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V/A - Utopeak (Peak Records 2005) CD
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DeathPosture
IsraTrance Full Member
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Posted : Dec 28, 2005 23:12
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V/A - Utopeak
Cover: http://tinyurl.com/bd59t (front) + http://tinyurl.com/agwds (back)
Artist: Various
Title: Utopeak
Format: CD (jewel case)
Label: Peak Records (Switzerland)
Cat. #: PR007
Distribution: Arabesque
Date: December 2005
Track listing:
01. 01’13” The Peaking Goddess Collective - Arcadia
02. 08’04” Yab-Yum – Tits On A Bwwwarhog
03. 07’48” Shotu vs. Suddha - Osiris
04. 07’35” Hyper Frequencies – 4 Peak
05. 07’40” Naked N3xu5 - Maschinen
06. 05’55” Electrypnose - Defasoul
07. 07’28” Phonic Request & Akhoa – Speed Freak Battle (Rmx)
08. 06’17” Drumatik – Vampire Empire
09. 07’04” Digitalist - Jackpot
10. 07’38” Phobium – Touched By The Glitch
11. 07’35” Yab-Yum – Yabyumski
12. 02’36” Master Margherita – Life (Utopian Rmx)
.m3u-playlist: http://tinyurl.com/7jat2 (all tracks!)
Review:
Utopian trance dance fest!
Utopeak is the 7th instalment released by the Swiss hippie collective Peak Records… So far, these guys have excelled in releasing high-quality psytrance and downtempo compilations… Everything reeks quality and I’ve yet to be disappointed by their releases… As with the previous dance compilations, this baby is compiled by the competent DJ Gaspard – and I pretty must trust his taste blindly… So let’s begin the next trip courtesy of the Peaksters…
Let me take you thru the tracks…
#01: The Peaking Goddess Collective – Arcadia
“Travelling dreamscapes with open eyes, catching fragments of potential, behind glitch of programmed consciousness. Non-ordinary reality illuminates the path to understanding. Utopia. Waking to the unchanged. Still believing. Life is more than an illusion!” As usual, the voyage starts with an intro track by the PGC – this time narrated by P. Van Der Merwe talking about Utopia… Spacy ambient with the emphasis on the spoken word… Gets you in the mood… As usual with Peak Records, the tracks are gently mixed (transition cuts) so we drift seamlessly into the next track…
#02: Yab-Yum – Tits On A Bwwwarhog [147 BPM]
Yab-Yum (Gaspard & Ajja S.F.Leu) has become like a very comfortable sweater to me… You know, the kind that never fails, always gives you that familiar, cosy feeling… Damn, did I just compare Yab-Yum to a sweater? I guess I did – but what I’m trying to say is, that these guys always delivers the goods with their high-quality, acid-ridden, trippy-as-fuck psytrance… And this track is no exception… I have no idea what the hell a bwwwarhog is, but I know that it has amazing titties… Nuff said, this is a brilliant track… Driving, evolving and trippy as hell… Quality track!
#03: Shotu vs. Suddha – Osiris [146 BPM]
Here’s a couple of Peak debutants: David Marmin & Nicolas Pineau… They’ve released a track made with Jahbo on the Hadracadabra compilation released by Hadra Records last year, but this is my first encounter with their music… This is evidently dark, twisted hyper trance – with a hypnotizing melodic little devilfish lurking just below the surface… I’m amazed as to how something so simple, can be so effective… There’s nothing too spectacular going on here - it’s actually pretty basic, but oh my – this is tasty nevertheless!
#04: Hyper Frequencies – 4 Peak [145 BPM]
French producer Gilles Béraud has released two albums and loads of compilation tracks, but it’s been a while since I’ve heard his stuff… This track starts pretty slow and fragmented, but soon turns into a belching night tune complete with acid-ridden peaks and tweaks… A nice track, but there’s nothing overly exciting here and the last run down sounds a little too random to me… Still a solid track though!
#05: Naked N3xu5 – Maschinen [147 BPM]
This track is made by Naked Tourist (Martin/Z-Neo & Björn /DJ Iguana) and N3xu5 (Luis Miguel Lopes) in cahoots… N3xu5 has made some really fine tracks, and especially Naked Tourist has really impressed me with their tracks on the two latest Psychedelically Yours compilations on Parvati Records… I’m really, really looking forward to their debut album Mad Different Methods coming in February 2006… Anyway, that’s beside the point – let’s focus on this track… Take the raging mad druggy night trance of Naked Tourist and mate it with the flaring, yet subtle acid-riffs and synth melodies from N3xu5 – and you’ve got the formula for this track… The German samples have a certain rawness that fits the track well, and the acid-level is just right… Another great track!
#06: Electrypnose – Defasoul [147 BPM]
Swiss sound wizard Vince Le Barde has been all over the place in 2005 with his very unique, trippy underground sound… Both the album and all the compilation tracks have been great, and it seems there’s no stopping this man… Style wise, this track ‘breaks’ the flow of the compilation, as Vince is not exactly a conformist… He’s got his own, very special ‘deeper underground’ style – which I’ve come to treasure greatly… It’s eerie, dark and totally mesmerizing… The second album Le Tireur De Ficelles is supposed to be out soon – I can’t wait… Best track so far!
#07: Phonic Request & Akhoa – Speed Freak Battle (Rmx) [146 BPM]
Phonic Request (Wilfried Decaesteker) & Akhoa (Olivier Charpier) collaborate on this track, as they did on a couple of other tracks this year… I really liked their humorous take on psytrance released on the Ketuh compilation Hyperspatial Chrysalis earlier this year… And sure enough, this track has funny bits and pieces too… I like that – it kinda takes the edge of the music, which can often come across as a little pretentious with all the darkness and acid all over the place… Anyway, this is basically acid-ridden night trance with a pinch of tech-trance thrown in to confuse you… Simple, yet effective… Nice!
#08: Drumatik – Vampire Empire [148 BPM]
Benjamin Klingemann is another Peak regular whose tracks have been featured on most of their trancefloor compilations… So far, I’ve been very impressed with his tracks, and this is no exception… As usual, Drumatik samples like a madman, switching back and forth between genres… Like flipping through radio-stations, but with a steady bassline… I like oddball trance like this, and this is by far the most original track on this compilation… It’s also among the fastest, but the pace is really irrelevant – this is phat!
#09: Digitalist – Jackpot [148 BPM]
“You sound surprised? No, it’s just not what I expected!” AFAIK this is the debut release from Dropout Productions artist Thomas Franske from Switzerland… Loads more are in the pipelines though… Anyway, we’re still in über-fast night trance territory, and we’re really pushing the boundaries to Halloween trance now… As with the previous track, the experimentation level is high here, and there’s never a dull moment… We slip back and forth between styles there’s an influx of weird samples and crazy twists… Tasty oddball trance!
#10: Phobium – Touched By The Glitch [146 BPM]
Henning Helland Ottesen from Oslo, Norway has released a handful of tracks on different compilations, but this is the first time I listen to his stuff… But not the last I hope, as this is really interesting… Really intense, driving night trance with high-pitched acid stabs and synth explorations… I really like the old-school sound here - highly fragmented and much more multi-layered than any of the other tracks on this compilation… A big, phat wall of psychedelic sounds – spacy, trippy and powerful… Kick ass track!
#11: Yab-Yum – Yabyumski [146 BPM]
Another track by Gaspard & Ajja S.F.Leu which closes the compilation in regards to dancefloor material… And yes – it’s another stormer! After a brief, naturist intro and a lengthy minimal bridge part, we’re soon right in the middle of a frenetic dancefloor stomp-fest of tribal proportions – unlike anything else we’ve heard on this compilation... Once again this track shows the sheer magnitude of talent possessed by these guys… I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: Release an album already!! That’s an order! Brilliant track!
#12: Master Margherita – Life (Utopian Rmx)
Master Margherita (Moreno Antognini) is the chill boss of Peak Records… He has released some excellent chill music and has compiled all the downtempo compilations… So he’s the natural choice for the outro track here… This is windy ambient – soothing, relaxing and pretty much a pleasure ride which will assist you in coming down off the Utopeak trip… Ahh!
Another fine Peak Records compilation draws to a close – and once again, I’m impressed by the level of quality… Consistency all the way has fast become a trademark for this brilliant label… There are no bad tracks here at all, and I like pretty much everything on this piece of plastic… Style wise, we’re still within acid-ridden night-trance – though with a few excursions into darkpsy and tribal… And of course the downtempo intro and outro tracks… A fine package if you ask me! Speaking of packaging, I also like the seemingly simple, yet beautiful artwork made by Ajja S.F. Leu & Tanina Munchkina which will henceforth be known as ‘the purple album’...
If you liked previous Peak Records releases you’ll love this… I hereby stamp this with the ‘DeathPosture seal of approval’… It’s quality all the way and a no-brainer purchase… Enjoy!
Favourites: 2, 5, 6(!), 7, 8(!), 9, 10(!), 11
DeathPosture
External links:
Peak Records: http://www.peaking-goddess.com
Discogs: http://www.discogs.com/release/585215
TranceShop: http://tinyurl.com/8wuys
Discobole: http://tinyurl.com/8em8f
Wirikuta: http://tinyurl.com/bagka
Psyshop: http://tinyurl.com/cfqdy
Sanity: http://tinyurl.com/be4w6
Ajuca: http://tinyurl.com/87chn
Juno: http://tinyurl.com/e2mk9
Chaos: http://tinyurl.com/9t2ut
Saiko: http://tinyurl.com/dscth
  On really romantic evenings of self, I go salsa dancing with my confusion... |
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Leo Atriohm
Atriohm
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117
Posted : Dec 29, 2005 03:42
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great music
favourites:2(!),8,11 |
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deadly_flashbackxxx
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
12
Posts :
26
Posted : Dec 29, 2005 08:39
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just my kind of music ! is spicely like psychotic....
my idols
BooooM!! |
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drumatik
Drumatik
Started Topics :
6
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123
Posted : Dec 29, 2005 13:12
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thanxxxxxxx for the good feedbacks 
this comp is full of surprises and I enjoy in first line to be part of this adventure !
favourites 5,9,10
peak on !!!
boom boom
ben
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"Jigsaw"
Started Topics :
2
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262
Posted : Dec 29, 2005 13:52
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nice release from Swiss and Good trax from Electrypnose, Phobium and Digitalist!
Boom boom |
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Greennun
Started Topics :
6
Posts :
151
Posted : Dec 30, 2005 10:41
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Really good follow up to their previous comp, this one is more controlled than hocus peakus, but a killer compilation none the less.I have already got my copy, go and get yours now, its a must have.
boom.Nice review there death posture.
"If Pac man had affected us as kids we'd be running around in dark rooms, munching pills and listening to repetitive music”. |
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Stregone
IsraTrance Full Member
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63
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1252
Posted : Jan 2, 2006 16:54
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I really like this compilation by Peak Record.
The tone is a little bit heavier then Hocus Peakus, but I think this is one of the best point of this VA, a lots of good songs to start sets or to play in differents moments, and not just one more compilation with hard stomping dark psy tracks, but with originality and a nice mood in a different style!
Good job
P.S: the artwork are always fantastic! |
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Leptit
Started Topics :
9
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111
Posted : Jan 21, 2006 23:42
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Great stuff from gaspard !!
keep up the good job broe 
boom boom !
www.hadra.net |
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pinky
Started Topics :
0
Posts :
19
Posted : Jan 28, 2006 21:20
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finally good real psy-trance music! and not this cheasy full-on that i heard too often and begin to disturb my ears...
i really like this kind of psychedelic trance and i want some more please!!!
hey organisers, you have to book phonic request or digitalist and of course hyperfrequencies and yab yum!!these guys know what they doing!
peak on!!
"Be the change you want to see in the world!" |
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Shawnodese
IsraTrance Full Member
Started Topics :
141
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2339
Posted : Jan 31, 2006 02:29
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Bull's eye again Gaspard, luv the comp, thx for sending it and favourites so far are Gill/Hyper Frequencies, who always stands and delivers, the Shotu vs. Suddha which was a nice surprise, Drumatik, good paranoid hyper-hypnotic stuff  , Phonic Request who's getting better everytune I hear of Yghon, your own stuff which gets better and better amigo and Naked Nexus, which is the real stonker !!!  Smashing compilation my dear...keeeeeeeeeep it up !!!!  
Mind Funk Records
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www.myspace.com/shawnodese
www.myspace.com/mindfunkmusic |
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Phonic_Request
Phonic Request
Started Topics :
4
Posts :
91
Posted : Feb 13, 2006 19:09
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I like Phobium as well as the track of yab yum and electrypnose.
A beautiful history in the trak list.
www.phonicrequest.com |
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dymons
Dymons
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9
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62
Posted : Feb 26, 2006 20:22
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PSYTOUR-night oracle recs
Psytour
Started Topics :
14
Posts :
802
Posted : Mar 1, 2006 11:05
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very good music in here
6,9,10 r my best traxx!!
*Night Oracle Records
www.night-oracle-records.com
*Vertigo Records/Indigo Recs
*Femina Mandragora/Rhakti Dei |
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spif3r jo
Started Topics :
0
Posts :
7
Posted : Mar 30, 2006 17:05
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Oh yeah, they did it again.
Impressive quality through all tracks.
Very nice psychedelic night music.
I must confess that since the Peaking in tongues V/A, the Peak records (and Dj Gaspard) became a solid reference in nowadays psytrance releases for me.
Keep the good work (and quality).
Highly recommendable 4 night time lovers without getting too much dark and hard.
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a3k
IsraTrance Team
Started Topics :
269
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7826
Posted : Aug 28, 2007 14:47
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My review from Isratrance site:
"Utopeak
1. The Peaking Goddess Collective – Arcadia 1:13 (Intro)
2. Yab Yum – Tits On A Bwwwarhog 8:05 (147 BPM)
3. Shotu Vs Suddha – Osiris 7:49 (146 BPM)
4. Hyper Frequencies – 4 Peak 7:36 (145 BPM)
5. Naked N3xu5 – Mashinen 7:41 (147 BPM)
6. Electrypnose – Defasoul 5:55 (147 BPM)
7. Phonic Request Vs Akhoa – Speed Freak Battle 7:29 (146 BPM)
8. Drumatik – Vampire Empire 6:18 (148 BPM)
9. Digitalist – Jackpot 7:04 (148 BPM)
10. Phobium – Touched By the Glitch 7:38 (146 BPM)
11. Yab Yum – Yabyumski 7:35 (146 BPM)
12. Master Marguerita – Life (Outro)
Almost 2 years have passed since this release; it is an old review, but since I have become a fan of Peak Records music, I decided to review this compilation also.
The artwork (made by Ajja and Tanina Munchkina) is has always very good, in fact a “trademark”, that characterizes this label – something that much labels are abandoning – but Peak keeps high standards in all it’s releases, and it really shows the effort they make to be a successful label; and they are collecting the dividends of the work they make. For sure Peak seems a label to be continuing releasing psychedelic music with great quality, in all aspects.
The opener of this compilation is an intro track by The Peaking Goddess Collective, which has the following sample:
“Travelling dreamscapes with open eyes
Catching fragments of potential
Behind lids of programmed consciousness
Non-ordinary reality illuminates
The path of understanding
Utopia
Waking to the unchanged
Still believing
Life is more than illusion”
This is also the message you find in the booklet of the CD, and it is always a pleasure to open it, such is the beautifulness you find in there.
Next we move into Tits On A Bwwwarhog, from Yab Yum, the “child” of Ajja Bleu and Dj Gaspard. This track is typical from this project, interesting leads, very nice for warm up sets, it has lots of dynamism; in the overall it is a great dance floor opening track for the CD. Osiris (T3), it is a collaboration between Shotu and Suddha, it doesn’t have many aggressive sounds, or to much twisted ness, it is a rather calm track, simple, without any outstanding moment, but it is very appellative for a dance floor. I liked it very much!
4 Peak is the track by HyperGill (T4), who has released dozens of tracks in dozens of labels, this one totally orientated to night time, acid lines, twisted leads, some hypnotic elements, make this beauty. Another of my favourites! Excellent work by Gilles Beraud. Next track is another collaboration, this time between the Naked (duo) Tourist and N3xu5. The tune starts with some Portuguese samples, saying “Vocęs săo todos máquinas”, which basically means “you are all machines” or “mashinen” if you wish. Interesting track, but could have a little bit of more leads to get more effect on the listener. Vince Le Barde, brings us Defasoul (T6), starts with some spooky notes, and some twilight acid lines, the first part of the track remains “calm”, till at 3:30, we have a sudden change of sonorities, and we get this one more pumping, with sounds everywhere. At 4:10, it goes down, letting all the “anger” go, and then at this time, also enters a melody along the effects, to give an interesting mood to the track.
Speed Freak Battle (interesting name for a dance floor), is another vs. track, now it is between Phonic Request and Akhoa, and once again we have the example that a simple track, with the certain leads and effects, can produce an amazing track. Just love the leads and the “water effect” (drops falling in water) in here. Lots of leads make it very dynamic and not at all boring track! Another favourite.
The Vampire Empire (T8) was created by Drumatik who is a regular on Peak releases deliver once again a pumping track, twist, and turn, and module, is everything there, and being 148 bpms makes it one of the fastest tracks on the compilation. It also has some female chanting, not cheesy, and I find it to fit the track very well, gives a friendly atmosphere. And then we go to another 148 bpms track, Digitalist, with Jackpot, another great track in this compilation, and if I am not mistaken this was the debut from him. And what a hell of a debut track, it doesn’t let you stop for a minute, with lots of layers, very well architectured track! Favourite track of this compilation.
Touched by glitch, is Phobium´s track (T10). We start this one with some metallic voices, and we get this party started, I mean, it doesn’t take long to kick and bass arrive. Only a few months ago I discovered what glitch was, and it is something lot’s of artists use, it is an effect capable of making small brakes in sounds, and you can modulate it with almost infinite variations, I only find boring is the abuse some artist make of it, but in here everything seems very balanced, not to much, not to less. The sounds used are Phobium´s trademark, and I bet if you know his work, you almost automatically would associate this track with him. Nice track.
And we are almost in the end of the CD, the last dance floor track is another by Yab Yum, and this one is called Yabyumski. Calmer than Tits track, and more hypnotic, then it’s predecessor. The leads are typical Yab Yum, which I really enjoy this formulae of them.
And now we reach the final/outro track, Master Marguerita who released an album this year also in Peak Records. An excellent way to end this CD.
Ps: in the booklet Peak wrote the following message to all freaks out there: “Utopeak is dedicated to peace warriors and lovers – past, living, unborn – whom against all odds wake up to the dream”.
Recomendation: I just want to say it is a pleasure to review music released by Peak records, take this review for example, the CD has almost 2 years and I still find fresh and interesting music in it. It really shows Peak choose very well its artists and music. Once again if you are Peak fan, get this oldie."
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