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Navajo – Something That Came Back (Crotus, 2005)
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pr0fane
Multiphase
Started Topics :
418
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3816
Posted : Apr 6, 2005 13:35
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Navajo – Something That Came Back (Crotus, 2005)
Artist: Navajo
Title: Something That Came Back
Label: Crotus Records
Format: CD
Released: 2005
Cover: http://www.crotus-records.dk/news/navajo_stor.gif
Review:
Navajo was one of the core artists from the Danish minimal pioneer label CreamCrop, but as a direct cause of the CreamCrop closure a few years ago, his debut album was never released. Babak didn’t lose hope though, and after some heavy work in the studio and releases on labels like Digital Psionics, Uphonic and Crotus Records, the debut is finally here – released on the Danish label Crotus Records.
The album is the 4th CD-release on the Danish label, and the 3rd in just 6 months, following the noteworthy "Soundscapes" compilation, which also featured Navajo on the tracklist.
1. You Push Our Limits
Album-opener is "You Push Our Limits", a deep progressive monster. There are some definite tech-influences here, and to be honest the track came as quite a surprise for me – not quite as twisted as the earlier work from Navajo; "just" dark pounding nighttime trance, but very good though.
2. Love Rats
As the opener wasn’t hard enough, "Love Rats" takes the mayhem up a notch, pounding almost from the start, featuring a hard, tech-like bassline. Most focus is on the bassline, with a few effects adding to the mayhem and very subtle pads and stabs in the background. Good, but not my favourite.
3. Calculating Machine
"Love Rats" seamlessly melt into "Calculating Machine" with some mellow pads, very comparable to something coming out of Andromedas studio. Overall it’s also more uplifting than the rest here, and is a nice break from the in-your-face stomping of the first 2 tracks.
4. Desert Nava
The introduction to "Desert Nava" is as good as it gets, with a hint of Vibraspheres "Newport" playing, but with a hard, driving groove on top, slowly pushing Vibraspheres classic more and more into the background, and evolving into a deep progressive track, before the finish with "Newport" emerging once again.
5. Something That Came Back
The title-track "Something That Came Back" builds on a more bouncy, groovy bassline, but using dark pads and sweeps, still maintaining the gloomy atmosphere. Excellent nighttime track, relentlessly pounding and pounding like there’s no tomorrow, although with a very distinct bouncy groove.
6. Capture At Mind
Things get harder again with "Capture At Mind", and maybe it’s just me getting weak, but I found that it was a bit over the top. Sticking to the same basic formula as some of the first tracks, but without any really catchy characteristics to keep the attention focused – this track seemed like a filler to me.
7. Driven
"Driven", the last dancefloor track on the album is a bit mellower and not quite as pounding as the first 6, although still maintaining the tempo around 140 BPM. The atmosphere is generally quite uplifting, and with its laidback groove, it’s probably the only track together with "Calculating Machine" that could be categorized as being morning music. Definitely a good track to make some diversity.
8. Sound Of Escape
Last track is "Sound Of Escape", and it fails to maintain the relatively good standard. It’s a quite weird attempt at a chillout-track, and to be quite frank, it doesn’t work that well. Apart from the ethnic chanting it just seems like one of his trance tracks slowed down, but not slow enough to be really relaxing, and to me it feels like it lacks harmony. Worst track on the album for me.
Bottom line:
To be honest I was never a big fan of Navajo – I always found his sound a bit too chaotic and messy - but "Something That Came Back" was a very nice surprise. I especially liked that he didn’t use as many weird and twisted effects as on his earlier releases, but instead took a more straightforward approach, using a lot of elements from today’s progressive, tech and minimal. On the other hand, some more loyal followers of Navajo will perhaps be equally disappointed instead.
I find it comparable to the albums from Sensient and Tetraktys (though not quite on the same level in terms of both production and creativity), but it is certainly not the kind of album that gets released every day. I won't recommend it to everyone, but fans of the sound from lables like Crotus and Zenon should give it a try.
Favourites:
1, 3, 4, 5 (!!), 7
Verdict:
7/10
Link:
Crotus Records: http://www.crotus-records.dk  DJ pr0fane (Iboga Records) | Multiphase
www.sunrisesupplies.com | www.iboga.dk | www.soundcloud.com/pr0fane |
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moses
Moses / Loopiter / Bufo
Started Topics :
25
Posts :
239
Posted : Apr 8, 2005 16:50
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EXELENT RELEASE!!! 
really really nice spheres and lines!! |
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Nomolos(Zenon Rec.)
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
48
Posts :
2027
Posted : Apr 17, 2005 19:37
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psy^soldier
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
26
Posts :
922
Posted : Apr 23, 2005 15:26
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emmm sounds intresting |
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jaramogi
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
15
Posts :
918
Posted : Nov 27, 2005 17:48
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great album, very good flow and atmospheres - good for parties and homelistening imho
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Dai
IsraTrance Junior Member
Dai aka Amatti
Started Topics :
12
Posts :
553
Posted : Nov 28, 2005 12:32
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Wizdumb
Tripinstumble
Started Topics :
10
Posts :
170
Posted : Jan 23, 2006 07:40
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This release actually caught me by surprise, its certianly a diffrent side of navajo's work then what most are accustomed to from his earlier works.
Much more polished,compressed and deeper sound
that works equaly well both indoors and out,
there are aspects to it that remind me of early 'Planet Ben' stuff wich is great, it is EXTREMELY rare to come across this style these days and on that basis alone i can recomend this as an essential purchuse for night time djs, deep dark djs ,and conosurs of quility Minimal/deep ballsy progressive releases,as its worth is apperent both on the dance floor as well as been equally suited for home listing.
the album is deeeep, pumpy and atmospheric to the max, and draws you in well,and i dont think you can find really anything these days that travels the same areas that navajo has shown here.
There are paths of deeper grooves explored as well as quite abit of interesting linear retro percussive trickery. Again i have MAX appreciation and respect for any artists / labels that obviosly create what they do cause they feel it and not cause it is popular or the current in ''thing''in this day and age, and i think we all should give/offer our support where its do...
the artwork is very nice,minimal and stylish and again ''Retro'' springs to mind
full respect to navajo and crotus for doing there own thing and following the path that they hold true to
my personal favorites have to be
2.Love rats
3.Calculating machine
4.Desert Nava
6. Captured at mind
you wont find anything else like this around these days and for that its certianly worth checking out |
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klaxer
Koan / Vacuum Stalkers
Started Topics :
11
Posts :
380
Posted : Jan 25, 2006 18:52
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Great Navajo's spirit with us! |
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