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Atmos - 604 Label: Iboga Records Catalog: IBOGACD83 Released: Nov 2012 This is a 2CD release. CD1: 1. Resign Riot 2. Soundglider 3. Began as another 4. South will rise again 5. Ensemble of the Eclipse Bunker 6. Where do I belong 7. Only for you 8. Horizon of the pickled coffin 9. One you need 10. Twin Reaction (So Italo mix) CD2: 11. Only for you (Phaxe rmx) 12. Horizon of the pickled coffin (S-Range rmx) 13. South will rise again (Phony Orphants rmx) 14. Transport Another (Yotopia rmx) 15. South will rise again (Gaudium rmx) 16. Human Element - Subsequent Connection (Atmos rmx) 17. A whores divorce (Dominic Thomas rmx) 18. One you need (Dominic Thomas rmx) 19. Soundglider (Human Element rmx) 20. Where do I belong (Martin Roth rmx) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- It is a clear sign that I am working too much when I start missing an Atmos release. Such almost had been the case this time. Well, fortunately it didn't come to that... Me being a big fan of Atmos should not need too much introduction (keywords "Bad 2 The Bone" for "46daz" (actually "46@daz", my bad, but let's leave it at that) anyone?). In fact, I am such great a fan that I didn't buy the 2nd Brigade album and also kept myself off listening too much to anything of it yet because I want to keep it as a last escape when I can't take it without Atmos anymore ... then I'll have that piece. Hope that's enough said now. So you can imagine how happy I was when I saw that the newest installment is actually a 2CD release. I think I actually lost some screw caps of my chair in the process... Anyway. Atmos (aka Tomasz Balicki) should need no introduction. He was making his own style progressive trance from beginnings such as Klein Aber Doctor over the albums Headcleaner, 2nd Brigade and Tour De Trance and is "in business" since many years. And especially the last album got me totally hooked. So now there is another one -- and it's a 2CD release. What does it bring us? Well, first it has to be said that only the first CD is containing tracks from Atmos himself (the actual album, so to say). The second CD, as you can see above, contains remixes of many tracks from the first which were done by many other artists ... and also some new stuff, some even by Atmos (or his alias "Dominic Thomas") too. But that doesn't make it bad in any way. Let's go through the tracks: It starts off with "Resign Riot", with a beginning like coming from the intro for a news show on TV. Okay, maybe not exactly, but I could well picture this being in something like that. If I had a news show (Psynews show ), I'd pick this intro. Apart from the fact that it maybe puts you into the action a tad bit too quick (I'd have a more gradually building intro song in mind, like on the last album...) there's not anything I'd want to change. It's good. And also apart from the intro it's a nice tune. The atmosphere is clear, open, a bit shiny and generally motivating for what's to come. Well then, on with it. And it continues with ... hey, isn't that something familiar? Well, it is -- "Soundglider", from the equally named EP. Indeed, the same track. While the track is not bad (it actually even is quite good), it still leaves a bit of an impression of things that already were. But that's exactly what it is. Anyway, it's good, a well-paced and groovy construct with some dragging synth effects giving a bit of a "gliding" ("Soundglider", duh) impression, where the short break in the middle doesn't interfere with the structure. Fine. Up next is "Began as Another", which also recalls some familar-ness in the sound. And indeed -- remember "Transport to Another"? It's the same sound, same bass, same effect. But this time it's not just plainly the same song. Well, it is in some way, but what we have here is a rearranged and enhanced remix ("Re-Processed", sorta ... hehe). What I find good, is the woman's voice and the mastering of the song in correspondence to that voice that gives it a very interesting atmosphere altogether (at least on my stereo -- but I don't know if it's just the murky sound processing I have). And that really makes it more than the sum of its parts, worth to dive in thoroughly also if you own the Transport to Another track already. And then it comes. "South Will Rise Again". This is a bit of a strange tune, concerning the title. I remember this almost same track (differences in bassline and difference presence of the lead melody effects (probably different mastering and synth settings)) under a different name, which used to be "Defending Team". What's up with that? Well, basically it's "Defending Team". And I personally love this song so much I can't find anything bad in it. This is a damn fine tune, best to run to in northern landscapes. A very addictive acidic synth loop is present in large parts of the track. I remember listening to the original "Defending Team" as I was going over Lofoten Island and just as this incredible pinching effect of that main melody comes in again after the speech sample, we were at the very top of a bridge with a view on the land around us -- there was no damn finer place to be in the world at that moment. This perfect timing has practically embossed the tune into my brain, giving me the urge to proclaim an instant like at the fact that it is released again practically under a new title. Oh yeah, "Defending Team", be prepared -- "South Will Rise Again"... After that it's time for the "Ensemble of the Eclipse Bunker". A pushing track with a bassline that comes across quite hard and decent. And that's what it makes the whole track. Very progressing, very strong. In the middle the melody comes in a vibratingly chopped manner, enhancing the drive, then breaking it up and and later embedding into it. An interestingly progressing track, very nice, but it should be said that it was released by Twisted Records in November 2012 aswell. The next one, "Where Do I Belong" is a great track. Nevermind the beforehand release on the Transoprt to Another EP, I like it. I like the samples and the rhythm. This has great structure. There is always something going. Be it one of the absolutely addictive voice samples or a nice synth bleep or what seems to be a rhythmic breath, all engulfed into a synthetic atmosphere of modern soundscapes. I like it a lot. Then there comes "Only For You", which interestingly differs from the Atmos track with the same name that I already knew. The difference is only minor though and seems to consist in a what seems to be a wobbling bassline. It's a song to shake your booty to, but don't get over excited or your belly fat will start to wobble like the bassline. There is no need to get over excited though. The track is known already and although the melody gets nice with a very original touch to it, it doesn't really let one take off because of excitement. But the track is actually quite nice. Only question is whether it is exciting for you or not when you know the original already. And then there is ... the "Horizon of the Pickled Coffin". Wait a second. This track is actually a new one! Nothing is known before (unless you listened Atmos' previews on Soundcloud, but let's make these not count). Yeah, this is nice, giving the fan something new in beteween. It's not bad. The song is good the progression is there and I like the synth effect that is present there, it is a cool sound and a deep one. The song lives quite good off the progression and what's there alone, but to make a really good piece there's a bit too little beef. Still, thanks for the unreleased track. It's a fine thing to have an unreleased and previously unknown one on an album every now and then (cough). Of course, the unreleased track has strained our listening capacity, so we get now again something we already know. It's "One You Need". A slower piece with the characteristic being that the melody itself consists only of one main synth tone. It's not even bad, better than it sounds, as the tone serves as melody and rhythm giver and I am actually a fan of that where you actually can't distinguish between the two. But to really deliver it would need some more... Up last is "Twin Reaction (So Italo Mix)". It's an open and trancy mix of Twin Reaction, a tune that's also known. An open and almost calm piece, nice and quite smooth, with distinct-ness in the melody. The latter is not unknown, but least the piece is listed as a remix now. Anyway, very nice closer of this first CD. So, the overall resume of the album until now would be that it is a nice accumulatuion of tunes, but people who already own some or all of the numerous EPs released by Atmos on Iboga should check if they don't buy too much stuff they already have. It's a bit of a pity because I expected more unknown stuff and that's a bit of a downer, but I don't take it too hard. The music is good and it's nice to have this collection of tracks at home in physical form -- and there is also another good, if not great reason: the second CD! The second CD is actually better than the first. I am not wanting to discuss it track by track ... but it already starts off with the Phaxe remix. This one is awesome. Much better than the original in my opinion, great progression and better integration of the playful melody things. It doesn't twinkle and glitter as it appears in Atmos own piece, it has more structure and progression here. And then you have S-Range himself delivering a mix for the Horizon of The Pickled Coffin -- and even though I like the original better in that case, I find that fine. And then there's two remixes of my beloved "South Will Rise Again" -- one by Phony Orphants and one by Gaudium! That's plain damn awesome, you know. Phony Orphants bring the main melody and the whole thing altogether first in a totally different focus before then going back to its roots, Gaudium overdrives it into the other direction then, showing what intensity this monster actually hides. Also, Yotopia kicks it with Tranceport to Another in between the two ... making the tune an altogether better one in my opinion, using the classic formula "wait before the melody comes in the last third" -- in this case it's effective. The three tracks that follow where Atmos himself does the remix follow, nice work. Interestingly, "A Whore's Divorce" almost reminds of more classic Atmos style (especially in the main part concerning the repetitive and "deep" trance characteristic) despite it's a remix by the alias Dominic T. The "One You Need" remix was part of the EP too by the way. Afterwards, Human Element and Martin Roth then both round off the release with their contributions aswell. Overall? Well, I like CD 2 better, mostly because it doesn't contain a heap of tracks I already own, but only one. Other then that, the three "South Will Rise Again" tracks really contribute to why I do like the release quite a lot despite containing a heap of tracks I already know. I do hope that this style of re-releaseing stuff doesn't continue though. To fans can be said, if you own the Atmos EPs that were already release on Iboga, I doubt that the piece is worth so much. Better go into the store and buy what you don't have in digital form. Hope this was of help to you Atmos freaks out there