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received kuro and charm today in australia, still on first disc but so far amazing thanks to all involved

Ultimate Xperience - Lazarus Rising [Neogoa] 1. Andromeda 2. Kingdom Of Heaven 3. Across Thee Universe [space Time Continuum] 4. LAZARUS [sanctum] [Mix XIII] 5. High Energy Protons [Deus Ex-Machina Mix] [vs. Juno Reactor] 6. Radio-Activity [eXtinction 13] 7. Thee Audssey [Continues] [The Faithealers Remix] UX returns with an unexpected surprise after a roughly two-decade departure from Goa-Trance. The result is NOT a pure Goa album, nor a Goa album, but an album that HAS Goa influence and.. well.. let's begin begins-- 1. Andromeda opens with beautiful atmosphere, ambient, and a fantasy/mystical feel. I LOVE the first 1:40 of this song! The beat arrives at 1:42, although the second and third minute sound like generic albeit well produced Full On to me. The first act incorporates many ideas to keep us entertained, but little magic takes place after the first 1:40. Enter terrific synths at 4:34 that make me all but forget the more generic (predictable) approach and direction. A tune at 5:41 adds to the creativity, mood, into fairly Juno Reactor-esque territory. The darker tone at 7:13 is intriguing. The ninth minute forward is pretty cool. A criticism is that the song takes time to sound more congruent and engaging around its many nice sounds. Also, the overall direction and approach feels a little safe to me. I feel that the general Full On style is limiting what the artists are capable of. Of course I'd rather an album start good and improve from there rather than start strong and disappoint later. That said, I think this is a great track, although "the whole is weaker than the sum of its parts" in my opinion. I'm also basing this on desiring to see an album not depend too much on sounding like Juno Reactor! To me the song mixes two visions: 1.) A visionary song via intro and later synth work [with] 2.) a song made to appeal to more general audiences and in doing so, limits what UX are truly capable of. The result is a catchy song that I go back and forth between because I agree that it's entertaining overall! A- 2. Kingdom Of Heaven showcases greater feeling, melodies, ethnic influence, and direction. I love the clunk effect at 1:21 (that repeats like an accent without being overused), the atmosphere, the euphoric/uplifting feel in the second minute in addition to its keys, progression, the key changes, and more. After a brief transition, the energy suddenly shifts at 4:27 and we kick into high gear via adrenalized Juno territory. Fortunately UX's approach prevents the song from feeling like a JR rip-off. Beautiful ambient, atmosphere, and sound/melody work captivates the last act. The JR feel returns at 10:15 and merges with angelic that compliment the intensity. This track lifts me up and gets me to feel something! I'm no longer an observer but now one enjoying the experience. Fantastic! A 3. Across Thee Universe [space Time Continuum] is more psychedelic and edgy! The opening is strong, coupled with ambient and atmosphere. Initiation to lift-off begins around 1:15. The sci-fi influence is so satisfying! The melodies in the second minute intrigue, enhanced with voice samples. The energy picks up (love those background, atmospheric sounds) as the song grows, showcasing more variety, imagination, and complexity(!). Yet it remains edgy, never falling to generic middle Eastern-Indian influenced melodies that would soften the infectiously futuristic feel. The cybernetic synths in the 5th minute are captivating and unique. The ethereal touches, ambient, and zip (fantastic synth work!) in the second third is great too! I love the twisting, distorted sound via 7:35 as well as the song's finale! This is another more imaginative, stellar number with strong direction, defining rhythms, synths, aggression, and intelligence. A- / A 4. LAZARUS [sanctum] [Mix XIII] has a very attractive and calming, ethnic-influenced intro. A catchy sample breaks tranquility at 1:13 and the ride begins. The song combines elegance (heart and feeling) with aggression. I love the simplicity in the synth work at 2:25. The synths in the third minute grow fairly repetitive though, and the female voice sample specifically from 3:45 to 4:15 are annoying. They detract from the more visionary, imaginative, and riveting aspects of the song and AGAIN, make it feel safe. On the plus, the emotive notes via 4:31 are great. After a lengthier than necessary transition in the sixth minute, the song soars! I love the ambient notes at 6:47. They fuse beautiful with the synths. The third act includes another strong section in the eighth minute thanks to awesome DRUMS (with tempo changes, yes!!!), OVERTuRE, and other infectious SYNTHS. These dynamic ingredients blaze across the ninth minute. The female vocals at 10:28 are very pleasant. Unfortunately those SAME ANNOYING OTHER FEMALE ONES return at 11:28. They're repetitive and the effect used towards the end is distracting, not fun. The song incorporates more "feels" at 12:05. I love the ethereal elements; they add feeling to the visionary world. Overall this is a pretty great song that could have used some refining and trimming to transform it into an even stronger vehicle. A- 5. High Energy Protons [Deus Ex-Machina Mix] [vs. Juno Reactor] is a remix of one of my favorite tracks (and remixes) ever. Somehow the magic and power is compromised to the traps often associated with Full On via tossing nice sounds around a safe beat and baseline. The greatness and essence of JR's classic original and remix of High Energy Protons can be heard for miles in this distinct, beautiful, and strong - infectiously relentless remix. The first act is great. The middle act is phenomenal. And the last act is full of heart, zip, and excitement! The song appears more Goa-influenced too at times. It would be so amazing if the artist incorporated more Goa influence to his new, updates style. I have to mention the returning layer at 9:54 in addition to the overture synth at 10:08 on top of everything else. That is so catchy/spectacular! I love nearly every minute of this song's roughly twelve minute run time. Excellent remix, superb! A 6. Radio-Activity [eXtinction 13] has a wonderful, reflective, and atmospheric opening. I love it. The ambient-driven song is emotionally compelling, with beautiful and inventive sounds, arrangement, and direction. It's like a movie that never feels sound track-y thankfully. The song's provocative, loaded with feels, and the samples compliment. The melodies work wonders too; they convey the story being told -- of concern, debate, and hope for the future, humanity, etc., with so much feeling and warmth (optimism). I'm impressed by how catchy and gripping this number is, considering the lack of beat, though drum work enters (and enhances) the second half. The music is like emotions pouring down like rain, showering our spirits, consciousness. I'm so happy he artist created this. It's passionate, creative, full of hope, and beautifully designed. It also shows that he can produce superb work both with and within the Juno-influence that I enjoy so much too! Part of me wishes the song was longer due to how captivated I was before it ended. I could almost hear it continuing, developing, improving further, and yet this thing is nearly perfect to my ears in every way. I love when artists experiment and come up with something completely different and wondrous. Now if only Morphic Resonance had a track at this level of tempo, engagement, and strength in place of his Mindwarp (track 7) via the otherwise excellent City of Moons album. This song's gentle approach oozes with strength. Love is the answer. It is multi-dimensional. Increase your vibration. Stay elevated! A 7. Thee Audssey [Continues] [The Faithealers Remix] is one heck of a closing number. It begins with what I'd describe as cinematic ambient -- the developed (with other elements) kind that I LOVE throughout this album. The song has "feels" too; it's inspirational, motivational, contemplative, and determined like a character setting off on a journey full of great discovery, magic, adventure, love, etc. Soft hymns and vocals accent the first act before the beat arrives at 2:23. Here, delectable synths lock braids as a wave of cold atmosphere soaks in. One of the first delicious segments arrives at 3:38. We get some experimental vocals towards the end of the fourth minute. They're OK. Really though, it's the synths at 5:09 that elevate the second act along with the heartfelt layers via 5:54. The kinesthetic "feels" develops into the sixth minute, complimented with tribal-y, harmony, key change(s), and more. Atmospheric and arresting, the last act's transition is far catchier than that of the self-titled track before an exciting passage arrives at 7:56. I love the storytelling aspect here and on the overall album. The emotive element at 8:28 is rich and rewarding. Yet ANOTHER awesome frame enters at 9:08. The song keeps developing and improving with greatness, incorporating many catchy ideas done before but with fresh delivery, and many new ones as well. Heartfelt and engaging, the artist combines beauty and intensity rather seamlessly, producing an experienced and satisfying finale. The Juno Reactor influence appears fairly less here (at times) as well. The result's terrific. I think this artist can take a step away from Juno Reactor (influence wise) as Filteria did (Pleiadian influence wise) with his amazing Daze of our Lives album. In doing so, Filteria's newer, more evolved style blossomed in groundbreaking ways that made me think of no other artist when hearing that album (DoOL) other than Filteria. In other words, this artist is obviously talented, passionate, and experienced enough to lose the JR training wheels (for lack of better words, influence is a better to say) and take his imaginative (less safe) visions to gob-smacking proportions. If you build it, they will come, just like JR did, hey! It's UX after all and what a comeback. I want to thank this artist for such a fantastic, imaginative album. This closing track is A LOT more imaginative and visionary than the opening (catchy but safer comparatively speaking) track led me to believe. This is yet another excellent track that embraces its vision and leaves me often starting the album from the very beginning. And that folks, is the mark of a great album! A- / A CONCLUSION This sounds nothing like old UX and it's AMAZING!!! After 15-20 years I didn't expect this. I love the approach. The album gets better as it progresses. I love the atmosphere, the heart (feels!), It's edgy, dark and mystical (more or less), daring, provocative, mature, and powerful. I love the excitement, mystical and ethnic (worldly) elements, the sound/melody (synth) work, accents, power, etc., etc. This never feels like a generic full on release with exploitative touches of [insert artist name's] former self. For me, the album gets really JUNO-esque starting in Kingdom of Heaven (4:27), but UX influence hybridizing JR's inspiration with what they [UX] brings to the table is superb. I'm so happy that this artist took time to make something special. The work invested really shows. You can tell he didn't take the cheap (generic) Full On route like many former artists who return X years later. INSTEAD we have a beautiful releases worth listening to and recommending. Now don't be discouraged when I say Full On. This is not pure Full On. Nor is Juno Reactor. As with JR, this UX album doesn't fit into one sub-genre of electronic music and yes the Full On influence is stronger here than in Juno but THIS is how it's done while maintaining integrity, the imagination, and expanding/pushing the envelope (not limited to the cookie cutter formulaic approach most albums fall into via Full On). The approach is the opposite of lazy. It grows congruent, more cohesive and enjoyable as the journey deepens. To say something's perfect or not perfect sounds so silly to me as I become more couscous aware. If I were to pick a favorite so far, it'd be High Energy Protons [Deus Ex-Machina Mix] [vs. Juno Reactor]. My GOD I love this song!!!! I love the previous versions too but WOOOOWWWOooooOWWWWWW WHOA.... WOW!!!!!!! I have few constructive criticisms, like the opening song's first half could have been tighter, more mystical and visionary (contextual in that sense) like the other tracks. The album grows more enchanting and exciting (love that) after the rocky path to strength opening. The other songs are so strong (though I find things I like more here and there but the same goes for everything) that it's hard to over analyze. I love the atmospheric and fantasy (sci-fi) elements and hope this talented artist continues in this (that) direction via imagination, vision, etc. Not only does he develop but at times evolves-- he EVOLVES songs!!! Some tracks do this more than others and you'll know when you hear the giant development to the point it's like going through another dimension of sound/creation that compliments (elevates) the vision of the song. The FEELS (!!!) go a long way when the artist innovates on top of his JR influence. This is a SUEPRB release. Ultimate Xperience's highly anticipated Lazarus Rising is a gem and easily one of-- if not the BEST uptempo electronic album of 2016. Post your comments/reviews good or not. This album deserves it. Highly Recommended!!! Favorite tracks - 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 (that's all of them and I'm not ashamed to NOT be nit picky when I feel that EVERY song is so MEMORABLE and well done!) 9/10 ... A Stream the full album on YouTube --> https://youtu.be/G7yBBzUnAds Support the artist and label ---> https://neogoarecords.bandcamp.com/album/lazarus-rising