V/a - Different Reality_spliff Music_review By Lara

[safi-connection]

V.A - Different Reality ::: Spliff Music ::: REVIEW by LARA ::: www.soundmute.org

 

Straight out of the pot from the Spliff Muzic kitchen and their cooks comes yet another one in the string of releases and various artist compilations. So, we poured out some broth into our plate while it was still hot, so we could taste it before it cools off.

 

#1 Dune- Firewall The track’s beginning as well as the start of the whole compilation is emphasized by a massive lead through which some emotional strings make way. The kick is stamped with a good old full-on rhythm, which after a few bars, encounters some key note changes on the bass line, thus determining the track’s future direction. And so it goes, fluttering melodies adorn the garments of this track, just as they do to every other quality morning full-on track. What I really like is when after a nice lull producers let the kick and the bass line re-emerge on their own, and continue playing in a not over the top style, with the bass line riding the eighth note. During this, what I like to call solo rhythm instant, you can really hear how well the kick and the bass line are produced. What gets at me later on is that during the break the lead melody stays completely in tact, until some background uplifting sounds gradually start coming in one by one, and they all clash and enter the finish together without any excessive sound filtering or cracking, but rather just acting as an extension of the first kick, which then continues the briefly snapped ride. I have to stress how the whole track has an old schoolish arrangement, which is probably, out of all things, what I like the most here. There is no superfluous stretches, filtering is absent, no sudden sound bursts and no low cut and high cut boring parts. To put it simple, it’s melodic and dance friendly. I also appreciate the artist ending the track the same way he started it, so if you play it on repeat, you won’t know whether it’s coming to its conclusion or just starting. Very sweet tune!

 

#2 Waio vs. Aquarius- Differe Another old sounding lead at the track’s starting moments, soon getting accompanied by the rhythm, which for a moment there chops through an odd break, and then continues the melodic trance drive. The toning down of effects, or in the words of a friend of mine, synth conversation, is no novelty, but comes in as a bingo in this track. The rhythm has a stable process which is annexed to reciprocally exchanging synths, and after about three minutes the dynamics start to grow. A number of innovative and short lasting breaks is present, but all within acceptable boundaries, as most artists today have no idea of limitation whatsoever in that field. It also came across to me that the track lacks the so called main break, which usually contains its main source energy and euphoria factor, but that does not deteriorate this track’s composition.

 

#3 Power Control- Tears Even on the third track I couldn’t not notice that the tracks firstly introduce the synth and then the rhythm. The bass line here is somewhat on a higher octave than on the previous numbers, and the melody factor is once again not omitted. This morning melody is seeking presence, and that this track’s story has a popish twist to it, making it even more interesting. All three tracks thus far have more or less conserved the old school construction, and this one is no exception, only that it’s less obvious. Of coarse that while one is on the sand, and/or any other green surface, accompanied by the celestial sky and the sun rays, this track will reveal all its trump-cards.

 

#4 Kido- Clock Wize Right from its beginning the track imposes its tempo upon the listener, but it is only when the base rhythm gets introduced, that the tempo gets some dynamism. And that is just what happens. With the alloy of the 303, which is gently exposing its presence, albeit to a lesser extent than we’ve gotten used to, the track is rushing forward to its drive mode. The bass line does not follow, nor does it fill in the gaps between two kicks, but it rather moves on its own, serving as an introduction. Shortly after we’re all in for a dynamic ride with the same bass line, nicely accompanied by all sorts of effects, and there’s even that partition of sound, when the music is kind of getting across from one speaker to the other; what producers would technically call PAN! Considering that, globally speaking, music is pretty predictable and lacking real twists and turns nowadays, and I’d even call it calculated, with this track we get what we expected: and that is a two minute break during which the music just keeps on rising and adding various sounds to itself, until it really comes to life and manifests itself as an energetic and pumping ride, but unfortunately not for long, because the track is abruptly ended. That I didn’t like.

 

#5 Indra- Mechanical Previously I had the opportunity to review this artist’s full album, and now I stumble upon a single on this compilation. Rhythmic and melodic, is the track just that somewhere in the back of my mind the synth sounds very familiar. I cannot recollect from where, but it sure does sound familiar. The overly pitched vocal which comes in later on is seriously not to my liking and I find it rather superfluous. The track goes on in a direction I really disapprove, but the melodies that come in after a while fix the whole thing, and there I regain hope. The whole track is now picking up, arriving to the break part, where that utterly annoying and pointless vocal is to be heard again. The melodies + the filtered rhythm are energetically assailing and foreseeing what is to come… A nicely introduced ending part, which with all the main parts drives the track to its conclusion.

 

#6 Didrapest & System Failure- Overdrive I already know this project from another Spliff Muzic compilation, so even before hearing this track I kind of aware of what to expect. Melodic full-on with a driving and stressed bass line accompanied by a bunch of effects. Yeah, but unlike the previous tracks, this one resorts to overly frequent usage of those short breaks, but I have to admit that they were filtered. Of course, my grumbling about all this filtering should not bring discredit on it, as we all have parts of a track we particularly don’t favor too much or, on the other hand, that we pay much more attention to. Keeping in mind today’s production and its habits, I was paying attention to whether or not tracks on this compilation would go berserk. Thankfully, thus far this release has offered only moderate sound, and I hope it will continue like that too.

 

#7 Neurotic Pulse- ReBorn For a moment there I’m breathless… I mean totally left with nothing to say… A wonderful symphony composed of some synths and simulated violins is making way through my speakers. Then suddenly I’m all scared by its sudden ending, but thing are looking good again with a beautiful female vocal, not singing though, and a beautiful string, which leaves me hoping that the track continues in the same lovely manner. The bass line kind of broke my illusion as I really don’t like the color it is painted with, nor do I fashion where it resides on the scale. Later on the track gets completely degraded due to constant cutting up and interrupting of its flow, eventually resulting in a total break. I can figure what the artist wanted to do here, but personally I don’t like it. The track then continues with the same harmonic vibe I sensed during its beginning, only to a lesser extent, and then again, another absolutely unnecessary break, after which you have the typical sound of the bass line rising, and leading to one big, final break, where everything unravels, and the melodies dissolute. Then naturally the track is brought to its drive mode again, and after a few bars, comes a part I really don’t like, because of this whining effect which takes over. This is the track which is tormented with breaks and filtering more than any other track on the compilation. Which I find kind of disappointing, as it had the potential to snatch away the title of the best tune on the whole CD, with the way it started out.

 

#8 Mono- The summer days Hehe, we’ve arrived to the host of the compilation, and he’s going in the straight up rhythmic path right from the beginning. Low cut frequencies and there we go. A pleasant ride on the octave, accompanied by an adequate melody. There is a short break, but only to emphasize the dynamics of the track. Some low note synths come in after a while, and what I really like about them is how these synths play their own melody on the octave, and beneath them there is a bass line undergoing key note changes, and becoming even more expressive. That is a trick I simply adore when it’s properly executed in a track. After the main break, the track gains even more dynamics, but I am not really impressed by how the synths are arranged, and only after they are withdrawn from the track, do I realize that their arrangement was harmonized with the bass line. The track ends rather suddenly, but it still leaves enough blank space to get mixed into sets and all.

 

#9 Ranji- Orbiting the earth I didn’t really understand what went on at the track’s beginning, only that the kick started to roll right from the start. And then the bass line improves the dynamics. And we’re all in for a little more uproarious ride! There is this detail I particularly liked when the sound is distributed and tossed from one speaker to the other. I also noticed the vocal from “Pulp Fiction”; in fact it was the same one as in the legendary track Ashes To Ashes from Mystica. Now, the vocal here is severely cut, or however would producers technically call this effect. The track is constantly dynamic, and just keeps on driving and driving. The vocals then start to fade out and the tracks up-to-now always present dynamic aspect is decreased as well. What I didn’t like here is that during this brief process, when the vocal gets hauled through, a heavy pitch is added. The track’s idea is very fine and it was conceived quite nicely, although I found it to be pretty roughed up, with breaks and shorter pauses reappearing every once in a while. If I heard this one on a party, I’d think the DJ just won’t let it alone, spicing it up with every possible effect he’s got on his gear. But strangest of all is that the track is set loose only about 30 seconds before its end! So, yeah, the overall concept of the track could have been better.

 

#10 PolyCat- No more (Safi Connection remix) Now we’ve arrived to the host of the label on which this compilation came out. As soon as I saw the artist name here I expected to hear a female vocal, as PolyCat is a renowned female vocal artist. That, let’s call it tenor from the beginning of the track was not really something I went crazy about. But the track moves on and develops nicely, with a nice melodic bass line and scattered melodic effects. Then suddenly something that sounds like a vocal appears on the track, but I am getting confused as I cannot properly come to a conclusion on whether it really is a vocal or just a synth. Well, eventually, when that effect got dropped out of the track, I think I pretty much made it out as a vocal. If I am right, then I damn appreciate the way in which this vocal was incorporated in the track. Speaking of the other effects, I didn’t like the guitar simulating one, while everything else was just in place. This is one fine, standard, moderate full-on tune. Naturally, we are confronted with an inevitable, long break, and this one really has some emotional touch to it, although I didn’t like the exaggerated messing around and breaking up of the track’s flow. I guess I understand that this is pretty much a standardized process in today’s production, but it’s not something that sounds welcome in my ears. After the break the track continues in the same emotional, steady and driving manner, except that I really think that the whole guitar effect should have been left out, as it really sounds out of place here.

 

In any case, the compilation scored in the field of trance music production. All of the artists provided tunes which are bound to contribute to the pleasure on the dance floors world wide. Fans of this style of trance music will this release a must, so I suggest to keep an eye out on Spliff Music! Enjoy!

 

origanly posted by Lara

www.soundmute.org

www.myspace.com/lara_pr_of_soundmute

 

http://www.spliff-music.com/