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Tikal- Carnaval (Neurobiotic 2005)
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PKS
IsraTrance Full Member
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Posted : Jul 12, 2005 13:30
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Tikal (Vincent & Manuel Bernal) from France came as a huge positive surprise for the worlwide psytrance scene last year when they released their debut album (Ritual Cycle) on the Italian based full on label Neurobiotic Records. They gave us some fresh full on for a change, with new ideas and more variation. Now they are out with their second album called Carnaval with a pretty funny cover art, also this time on Neurobiotic.
Tikal "Carnaval" Neurobiotic Records 2005 (NBRCD15)
1. Welcome
2. Gipsy
3. Chers Amis
4. Silicon Sound - Shell (Tikal Rmx)
5. Overdrive
6. Sweet Child
7. Interlude
8. Tequila
9. Wave After Wave
10. La Bonne Etoile
The first track on this album is some kind of intro track. It starts with a very cheesy voice and some flute. The flute is nice, but the voice ruins it for me. Then we get some quite typical Tikal sounds, before the full on beat starts pumping. But, the cheesy voice followes the track. Clubby trance that will hit the masses, but for me, this is way too fluffy. The melody in this one reminds me actually of pure pop trance! Not very good welcoming... Track 2 gets better. It starts nice with a long intro with some birds singing etc. Then a drifting, full on bassline hits in. Nice, ethnic influences and not too fluffy ingredients. Sort of the style we got on their debut album. A lot of variation... Track 3 starts with several weird voice samples, scratching etc. Then we get thrown into a full on drift, tribal drums etc. A massive melody sneaks in and it sounds quite trippy, but this melody might sound a little bit too fluffy to some people. The rest of the ingredients we get here are pretty nice. Especially the female vocals. We get a lot of variation all the way as usual from these guys, which is a nice change from most other full on these days. Definately a favourite on this album. Track 4 is a track originally made by Silicon Sound (Johannes Regnier), also from France, but here we get a remix done by Tikal. This track goes a very clubby direction, and way too fluffy for my taste. Here we get all the usual full on club trance ingredients that we have heard way too many times lately, such as cheesy melodies and guitar samples... Track 5 has a typical Tikal, full on drift, but still with some clubby vibes in there. But, they saves it with some nice variation and massive production. A track that for sure will make people move on the dance floors this summer.
Track 6 starts really chilled, with a quite long intro. Here we get a really clubby melody. Pretty easy digestible full on. Too bad, because I really like parts on the track, but they sort of ruins it with cheese for the masses. Track 7 is a short track that goes a pretty funny, different way, which bring us straight to a carnaval in Brazil. Brazilian drums and trumpets, mixed into a massive, full on bassline. The Brazilian carnaval vibes continues in track 8, and it easily goes a little bit over the top. But, this can for sure make some fun at a party. This is actually the last full on track on this album. Track 9 is a more slow down tempo track with some kind of big beat influences. We also get some sitar sounds from the east. Quite different, massive track with some kind of dramatic vibe. The last track they serve us on this album is a chill out track. It’s quite melancholic, with the sound of violin. Pretty nice track, but in my opinion these guys make better full on than chill out.
Theses guys are for sure talented with a lot of ideas and creativity. But, I want to compare them a little bit with another strong French full on group called Bio-Tonic. They are both full of ideas and creativity, but they put a little bit too much of it in their tracks, and instead of going deeper, the result is often fluffier. I like a lot of their ideas, but most of these tracks goes over the top. I’m sure many people will like this album, but personally I prefer their first one. Watch out for these guys at festivals this summer! I’m sure they’re going to rock the crowd!
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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traveller
IsraTrance Senior Member
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Posted : Jul 15, 2005 17:26
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Just a few words..
Tikal’s first album “Ritual Cycle” is in my opinion one of the very few interesting full on releases since the whole full on boom thingy started. Proof enough for me is that I keep on going back to it every now and then. Sure it wasn’t a 10/10 release. Hardly any psytrance albums are, but still it had some very strong moments. Come to think of it I don’t think it had any filler tracks as in that the skip button would have been needed nor used. No, I think I’ve pretty much always listened to whole thing in thru a row.
And then another few words, only this time about the artwork..
Now colour wise the artwork is rather similar to the first one. What makes the real difference is that this times there are computer generated images instead of hand drawn ones. The theme is once again Mayan/Aztec/Inca. As usual with Neurobiotic a paper slip is included for the cd book thingies, or what ever you call them again. Very professional looking so thumbs up for that.
And then a flock of words about the thing that’s important..
The mastering is done by Avi Algranati who is better known as Space Cat so that side of things should be alright to say the least.
Track 1 - Welcome
The listener is guided to the elements of the track by a voice. He says stuff like: “There are many elements to a track”, “We’re gonna start here with a kick and the bass”, “Do you like the bass, it’s filtered..”. So yeah it might sound rather “not that brilliant” of an idea but in my opinion at least it works. I’m sure it would sound better with a monster sound system. My 62€ Logitech 5.1 surround setup might not do it any justice to it. If you’ve heard the first album, well its structure and the sound world are rather similar here. Then around 03:00 there’s the non 4x4 kick drum parts that really starts the track. Very Tikal like. This is the part where everyone is supposed to go crazy and dance funny until they have no more power and they return to the energy saving dance mode. You know what I’m talking about don’t you? The funny thing is that this stuff is complicated and layered. Not something I would personally expect from the average Israeli full on. Then again this is made in the EU by our new French connection  It all fits and some parts even remind me of the good old Goa style so it’s all good.
Track 2 - Gipsy
It’s about a minute of funny noises before the track reaches the danceable mode. I know we’ve heard similar basslines in over a thousand tunes, and maybe I’m a bit biased or then again perhaps not but still in my opinion Tikal has a unique way to do it. Again around 03:00 we get to the “dance crazy” part and it’s very good. No cheesy uplifting 4 key synthlines here. It’s very uh, fat. Snarling for sure. Then there’s a spoken sample and then the “dance even crazier” part starts with a serious hillbilly melody. It’s the dominant force. Fun rules, right? Some things here remind me of old (as in old!) Infected Mushroom techniques. So that’s just great. This track will be played again and again at all the big European summer festivals for sure. Atleast I hope so for the listeners sake . It’s tracks like these that keep full on interesting. If it only wasn’t so damn hard to find the pearls from the huge pile of garbage.
Track 3 – Chers Amis
The coolest spoken samples are the ones you don’t understand. In my opinion anyways. Here’s one of those. Doesn’t take that long and we’re back in the bpm driven madness. Okay so yeah it’s not madness, but it’s not serious  either. There’s a melody. But yet somehow I keep on concentrating on the stuff that’s going on in the background. That stuff by the way would be non existent if it didn’t say “Tikal” on the cover. Then a female voice sort of like sings. Ah indeed she sings. Hypnotic . I bet she’s hot. Don’t know what language that is, if any. Certainly not Germanic. Or hell I don’t know. Do read on. Fuck I don’t know, I just like Tikal.  They’re the heavy weight champions of the full on world. Again for audience’s sake I hope this tune is played often enough at the big euro festies. There’s a piano. And there are also horns (which the first album had plenty off..) But horns are cool. This is starting to sound like hyping but I can’t help myself. I like it too much, too much..
Track 4 – Shell remix
So it’s originally a Silicon Sound track. I would have not known that but it says so in the “booklet” so I’ll believe it. I’ve never heard the original so I can’t tell which is more killargh. And that melody is the break part is for sure from some old Infected Mushroom track, is it not? Okay the bassline is groovy. And when I say groovy I mean it. It goes very well with the drums. Okay even with out hearing the orginal I can swear by my distant future grave that this one is better. It’s incredible how much heart Tikal guys can put to a track. This goes well even as home listening (as do the previous tunes, but this even more). Oh there are some guitars too. And that “melody” is so god damn familiar! Tikal has a very unique way of making things bouncy. They’re the bouncing masters.
And then suddenly it sounds like that one tune from the first album. Sun Shine Middle east perhaps (just throwing names here..)?
Track 5 – Overdrive
Around 01:30 the drums start. It definitely sneaks in with the “whatever you call that effect”. Surely there’s a name for it. Here the emphasis is a bit more on the drums perhaps. Well no. Things change. Somehow I’m not that much into this one. Not yet atleast. Then again 4 more minutes to go. You never know. Somehow things are a bit more straight forward. Then again it might just be my lo-fi sound system. We all know how much a good sound system contributes to a track. Okay, a little before 6 minute mark we go to a Goaish synthline. And yeah I like it. See they just don’t know how to let one down. There’s a voice of woman. Flangered in the end..
Track 6 – Sweet Child
A spoken sample is the beginning. Something a bit theatrical to all this. Ah he’s talking about the ancient ones and time that has come again and entering of things. Cool! And what a fucking massive it’s as it kicks in with full power. And fuck that synthline is familiar! Or eh maybe not? Don’t know but it fits here purrfect. Some serious playing with effects going on. And tone changing synths. And and and.. very mushroomish . Okay then there’s one of those fairy tale synthlines with everything else quiet. Sort of like in Shamanix! WoooO! Yes there’s playing going around with the drums too. I’m smiling It’s very happy, but not cheesy. Should I go as far as saying that it’s the best full on tune I’ve heard this far? Don’t know. But I most certainly love this and give it the “psychedelic as fuck” stamp.  There’s some sort of like vocoder thingy going on for a while. Only it sort of blends to the drum work. And then the synth from the beginning. It’s almost like an anthem. Eh, it’s, but not in a cheesy way. No the psychedelicness levels take care of that. If you’re a dj who’s playing in the big ass places this ummer you better have this on you . Most certainly the tune that should get even proggies to the floor. Certainly smiles all around. Beautiful people ..approved by teh traveler This tune pwns the dancefloor for sure.
Track 7 – Interlude
Some serious latin America stuff going on in the beginning. Bongos, shponglish horns and melodies. You know like tales of the inexpressible. Then some guy yells something and the bassline kicks in with the eh, kicks. The bongo drums remain. Then a “melody” which could be find in some early 80’s police series. And then something from the previous album again. Yes from that track horn travel. Only it doesn’t stay long. Only a reminder of a great track . Then at 03:00 things go a step more electronic with a synth.
Track 8 – Tequila
This will be the last “high” bpm track on the album. This time it’s a mixed transfer. It’s the guitar riff that puts things in motion again. Horns are apparently here to stay. There’s also a rather interesting synth thingy at 01:00 but it doesn’t stay for long. The guitar riff is still going strong. Only it changed a bit. So along comes a synth that joins the play. The bass is very warm and fat sounding. Snarling synths going on again. There’s also electronic guitar on the background. Yes I totally see why they named this child tequila. 03:00 starts one of those Infected Mushroom glory reminders. Yes there are multiple melodies going on at any given time. There are probably more things going on in this track alone than the whole catalogue of some full on labels..
Track 9 – Wave after wave
The transfer is a bit odd but lets not let that disturb the experience. You know the last track on Spaceships of Imagination? Or the “opening” track in that movie “Ghosts of Mars”? Well this seems to be something in that fashion. Only it’s roasted with some eastern instruments. Also reminds of an ambient classic: Saikopod’s Go Fly A Kite. Job well done. I don’t know what to say other than this: There’s nothing to criticize and much to worship, only I’m a lazy bastard so that will not happen.
Track 10 – La bonne Etoile
There’s something Café Del Marish to the beginning. If you’ve heard any of those compilations I’m sure you’ll agree. There are some strings here. Other than that only certain flickering synths and a beat. But it’s about to change and indeed now there’s a bass too. Sort of saw that one coming But that I didn’t. It’s another synth that travels around my room from left to the right and right to the left and so on. Also a spoken muted sample and something I assume to be originating of a female. Somewhere around a corner a flute joins in. And the beats goes a little downbeatish/drum n bassish. There are some voices. I’m feeling too calm to write any more. Just enjoy. It’s all good, it’s all good
Some words again (will it ever end huh?)..
It feels to me like Tikal is filling the gap Infected Mushroom left in all of us. If they can only stray a bit more away from the general full on it’ll be a fucking jackpot of psychedelic trance.
Now if you’re a dj this is very good news cos you can just pop this album in and play it thru and after that everyone will call you a master.
And eh. I don’t know. Yesterday I watched this movie called “Life aquatic with Steve Zissou”, althou I knew absolutely nothing about the movie before hand, other than that it was sort of like a movie about Custoe I had decided that I would love it. And guess what, it instantly made it to my “best movies I’ve ever seen list”. Certainly to me personally the best movie of this millennia. The best movie since Fear & Loathing. Seriously recommended.
So anyways. Even before hearing this album I had already decided that I was going to love it, (due to a great experience with the first album) and what do you know. I do
5/5  Seriously, not 10/10 thou cos I’m too biased about certain UK label but nevertheless this is the good shit
But what’s up with the crappy grammar and spelling and a billion smilies? I’d love to spend a few more hours on this but see time is a bit of luxury for me at a moment and I’ve seriously worked way too much this/these last week(s) so I let myself go now and enjoy the summer. If you want to file a complaint feel free to do so at travellandthentheemailsigngmaildotcom. Also remember to pass me a cheque of 100 (one hundred) € and I will mail you the book version with all corrections. Thank you for the time.
And if you still didn’t get it: I FUCKING LOVE THIS
Now really thank you for your time. Go buy it!
EDIT: don't believe PKS.. it most certainly isn't cheese for the masses.. "The dinosaurs became extinct because they didn't have a space program."
- Larry Niven |
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DiMiTry
IsraTrance Full Member
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Posted : Jul 15, 2005 19:21
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First album is better, imo. Quite a bit darker than this one, and more innovative at the time.. Though this isn't a bad album by any means.. just not as good. IMO.
..it's just another party.. |
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kabooki_cat
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Posted : Jul 17, 2005 12:02
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this album not bad... fun dancing music 4 summertime!
i like.
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Bloodclot
Bloodclot
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93
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Posted : Jul 19, 2005 08:21
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I love this album.. specially gipsy!
Happy tunes.. just the way I like it ...
Good going Tikal 
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pr0fane
Multiphase
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Posted : Jul 19, 2005 15:33
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The first Tikal album "Ritual Cycle" was quite an unusual experience for me. First I didn't understand the hype, but I eventually started too really like it (mainly boosted by their liveact at Full Moon last year), and now I consider it one of the freshest full on albums released last year.
The second album "Carnaval" continue the formula from "Ritual Cycle" with fun-filled festival full on, but where "Ritual Cycle" had a more eastern-influenced theme, "Carnaval" has more focus on Brazilian samba-rhythms. This works especially well in the short "Interlude", and elements of "Tequila" are very good as well. The overall highlight must be the remix of Silicon Sounds "Shell" though – the vocals from the originals are simply amazing, and it will surely be played again and again this summer.
Despite the highlights "Carnaval" isn't as good as its predecessor though. This formula just isn't as new and fresh as it was last year, and a few times the album is downright annoying. Especially the opening track was so disturbing that it made a huge impact on my impression of the rest of the album. Those "this is how you build a track" samples sounded like something coming straight out of a hardstyle track.
I'd have to strongly disagree with traveller by the way: "Carnaval" is a very cheesy album, and definitely music for the psytrance masses. Not that it's necessarily a bad thing though – we all need a good dose of fun, blasting summer dance-music sometimes, and Tikal are better at this than most other full on acts.
Now Neurobiotic, bring us that (Pa)Nick album we've been waiting for!
DJ pr0fane (Iboga Records) | Multiphase
www.sunrisesupplies.com | www.iboga.dk | www.soundcloud.com/pr0fane |
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The Green Channel
IsraTrance Junior Member
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Posted : Jul 19, 2005 19:51
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Well I have only listened to the album two times, my first impression is over-all good, not exeptional, but above-avarge 7.5/10.
I actually think that both tikal’s albumes are about the same rate, this album is more melodic and CHEESY and the first one was more dark.
(Yannick The feeling you get when you hear Arez singing, I get the same feeling when I hear American-wannabe NBA broadcasters saying different kinds of weird stuff directed through a vocoder, it’s cheesey. It sounds a little like the awful-German-melodic-techno that some of us listened to before we went psychedelic,(my self included:)), when I say psychedelic I mean psychedelic like OTT or Hallucinogen, I don’t mean like most of todays dark-Psy artists )
I also think it’s funny that a lot of people Shoot-down almost every single Israeli full-on release (which is ok, because most of the full-on that is being produced today is horrible)
However I don’t regard this album as being better then Pixels album for instance, or even Astrix’s last album. The feeling that I get when I listen to a track like Astrix - Beyond Senses from Artcore, is a feeling that none of the tracks in this album give me, not in terms of production or entertainment, and entertainment is full-on’s primary task. This is off course my opinion …
Cheers.
"Love is a way of life"
(Gaia, Love, Nature, Shamanism (.2A.y.0a.hu.1a.sc.2a.), Terence McKenna) |
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Pavel
Moderator
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Posted : Jul 19, 2005 22:33
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Gotta love Ofra Haza's (Rest in peace) vocals on the 3rd track. The original song was quite a big hit in the end of the 80's
http://www.discogs.com/release/216706
Everyone in the world is doing something without me |
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Pavel
Moderator
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Posted : Jul 19, 2005 22:36
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Quote:
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On 2005-07-15 17:26, traveller wrote:
Track 3 – Chers Amis
Then a female voice sort of like sings. Ah indeed she sings. Hypnotic . I bet she’s hot. Don’t know what language that is, if any.
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It's Ofra Haza, sings in ancient Hebrew. Hot? Arguable. Alive? No. Passed away from AIDS several years ago. 
http://stat.discogs.com/R/216706-1119400467.jpg
Everyone in the world is doing something without me |
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el presagio
Started Topics :
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312
Posted : Jul 20, 2005 00:40
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track numer 6 the voice in the begining if im not mistaken i think its from jim morrison and the main melodie its from guns n roses-sweet child of mine ,
anway i loved this album awsome production in my opinion , brilliant in terms of technique i want more albuns like this
awsome work congratulations for this album vicent and manuel bernal |
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full_on
IsraTrance Team
Started Topics :
279
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Posted : Jul 20, 2005 04:52
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Quote:
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On 2005-07-15 17:26, traveller wrote:
it most certainly isn't cheese for the masses..
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I agree with pr0fane and PKS, IMO the ratio psychedelia/cheese is not worth. I disagree with you traveller, and even after read your full review I couldn´t understand why you liked it. It does not sound like the other stuff you reviewed here (obviously this is a personal interpretation based on my own observations).
Didn´t liked this album... 
Mostly average full on, I was definetely waiting for more, I like most Neurobiotics releases.
I won´t go into details, except that I bought it and will give it away to a friend who liked it: not really my style (but I felt good supporting Neurobiotics ).
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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HandA
Inactive User
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Posted : Jul 20, 2005 09:10
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If we could post pictures here I would post a picture of a BIG OLD Cheese. Thats what I think of this CD after listening to it. Nothing new under the sun. The same old boring Full On formular spiced up with cheesy melodies. Surely this scene's artists can do better than this.
2/5 |
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The Green Channel
IsraTrance Junior Member
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Posted : Jul 20, 2005 18:04
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Quote:
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On 2005-07-20 09:10, HandA wrote:
If we could post pictures here I would post a picture of a BIG OLD Cheese. Thats what I think of this CD after listening to it. Nothing new under the sun. The same old boring Full On formular spiced up with cheesy melodies. Surely this scene's artists can do better than this.
2/5
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One should think...
"Love is a way of life"
(Gaia, Love, Nature, Shamanism (.2A.y.0a.hu.1a.sc.2a.), Terence McKenna) |
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The Green Channel
IsraTrance Junior Member
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Posted : Jul 22, 2005 00:18
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Well i listened to it some more and i think it's worse then i thought, far to much cheese. 6/10
"Love is a way of life"
(Gaia, Love, Nature, Shamanism (.2A.y.0a.hu.1a.sc.2a.), Terence McKenna) |
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----Dawn----
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
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Posted : Jul 22, 2005 02:34
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Quote:
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On 2005-07-20 09:10, HandA wrote:
If we could post pictures here I would post a picture of a BIG OLD Cheese.
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What kind of cheese would it be?
It states clearly in the IsraTrance rules that any reference to cheese, milk or other dairy products should be accompanied by the type of said product and (where available) full detailed manufacturing procedure! You just don't care do you, pal? With people like you around, the whole damn system could collapse into anarchy!
Where would you post pictures of cheese then, eh?
Fascist!
(Btw, i thought this album was pretty good... and i would post a picture of a erm... monkey on a bicycle)
Am i the only one who believes in solipsism? |
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