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VA - Vital Signs (Celestial Dragon)
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McKennaDMT
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
12
Posts :
457
Posted : Mar 28, 2010 06:00:52
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http://psyreviews.trwolfe.com/2010/03/27/vital-signs-celestial-dragon-records-2010/
Album: Vital Signs
Format: CD (Digipak)
Label: Celestial Dragon Records
Catalog #: CDREC-18
Release Date: 03/17/10
Tracks:
1. Androcell – Atmos-spheres (Human mix)
2. Androcell – Vital Signs
3. Cell – Body Temperature
4. Asura – Blood Pressure
5. Aes Dana – Pulse Rate
6. Distant System – Pupillary Response
7. Solar Fields – Respiratory Rate
8. Androcell – Neurosomatic Circuit (Brain Waves Mix)
Total Time: 61:14
Celestial Dragon Records is now out with their latest compilation titled Vital Signs and is the project of Tyler Smith of Androcell and Distant System fame. It’s definitely his personal pet project as half of the tracks are his: three Androcell tracks and a Distant System. He’s also gathered four of the biggest names in the genre to round out the album. I went ahead and ripped this straight from the label’s website because I can’t think of a better way to state the compilation’s concept:
Vital Signs is a concept compilation comprised of tracks that were custom created for this project by renown artists such as Aes Dana, Asura, Solar Fields, Cell, Androcell, and Distant System. Each artist was carefully chosen and assigned a specific track title/theme to interpret the essence of their “vital sign” through the sonic medium. Title assignments were based according to each artist’s individual music style. Together, like the modular structure of sub-systems in the body, the tracks function as an interconnected unit which depend on each other to complete the whole. Each “vital sign” serving as a reminder that these systems are operating and we are alive.
There you have it, on to the tracks.
#1 – Androcell – Atmos-spheres (Human Mix)
“Atmos-spheres (Human Mix)” is a remix of track #3 off of his Efflorescence album. It is, of course, very reminiscent of the original track but it’s a lot more chilled down and the sample from Star Wars (“You truly belong here with us among the clouds”) has been taken out, which is probably pretty smart. I laughed the first time I heard it on the album and was surprised it was even used. The song begins with the same flute line as the original and it feels like returning to the memories of hearing that track the first time. And the track also features the same psychedelic meandering sounds Androcell is famous for, sounds that circle the listener and which help give the song it’s definite movement forward. My favorite part occurs around the 4:30 mark when the melody of the song is played on guitar with some nice reverb. It’s a nice change from the original track and fits nicely with the overall direction of the remix. It’s definitely not as unique as the Efflorescence track but it still requires close and multiple listenings as there’s lots going on. (8/10)
#2 – Androcell – Vital Signs
“Vital Signs” is the first non-remix Androcell track since Seahorse Dreams on Altar Records “Water” compilation. It starts off beat-less and ambient for about a minute until the first rhythmic sounds come in followed by harder beats forty seconds later. Halfway through is some gorgeous pad, piano, and plucked bass work that moves us onto the rest of the track. I really don’t have much to say for this track. It’s a beautiful track that really doesn’t have that one defining moment that makes me stop what I’m doing and exclaim, “Wow, that was nice.” It’s not a bad track at all, it’s actually a really good track. It seems to be the track that all the other tracks will play off of so it doesn’t feature a lot of uniqueness. This also seems to make sense since it’s the title track and if we take the line from Celestial Dragon’s blurb about the album in general: “Together, like the modular structure of sub-systems in the body, the tracks function as an interconnected unit which depend on each other to complete the whole.” (8/10)
#3 – Cell – Body Temperature
Here’s the first non-Androcell track of the album. This time it’s Cell with “Body Temperature” and follows along in the same style as his latest full-length release on Ultimae, Hanging Masses. I was sort of dismayed, I’ll admit, when I heard the album as it lacked any of the ethnic samples, instruments, and general sounds of his debut album, Phonic Peace. It was very much an Ultimae release and the style is repeated here on “Body Temperature”. The track features a steady beat and pad work, a rolling bassline, and some soft and pretty melodies happening just below the surface. It gets a bit interested about halfway through where we’re treated to an emotional synth line. But like the previous track, there’s nothing wrong at all with the track, it’s what you’d expect from Cell, especially his latest style, but there isn’t that one defining moment in the track that sets it apart from the first two or any of the tracks to follow. I hope I’m not coming off as stating I think these tracks are boring or uninspired because they’re not, but for me personally, they just lack that one magic moment. (7/10)
#4 – Asura – Blood Pressure
Thankfully, Asura comes in next with the most unique sounding track of the entire album and one of the most unique I’ve heard in a long time, “Blood Pressure”. This track has something interesting going on throughout the entire piece and is the first song that made me play it again as soon as it was finished. The beats are static-laced, the synth work is somewhat harsh but fits perfectly and constantly swirls around the sound field. It’s a must for headphone usage. There’s also a very noticeable use of breathing which also works well where it is placed. What I love about this track is the sense of movement. It never seems to waver or get lost in where it wants to go. Every sound works well and makes sense for being where it is. It’s also the first track where the title perfectly fits the music. The sense of buildup and the use of the breathing sounds make it feel as if the listener really is experiencing an elevation in blood pressure. This is the track of the album for sure and one that I’ll be playing for awhile. (10/10)
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McKennaDMT
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
12
Posts :
457
Posted : Mar 28, 2010 06:01
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#5 – Aes Dana – Pulse Rate
Aes Dana’s track “Pulse Rate” begins very reminiscent of a Distant System track and initially I thought it was. The following track, however is the Distant System track. This song features a steady beat, obviously mimicking the idea of the track, that of the body’s rate of pulse. The song also features a haunting atmospheric pad happening in the background which gives it a mysterious and wondering feeling. It’s very soothing but keeps your attention. About halfway through the steady beat drops and a clicky rhythm and pad play for a bit. It’s very spacey and leaves the listener wondering when the 4/4 beat will come back. The kick drum reappears and around the 3:50 mark, taking us into the latter half of the track. The track ends on the beginning of “Pupillary Response”. “Pulse Rate” is an outstanding track that fits nicely with Asura’s preceding track. (8/10)
#6 – Distant System – Pupillary Response
The other half of Tyler Smith’s projects, Distant System, comes next with the track, “Pupillary Response”. This is much different sounding than the album Spiral Empire and it’s a welcome change, which is not to say that Spiral Empire needed work or to be changed at all, it’s actually my top album of 2008. But for this track the hard driving beats and basslines are toned down a bit and the melodies and synths are allowed space to drift around the listener while still being firmly grounded by the steady beat. And of course the entire track is filled with psychedelic space sounds that constantly swerve and spin in all audible directions. About halfway through we get the first true Distant System sounds everyone who’s heard the album will be accustomed to. This is probably the second best track of the six so far. (9/10)
#7 – Solar Fields – Respiratory Rate
Track seven is from the mighty Solar Fields. I will admit that this is the track I wanted to hear most as I am a huge fan of anything out of the Magnus Birgersson project. The track starts off very ethereal and very subtlety the sound of breathing gets louder and louder, giving substance to the name of the track itself. It’s also got some machine beeping going on as if the person breathing on the track is hooked up to some machinery. The first notes of the song start around the 1:30 mark while the rhythm of the track also slowly but methodically builds and builds until about the 3:00 mark the song finally takes off. This is definitely a Solar Fields track now! My favorite part of the track begins around 4:30 with a stringed instrument plucked into a playful melody that will play the remaining third of the track. At the end the beat falls away and we drift seamlessly into the final track of the album. (9/10)
#8 – Androcell – Neurosomatic Circuit (Brain Waves Mix)
This too was off of the Androcell Efflorescence album and was one of my favorites of that album, not only because it’s a killer track but because it samples heavily from the renegade author/philosopher Robert Anton Wilson. And unlike the Star Wars clip, Androcell has chosen to rekindle one of the samples from the original track into this remix and I’m happy he choose to do it because it keeps the spirit of the original intact. I also really enjoy the change of voice samples in this track as they’re a lot more airy and breathy but still feel grounded in the original. This is an incredible remix and ends the album perfectly. I’ve actually never been a fan of artists remixing their own tracks, but on these two tracks that bookend the compilation, Smith has created what I feel can be described as an alternate listening reality, where it really feels like either of these two remixes could have been on Efflorescence and would’ve worked fine, but they’re not, they’re here on this album, four years later and the sense of maturity is more than apparent. I’ve actually had to go back and listen to both the originals and remixes many times and this has only improved my impressions of the remixes. (10/10)
I’ll wrap this review up quickly. If you’re a fan of any of the artists on this album, you’re already probably listening to it, so I don’t need to recommend this to you. For those of you who aren’t familiar with the work of these artists and Androcell’s work specifically, stop reading this and go get this compilation. It’s the release of 2010 so far and one that I haven’t stopped listening to in the eight days I’ve had it. GO BUY IT.
Top 3 Tracks:
1. Asura – Blood Pressure
2. Distant System – Pupillary Response
3. Androcell – Neurosomatic Circuit (Brain Waves Mix)
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Ah-sid
Started Topics :
2
Posts :
610
Posted : Apr 3, 2010 10:20
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the pioneers of ambient musik come together in a single cd to make the most disappointing cd of 2010 till now.
really dont know how they all made such a non-trippy ambient cd.
i think this was made wn they were in rehab
better luck nxt time fellas
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Meta-Morphosis
IsraTrance Senior Member
Started Topics :
216
Posts :
4980
Posted : Apr 4, 2010 14:53
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The most beautiful CD of this year.
Every track is such a standout really, the musical sense the layering and putting the psychedelic details to an outstanding art is totally commendable.
I love all the track's especially asura's, solar fields and the remix of neurosomatic circuit.
Highly recommended !!
 “What we need is the development of the Inner Spiritual man, the unique individual, whose treasure is hidden in the symbols of our mythological tradition and in man’s unconscious psych.” - CJ Jung |
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McKennaDMT
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
12
Posts :
457
Posted : Apr 5, 2010 19:53
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Quote:
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On 2010-04-03 10:20, Ah-sid wrote:
the pioneers of ambient musik come together in a single cd to make the most disappointing cd of 2010 till now.
really dont know how they all made such a non-trippy ambient cd.
i think this was made wn they were in rehab
better luck nxt time fellas
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To some extent I agree with this! |
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