such talented guy who is pro in perusing original full on need to copy Astrix? I suppose its the same thing With Psycraft in their 3rd bad album.
anyway this album is gr8 not good as the firs but gr8!
-=The Meaning Of Life Is To Give Life A Meaning= |
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