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V/A - Sound Love Devotion
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Rah
IsraTrance Full Member
Started Topics :
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Posted : Jun 4, 2005 23:21
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Compilation: Love Sound Devotion
Label: Spirit Zone Records
Year: 2005
Format: CD
Web: http://www.spiritzone.com
Country: Germany / Spain
Label Info:
Being the heartchild of DJ Antaro, his original intention for the label was to release Goa inspired trance tracks. Initially setting out with an international pool of artists, the label enjoyed growing international acclaim and popularity from its inception onwards. Following a first wave of resonating responses, a more local focus developed alongside the international roster of label artists. At the time back in 1994, the sole presence of this psy-trance oriented label in Germany, encouraged many local artists to expose their work and find an outlet for their sound. The Label is currently located in Ibiza, Spain.
Songs
01. Genetic Spin & Silicon Sound - Nature (140 BPM's)
02. GMS & Friends - Final Counting (143 BPM's)
03. Indika - Star Stuff (145 BPM's)
04. 4 Winds Circle - Feedback Decoded (145 BPM's)
05. Mr. Peculiar - Alien Mushrooms (145 BPM's)
06. Polaris - Baculejo (145 BPM's)
07. Dark Nebula - Blackrystal (146 BPM's)
08. Tikal - God Bless (145 BPM's)
09. Turbo Turtle - Lazy Lobster (145 BPM's)
Review:
When one of the earliest Goa Trance labels Spirit Zone release a compilation to celebrate 11 years of putting out Goa inspired trance and techno you know you need to pay attention. The Ibiza (formerly German) based label could have raided their back catalog for this release but instead have opted to give us 9 new cuts on the melodic side.
Opening up with a couple of minutes of ethnic sounds before the trance kicks in Genetic Spin and Silicon Sound bring us Nature. On the surface the tune isn't that special, and it's certainly not an obvious dance floor killer but the well crafted analog noises that flit about the stereo underneath the melodies add a real depth to the tune - which for me has always been part of the essence of trance, that you can tune in to a completely different set of sounds and hear the track on a totally different level. This attention to detail is a common theme through the compilation, and shows why Spirit Zone are still where they are a decade on when so many of their peers have fallen by the wayside.
Track 2 is "Final Counting" by GMS and Friends. Knowing the current trend for cover versions and rock remixes I was half expecting a version of Europe 's synth-tastic hairspray anthem. I'm almost inclined to suggest that would have been better, I know it's fashionable to knock GMS these days and I really didn't want to but where Nature bought us hidden depths Final Counting is made to look even more formulaic. Still there needs to be an exception to prove the rule and thankfully things are brought back on track.
Star Stuff by Indika is another slice of pure melodic trance. We need tracks like this to remind us why it's even called psy TRANCE nowadays, it isn't obvious and it doesn't force sounds on you it simply floats them around you and leaves you to pluck them out of the air.
Track 4 rolls in where Star Stuff leaves off, 4 Winds Circle's "Feedback Decoded" drives a little harder but is still a sublime layered piece of melodic goodness - only small complaint is that the break seems stuck in for no reason, particularly as after it the track kicks back in at exactly the same intensity as it was before and then continues to build. Might as well just let it build from start to finish for a change.
Australia 's Mr. Peculiar is next up with "Alien Mushrooms" which treats us to a more psychedelic side of the sound, with every morphing melody playing over a backdrop of squelches and tweaks. Dustin Saalfield aka Mr. Peculiar makes some ace tracks and this one doesn't disappoint.
Polaris from France steps up next with his trademark rolling sound. Like a lot of Polaris' output you get the feeling that you've heard a good deal of "Bacuejo" before but so long as his debut album has not been heard recently this track fits in nicely in this compilation. He does make a polished production but I'd like him to learn a new bassline.
Another Australian production follows, Dark Nebula's "Black Crystal". The first thing that hits you is a sample "...green crystal, yellow crystal, transparent crystal"....."Black crystal, black crystal" - it's strange but it works because of it. This track provides a bit of a diversion from those before it, it's still just as deep but the bass line really takes centre stage and is used to simultaneously hypnotize and drill your brain, until 3 minutes in and you think you detect a delicious trance melody but just when you expect it to kick...what's that? The track actually laughs at you, "hahahahaha" before relenting and giving you what you've been waiting for, and that's just one of the surprises this tune has for you. Easily one of the stand out tracks on the album.
Tikal 's God Bless has a real flavour of the olds chool about it, not sure what it is but something about the structure of the track and the way it builds. The sounds are modern but the vibe of the piece is pure 1997 in the very best way.
The album closer, Lazy Lobster by Turbo Turtle is probably the deepest track on the album and provides and enjoyable closer to a superb journey, synths drift, pan and wobble around ambient effects so subtle that you aren't really conscious of them until they are almost gone.
All in all then a superb album from the veteran label, even better if you program your CD player to miss track 2. I'm not sure I'd describe it as a dancefloor set, although it's got a time and a place (and what a time and a place!) it's not a collection of tunes that will have the gurning masses exploding in the same way as an Eskimo track but that's not the point. Play the album as an (almost) whole, in the sun, with a beer and a spliff. Loverly.
- DJ Moonkey Do Reviews periodically @ http://Sonic-energy.net
Get it:
http://www.chaosunlimited.co.uk/cgi-bin/product.asp?LR=szcd152&TRM=love
http://www.psysale.com/product_info.php?products_id=4693
http://www.psyshop.com/shop/CDs/spi/spi1cd152.html
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Pavel
Moderator
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Posted : Jun 5, 2005 00:20
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02. GMS & Friends - Final Counting (143 BPM's)
GMS, running out of ideas? No way.... So what's next?
Bon Jovi has some memorable tunes to remix, or perhaps Twisted Sister?
Everyone in the world is doing something without me |
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Rah
IsraTrance Full Member
Started Topics :
77
Posts :
498
Posted : Jun 5, 2005 01:36
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i just realized i messed up the name... is LOVE SOUND DEVOTION.. haha.. sorry about that  
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Dr. Mez
Started Topics :
2
Posts :
35
Posted : Jun 5, 2005 12:36
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2001: Spirit Zone lead the world with quality releases, underground acts like Necton and Shiva Chandra go side by side with acts that have proven themselves time and time again. There seems like nothing can stop this label from leaping forward and taking the underground one step forward ahead of what the rest of the world imagined.
2003: Spirit Zone moves from Hamburg to Ibiza.
2005: GMS release a remix of a cheesy 80s tune on the label, on a full-on compilation with a cheesy name (ya! LSD! COOL!) that has exactly 1.5 original tracks, from artists that aren't even signed on the label (Mr. Peculiar and maybe someone else). No sign of Electric Universe, SUN Project or even Space Tribe in this compilation - why use your aces, I mean, who needs the creative guys?
Am I the only one who thinks this isn't a good thing?
I'll leave the GMS bashing to others, not enough time to even begin to explain how much those guys suck. |
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psy^soldier
IsraTrance Junior Member
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26
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922
Posted : Jun 5, 2005 17:20
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dr mez come on maby review somthing you do like ? |
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Pavel
Moderator
Started Topics :
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Posted : Jun 5, 2005 19:21
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Actually 1st tune should be interesting enough as well.
But GMS tune is just a giant slap in the face. Are they chasing Skazi now? Who will make more killlar remixes? What gets the winner? Wait, i don't really want to know.
Everyone in the world is doing something without me |
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Rah
IsraTrance Full Member
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498
Posted : Jun 5, 2005 19:24
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Quote:
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On 2005-06-05 12:36, Dr. Mez wrote:
Am I the only one who thinks this isn't a good thing?
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i wonder if you even heard the cd first, before bashing it. There is nothing easier these days. What is really hard is to sit down and listen, against prejudices having your close minded preconceptions changed. Some people can't get over the fact there is a GMS song song so in the cool 'book' that release gets tainted. I'm not particularly a fan... but last time i checked there were still 8 songs and some of them deserved a little attention by the reviewer.
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psy^soldier
IsraTrance Junior Member
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Posted : Jun 5, 2005 19:31
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gms isnt blong anymore to psytrance thats the fact |
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Pavel
Moderator
Started Topics :
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Posted : Jun 5, 2005 20:25
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Quote:
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On 2005-06-05 19:24, Rah wrote:
Quote:
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On 2005-06-05 12:36, Dr. Mez wrote:
Am I the only one who thinks this isn't a good thing?
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i wonder if you even heard the cd first, before bashing it. There is nothing easier these days. What is really hard is to sit down and listen, against prejudices having your close minded preconceptions changed. Some people can't get over the fact there is a GMS song song so in the cool 'book' that release gets tainted. I'm not particularly a fan... but last time i checked there were still 8 songs and some of them deserved a little attention by the reviewer.
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When someone churns out remixes of old tunes instead of making his own it's usually a sign that they are bored and have no ideas of their own. And if they are bored why should we bother? GMS had their time. They had great tunes. I've been to several parties of them. But enough is enough. What they do today is boring same old crap. I don't care how killar their bassline is nowadays. I don't give how good production is. They are BORING!
Everyone in the world is doing something without me |
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Michael/Genetic Spin
Genetic Spin
Started Topics :
8
Posts :
67
Posted : Jun 5, 2005 22:54
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Thanx for the review I think it's a good one. Myself, I really like this compilation, I believe it has collected tracks that suit eachother well, which gives the compilation an overall feeling and expression.
I especially like the Indika and Tikal tracks and I must say I can't really see why the GMS track should be a bad one. I really can't hear anything wrong with it, nice production, a lot of energy and nice build up and nice sounding themes, background sounds etc. I wonder if the track would get the same kind of critism if it was made by a new unknown name?  |
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Dr. Mez
Started Topics :
2
Posts :
35
Posted : Jun 5, 2005 23:12
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Quote:
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On 2005-06-05 19:24, Rah wrote:
Quote:
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On 2005-06-05 12:36, Dr. Mez wrote:
Am I the only one who thinks this isn't a good thing?
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i wonder if you even heard the cd first, before bashing it. There is nothing easier these days. What is really hard is to sit down and listen, against prejudices having your close minded preconceptions changed. Some people can't get over the fact there is a GMS song song so in the cool 'book' that release gets tainted. I'm not particularly a fan... but last time i checked there were still 8 songs and some of them deserved a little attention by the reviewer.
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Look in my post again and find one place where I said that any track on this album is bad. I said that I found only one track truely creative, and 1-2 others that aren't cookie-cutter full-on - and coming from a label like Spirit Zone, which used to be on the very cutting edge of underground dancefloor electronica - a generic full-on compilation (and that's what it is - I never said it was a bad one at that, it's not) is nearly an insult. |
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Rah
IsraTrance Full Member
Started Topics :
77
Posts :
498
Posted : Jun 5, 2005 23:24
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@Dr.Mez
did not mean to "nearly insult' anybody...
at least we agree on a number of issues... my comment was adressed not only at you but at other comments in this thread... and now give me a hug big guy, no reason to get insulted
elementoftime.net
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Sonic-energy.net
Reviews, interviews, downloads, articles. |
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Dr. Mez
Started Topics :
2
Posts :
35
Posted : Jun 5, 2005 23:34
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GROUP HUG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! |
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monkeydo
Started Topics :
3
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17
Posted : Jun 7, 2005 09:19
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I wrote that review for Sonic-Energy and I'd like to point out that as far as I can tell "Final Couting" ISNT a remix of Europe, that's what I thought BEFORE I listened to it.
@Genetic Spin: There is nothing "wrong" per se with the GMS track, but for me it lacks the depth of the rest of the tracks on the album, something that is made even more obvious by sandwiching it between the far more subtle Nature and Star Stuff. I was really hoping not to knock GMS at all as it's oh so fashionable to do so, but when the track so obviously upsets the flow of the compilation I had to make that clear.
ps check out my show on Digitally Imported tonight, I might even play some GMS, hell even Alien Project and Skazi LOL!
Monkey Do |
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Voice of All
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
48
Posts :
762
Posted : Mar 15, 2006 22:01
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outstanding compilation! realy one of the best so far! and you've wrote very good review, monkey do... thanx. but i think that gms track is not so bad... it is much better all the tracks of their last album... in one league with polaris here. take a look! these two probably are worst at this disc. but not bad at all. very nice two. but indika, 4 wind circles, tikal, genetic spin and silicon sound are better. and the top of the crown is definetely mr.peculiar's piece of pure trance.
i want to thank spirit zone and dj antaro for this release! im very glad that there is a label that makes it possible to fit my demands with such precision.
also i want to mark great mastering of this cd.
Spiritual guides are to practice and serve in ways that cultivate awareness, empathy, and wisdom. |
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