Lemmiwinks Posted August 29, 2004 Share Posted August 29, 2004 1. Chaos (Bizzare contact rmx) 2. Nilaya (Melicia rmx) 3. Dancing galaxy (Dynamic rmx) 4. Powergen (Space cat rmx) 5. Let there be light (Atomic pulse vs Perplex rmx) 6. People can fly (Delirious rmx) 7. Visions of Nasca (BLT rmx) 8. Auorora borealis (Deedra rmx) 9. Liquid sun (Star X rmx) 10. Mahadeva (John 00 Flaming rmx) hehe for once I get to review something before DP :blah: So let me start this review with an analogy. Imagine you wake up one day, it's sunny outside, you feel good and all, then you pick up the local newspaper and see that your favorite painting will be on public display in your hometown art museum. You feel all enthusiastic about it so you rush to be among the first to see it. And when you get there, you realize that some idiot teen sprayed a graffiti on top of you beloved painting!!! You can see that underneath there used to be a perfect painting but you can't stop feeling angry at just why the hell would some youngster spray some paint on such a beautifull work of art. Did he somehow think that it would look better that way? WTF??? Well that's more or less the feeling you have when listening to this album! OK, I guess you can see it coming when you see the track list (including a mix by eurotrance popstar-DJ John 00 Fleming?!? but more on that later). Then, you might also have had the same experience back in 2000 when buying their In the Mix album. Or when listening to the Alien Project remix of People Can Fly. Or if you've listened at some recent party one of the hoards of unreleased remixes of some classic AP track. Well, all in all, you can't say that you haven't been warned... But enough with the generalisations, how does it sound? Well, you know the basic "full-on formula": rolling bassline with random swooshes and squelches untill minute 5:00. Then silence, a killer meoldy starts, then rolling bassline pics up again, melody lasts for about 2 minutes, then track fades away and it's the end. The variation of this being that you also add a smaller climax around minute 3:00. Well that formula was applied to the classic AP songs, basically everything was stripped away and replaced by random swooshes and a rolling bassline and the "classic" AP melody that reminds you of the original track is used as the climax melody at minute 5:00 (or 3:00). Need I say I don't like this one bit? OK, there are a few exceptions (well duh, out of 10 tracks there had to be a few that were slightly better than "as-average-as-you-can-get"). The Space Cat remix of Powergen is very nice, very dreamy melody drifts all through the track. Of course, Space Cat is one of the few here that has actually MADE oldschool back in the days, so he still knows how to make em The remix of Let there be light is also quite enjoyable, although not as good as the original. Still, I think this one will work well on the dancefloors, the climax is very well made. BLT's mix of Visions of Nasca is the one that impressed me the most. They basically made a progressive version of AP's oldschool track. At first it sounds surprising but it all sounds so good that you end up enjoying it. To make yet another parallel, if you see the Porsche Cayenne it first strikes you as odd (or even blasphemous) that a sports car manufacturer makes a big sloppy 4x4 but then when you notice that it's a damn good 4x4 you think "well, why not?". That's more or less the feeling I had with this track which ended up being my prefered one on the album AND this one will surprise you but the track that I expected to be the worst of them all, Flemming's mix of Mahadeva (basically I thought this was going to be a cheezy remix of an already-cheezy track...), but no! It's pretty damn good!! The synthlines and funky progression are very hypnotic. Almot nothing is left of the original Mahadeva tune, instead you have another very nice melody. Then around 4:30 you have to put up with the progressive eurotrance ultra-melodramatic wind down and pick-up again that lasts for about 2 minutes (which is actually little by progressive eurotrance standards). Then a little reintrpretation of the original Mahadeva melody. It all works out very nice!! And to my ears this sounds MUCH less commercial than the other full-on remixes here (although my ears are more used to listening full-on than eurotrance so I don't know, maybe for someone used to eurotrance it's the other way around?). Now for the dissapointments: I expected MUCH more from Dynamic and Melicia which impressed me a year ago with their debut albums. I thought they'd have a bit more tricks up their sleeve than just blindly applying the full-on formula. I also expected MUCH more from Deedrah after hearing his remix of Shakta's Lepton Head which was better than the original and is one of THE top goatrance tracks ever IMO. However none of this here. It seems like the dude's getting a kick out of ruining good tracks with stupid cheezy remixes lately... just look at what he's done with his older Transwave songs!! And the BIGGEST disspointment of them all: the People can Fly remix!! I should probably warn you that this is THE track that got me into psytrance in the first place years ago so for me it's something very special. And I just can't stand to see it butchered like that!! Alien Project have already done this a few years ago. So my message to all artists: STOP BUTCHERING THIS TRACK!!! So my conclusion: well, like I said, I was expecting this (and I think most of you did too), this is a bunch of mediocre full-on versions of prefect oldschool tracks. Who'd want that? Well, apparently the fans and modern day psytrancers... maybe I'm getting too old for this stuff? Exceptions from the rule: 4, 5, 7 (!!), 10 (!!) so I guess 4 good remixes still is better than I anticipated (I thought they would ALL suck when hearing about projects of having an album full of AP remixes by full-on artists). So I give this a 7/10. HOWEVER if you're new to psytrance and don't have the original AP albums, PLEASE PLEASE buy their older stuff instead!! (especially Trust in Trance and Dancing Galaxy) Believe me, it will be money better spent. Lemmiwinks (aka moondancer from psynews) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AmithabaBuddha Posted August 29, 2004 Share Posted August 29, 2004 So my conclusion: well, like I said, I was expecting this (and I think most of you did too), this is a bunch of mediocre full-on versions of prefect oldschool tracks. Who'd want that? Well, apparently the fans and modern day psytrancers... maybe I'm getting too old for this stuff? Exceptions from the rule: 4, 5, 7 (!!), 10 (!!) so I guess 4 good remixes still is better than I anticipated (I thought they would ALL suck when hearing about projects of having an album full of AP remixes by full-on artists). So I give this a 7/10. HOWEVER if you're new to psytrance and don't have the original AP albums, PLEASE PLEASE buy their older stuff instead!! (especially Trust in Trance and Dancing Galaxy) Believe me, it will be money better spent. Lemmiwinks (aka moondancer from psynews) 196482[/snapback] I just only hope that you´re not right. but you´d probaly be , the artist remix names says everything. This album will probably ruin every good work of Astral projection to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Insejn Posted August 30, 2004 Share Posted August 30, 2004 I think this is a terrible CD. Just one single artist managed to make a good remix and that is Deedrah. This is not even good full on imo. The guy who picked the artists to remix the tracks did an awful job. I've very pissed off at this shitty release. Astral deserves so much better. But you can always listen to the originals Dynamic's destruction of Dancing Galaxy is a punch in the face to all Astral fans out there (including me). Stay away from this one! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Naiman Posted August 30, 2004 Share Posted August 30, 2004 Could be an ok release if you didn't know the original trakcs, But compared to them this is a very weak cd. Maybe a couple of good tracks. In allmost every track as soon as the fullon bass comes in you just know the tracks gonna suck. Who must we kill to stop this Fullofshit era..? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dasa Posted September 3, 2004 Share Posted September 3, 2004 ... The remix of Let there be light is also quite enjoyable, although not as good as the original. Still, I think this one will work well on the dancefloors, the climax is very well made. BLT's mix of Visions of Nasca is the one that impressed me the most. They basically made a progressive version of AP's oldschool track. At first it sounds surprising but it all sounds so good that you end up enjoying it. To make yet another parallel, if you ... AND this one will surprise you but the track that I expected to be the worst of them all, Flemming's mix of Mahadeva (basically I thought this was going to be a cheezy remix of an already-cheezy track...), but no! It's pretty damn good!! The synthlines ... Lemmiwinks (aka moondancer from psynews) 196482[/snapback] joof's version of mahadeva indeed is good. it's in sorta same spirit - the original was pretty cheesy, and the remix is also anthemic/cheesy, but very well done. agree that alien project's "people can fly" remix was disappointing. look forward to hearing the versions of "vision of nasca" and "let there be light," though (i haven't heard "ten" - i only have joof's mahadeva which is released separately by joof) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seraph Posted September 22, 2004 Share Posted September 22, 2004 I finally got it and I have to say that I am also dissapointed. I knew everything about the album before I got it, but now, after I heard it, I can't say I am furious as lots of people here, I just feel that this album is trivial. CHAOS is not bad but it has those silly build ups which I am sick of. NILAYA is not bad too but you can barely hear the original by the end. Only last one minute you can say that this is the remix of that song. DANCING GALAXY is not bad but far from original. POWER GEN is the BEST on an album and it is actually the best remix I've heard in a long time...PERFECT ! LET THERE BE LIGHT is not bad, it has silly begining but the ending is pretty good though. PEOPLE CAN FLY is one of the weakest on album and it is totally ruined. Shame. VIDIONS OF NASCA is actually not bad at all. It has nothing to do with the original but I like the strucuture of it. He made it as progressive psychedelic track and how it is, it is not bad at all. AURORA BOREALIS by Deedrah is second best on album and I quite like it. LIQUID SUN remix is the weakest on album and I really don't want to say anything else about this song. MAHADEVA rmx is another best one on album. JOOF made perfect morning remix of Mahadeva 99, very entrancing and melodic...PERFECT...Best on album : 4 ( !!! ), 7, 8 ( ! ), 10 ( !! )...6/10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quark Posted September 22, 2004 Share Posted September 22, 2004 Am I the only one who doesn't think this is pure shit? I find it quiet interesting, but nothing compared to a real Astral Projection album. In the Mix is cool too I think, soooo. Take care!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mars Posted September 23, 2004 Share Posted September 23, 2004 The only tracks on which i had a reaction, ok, let's say a positive reaction were the one involving Space Cat and the John 00 Flemming one. Else this is...yet still again full-on bad copy-n-paste mediocrity 3/10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Cocco Posted September 30, 2004 Share Posted September 30, 2004 Oh Jesus Christ. The best thing about this album is the cover. I have always been a fan of AP. The FIRST goatrance song I ever heard was by AP. I LOVE and ADMIRE their older work. This album I bought because of how much I love and miss their magic. Of course, its all remixes and none of them are GREAT. I don't even think one is really good. Many are just repetitive, typical Full On dance stuff that feels dated and uninspired, unlike the inspired originals they're intended to be based upon. Okay, WHY did AP pick these certain artists to remix such great songs???? What about a remix by Hallucinogen, MFG, Infected Muchroom maybe, etc?? Most of these tracks could have been so much more interesting and exciting after all these years. I find this album disappointing from someone who has heard EVERY AP ALBUM EVER RELEASED AND I OWN EVERY ONE OF THEM. Astral Files is infinitely and this is true because AP remixed thier own songs. AP will always have a place in my heart, but I was hoping for something more impressive after all these years. Of course, none of these remixes are by AP themselves, so a stunning new album as a real NEW-SKOOL goatrance follow-up to their peek albums of the 96-99 would be amazzzing. Is this not possible? I thought anything was possible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Cocco Posted September 30, 2004 Share Posted September 30, 2004 oh, and "PEOPLE CAN FLY" (REMIX) is just terrible. BORING and annoyingly repetitive AS HELL!!! I'm surprised AP actually allowed this track on the final "TEN" cut of remixes. The original was beautiful. Why do they go upon letting other cooks spoil the broth. Is it money? Can't they see the light they helped create throughout their time on this planet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seraph Posted September 30, 2004 Share Posted September 30, 2004 With all due respect towards the masters, I think they sold themselves with this release and as John Cocco said how could they possibly allow for some remixes to appear on this compilation cause some really sounds childish and boring actually. I mean, after 2 + years, we could got something fresh from them. But, I don't want to criticise cause I still have hope for them to release new, better stuff although some new stuff I heard in live act sounded more dark and slightly more minimalistic ( but not minimal ), just more minimal compared to their old sound. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dasa Posted October 1, 2004 Share Posted October 1, 2004 I find this album disappointing from someone who has heard EVERY AP ALBUM EVER RELEASED AND I OWN EVERY ONE OF THEM. Astral Files was much better, probably because AP remixed thier own songs on Astral Files. there aren't that many AP albums, even if you stretch back into their phonokol/TIT days when they recorded under SFX, and other pseudonyms. but i hear you. one element i very much miss is the semitic/arabic key/melody (i am thinking "electronic"). i'd like to see them add some more of that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dasa Posted October 1, 2004 Share Posted October 1, 2004 there aren't that many AP albums, even if you stretch back into their phonokol/TIT days when they recorded under SFX, and other pseudonyms. but i hear you. one element i very much miss is the semitic/arabic key/melody (i am thinking "electronic"). i'd like to see them add some more of that. 198514[/snapback] i want to add, though, i got to see them a month ago here in SF (US), and they were true to the form. an awesome night. it was such treat to hear "Let there be light". (big prop to the beautiful girl who dance whole night on the stage ;-) "And god said, 'Let there be light'..." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cgranber Posted October 1, 2004 Share Posted October 1, 2004 ..In the Mix is cool too I think, soooo... Take care!! 197908[/snapback] The In The Mix album is totally different from this album in that it has only two remixes by other artists. One by domestic, which is actually very good, and the other by Cass & Slide... so, yes the album is indeed very nice blended with all the different AP remixes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Time_Trap Posted March 4, 2005 Share Posted March 4, 2005 true, most remixes are "destructions" of the original tracks, but there are a few i actually liked more than the original AP: CHAOS, POWER GEN, VISIONS OF NASCA. Generally: album is a bit above mediocre... i was very dissapointed by the dancing galaxy / people can fly remixes Mahadeva rmx wasn't really that bad, but sorta startled me with that euro-trance style[especially the intro]. <<< My overall rating is 6/10 >>> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Rain Posted March 4, 2005 Share Posted March 4, 2005 this release is just morning fullon like all morning fullon... you do recognize the original astral songs (who are 1000 times better)... I liked it a bit at the first time listen cause the melodies sound strong (just like AP) but after 2 times listen it's back in the closet already ... The dynamic song - that climax sounded for me the best I remember (haven't heard him in 3 months so ) 4/10 for the lack of originality... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lemmiwinks Posted March 5, 2005 Author Share Posted March 5, 2005 yep, I agree... after about 2 months I never listened to that CD again either... guess that confirms that it's just fashionable full-on whereas all other AP albums are classics for me (meaning that I still have pleasure in listening to them years later) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aut Posted March 8, 2005 Share Posted March 8, 2005 I dunno..IMO, it is so refreshing to hear the well known themes after all these years polished, reworked and redone. None of these remixes exceeds the quality, the thrill and the warmth attached to the perception of the legendary AP classix,but did we expect them to do so?? I am very nostalgic while listening to Ten. It reminds me of those glorious days of genuine goa scene and how things changed so much in the meantime, how I got older and now have these new kidz playing around with music that once meant so much to me. I have this album replayed over and over again at my work and it does a perfect job at relaxing my mind and soul. My offer still stands. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Punit Posted March 16, 2005 Share Posted March 16, 2005 The only remixes which don't insult the originals are: Nilaya (Melicia rmx) Powergen (Space cat rmx) Visions of Nasca (BLT rmx) really nice rest are mediocre. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Cocco Posted March 17, 2005 Share Posted March 17, 2005 ASTRAL PROJECTION - TEN ... (Review) My feelings 6 months later. I love AP's earlier work and my first goatrance song ever was by AP so my review is automatically in favor of AP, but they've attached their artist name to a compilation of something they didn't do: Covers. You could say not all the songs are terrible, although none are good I strongly feel. After all, you can say, AP didn't do these? But its been over two years!, and its AP! Look, this is the WORST, MOST DISAPPOINTING compilation of covers that I have ever heard in psytrance to date, and probably because THESE COVER SONGS HAVE BEEN DONE TO GREAT, CLASSIC ORIGINALS!!! WHY THE HELL DID AP ALLOW THIS TO BE RELEASED??? Listen, they should have had several great artists remix each song they chose to get remixed, and then taken the best one from each artist. People would than be in competition to make the best track for fear that they would lose if they made something half-assed or half-decent, as are found in many areas here. WHY DID AP NOT REMIX THEIR OWN MUSIC??? AND WHY THESE PARTICULAR ARTISTS??? ARE THEY THAT BURNT-OUT OR THINKING NEWER ARTISTS COULD BRING IN MORE MONEY AND ATTENTION??? OBVIOUSLY NO CREATOR WANTS HIS OWN GREAT WORK HE OR SHE LOVES RUINED, BUT WHATEVER HAPPENED, THE INTENTIONS EXPLODED IN AP'S FACE, or rather IMPLODED I SHOULD SAY. No one mixes your material better than yourself. No one KNOWS YOUR WORK BETTER THAN YOU! Example: AP - Astral Files ... A phenomenal album with many great/excellent remixes by AP! I HOPE THEY MAKE THIS UP TO THEIR FANS WITH A 5th or whatever number it is, main album which literally for once ever, revolutionizes goa/psytrance a second time by the same artists. (or atleast is freekin insanely imaginative and amazing, like their older work but just as or even more visual and ambitious, layered, melodic, and beautiful) Sound impossible? Anythings possible. AP put this out in the universe over a decade ago. I been a believer in them, anything; everything ever since. BUT THIS COVER ALBUM IS LIKE THEM SITTING BACK IN THE CHAIR, GIVING UP THEIR WORK TO OTHERS TO PLAY AROUND WITH; WHO HAVE DONE NO JUSTICE TO THE MAJORITY OF THE SONGS, AND IN MY OPINION: ZERO JUSTICE WHEN COMPARED TO THE ORIGINALS. HELL, THEIR SELF-MIXED COMP, "IN THE MIX" IS DECENT COMPARED TO THIS! Score / Grade: F out of A. Although tracks 4 and 10 are not bad; they are basically the only decent ones I think, this should have not been made, unless with far better remixes to such beautiful classics. Many songs are too repetitive, boring, typical, plain, unimaginative, forgettable! So yes, its a disgrace to what it could have been. Because mediocre or less than half-decent for AP is just bad and unexceptable! Astral Projection are too talented and focused to let this happen, so what happened? Many fans thought this was a new album by AP, and I simply bought this because of their almost grade A history of truly stunning music and results. But its history now. One can only look forward toward the future of things to come. I want them to be positive. I believe AP has the potential to make another imaginative masterpiece main album with all new tracks. Anythings possible. -JC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Perfect Stranger Posted March 17, 2005 Share Posted March 17, 2005 @ Jon I usually dont tend to participate in topics concerning my music, but heh dude I really think u go a bit over the edge here... Remixes are indeed done as interpretation to other artist creation. This is not done to make hall of fame to someone, but to create alternative to a well known song but do it in some other way. I personally think that this collection of remixes, could be much more interesting. I think that they should have given much more PROGRESSIVE artists to remix their stuff and see what comes out from it. Still it is not a pile of crap as it may seem from what u say, and there are few good remixes there that deserve a good word. But back to topic, if I was u I would try to open up a bit - Mahadeva belongs to 1994, we are in 2005 - many things changed since. I danced like crazy to Mahadeva in 2004 but onfortunately ( that is how world goes round these days ) it doesnt meet the need of the dancefloor and sound production of today. My two shekels Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
X-scream Posted March 17, 2005 Share Posted March 17, 2005 6 months later, the only songs I really have some sort of positive feeling towards are: Power gen (Space cat remix) Simply good full-on Mahadeva (John '00' Fleming remix) Best on this album, no doubt about it. Atmospheric, emotional, MASSIVE build up, climax could've been handled better though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chatnik aka alien Posted June 2, 2005 Share Posted June 2, 2005 John 00 Fleming and his rmx is the best remix of mahadeva '99 ever!!!!this is my opinion peace Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mephistopheles Posted July 31, 2009 Share Posted July 31, 2009 Oh Jesus Christ. The best thing about this album is the cover. Into Kaballah? Or just a fascinating symbol, the tree of life (Sefiroth)? to be not too much off-topic here: the magic of great tracks butchered....perhaps enjoyable on a dancefloor.....but still..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trance2MoveU Posted December 30, 2013 Share Posted December 30, 2013 Ah...the album whose name shall never be spoken. Rereading the review it's plain to see this went over like a turd in the punch bowl. But looking at the track list it's hard to have expected anything else. Classic tracks turned into full-on remixes, some really terribly so. *smacks Dynamic in the back of the head* "You just summed up your entire disappointing career in one track!" Once you get over the fact that these aren't the classic goa tracks you're looking for, from a full-on perspective some aren't bad. Now that's assuming you don't have white hot hatred for all things full-on. If you do, you've probably already dropped a stinky loaf on this. And since this record (maybe even before) AP has become a running joke of a project. Allowing full-on artists to remix their babies only tarnished their legacy and further cemented their hunt for the almighty dollar or shekel or other soul sacrificing item of monetary value. Ladies and gentlemen...may I introduce to you...a footnote in history. Mdk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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