Prometheus - Robot.O.Chan

[Gutty]

and i was almost getting bored of trance.

to me Robot.O.Chan, Prometheus´ debut cd, is

like a revolution of the genre.

it opens another door.

its not just good. its fucking good.

 

i see there´s talk that the mised muppet cd is considered

the best release of the year already and i must admit i havent

properly heard their cd thats why i ordered it, but it

wont matter, because Prometheus is GOD.

 

he has the most creative style and superb production

skills which puts him up with label mate Hallucinogen

as one of the best producers in psytrance. i cant say

enough good things about this guy he is a genius.

 

the cd itself is a masterpiece. the first song starts off

scary and slow so you dont know what to expect for

the first minute or so, then a robotic syntho snare drum

beat kicks in and you realize expectations dont matter.

it turns into a haunting trip through lala-land that you

definately wont get out of your mind.

 

from the second song on it gets feisty, up on all fours

ready to fight and it does. the first taste gives us a feel

of prometheus´ style, while getting the groove on.

 

the second gives way to the primal flavours previously

hinted at. the tribe has spoken.

 

tribal groove all the way until a cyborg voice kicks in

and announces his presence. apparently the comp uter´s

insane. or is it unsane?

 

this album is the shit. im full of shit.

buy it.

[seraph]

It is very good album but it surely isn't classic. He did stunning mastering and very good production, but I expected it to be slightly more psychedelic. OK Computer is so good and very drifty, it is maybe the best song on album but I also liked Robot.O.Chan and Universe. Snakes And Ladders and Samothraki are pretty good as well...You should buy it if you like variable music. 7/10

[Gutty]

screw that yo, this album is nothing less than classic.

it´s on a much higher level than most full on releases

today and it even tops hallucinogen in my opinion.

every song has a story to tell, every sound is deliberate.

i think this is maybe the kinda music that you either love

or dont love. hehe. but forreal i´ve been listening to trance

for a long time and this is definately something special.

i look forward to prometheus´ next cd.

this guy speaks with a visual language.

[healium]

Prometheus – “Robot-O-Chan”

 

Well after much time with this one I’ve decided I like it, and rather quite a lot! I’ve gone from thinking this was a very poor and mediocre album to thinking it’s quite a piece of work. This change happened after numerous listening wherein it sounded the same every time. Then, just recently, for unknown reasons, healium “got” it and has been grooving along nicely every since. I hadn’t listened to it for a few weeks until yesterday and decided to give it another spin while driving – for whatever reason I was able to get down inside the music, which is when music can be experienced so much more deeply!

 

This has led me to wonder, is healium an inferior listener because it took him so long to appreciate this album? Are the other peoples more advanced in their listening capabilities than healium that they get this one right away? It’s worth noting that healium never listened to this album high on Ganja or any other substance and this strikes me as an album that would be MUCH easier to like if one were stoned.. Given that it’s a pretty laid-back and subtle album containing a remarkable amount of detail and variance, the Ganja mind-space would allow one to appreciate these qualities much easier I would think…

 

This album is a rich and intricate tapestry of music. The theme here is this sort of cheesy 1980’s robot-taking-over/2001 Space Odyssey thing. The artists does a very good job of creating emotional and engrossing soundscapes and atmospheres along this theme – each track is it’s own little adventure, it’s own little aural-sphere of existence into which one can become an inhabitant of…

 

“Robot-O-Chan strikes me as largely progressive in the way the tracks are made up, but with far more melodic flare and sound fx than your typical progressive.. Surely isn’t full-on…

 

The basslines are very very catchy and baroque, and they have lots of “womp”. Sound effects are very polished and slick and sound like the artist really knows how to work his gear… The melodies seem more like the wallpaper of the album, they’re just kinda in the background, adding ambience to it, none really stand out and roar for attention like Infected Mushroom melodies do…

 

On the downside there’s very little that’s overtly exciting, euphoria producing, or charismatic about this album. This is very Politically Correct Psytrance (PCP), nothing chancy or risqué here, despite it being quite totally Psytrance in style and vibe and not at all commercial sounding..

 

Unlike the Rinkadink and Misted Muppet albums this one never really “soars” into mad climactic breakdowns of sound and melody. Instead it just jams along in a most pleasant and stylish fashion without ever really working up a sweat. This is the aspect of it that let me down initially I think – I like to me thrilled and awed by my trance music, and this album just doesn’t do that. It reminds me of Beat Bizarre’s most recent album in that sense, though this one isn’t nearly so boring..

 

I read a comment by someone I can’t remember who or where who said they thought this album would age better than most others from 2004 and I think I might agree, there’s a lot here, really solid piece of work..

 

8.6/10

[mars]

I was not so amazed by the album when it was released, but after seeing the guy live under dozens of KHz, i understood many things.

 

Now i think this album is good. Not wonderful, but definitely worth it !

[Gutty]

To me the entire beauty of Robot.O.Chan is its subtlety.

Full-on trance tells its story with loud FX and melodies,

Prometheus has a much more subtle, almost sublimenal

way of creating a soundscape.

 

You could compare listening to this album like taking a hit

of strong acid. It creeps up on you when you least expect

it and it takes you into a world of its own.

 

Look at track 8, U.R.Beautiful. This is one of my favourite

tracks, but it specifically demonstrates my point. Its got a

lot of FX and a cool bassline and whatever, but what really

makes you trip is the stuff thats happening in the background.

Theres this synth going off that first sounds very tribal and

plain, but as the song evolves so does the sound and the

end result is a highly original and really psychedelic way

of carrying a song.

 

Prometheus has his own style and you either get it or you

don´t. To me this is anything but normal trance. This is so

far from full on its not even funny. This is the opposite of

full on. This is subtle, highly psychedelic, highly original

music.

 

I´ve been listening to Misted Muppet since I got my cd the

other day and I really like it, it´s killer music, but comparing

it to Prometheus is like comparing apples and pears.

It´s the opposite end of the spectrum.

Both artists are great at what they do, but personally I find

Prometheus to be much more psychedelic, emotional and

well it just hits my g spot and it feels really good.

 

It has a hallucinogen like quality in the sense that it´s music

for the mind, more than for the body. It looks like a lot of

people that are into the trance scene these days only care

about fat beats and that´s cool, but I prefer music with

substance, music that expands the mind. To me full on acts

like Skazi and whoever is the most unoriginal and boring

kind of trance you get. I know a lot of people disagree, but

i think most full on being released today is utter shite.

 

nuff said.

irie

[electrickery]

What I love about this album is that Prometheus is not afraid to take his time in drawing you into the music... he really has a confidence that its not just big phat n furious beats that will get someone going.

 

While it is quite haunting, the tracks are also uplifting for me... emotionally rich on various levels depending on my mood. Its one that definately grows on you I think.

 

As for taking some time to let it grow on you, that happens to me all the time, especially when I come at some music with an expectation.

[Dajek]

I haven't fully 'got' that album yet, but I like this more every time I listen o it. I'd give 6/10 at the moment, but it will most likely rise.

[kabamaru]

For me, this and Juno's new album are the best psy-trance releases of 2004. They will definately age far better than most of the rest releases of 2004.

[fosku]

Don't like it that much. The first track is the best by far.

[Frontier Psychiatrist]

This album is a grower. It takes a lot of commitment and courage from the listener to fall in love with it. For me this is progressive trance at it's best. And not those cheesy house projects around.

Up there with Atmos and Saikopod albums. Proper.

[Trolsk]

I've given this album so many chances by now that I think it can't grow any more on me. Robot.O.Chan is full of great sounds but Prometheus fails to arrange them into something special. I get the feeling that Prometheus is too occupied on doing smart things, rather then focusing on the vibe and story of the tracks.

 

There are no bad tunes on this album, but that extra something is lacking. There's just no climax. The tunes chugs along and by the end of them I'm thinking, is that it?

 

Something that prevents me from focusing on the numerous good sounds is the muddy bass and too loud kick, it really ruins the experience.

 

Prometheus' Robot.O.Chan is the biggest anti-climax of 2004.

 

3 / 5

[traveller]

It's by far the best psytrance album since 1997

[Guest antic]

I can't really understand how people can not like this? For me it's one of the best albums in this genre - very musical, unique sounding and imaginative. The tracks do tell a story, though he avoids the overused "build-stop-drumroll-climax" cliche and arranges them in other, more subtle ways. I totally like the album's theme about sci-fi (robots and artificial inteligence).

 

For me the whole Twisted's "grey period" (Prometheus, Younger Brother & Ott) is the top of psychedelic trance music.

[Trolsk]

I can't really understand how people can not like this? For me it's one of the best albums in this genre - very musical, unique sounding and imaginative. The tracks do tell a story, though he avoids the overused "build-stop-drumroll-climax" cliche and arranges them in other, more subtle ways.

 

I gave the album 3/5, meaning it's an ok album, but not the masterpiece everyone else believe it to be. Just because I don't like his storytelling doesn't mean I want simple "build-stop-drumroll-climax", but since I don't like his storytelling and there are no climaxes I do find the album to be unsatisfying.

[Templar]

I won't give a long review but let me tell you that this is, without any doubt, one of the best psytrance albums I own. Benji has the skills! Cannot wait for a new album, which, to the best of my knowledge, is in production.

 

off-topic:

 

ps. Antic: do You ever read Your e-mails? Please reply. (I just hope that Your @ on onet.pl - that's where I've sent my @'s to You - still works)

[marcinito]

I basically love everything that goes out of twisted rec...

But somehow this is not my favourite album. Some tracks are really off the fucking hook (Samothraki, Snakes and Ladders), but all-in-all I wouldn't go as far to label it "one of the best psytrance albums I own"

 

question of taste....

 

Templar, I recon you'd guess which one is my fav

 

peace y'all!

[madpup]

I've given this album so many chances by now that I think it can't grow any more on me. Robot.O.Chan is full of great sounds but Prometheus fails to arrange them into something special. I get the feeling that Prometheus is too occupied on doing smart things, rather then focusing on the vibe and story of the tracks.

 

There are no bad tunes on this album, but that extra something is lacking. There's just no climax. The tunes chugs along and by the end of them I'm thinking, is that it?

 

Something that prevents me from focusing on the numerous good sounds is the muddy bass and too loud kick, it really ruins the experience.

 

Prometheus' Robot.O.Chan is the biggest anti-climax of 2004.

 

3 / 5

301337[/snapback]

I tend to agree with you. It is a very original album and the production is great, but most tracks seem to be running out of steam half way through, there is no climax and i lose interest.

 

Two standouts for me are OK Computer and Samothraki....great melodies in both. Wish the rest of the album was like that.

[Jon Cocco]

PROMETHEUS - ROBOT-O-CHAN

TWISTED RECORDS

2004

FULL REVIEW

 

1. ROBOT O CHAN ... B ... Very interesting, chill, catchy, and attractive opening.

2. MEKONG DELTA ... B

3. NUMBER CRUNCHER ... B

4. SNAKES AND LADDERS ... B

5. SAMOTHRANKI ... B

6. UNIVERSE ... B-

7. O.K. COMPUTER ... B+ ... From 4:00 - 5:00 is excellent.

8. U.R. BEAUTIFUL ... B

9. LONG WAVE ... C+ ... Very anti-climactic, disappointing ending. Too short and lacking.

 

How did I miss posting on this album?! (!!)

 

This album has really grown on me. Initially back in 2004 I was disappointed because I expected songs involving greater develop, build up, and more energetic elements (climaxes). This isn't the style however and I have come to realize what songs are generally more catchy than others in this innovative style. While track 7 has a build up to some very cool sounds, melodies, and chopped up voice altered effects, I wouldn't call that a climax. On hearing this album multiple times in 2004, there were several songs I liked (2, 4, 5, 7, 8) and several I found boring and uninteresting (the rest). I'm still not enthusiastic about the last song but I have a fresh, updated perspective the album.

 

Many months passed and I listened to this album again (and again) from beginning to end. There is something very comfortable about this album as a whole, and sure it could have been better.

 

I've realized some songs are deffinitely more thoughtful than others. These other songs may take more listens over time to become better appreciated and understood. I'm not saying that if you don't like a song this means you will later like it, or that YOU don't get it by not enjoying it the first several times. I'm saying that this album includes songs that on first notice, appear far less than they are while other songs generally stand out more.

 

There is some great work here. Not all tracks are great IMHO. None are bad or average but several songs are definitely far more gripping, intriguing, and catchy than others. The album could have some more melodies, be more psychedelic too, but those are small gripes. This is definitely a good album at the very least. It's solid, even if it isn't perfect or superb many people.

 

There are some very good and great songs (add: parts and moments) on it throughout. The beginning song starts the album very nicely while the final song feels too short and lacking in comparison to everything else. I would have liked a more substance filled song towards the end, something superb that leaves you in awe or at least a great song.

 

Some of the melodies on this album are great. The voice samples kick ass, with exception to the "My mind is glowing" one that's been used to death on dozens of albums including Prodigy's Music for the Jilted Generation album back in the early 1990's. Can they ever quite with that sample?

 

In conclusion, ROBOT-O-CHAN is an album that's grown. At first with the exception to few easily accessible songs like track 7, I wasn't sure what to think of this as a whole. I felt mixed. This is barely psychedelic but has enough PSY to call it psytrance but it's not that psychedelic. It's also completely different from psytrance I'm used to listening to, which I admire. I believe this artist may have potentially and unintentionally invented a new sub genre here because this barely defines what we consider psytrance and yet it's occasionally downtempo, dub-influenced and PSY but not that psychedelic. In short, it's a far less psychedelic psytrance. Nonetheless, it's a distinct, original style that I find both catchy and of high quality in some songs more than others. I find few songs great here but overall this is a very comfortable sounding album. This isn't a masterpiece although some may say so due to it's level of innovation and quality. To me this artist has showed he has potential to make a masterpiece, but having potential and releasing one is two different things entirely. ROBOT.O.CHAN is one of the best albums of 2004, a really good year for psytrance I must add. While this didn't make my TOP 10 in 2004, (it made my top 11-15) I'm convinced this is the best thing TWISTED has released in years. I hope the follow-up is excellent, better than the first and amazing if I had the choice to make it so.

 

FAVE SONGS: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8.

 

 

SCORE: 8.5 = B.

[reger]

some nice tracks, however with time they seemed quite hard to my ears, not my cup of tea i assume, but some nice exceptions here and there, definitely better than his 2nd one imo i like it

[Pandemonium]

Very innovative and diverse with rich production and sound quality. How is this not psychedelic?

[Guest antic]

From the perspective of time, I find this debut album to be much better than this year's Corridor of Mirrors. Not only does it sound much fresher and innovative, but it is also more diverse and richer. I like how it is all constructed as a journey through different moods and soundscapes - from pretty straightforward tunes like Mekong Delta, to complicated and psychedelic stuff like Universe or Snakes & Ladders. Compared to his 2nd offering, Robot.O.Chan is much more energetic, with more variation inside single tracks, more ups & downs, breaks and with great storytelling and incredible arrangements. The use of spoken samples is outstanding, the production is crystal clear and meaty.

 

The sound is not overly melodic, but it is still very musical if it makes sense to anyone else. I mean, you can hear that it is not a bunch of loops put together by some clueless Astrix-wannabe. It is a creation of mature and experienced artist, trying to communicate his vision through his music. True however, that as usual with artist visions, it doesn't appeal to everyone - I just pity the fools

 

IMO, this is one of the best and most unique psychedelic trance albums of post-2000 era.

 

5/5

[Sawfly]

One of those albums I heard years after it being released but I find myself returning to this alot!