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Review of an old classic: - VA - Shiva Space Technology - Digital Dance of Shiva
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Pt.
IsraTrance Senior Member
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Posted : Oct 15, 2004 14:30
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Shiva Space Technology - "Digital Dance of Shiva"
1999
The great German record label, Shiva Space Technology (SST) released this in 1999, in order to show the world how "underground" isratrance really sounded. This is a compilation that showed the psytrancers new and undiscovered psyacts mostly from the Israeli underground scene.
1. Luminus - Diablo 7:56 140bpm
2. Tal & Yossi - Deltot 7:59 140bpm
3. Infected Mushroom - Small Moves 7:20 140bpm
4. Analog Mohicans - Different Worlds 7:56 144bpm
5. Darksoho - The Fusion 8:23 145bpm
6. Shidapu feat. SST - Wheels of Time 8:01 144bpm
7. Sinister Funk - Mintfunk 9:09 144bpm
8. Infected Mushroom - Intelligate 7:12 144bpm
9. Dark Entity - Get Out 8:22 145bpm
As some of you probably already know, Shidapu (Erez Eizen from Infected Mushroom) had a massive presence on SST former releases. Erez presents 3 strong tracks on this compilation: "Shidapu feat. SST - Wheels of Time" and as Infected Mushroom with Duvdev by his side, "Small Moves" and "Intelligate". Personally I enjoy "Small Moves" the most, with its great sound effects and the hard pulsating, driving beat, "Small Moves" just keeps on surprising me with its power. "Intelligate" follows in the same path as "Small Moves" but the thing I like most about "Intelligate", is actually Duvdev's twitching voice in the background, surrounding the listener. And let us not forget about the great melody running through both tracks. These two tracks are linking points between the different musical styles of the epic, "The Gathering" and the later "Classical Mushroom". Next is Erez's "Shidapu" project with "Wheels of Time" - also a very powerful track, with sound effects from a bathing facility with all of the echoing noises one would expect in such a setting. A crazy psychedelic track indeed. These three are all very powerful tracks with lots of weird noises, pulsating driving beats and a psychedelic twitch that I'm very exited about. Highly recommended.
As for the rest of the tracks, I'm glad to say that they follow in the same path as the above three. Personally I think "Sinister Funk - Mintfunk" is the best track when it comes to wickedness. With their usage of strange effects and scratching, the New York boys sure know how to make the dance floor bounce. A solid old school isratrance track that will blow your mind. Many may find this track to be too much. But I say; check this one out, let it grow on you! Besides the weird and crazy tracks, you also got some darker and more mystical tracks, like "Dark Soho - The Fusion" and "Dark Entity - Get Out". These two tracks are already classics in my book, with their gothic atmosphere that is simply breathtaking . Dark Soho's track is in the same genre as their masterpiece album, "Sun Spot". But it fits better into this compilation, if I may humbly say so. The track opens with a mysterious, creeping melody, which turns into a dark chaotic crazy night track with heavy metal guitars. "Dark Entity" is a new act for me, never heard them before and never heard them since. But this track I like, it's definitely the darkest track on the album. It's got a good stomping bassline and a dark gothic soundscape in general. Dark and wonderful.
"Tal & Yossi - Deltot" has got a much more deep and bouncy bassline than most of the other tracks, these guys are relative new to the trance scene compared to the others. But indeed a very interesting track. Now, if you like heavy, monotonous beats, Tal & Yossi - Deltot should be a sure winner for you, with its dogged guitar running in and out on top of the track, and some fast sounds squealing around making the whole track enjoyable. But there is something missing, something that can make this track more interesting. It starts of being very interesting, but it never changes! Sorry to say it, but after a few rounds in the CD player, this turned out to be the most boring track on the compilation. Finally, the first track of the compilation, "Luminus - Diablo". Now this is a GREAT track, it's got great sound effects that seemingly swirls around in the air, making the atmosphere feel crisp around the listener.
Overall, buy this album! This compilation is a pure masterpiece of good "classic" underground isratrance. Personally I think it sounds and acts more like a full album from one artist than a compilation of many, I just wish that more compilations would give me that feeling. Two thumbs up for an amazing adventure by Shiva Space Technology. Recommended!!
- psytones
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shiv-e
IsraTrance Junior Member
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Posted : Oct 16, 2004 09:19
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this is a classic. well said.
was played a lot in 1999/2000 beginning..
dark soho - the fusion - my fav.. really looking forward to their album this month.. ?
 Audialize - Starship Earth (TERCD003) Worldwide Release on 20th October, 2006!
VA - POWER (TERCD004) to follow soon after!
Stay Tuned for the Madness in store...! |
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MercuryFall
IsraTrance Full Member
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Posted : Oct 26, 2004 12:41
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ahhhhhhhh! Man!!!!! That was a compilation!
It will forever reminds me of these crazy party we were having back then! twisted crazy stuff, galactic feelings, inner trip at his best... DOn't you miss the good old days? :-D |
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Pt.
IsraTrance Senior Member
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Posted : Oct 27, 2004 12:25
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Quote:
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On 2004-10-26 12:41, MercuryFall wrote:
ahhhhhhhh! Man!!!!! That was a compilation!
It will forever reminds me of these crazy party we were having back then! twisted crazy stuff, galactic feelings, inner trip at his best...
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Totaly agree.. Amazing albums with good old psy feelings. Noisy, but i adore this compilation. 
Quote:
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DOn't you miss the good old days? :-D
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Mmmmm... yes and no, because i wasnt hypnotized by psytrance before the year 2000. But i would like to miss it
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psunspot
IsraTrance Junior Member
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Posted : Oct 27, 2004 22:04
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ahh yeah, bringin me back to some of the first CDs i ever purchased. i recall this, the Gathering, and the Space Mantra double all arriving from psyshop at the same time.
awesome stuff.
this SST comp is still one of the hardest, most relentless discs ever!!!    
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Basilisk
IsraTrance Full Member
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Posted : Oct 28, 2004 19:21
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Throughout the era of Goa trance I solely purchased album on vinyl and managed to miss quite a few classic releases by way of my choice of mediums. Recently I've been picking up some of the old gems off of ebay here and there, and this fine compilation arrived in my mailbox just recently. Owing to a renewed interest in this particular release I took it straight into my lab for a review, to see what five years has done to this old beauty. The first impression is a good one - the cover art and liner notes are all nicely done in a unique style with some original paintings, much nicer than what preview images on the net would lead you to expect. DJ Jorg is the man behind SST, a label most known for breaking Infected Mushroom to the world. Prior to that incarnation the band was known as Shiva Shidapu and consisted solely of the synthetic sound genius Erez Aizen. Part of the charm of this compilation is certainly the three songs in which he is involved, but as you will hear there are other high points as well...
Luminus opens the album with a scratchy pulsating psychedelic monster by the name of Diablo. Here we are treated to an Israeli interpretation of the Children of Paradise sound - throbbing beat backed with some breaks that soon accumulates a simple piercing lead, all layered in bubbling effects. Naturally the song picks up a great deal more energy as time goes by, eventually unleashing a rather tripped out melody that wavers around in the last couple of minutes. It won't win any awards for production value, even in the era it was produced, but the song is nicely composed and certainly a good opener to the compilation.
Tal & Yossi's Deltot is next - a track oft-cited in the old days as being something new, dark, and different to hear. I never did gain much of an appreciation for it then, and re-listening to it now it hasn't gained much in my eyes. The beat is dirty with a few breakbeats layered on top, sparse and moody synths infiltrating at times to bubble or squeek. This has something of a mid-period Flying Rhino sound to it, but isn't composed with quite as much charm. Repetative and dull, it hasn't lasted through the ages as well as some of the rest here.
Infected Mushroom's first offering on this compilation is the classic Small Moves. For many, this would have been the first introduction to their sound, as they had only a few singles released prior to this one. Their talent is evident from the very beginning with tricks and traps appearing without warning. A groovy bass combines organically with rolling percussion that flows across the stereo field, and early on a big Infected melody starts to snarl and snap. The drums get a little messy at times but soon they drop off and some wild noises take hold, swirling all over the place and subtlely introducing the main melody, a distinct mood that would be familiar to anyone who has heard the Gathering. Tension is built with more tricks and surprises and then the song really kicks with several melodies active, a driving beat, and some shuffling percussion. Dark and funky little melodies sneak up, all elements get rinsed out for several more runs, and the song ends as it began, with the sample about 'Small moves' and 'is there anybody out there? high up in the sky?' Clearly a classic of Israeli trance and a strong showing of what soon was in store for the world as Infected rose to prominency in the global scene.
Different Worlds from Analog Mohicans opens with a short sample of O Fortuna and then gets down to business with a plain beat and some jumpy percussion. Breakbeats are once again used, and bubbling effects snarl every which way. Sadly this song suffers from several problems - the beat is too monotonous, the effects too strong and unpolished, the breakbeats and guitar are sloppy, the flow too inconsistent, and the overall impression is one of poor quality.
The next song is another classic - Dark Soho's The Fusion. It still retains a good sound with fair production value, and the composition is among their best. Throbbing bass provides a foundation for the mayhem that ensues... the distinct scratching sounds appear early and are introduced with class, and the song develops energy in an involving way. Around half-way through the effects drop off and the beat drops into a shuffle, with dark atmospheres setting a mood of expectation. As everything drops away the guitars first enter... now, in 1999 we had heard guitars in trance before - but not quite like this! Rough and dissonant, driven by the smashing drum work, these were some heavy chords with a metalhead's touch. Somehow it all really works, as the dark atmospheres continue to develop and the synthwork meshes beautifully. A true 'fusion' indeed. I have memories of this song being played as a centerpiece to a party - everything stopped right around 2am, a new DJ went on, and a full dance routine by a costumed troupe engaged in an artistic display of movement to this particular song. That's not something I've seen since parties in that day and it's one of those memories I can carry with me as we dive into new realms of psychedelic sound now in the mid-noughties. For many reasons, including my own memories of the song, I'd label this one an unforgettable classic. Strangely Dark Soho never quite reached the heights that Infected Mushroom has soared to... in fact, I find this early effort to be one of their best songs to date, simply for the composition its groundbreaking style.
(OMG my review is too long... forbidden! continued in the next msg...)
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Basilisk
IsraTrance Full Member
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Posted : Oct 28, 2004 19:22
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Erez on his own presents Wheels of Time next, as Shiva Shidapu feat. SST. This one is a throwback to the Goa sound for the Infected master, with a bit more of a standard beat and not so much in the way of that truly mental sound that he would later be known for. The rolling bass is there, albeit in a somewhat more subdued way. The arrangement is more ordinary as well with some twitching melodic lines bubbling over the beat from time to time to give an acidic flair, without developing into full distinct melodies. The beat goes on, punctuated by a few breaks, and those acid lines churn and rise. Despite the better-than-average production this song really fails to make much of an impression on me. For linear acidic Goa trance it's decent stuff however.
Sinister Funk's Mintfunk is the next wild offering... now, this track has a unique place in my view of Goa trance history. There was a time back when this was released where I was always on the search for the hardest, most psychotic sounds I could stream through my ears. Elixir's Furious and Quirk's Ping are two songs I put in the same intensity grouping, but neither of those quite match the insanity of Mintfunk. It didn't take long for my tastes to develop a bit further and find this track to be far too messy however, as it has a raw and amateurish sort of feel to it when it comes right down to it. A wild dirty funky beat kicks it off and then elements are swept in en masse, sometimes dabbling in off-beat keys and more sloppy breakbeat integration. Early on a break introduces this insane rising sound that just builds and builds until the whole song kicks back in like a freight train, heavy rolling bass and psychotic elements barraging the listener before abruptly changing mood with some pseudofunky alien brain noodling. Nearing the half-way point the real funk starts to show with some light guitar riffs and bass line changes. Strong melodies invade with no notice and then disappear just as suddenly as elements trade places chaotically. In the later part of the song the rough and raw melodies start to go a little more off-key than usual at times and the song gets a bit too messy to even appreciate the overall insanity of it. Back in the day when I was recording MP3s to cassettes to listen to at school I cut the song off before the last 2 minutes plays, as my favourite parts were all at the beginning. All right, so the final assessment is that this song kind of sucks, but damn is it exceedingly crazy!
Infected Mushroom's Intelligate is the second-to-last track on this compilation. It is another fine reminder of the Gathering-era sound that these guys became famous for. This particular song is built around some samples from the movie Contact and so is more of a party tune than something you'd want to listen to regularly. Breakbeats and deep funky bass are back in style, and those huge Infected melodies get a good outing as well. Once the song really gets driving the high-level melodies start to swoop and soar before fragmenting into sick little riffs and sparkle across the soundscape. More Jodie Foster ranting on about disbelief and then we hear Duvdev's funny attempts at scary sounds chopped and edited into the mix. Plenty more melodies leap out of nowhere and do their insiduous deeds with sinister fervor. Intelligate wasn't my favourite Infected tune from this era, and it pales in comparison to the devilish fun that is Small Moves, but it is still a solid track well worth a listen.
Dark Entity is just Zeev from Dark Soho, and this was one of his few solo efforts before forming the band. Something of a jumpy groove gets the song started but the action soon descends into a bottom-heavy rumbler with all sorts of trippy effect laced on top. The song just chugs along for a while with all the spooky atmospheres developing menacingly. Half-way through, a timely break introduces an extremely eerie lead, giving the song a rather sick and diseased quality. It continues in this fashion with the pulsating bass and kick combination, spooky moods, and polished effects. An excellent end to the album, on a very dark note.
In retrospect I see this being part of the turning point for Goa trance. Released right on the cusp of the millenium it signified new directions in psychedelic dance music, from Dark Soho's use of heavy metal guitars to the gothic overtones of Infected's work. Israel was turning towards a darker sound after years of sunshine, as DJs began to demand more 'serious' nocturnal sounds. Shiva Space Technology delivered with this compilation of underground sounds that included several classics and other noteworthy tracks, alongside the few that didn't make the cut over time. A recommended piece of psychedelic trance history!
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Pt.
IsraTrance Senior Member
Started Topics :
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Posted : Oct 29, 2004 12:47
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Very nice review.. Long but nice And i didnt know that "Dark Entity is just Zeev from Dark Soho". So i thank you for inlightening me 
*POFF*
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exotic
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Posted : Nov 1, 2004 12:35
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As for the rest of the tracks, I'm glad to say that they follow in the same path as the above three. Personally I think "Sinister Funk - Mintfunk" is the best track when it comes to wickedness. With their usage of strange effects and scratching, the New York boys sure know how to make the dance floor bounce. A solid old school isratrance track that will blow your mind. Many may find this track to be too much. But I say; check this one out, let it grow on you!
its still growing on me
this was a real albomb!!!
missing plug-in |
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