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Sonic Cube - Filter (Tribal Vision Records)
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clown
IsraTrance Full Member
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Posted : Mar 3, 2006 06:21
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Cover : http://217.160.138.169/pic_b/tvr1cd007_b.jpg
Artist: Sonic Cube
Album : Filter
Label : Tribal Vision
Formate : Cd
Artwork by : Daniel Spacek
Tracklisting :
1. Hide
2. Last Jedi (Feat. Sonnenvakuum)
3. Cloud Buster (album remix)
4. Amnesia
5. Test
6. Danger
7. Microbes
8. Xcute
9. Astray (Feat. Sabrina)
Sonic Cube is formed by Daniel Muller, Ueil Schill and Tobias Wirez, all from Switzerland. Dan and Ueil form Sonnunvakuum and Tobias is the brain behind Greed.
Hide starts off this album in style with a massive electro-wave synth sound that totally captures the mind. This one is a little slower than the rest of the album and is perfect to prepare your ears for this debut album by the trio. With a fair balance of melodies, snares and a very heavy kick, I see this track as being one of the best from the album. After the first long breakdown, that beautiful electroish sound come’s back to conquer, and it blends with the bassline. Also, we find this somewhat vocal layered over it that doesn’t last too long (thank god).
Last Jedi features Sonnenvakuum, giving it a more minimal appeal I guess, since, well, Sonic Cube is Sonnenvakuum + Tobias lol.. Don’t ask. It indeed is a little darker and takes a very slow progression. This song is great to open up a set, or to throw down when you feel the crowd needs a dancing break and you feel like tripping out there brains. It fits the name “progressive” better than any track I’ve heard in a while. It just keeps moving forward without stopping. Imagine Tim Sensient making slower music. This is what he would come up with. There’s also the addition of a sadistic Jedi vocal that goes very well with the ambiance this track creates. A truly beautiful piece of work.
Cloud Buster brings the storm with it, focusing on thunder, to create also a darker atmosphere. It also offers the first big bassline of the album, as it takes a lot of room in this creation. This one doesn’t do it for me until half way through, as the bassline goes away and turns into something a little less aggressive, sounding fuller and more like those massive Son Kite bass’s. The progression is great and the ending saves this one.
Amnesia gets you addicted from the start, as you get a funkier groove, as the trio turn towards a more housy feel. It breaks down rather early, changing the vibe and almost sounding like a new track, keeping you anxious to hear how this one evolves. And well, its rather disappointing. After getting there intro with a funky track, you just get a proggy tune, rather dark and they never once use that awesome housy sound again in the song. Its still a great song, but I can’t help but feel teased. I’d love to hear a remix of this one with that awesome intro house percussion. I guess maybe that’s why the tracks called Amnesia, because you forget it had a great intro .. lol.. Besides the bassline that changes, the track never really takes off.
After forgetting that last track, Sonic Cube tries something different, and TEST’s there knowledge with there track called Test. We also get a funkier intro, giving a tribal housy touch to this track. There’s a strong bassline in this one, similar to Cloud Buster, yet not as aggressive, yet this track is a little more powerful as a whole. They offer nice melodies, lots of hats, a cool trancy bassline, that once starts to transpose, really turns this track into something very interesting. Yet again, where did that housy feel from the intro turn to?? Strange, yet original at the same time.
Watch out for this one, as DANGER is coming towards you. A soft tune with some fun idea’s and a more fluffy feel that a few of the previous tracks. A nice tune to hear as the sun is rising at an outdoor festival. The progression is ok in this one, although I would have really liked the bassline’s volume to increase more as the track moved on, to kinda overpower the melodies.
Microbes starts off strong and chunky and electroish. Finally, something with a bassline I can dig. This one is great from start to end, offering all there creative idea’s in one track and rising the “happy” level in this album, focusing on the lighter side of things. This is a sure butt-rocker and will surly get the people’s attention on a dancefloor. Not the best from these guys, but not far either. I much prefer this style of tracks, than, say, the previous 4.. Then again, that’s just me.
Xcute grabs your ears from the start, with a soothing melody and a bassline that you can already feel before it kicks in.. ah OH MY GOD does it ever kick in. Defiantly one to attract my attention, as this one has one of those basslines that just makes me crazy. Its still a rather smooth song, as the melodies seem to be the main concentration of this one, yet the groove is still very strong. Ohh wait, what is this, at about half way, the bassline evolves into an electroish, more appealing one.
Astray is the album closer, as they wanted to show us that they could make some Dub music. I don’t know about this one, especially with that singing Sabrina girl. The song has some good idea’s, and it’s great as an intro before starting off a set, or something…
All in all, this is quite a different release from Tribal Vision, with less tribal and more trance They defiantly tried a new turn with this release and its not bad, but nothing compaired to the legendary Street Art compilation. Listen for yourself I guess, and see what’s inside the Sonic Cube !!!
Fav’s : !!!1!!!, 2, 7, !!8!!
  "VA - REWIRED" OUT NOW !! (techtrance invasion) ---> http://forum.isratrance.com/viewtopic.php/topic/86303/forum/9
http://psy.techno.fm <------- Jester Records's Internet Radio channel
www.jesterrecords.ca |
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odysseus
IsraTrance Full Member
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1387
Posted : Mar 3, 2006 13:47
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very nice album..!!
i liked most of the tracks..
waiting also for the Sonnunvakuum ..
give me darma, take your karma.. |
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klaxer
Koan / Vacuum Stalkers
Started Topics :
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380
Posted : Mar 3, 2006 20:56
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Cool review Clown!
My favoritess is 5 & 7 tracks.
7/10 |
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Psyproyect
IsraTrance Junior Member
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81
Posted : Mar 3, 2006 22:16
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heheh very nice alboom  relaxxx and cool congratulations sonic cube  |
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liese
IsraTrance Junior Member
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12
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17
Posted : Mar 4, 2006 12:40
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nice album, got it yesterday and as natural born chilla i like the last track most.
but all in all its a cool groovy cd, the right stuff to get in motion after breakfast
http//freakplanet.org/liese |
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pr0fane
Multiphase
Started Topics :
418
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3816
Posted : Mar 4, 2006 20:52
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Artist: Sonic Cube
Title: Filter
Label: Tribal Vision
Format: CD (Jewelcase with 12-page fold-out inlay)
Released: February, 2006
Cover: http://217.160.138.169/pic_b/tvr1cd007_b.jpg
Review:
After a very successful 2005 with some truly outstanding releases, which for instance resulted in being voted as the no. 1 new label by the users of Isratrance.com, Tribal Vision Records is ready to make an even bigger impact on the scene in 2006. Their first release this year is by the Swiss duo Sonic Cube, consisting of Ueli Schilli and Daniel Müller, also known as Sonnenvakuum. Not much have been heard from Sonic Cube since the release of their self-titled critically acclaimed debut album back in 2003, and since then the 3rd member, Tobi Wirz, left the project to pursue his solo-career, with his highly successful progressive house project Greed.
But now, 2½ years later and following the recent release of the "Cloud Buster" EP, the duo is ready with their 2nd full length album "Filter". Can they live up to the expectations after the first album?
01. Hide [125 BPM]
The album starts very promising with "Hide". The intro is really atmospheric, with sounds reminding me of older scandotrance - and luckily it doesn't seem as hasty as most album-intros these days. The rest of the track is rather sweet as well - despite a BPM at only 125 BPM it seems rather fast, bouncy and groovy, and the vibe is super positive. Great opener.
02. Last Jedi (feat. Sonnenvakuum) [134 BPM]
The tempo is kicked up a good notch with "Last Jedi" - a track with very distinct qualities, but also a track which is sadly slightly disfigured by some corny and terribly misplaced jedi voice-samples. Despite the samples, it isn't all bad though - the groove is pumping and beefy, and the atmosphere is ranging from slightly gloomy to uplifting and melodic. Ok track overall.
03. Cloud Buster (Album Mix) [135 BPM]
Next up is "Cloud Buster", a track which recently was released on an EP with an absolutely lovely André Absolut remix on the flipside. Although the cover says it's an "Album Mix", I don't hear any distinct differences from the original - it's still a nice morning track with sweet, toned down melodies that climax with 1½ minute left to go. Good work.
04. Amnesia [134 BPM]
From the rolling slightly psytech-influenced grooves in "Cloud Buster", the album is taken in a slightly more tribal direction with "Amnesia". The grooves are quite housey but faster, while the melodies are more in the vein of traditional psychedelic morning-progressive. Sweet and very enjoyable morning tune.
05. Test [135 BPM]
"Test" continue with the fast, yet housey grooves - this time with a lot more punch than in the predecessor "Amnesia". For the first half it proceeds rather well, but with a few minutes to go the track is rather demolished by some, once again, quite misplaced voice-samples. This time vocoded vocals telling about "dancing in the skylight" - I don't like it, maybe because it reminds me of an annoying French discohouse-hit that polluted the radio a while back.
06. Danger [135 BPM]
The album is taken back on track with "Danger" - the hard groove from "Test" is still intact (but this time more in the background) and the rest of the tune is much, much sweeter, with lots of emphasis on the melodies and big pads. The overall atmosphere is lush, trancy and uplifting in a sweet, almost naive way, and this is surely one of my favourites on the album.
07. Microbes [132 BPM]
The tempo is lowered a bit with "Microbes", but this track surely still packs a good punch. The most dominant element here are some female vocals, and - unlike most of the other tries with vocals on this album - it works rather well. They are rather sexy and fits the atmosphere and the pumping housey grooves - add to that a few simple, yet very effective melodies, and you have another highlight.
08. Xcute [128 BPM]
"Xcute" is the last dancefloor track on the album, and it could have been a very worthy way to end the album as a whole. Despite having a low BPM compared to most of the material on the album, it is probably the most trancy of the tracks here, with big, eternal pads, and sweet melodies. Generally it has that lovely epic-trancy vibe some psy-purist might consider over the top, but I personally find very appealing. Delicious tune.
09. Astray (feat. Sabrina) [66 BPM]
"Astray" marks the end of the album in a weird, yet very non-traditional way - for a psy/progressive album that is. In short it is a laidback pop-track with some fairly nice guitars, but also with some very cheesy female vocals, which didn't suit my taste at all. By far my least favourite track on the album.
Bottom line:
After a few years where the Sonic Cube project seemed faded into oblivion, "Filter" is a worthy re-entry on the scene. Compared to the first album, the self-titled "Sonic Cube", where Tobi Wirz (Greed) was part of the project,"Filter" seems trancier - the highlights are really excellent, but sadly the CD is slightly disfigured by some, in my opinion, cheesy and misplaced vocals and voice-samples. Especially in the final track.
Overall, that doesn't change the fact that "Filter" is another solid release from Tribal Vision records - not the best so far, but a recommended buy for fans of clean and polished progressive house/ progressive trance crossover music.
Favourites:
1, 3, 4, 6 (!!), 7, 8 (!!)
Verdict:
7,5/10
Link:
Sonic Cube: http://www.soniccube.ch
Tribal Vision Records: http://www.tribalvision.cz DJ pr0fane (Iboga Records) | Multiphase
www.sunrisesupplies.com | www.iboga.dk | www.soundcloud.com/pr0fane |
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Spintwista
Spin Twist records
Started Topics :
46
Posts :
159
Posted : Mar 4, 2006 22:23
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HI,
great album,good work,cool and tricky ideas,all in one
10 of 10 points!!!
thanx for giving me new inspiration.
Hannes
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Yuli
Retired
Started Topics :
40
Posts :
1660
Posted : Mar 5, 2006 02:32
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Mighty fine album, thumbs up for Sonic Cube guys, I still have to dig it more to decide upon favorites etc but first listen is impressive - I like that groove!!
A man with a "master plan" is often a woman |
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s.h.e.e.p.
S.H.E.E.P.
Started Topics :
74
Posts :
507
Posted : Mar 6, 2006 11:37
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Thanks for the Copy Michal (your Set @ The Suite was great)! Listen to the album while driving home and at home and it´s still running in my player
Daniel & Ueli you did a great job...this album is just perfect! Like all the tracks!
s.h.e.e.p.(y) greetings
oli
--------------------
coming soon
HUM - debut album
www.hb-records.com |
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PKS
IsraTrance Full Member
Started Topics :
75
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490
Posted : Mar 8, 2006 20:26
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Sonic Cube (Daniel Müller & Ueli Schill) from Germany is out with their second album, this time on the progressive trance label Tribal Vision Records in the Czech Republic. Previously, also Tobias Wirz has been part of the band, but has left to work with his wellknown project called Greed. Sonic Cube released their first album three years ago on Millennium Records, but has released several tracks on various compilations, also as Sonic Soul together with Swedish Anders Nilsson, known as Andromeda, Soul Surfer, Chromosome and Airona. Tribal Vision delivers a tasty cover art as usual, with a fat booklet, including informative info about the band etc.
Sonic Cube "Filter" Tribal Vision Records 2006 (TVRCD007)
1. Hide
2. Last Jedi (Feat. Sonnenvakuum)
3. Cloud Buster (Album Mix)
4. Amnesia
5. Test
6. Danger
7. Microbes
8. Xcute
9. Astray (Feat. Sabrina)
These guys are known for producing trippy progressive trance all the way, and that’s for sure what we get in this album too. Track one starts slow, before a groovy beat starts pumping together with mystic, floating vibes and atmospheric sounds. We also get some kind of uplifting melody in there, without falling over to the cheesy side. Track 2 is one of my favourites on this album. Some kind of mystic vibe with far out trippy sounds. I like this kind of groovy, quite hypnotic progressive trance. Track 3 goes slightly more rough. Trippy as hell, with nice use of small melodies. Pretty massive sound picture all the way, without falling over to any kind of full on. Track 4 is another one of my favourites here. Totally atmospheric, drifting vibes, which makes at least me want to fly out on the dance floor. Track 5 is a really pumping track, but goes in a little bit more electro house direction now and then. Track 6 is a groovy, quite uplifting track with a melodic vibe. The melody is sort of fluffy, still it doesn’t fall over to the cheesy side. Perfect for an early evening dance floor. Track 7 continues the melodic style, here with slightly more happy vibes. Still, the nice atmospheric, trippy vibes follows us through. Track 8 slows down a little bit. This must be the perfect summer hit for the sunny dance floors this summer. I can see myself moving under the sun at a nice festival with this one on the speakers. The most housy track on the album, still I find it trippy enough to spin for a progressive trance crowd. They finish the album with a short chill out track, including female vocals by a girl named Sabrina. Not among the most impressive chill tracks I have heard lately, but it’s nice to get a chilled ending on a nice progressive journey anyway.
Sonic Cube has luckily not gone too much over to the electro influenced house direction that many progressive trance artists go these days, but keep steady to the hypnotic, trippy side of trance as they have done before. Still, it’s easy to hear that these guys have developed their sound a lot since their first album. With other words, a quality release as usual from Tribal Vision Records. An album that will stay a lot in my CD player this year, because it suits me well for relaxing at home, and for dancing to progressive beats on the dance floor.
PKS
More reviews at:
http://www.trance.net
CHILL TRIBE
CTRCD01 QUALITY RELAXATION
CTRCD02 RELAXED JOURNEYS
CTRCD03 EAR PLEASURE
CTRCD04 WOMBATMUSIC - Shameful Silence
CTRCD05 POLYPLOID - Grow Your Own
CTRCD06 IAN ION - Gringo Locomotion
CTRCD07 SUNKINGS - Before We Die |
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SONNENVAKUUM
Sonnenvakuum
Started Topics :
7
Posts :
33
Posted : Mar 9, 2006 09:09
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Quote:
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On 2006-03-08 20:26, PKS wrote:
Sonic Cube (Daniel Müller & Ueli Schill) from Germany is out with their second album, this time on the progressive trance label Tribal Vision Records in the Czech Republic.
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Hey there everybody. thanks a lot for you're comments  Just to correct this small thing : Sonic Cube is from Zürich / Switzerland , not Germany
Have a nice day everyone and thanks for the support !!!!!! |
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Tox-pix
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
11
Posts :
60
Posted : Mar 9, 2006 11:24
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Allright: Another full length album out on Tribal Vision, my fav new label!
1 Hide (7:52)
2 Last Jedi (7:35) Featuring - Sonnenvakuum
3 Cloud Buster (Album Mix) (8:27)
4 Amnesia (8:55)
5 Test (7:21)
6 Danger (7:57)
7 Microbes (7:35)
8 Xcute (9:09)
9 Astray (5:31)
This is innovative progressive spiced up with some very tasteful, clubby vibes. Where acts like POTS or Gaudium rely more on hypnotising rhythmic structures these Swiss boys keep you smiling with an optimistic melodic touch. It’s been a while since I’ve been this enthusiastic about a recent full album! So it deserves a full track-by-track-review!
Hide: Great opening track! Slow house-beats but with a lot of dark & groovy atmosphere. The hypnotising male vocal gives it kind of a clubby feel & there’s nothing wrong with that in my book. If progressive is deep trance than this is an abyss!
Last Jedi: One of the weakest tracks in this album imo… The music’s pretty minimal, without surprises… Not bad at all, but the Star Wars-samples seem a bit childish & out of place.
Cloud Buster (Album Mix): I already knew this track from the Street Art-compilation, where it’s featured in an André Absolut-RMX. Well, usually André adds something special to the original, this version is WAY better, if you ask me! Nice flow throughout the track & a powerfull rhythm that’s best described as a pounding, uptempo breakbeat. It slightly disappears to the background as the gentle melody breaks through at the end of the track Very cool!
Amnesia: Just more warm melodic progressive trance! Nice track but (as the title suggests?) not very memorable in comparison to the rest of the album.
Test: Another instant favourite of mine. The gentle melody might lack a little power for some but I think the electro-influences really lift this to another level. Especially since the combination of the cold synth-sound with the warm & positive bass-line works so well. It’s like there a second melody hidden inside the bass! A bit fluffy but it puts a smile on my face & makes me run to the stereo to put in on again from the beginning.
Danger: Another ingenious combination that works really well! The main theme is a short & fast melody that sounds like a synthetic xylophone & is repeated throughout the track. But after the break slow, subtle & epic soundscapes creep up out of the underground & make sure the trip doesn’t get boring.
Microbes : Nicely sliced-up samples here, too bad they make little sense. But they’re used in a cool way. The music itself, is pumping dancefloor material with enough variation because of the human voices.
Xcute : Saving the best for last? This track is pushed forward by a relentless drive & pumping beats. But it’s got everything from build-ups those thrilling progressive waves of white noise that come crushing down all over the track. From morning-festival-stomper to sweaty-nightclub-groover: can’t miss with this one
Astray : nice coming down track, I like the emotional female vocals on this one.
What can I say more? When5 out of 9 great tracks are sure winners you can’t complain these days! The artwork is very different form the usual Tribal Vision-style graphics, but the futuristic & minimal white look fits the music quite well I think.
The POTS-cd really had to grow on me but this has instant appeal. Hopefully that won’t mean I’ll get tired of it any quicker, but only time will tell…
Highly recommended release: 8.5/10 |
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Acidhive
IsraTrance Full Member
Started Topics :
76
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2014
Posted : Mar 9, 2006 17:10
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Some solid work by Sonic Cube. I don't really know the first album, so I can't compare it with that. This sounds like some good solid melodic progressive to me though. I instantly liked it from the first play I gave it. Especially tracks 5,6 really get a good groove going. The only track I found a bit less to my liking was the last one. But, with 8 out of 9 tracks being pretty good one can't complain. This is buy-worthy for sure. Keep it up Tribal Vision!
"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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Glen.C (Iboga Rec)
IsraTrance Full Member
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686
Posted : Mar 9, 2006 21:22
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guy cohen
IsraTrance Senior Member
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Posted : Mar 23, 2006 11:01
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Ok, so now it's my turn to drop some comments about the Sonic Cube's new album - Filter.
1. Hide
The first minute is an introduction for the full story. The baseline is slow (125 BPM) and thats why the vibe on the track is calm and relaxing. The goal of this track is to prepare the listener and take him to the direction of this album. I think this begining is an important factor for any progressive album. Good work.
2. Last Jedi (Feat. Sonnenvakuum)
A deep track all the way. The developing on this track is excellent - first, all you hear is the kick & baseline...slowly slowly more and more effects get in and keep the atmosphere stressful. On 03:54 there is a male vocal and few seconds later enter a pumping kick which give a new life to the track. The vocals are back few times which it's kind of annoying in my opinion.
3. Cloud Buster (album remix)
Tell you the truth, I don't so like the tracks which start with a kick without intro because it's take me time to connect the track but if the magic is existing the connection is faster. This track is always on action with a rolling baseline and a lot of elements around. The brake on 04:00 is very danceable...when the track going down, few seconds later it's going up with more power and sophistication and the "surprise-element" is what make me jump like a crazy.
4. Amnesia
The first minute is all an one kick but then the track is down,and on 01:25 it's up with some powerful baseline which make me wonder - "where the hell it is came from ? " . This one is definitely for the morning time with all the emotional melodies and this amazing groove - AWESOME !
5. Test
The baseline here is very similar to the baselines of the 'house' genre but there you will not find the brilliant building of the track. The style is very happy and smiling, maybe because the vocals and the excellent playings.
6. Danger
The progressive never looks so good... this track is one of the highlight moments of the album for sure. The process which the listener pass with the album is amazing...progressively the music seems to you more and more powerful. "Danger" is my favorite track from this cd.
7. Microbes
WOW ! I'm so like this kind of tracks..this fat kick shake all my body. Despite the lower tempo, the diging is still on top. The brake on 02:44 is fu**ing brilliant - the kick is never heard more danceable then this time and together with it, came in a female sexy vocals which keep the madness alive. On 05:20 enter a sweet melodi which followed by the kick's come back. "Microbes" is a rare experience for any progressive fan.
8. Xcute
The end -eeling is on the air and thats why the tempo is going down untill 128 BPM. "Xcute" is remind me the Ticon's music from their new album, but this one has more soul and flow. A smart choise after the "progressive-karahana" before. A melodi track from the begining till the end.
9. Astray (Feat. Sabrina)
The last track is an ambient one - full of beautiful playings and nice singing. I really like this kind of ends because it give the body pleasant rest with a smile on the face.
All I have to write is a thanks words for Sonic Cube guys (Ueli Schilli and Daniel Muller) and of course to Tribal Vision Records for release this high-quality materials ! keep the good work guys and the most important thing - keep the high level of music ! THANK YOU. |
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