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VA - Contact Lens (Cosmic Conspiracy)
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psyreviews
IsraTrance Full Member
Started Topics :
71
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204
Posted : Jul 7, 2005 23:07
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Various
Contact Lens
Cosmic Conspiracy Records (New Zealand)
I’m not sure whether I’ve ever come across anything from New Zealand before… but this is definitely something special. With artists from Australia, NZ, Denmark, Mexico, Brazil and Germany it’s definitely a wide spread, and with mostly new names (to me, anyway) it’s a pretty intriguing package whichever way you look at it. Sensient’s Lipofuct gets things moving in much the way you’d expect really – eight slowly evolving minutes of deep farken trance, getting deeper and deeper as it goes. Sensient’s on very fine form at the moment, and the “80% dub” feel that this tune has places it firmly up there among his best. Minimal Criminal’s Eulenschrei pulses through a similar vein, with the emphasis firmly on textures and psychedelic stabs echoing their way around your head. Less is most definitely more on this one. DJ Ruth’s Rats In A Maze has a bouncier vibe, more energetic and with two alternating vibes going on – one sinister, and the other a light-at-the-end-of-the-tunnel sunrise vibe. Bloody marvellous, in other words – the shifting in and out of each vibe is very impressive, and when it concludes on (I’d say) more of a positive tone, the feeling of a journey through the track is incredible. Psypox’s Nasty In The Pasty is a corker – it builds up delicious layers of proggy goodness, again keeping this sort of sinister-ish vibe going on. And then it breaks before shunting back in again with more high-end, hypnotising you completely and creating that rare vibe in a track that draws the dancefloor right into it, then gives them something to get excited about. Visua’s Attractor has a sort of fullon feel to it, yet keeps itself firmly in progressive landscapes – once it settles, it picks up and evolves into pretty decent, chummy prog but somehow the fullon elements make it sound a little awkward – like someone’s threatening to mix Astrix over Freq. Alfredo Garcia’s Watch Me has been on very heavy rotation here lately – a wonderfully funky guitar in the intro, a hypnotic and tight-as-a-nun’s-cnut midsection, then heading into deep Balearic classic-house territory for the finale. Bloody nice. Minimal Criminal’s Disco Shit sets out in a very aggressive way, with deep-set trance movements coupled with sleazy brass stabs (as though Adam West’s Batman was fighting The Joker on ketamine). And then, about three and a half minutes in, a filtered loop from Sylvester’s You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real) comes in… shocked? You will be! It doesn’t stay too long, and it sort of comes back again later… but on the list of all the songs I never thought would end up sampled on a psy record, that has to come up quite close to the top. Baffling and vaguely Loopus-like. Shadow FX vs Tetrameth’s Escape Sequence is tasty in the extreme…. It has a definite life of its own, and a very distinctive sound that’s at once shifty, solid, analogue, futuristic, and with a very psychedelic final run that nobody’s going to expect. Ozone’s Danoz Direct runs at a very nice pace (131bpm) and mixes high-end melodic runs with a ballsy and bassy bottom that has a bit of a nod to tripped-out amyl house. It sounds a little bit tweaked-off-pitch, giving the sound a very quirky psychedelicness about it. And finally, to Cosm – only NZ act on the compilation – whose The Opaque has to be one of my favourite finds of the year so far. Tucked away here is one of my favourite progressive tunes in such a long while, it’s smoother than twenty virgins in a vat of butter, the chords are simple and as emotive as they are absorbing, and that final three minutes is as psychedelic and as funky as anything else around at the moment. Top marks fellas. All in all this is a neat compilation, its sound is very individual and does well to distance itself from the Digital Structures / Iboga sound so prevalent at the moment. With enough sinister stuff to complement the Sensient album you just bought, this could be well worth checking out.
8
 
http://www.psyreviews.com/clothing/ |
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psypox
Psypox / Bufo
Started Topics :
53
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768
Posted : Jul 8, 2005 22:24
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Shithit89
Alfredo Garcia
Started Topics :
15
Posts :
43
Posted : Jul 10, 2005 00:41
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@psybox: in german i would say "knaller"...word for something you are positively surprised by...
@psyreviews: thx for the review...very nice to read that kind of description for my track...lol! Thx a lot..
Greetings, Ulf! |
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kenny
Started Topics :
4
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116
Posted : Jul 11, 2005 16:18
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Nice review, different as always. 
Could you please, please, PLEASE use more sections in your reviews, it would really make the reading more pleasant. |
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Nomolos(Zenon Rec.)
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
48
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2027
Posted : Jul 11, 2005 18:09
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nice review as allways! didnt hear the Compil' as a whole but the fact that allmost everyone on the playlist is a friend gave me the chance to hear some previews a while back....im sooo cool....i have friends that make psy music YeY!
Cheers.
"....or is it???"
www.zenonrecords.com
www.myspace.com/thenomolos |
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minimal_criminal
Minimal Criminal
Started Topics :
4
Posts :
60
Posted : Jul 12, 2005 23:36
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Quote:
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On 2005-07-07 23:07, psyreviews wrote:
Various
Contact Lens
Cosmic Conspiracy Records (New Zealand)
(as though Adam West’s Batman was fighting The Joker on ketamine)
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COOL hehehee nice review |
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M'rco
Started Topics :
4
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32
Posted : Jul 14, 2005 15:32
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Hey mates & mites...!
What a nice summer for a nice CCR Compilation..!
Hope you all enjoyed the funky tunes of different artist all around the whole, as much as i did...
If you havent heard it yet...? Pls che...Naaah...To Bad...!
Best wishes to the CCR studs..! Haha! May you all have a nice summmer...! 
Cheers
Jinx
Deep Danish Disco...!
http://www.mrco.dk |
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cosm
Cosm
Started Topics :
30
Posts :
63
Posted : Aug 5, 2005 13:56
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Wow what a sweeeeeet review for cosmics second compilation. I am really liking this CD aye, not just because we have a tune on it but I really really think youve snatched up some gold artists/and tunes here aviel.
Really feeling Rats in a maze..and far out Eulenschrei !!! how the hell did you come up with that? absolutley love it.
Cheers for the support and trust Wizdumb, its really really awsome for us and d oing our musical career a big big favour! look forward to the next one
Love Hannah (and Tom
www.cosm.co.nz |
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Suspekt
IsraTrance Full Member
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64
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563
Posted : Sep 19, 2005 11:13
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A couple of years ago, you would have though minimal trance was all but dead, with very few releases in this genre and many artists famous for this sound moving to in more progressive directions. In the past 2 years however, minimal trance has seen resurgence with labels like Zenon, Sinn-Tek and Cosmic Conspiracy all keeping the torch alight. Compiled by New Zealand’s Wizdumb and Australia’s own Ozone, “Contact Lens” by Cosmic Conspiracy is the latest excursion into this genre, and a tasty one it is… Deep, crunchy minimal with an experimental edge, artists like Sensient, Minimal Criminal, Psypox, Alfredo Garcia and Tetrameth vs Shadow FX might help you understand what this compilation is like… Broody trance that forces the body to move, Cosmic Conspiracy have created a compilation that is both unique and highly workable- something that is hard in a more experimental genre such as this one.
Tracks:
1. Sensient – Lipofuct: The compilation opens with Sensient, and this track is another reason he is perhaps the biggest name in this genre right now. Deep, extremely minimal with a tekky edge, Lipofuct has the quirky edge of some of his early releases, reminds me a little of “Blue Nevus” stuff… Wicked track that should form the part of many a DJ’s sets from now on…
2. “Eulenschrei” by Brazil’s Minimal Criminal is next, continuing into even deeper territory than the first track. These guys are definitely one of the rising stars in the minimal genre, with intelligent and quirky tracks, tribal percussion and huuuge bottom end. One of the better tracks I’ve heard from these boys and with upcoming releases on the next Cosmic Conspiracy compilation (“The Lurker”) and Echo Records from Brazil, these boys are ones to watch!
3. DJRuth’s “Rat’s in a Maze” continues the deep delivery, with crunchy, tekky percussion and a whomping bassline. Crunchiness is the key with this track, DJRuth’s (Also known as Meeloo) production has definitely moved up a notch lately. Solid work.
4. Psypox is another artist that has popped up from the blue doing great things. The infectious “Nasty in the Pasty” is their offering on this compilation, a groovy number with bouncy rhythms and crazy psychedelic atmospheres. I could imagine this track at both morning and night, and I can’t wait to hear more from these guys.
5. Visua from Mexico are next with “Attractor”. The compilation starts to get a bit groovier and more morning oriented, this track has a nice funky bass and tight production. Crisp and clean with nice atmospheres and sounds. I could imagine this one being played while the sun’s rays are shining on a nice Sunday morning somewhere…
6. Alfredo Garcia’s “Watch Me” is next. I’m a bit fan of Alfredo’s production and really loved his releases on the earlier Cosmic Conspiracy compilation and Savva Records. A bit of a different style than these, heaps funkier with disco influences. Must say I prefer the other stuff he’s released, but definitely not a bad track by any means.
7. Minimal Criminal get a second showing with the “Disco Shit Live Remix” and this one again proves what a name to watch they are. Groovy and deep with big funky horns and the tribal feel minimal criminal are fast becoming famous for. One of the highlights of the compilation, lovely work.
8. Australia’s new rising stars Shadow FX and Tetrameth are up next with “Escape Sequence”. Brothers James and Pete Hayes are behind these projects (respectively) and I really think they will be one of the new big things in the progressive scene. Music that defies regular conventions, totally random percussion that reminds me a lot of a live band rather than an electronic act. A great mix of minimal, progressive and psytrance that shows the depth of talent arising from Australia. The standout track of the compilation for me.
9. Australia’s Ozone Vs Sgt Dan are next with the deep and groovy “Danoz Direct”. The bass frequency of this track is almost so low it cant be heard out of conventional speakers, but it sounds so wicked out of a big system its not funny. Quirky and funky with atmospheres and percussive elements. Hope to hear more from these boys in the future.
10. New Zealand’s Cosm close the compilation up with “The Opaque”, proving the Southern Hemisphere vibe isn’t just coming out of Australia. Bouncy and funky minimal music with a nice psychedelic daytime feel. Interesting basslines and break downs that remind me a little perhaps of Shiva Chandra. Nice work in closing this solid compilation.
Cosmic Conspiracy’s Contact Lens is definitely one of the standout minimal releases of the year. A great mix of up and coming and new artists that push the boundaries in the revitalised minimal genre. Experimental and intelligent, Cosmic Conspiracy continue their quest to please even the most disconcerting minimal lover! Great stuff.
8/10
(taken from www.australiens.net)
Open Records, Australia
www.open-records.net |
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ZeRo
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
39
Posts :
802
Posted : Sep 19, 2005 18:19
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indeed this is a nice release. For anyone who thinks that trance has lost its creative edge should buy this album. every track is different and quality dancefloor and home listening material.
Highlights for me are Visua, minimal criminal(disco shit)...brilliant sample on that, and psypox. Extremely psychedelic stuff, unlike most of the fullon(3dvision and the like)...i only wish they would play this stuff at parties more often.
ein chadash tachat hashemesh. there is nothing new under the sun. --kohelet. |
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Lior_machine
Started Topics :
6
Posts :
124
Posted : Sep 20, 2005 11:11
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more and more, yea this cd be nice,
my favorites tracks: 1, 4, 5, 10
Sensient, Psypox, Visua, and Cosm.
:sunny:
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Saylum
IsraTrance Full Member
Started Topics :
73
Posts :
678
Posted : Sep 21, 2005 01:19
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Suspekt, this album was already reviewed, so I merged both of your threads.
Please use the Search feature next time, and thanks for your review! =)
Respect & Boom!
Peace & Love!
´·´*¨ ¯ ¯¯¯¯ ¯¯¯ ¯¯¯¯¯ ¯ ¯¯
¸.·´* "Love.. Patiance.. Understanding.." / Trust In Trance" |
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