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Space Monkey: Hyperactive (Agitato Records)
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Trance2MoveU
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
50
Posts :
129
Posted : Feb 28, 2006 03:37
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I have been wanting to review this one for a while so I finally have some time. I found this at psymag: "Space Monkey is Kfir Shmilovich who was born & raised in Germany. Kfir had moved to Israel & created a very strong connection to a local Psy full on world & culture." This is his 2nd album and is supposed to be "faster and darker."
So here we go...
1. Bubbling Sound- "There are certain...phenomena that can only be explained if there is a God. And if there are angels, and there are, they exist.." Pretty cool sample and then we are met with a lively bassline. A jumpy lead follows and is going crazy. My head is moving and I am ready to accept what the Monkey deals out! The lead vanishes and another squelchy one takes its place. That has to be 5 or 6 different lead sounds by the5 minute mark...I like the variety. A spacey sample speaks over a bed of arpeggiated sound. Yet another lead near the end. I believe, and hope this is just a sample to get our feet wet. 7/10
2. To Let Go- This one is kind of tribal after a vocal sample. Another bouncy lead dominates an eerie pad. We are full on but I don't hear much variety in this track. Like it has no direction. I do like the real drums at around the 4 minute mark, however. Nice movement and samples but nothing special. 6/10
3. Strange Life Form- Some spacey sounds and "bell like tones" in a nice melody. Some percussion funks it up until we get to a bassline. When the hi-hats come in, my head is moving. Some leads show themselves here and there, never staying to long. But once again, the track is kind of boring. Not much happening until the acid line at 4:22 starts weaving in and out of my ears. I believe the samples are from "Event Horizon" and I am a sucker for that movie. The pad melody is interesting underneath the samples, and then the lead takes over again. Good track, but I am slowly becoming disheartened. Where is the power? 6.5/10
4. Hyperactive- A tribal chant over some loping percussion with a tinkling bell chiming in. The bassline sounds dirty the way I like it. A Spaceballs sample..buckle up back there. We are going into...Hyperactive! Nice melody and quickly broken down. Some sample I have never heard of and then the lead comes back and we are moving! The time signature switches and we are bombarded with samples. I don't really care for this as there is no melody and it seems like all the sounds and samples were crammed together. As I have mentioned before, if you have a track named the same as your album, it better be kick ass! This is not. 6/10
5. In The Sky- Nice sample and percussion. The bassline then arrives and is that some cowbell? Oh boy, some guitar now. I thought we had moved past this. Finally at the 4 minute mark some zippery psysounds to break the monotony. But the guitar comes back, and I am definately not a fan of guitar in my trance. Unless it is the deep, growling crunchy kind. I won't be hurt if I never hear this track again. 3/10
6. The Prophecy- Spacey pads and my attention is peaked. Nice bassline and I am pleading with you Kfir. I need to know you can take it to another level. Short stabs pepper us with a nice break and an awakening lead. I feel like the mood is darker here and I like it. Shooting lase-like leads near the end move us along. This is the best one for me so far. 7.5/10
7. Machine Rhythm- I have heard that sample before, but cannot recall where. Stabs and robotic speech. We have a high-pitched wail that gets chopped up at times. There is a definite Infected Mushroom feel here and while some might call that good, I do not. Let it go. This track is so fragmented that you can't really get into any kind of flow. Until the 4 minute mark when the lead is chirping and the filthy bass is dragging us along. I certainly liked the second half of the track more than the first, but...what does that really say at this point? 6/10
8. Image In The Mirror- What I take from this track is that Instant Messanger sound. Ok, I have almost had enough...4/10
9. Africa United- With a title like this, you can guess it is tribal. We start off with congas and bongos and immediately fall into old school hip hop. African chants reverberate behind a full pad. It's ok and although it sounds pretty good, methinks it is too little too late. 6/10
This CD has really disappointed me. I had such high hopes and maybe that is my fault, but I feel that it just didn't deliver. The cover is so cool looking and I wanted very badly to like it. The tracks meandered along and there was no sense of flow at all. Some nice sounds, but no atmosphere created. Instead of not wanting tracks to end, I found myself saying,"Maybe the next one will be better." There was also no power to any of the tracks. None of the melodies and rhythms hung around long enough to enjoy. I think Kfir has talent, and hope that he will continue to get better. 5/10
Favorite tracks: 6,1,3. |
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Syntax442
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
12
Posts :
350
Posted : Feb 28, 2006 05:51
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i agree.
space monkey is in space somewhere...died.
traveling on a waves of cheesy crap.... |
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djspacemonkey
Started Topics :
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3
Posted : Mar 12, 2006 00:00
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Faster and darker? where did you hear (read) that? |
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Voice of All
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
48
Posts :
762
Posted : Mar 13, 2006 17:55
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i like this album. almost as previous one. maybe it is bit too cheesy some moments but anyway rather solid one. the first album was more innovative. some tracks were true pieces of art. here project turn to more mainstream sound. but still good production.
 Spiritual guides are to practice and serve in ways that cultivate awareness, empathy, and wisdom. |
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sundrop
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
20
Posts :
250
Posted : Mar 13, 2006 21:34
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i really like this album!
songs 2 and 8 are my favorites
especially 8, what a fun track 
"they undergo psychiatric evaluation"
"psychiatric evaluation"
"psychiatric"
"evaluation"
"thats bullshit!" |
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full_on
IsraTrance Team
Started Topics :
279
Posts :
5475
Posted : Mar 13, 2006 23:27
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Quote:
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On 2006-03-12 00:00, djspacemonkey wrote:
Faster and darker? where did you hear (read) that?
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http://www.psyshop.com/shop/CDs/age/age1cd045.html
and here:
http://www.saikosounds.com/english/display_release.asp?id=5177
Quote:
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On 2006-03-13 00:00, http://www.saikosounds.com wrote:
he new & "dark side" oriented psychedelic full on: faster, harder and happier
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IMO this album is worse than the previous one. More cheddar here...
I think I can stand some of these tunes at a party, I'll not blame or judge the DJ who plays it, but personally I will never play any of these tunes, because there are better tunes out there, including better tunes from Space Monkey.
Respect!
.
...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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Syntax442
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
12
Posts :
350
Posted : Mar 13, 2006 23:41
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Quote:
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On 2006-03-13 17:55, Voice of All wrote:
i like this album. almost as previous one. maybe it is bit too cheesy some moments but anyway rather solid one. the first album was more innovative. some tracks were true pieces of art. here project turn to more mainstream sound. but still good production.
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you like all full-on  ...
good production + non original cheesy sound = for the money.
mainstream yeah |
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TranceChick
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
20
Posts :
632
Posted : Mar 14, 2006 12:39
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Just because this album is different than "Psychotic Episode", doesn't make it better or worse.
I really like "Hyperactive"! I can hear that signature Space Monkey sound in each track.
It must be difficult for any artist to match or out-do the success from a debut release.
I give Kfir a lot of credit for working so hard for 2 yrs to give us this, his 2nd release.
At first, I thought there were way too many voice samples... but after a few times playing the whole cd, it grew on me. Now I want to hear it all the time! It's the music and layers of sounds I really like!
I have respect for the fact that everyone has different tastes when it comes to music. As for me... I love that "Monkey-Man"! 
Thanks Kfir!
Peace & Love;
www.sinrecords.com
www.shakticollective.com
www.myspace.com/trancechick4life |
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Voice of All
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
48
Posts :
762
Posted : Mar 14, 2006 12:45
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2Syntax442: yes. you right. i like full-on. and i more and more often i notice strange thing in this whole situation... who is talking about the money? commersialization? yep. very true. very sad. but what should i do? should i say that i dont like the music i like? i like it and i do not see a reason to lie. my feelings have no connection with money and i wont talk about it. i talk about music and will keep this. i got enough of 'money-bullshit'
Spiritual guides are to practice and serve in ways that cultivate awareness, empathy, and wisdom. |
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Zugonik
Started Topics :
6
Posts :
57
Posted : Mar 19, 2006 02:31
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astralex
Started Topics :
3
Posts :
32
Posted : Mar 20, 2006 02:34
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good job from space monkey:D  beter that first album. |
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MercuryFall
IsraTrance Full Member
Started Topics :
52
Posts :
711
Posted : Apr 2, 2006 16:26
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first album was a milestone, and this one is not up to the expactations. The legendary difficult second albums...
However, SM remains a fabulous act, really imaginative and able to bring you into special deep dimensions.
Track 2 is really one of those. No dissapointment, and likely to appear in my mixes, as well as track 6 (more morning oriented). Track 1 and 5 are above par also...
The other tracks, unfortunately, are not so great... Especially 7 and 8 I dont like... way below SM's abilities in term of composition. (production is as good as ever)
Last downtempo track is nice, with a kind of an ethnic vibe to it.
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Iraklis Mindphaser
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
19
Posts :
711
Posted : Apr 3, 2006 23:59
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bass system
Started Topics :
6
Posts :
63
Posted : Apr 5, 2006 10:28
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great stuff over here
i like it very much. |
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~Hyperspace~
Started Topics :
0
Posts :
32
Posted : Apr 10, 2006 02:42
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I got Hyperactive from Psyshop a few days ago and I haven't stoped playing it!
Great work on this cd Space Monkey!
~ Hyperspace ~
_-_-_-_-_-_-_
Trying to break free of these fackin' chains! |
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