Etnica - Sharp (Solstice 2004) CD

[mars]

01. Automatik 08:02

02. Inner Space (Live Mix) 07:45

03. Eros 08:21

04. Machine 09:09

05. Planet X 09:19

06. B.A.S 06:51

07. Sharp 07:29

08. Photonic 10:25

09. Fade 06:17

 

Here is a review of this looong awaited album after the violent Chrome and 2 years of silence.

Ok i was a bit tense while pressing play as i saw them live 4 times since Chrome and it wasn't a blast each time...PLAY

 

Automatik sounds like the Nitrox tracks. It's honest for an intro though it has some house/trance influences sometimes. It's between many things and not my cup of tea.

 

InnerSpace Live isn't so different from the original. In addition it has some full on influences by moments, but it's weak overall as it sounds like GMS 3 years ago when they were really tired...

 

Eros has a nice intro that climbs into your spine, samples and background sounds give immediately a good feeling. It's a cool track, not too fast, not too slow. Well because of the instruments it reminds me of lots of other tracks for the last 2 years from Etnica. After 3 minutes you get a nice climax, very smooth, superb track to dance on at sunrise ! At 4.40 you're deceived by a break which gets to nothing. At 5.40 starts a new melody that will follow you till the end. Rhaaaaa this screwed-up break ruins the track imo.

 

Machine starts immediately with a melody that shuts up too early. Quite an interrogate track here. good rhythmic, small mysterious sounds...It seems the track is hogging, throwing parts of melodies, more and more, yeah ! You're waiting for the big climax...COME ON GUYS ! Rhaaa NO not this time....Ok it still builds up well and suddenly gets some Etnica-in-da-house influences. How strange. 4.40-Break but it's restarting like before. It also has some Wrecked Machines influences. At 6.30 a big climax raises a bit like in Photonic, more housy.

 

Planet X has a robotic atmosphere, a good rhythmic, it tends to climb...here are the typical sounds from nowaday's Etnica : a small melody using "Ibiza" kinds of sounds, you see

At 4.20 break and melody come that drives the track pretty well to a decent groove. Yes this one does the job ! Close to 7 minutes there is a climax coming, really well built but it get a bit too regular-trance oriented for my tastes. It's also close to Photonic in the way the melodic part rolls out.

 

B.A.S Oh this one is serious. Live, at night, it must blast people. Here is the return of tracks like Warriors or True Protoss Warrior...but what is that Electric Universe melody coming ??? Amazing. Oh yes as usual it continues linearly focused on the rhythmic part. No matter how this track feels good. Oh and it made me think about Chrome, as it's serious, but also to Joseph Richard's soundtrack for Speedball 2 video game It's twisted and cool, boiling, yeah a night blaster !

 

Sharp goes down and deep like a submarine. don't be afraid it's definitely not Das Boot. Long samples and hypnotic influences raise at 3.30 before a break near 3.50. It sounds mysterious...Then it restarts followed by the melody. There is a bit too much intertia close to the end but let's forgive it it's quite an hypnotizing track, no need to overload.

 

Photonic the one you're all waiting for ! Hmm so this track finally ended up on their album as Etnica (and not Pleiadians) after 2 years and a half. It's a regular track with all the same sounds and influences than the rest of the album, but more sharp ™. Two linear and very atmospheric parts with a few housy patterns are separated by a huge melodic climax. It definitely works on a danceflor at 8am !

I noticed they edited the track from the version i had before. the background elements are definitely more groovy and catchy now. good work. OK after a few listenings you realize it's not such an elaborate track but it's good.

 

Fade is expected to be the ambien track, and awaited too as the two sharped Italians are very good at it. This track is ambient, tribal, kicks anyway, has an atmospheric background, could have fit well into Equator. But at 3:00 you realize it's the remake of Fade to Gray by Visage (1980). Well it's ok but an original ambient track was easily affordable to Etnica...Well well well...well well well...

 

 

 

Conclusion : Sharp....Sharp ? Sharp what ? On the contrary i think this is a pretty smooth album. The least we can say is that it's really well mixed and mastered.

 

Musically speakink, this is really a huge change compared to Chrome, a 180° turn, a total different point of view by Etnica ! Less harsh, more housy, more melodic as well (wasn't difficult), there is a good research on the sounds and melodies. This is the first album in weeks i listen that doesn't have all those Full On booooring artefacts.

 

In my opinion the second half of the album is real good, far better that the first.

So, this album could have been twice as better : in some the tracks tend to climb, there are good breaks, good melodies, but not much that send you in the air.

 

Don't get me wrong, compared to all the ful on (put the 4-letter word you prefer), this album is a masterpiece. My regret is that i got the feeling it wasn't going all the time to the end of things. I am sure you can do better guys, Come on ETNICA ! 7/10.

 

 

ps : i have a private message to someone that will recognize himself : MorRRe sharRp soundzZz !!! héhéhéhéhéhé

[seraph]

Well, I truly hope that this album will have at leat 3 good songs, cause I've heard some good new trax when I saw them live but overall, Etnica with house influences....NAAAAH...But still, I have to listen to an album first.

[Jeff]

02. Inner Space (Live Mix)                      07:45

08. Photonic                                    10:25

 

Everything's mixed up nowadays, huh : weren't "Inner Space" and "Photonic" respectively released on "ECLIPS3" and "Fairy Tales" compilations under the alias Pleiadians ?

 

A highly unimportant question, but anyway, I felt like pointing that out...

 

J.

[Insejn]

Some pretty good tracks. Finally some melodies. I enjoy this one much more than the regular full on release. Maybe you will too?

[Jeff]

Everything's mixed up nowadays, huh : weren't "Inner Space" and "Photonic" respectively released on "ECLIPS3" and "Fairy Tales" compilations under the alias Pleiadians ?

 

 

 

Philosomatika provided me the answer : Photonic is Etnica while Photonik Part 2 is credited to Pleiadians.

 

J.

[Lemmiwinks]

so-so album if you ask me... Eros is a nice dreamy track, lovely to listen to this one while sipping some coconout juice under a palm tree

 

B.A.S. doesn't have a lot of melodies but has some interesting developments. Kindof a more dynamic minimal sound.

 

Sharp is kindof a cross-over between the old Etnica sound and the new one... it's good but I miss a decent climax here...

 

Photonic also sounds like some old Etnica with a "new Etnica" bassline. Too bad the melody doesn't develop much thoughout the track, but it is a nice track

 

Fade is an average downtempo track... not particularly bad but not particularly good either.

 

 

Other tracks don't sound good to my ears.

 

Conclusion Etnica seems to have slowed down a bit with this one (old age? ) and added a few melodies (probably after hearing all the complaints of old Etnica fans). This might sound good on paper but when you actually listen to the CD you can't help feeling that something's missing... I would've like a more dynamic progression and a faster pace. Some tracks are good for chilling out in the afternoon sun but... this is Etnica we're talking about, come on!

I probably would've rated this better if it was someone else but once you know "masters" Etnica made this you can't help but feel dissapointed 7/10

 

[EDIT: OK a few months later I popped this in my CD player again and I realized that the last 2 tracks grew on me a LOT. Photonic really manages to bring in that "going deeper and deeper" feeling carachteristic of the oldschool days although it sounds "modern" (read: less layers and complexity...). But it all works out VERY well, at first you don't hear much development in the melody so you end up thinking it's a pretty simple track... but then you start paying attention to the background and realize it's pretty intelligent after all And that catchy bassline just digs in deeper and deeper every time.

Fade which is a remix of Fade to Grey also seemed pretty average at first but again, it just kept getting better and better. I don't know why but after a few listens those Fade to Grey elements seem to flow nicely into the track (at first they sounded like some lame add-ons). I actually ended up wishing that the initial Fade to Grey sounded like this Still, other tracks remained as dull as before so I raise my mark to 8/10. Now if only they made an album with tracks like Photonic... Oh yeah, that was supposed to be the upcoming Pleiadians album but now it seems hey abandoned the project ]

[seraph]

I finally got the album and I can say I totally agree with Lemmiwinks. It is way better than Nitrox and Chrome but I still miss dynamic progression and melodies as Lemmi. You can expect that just because they did finally changed their style and it is normal to expect it to be better. My favourites : AUTOMATIK ( nice track, has good sounds and melody but it still needs one or two more melodies to top it up ), EROS ( yeah, dreamy track, pretty good ), PLANET X ( reminds a little bit on old Etnica but it also lacks more melodies ), PHOTONIC ( it also resembles on old Etnica style, but I would also add more twists ), FADE ( very good downtempo track, it is one of the better ones on album )...6/10

 

My ratings for their music :

 

THE JUGGLING ALCHEMIST UNDER THE BLACK LIGHT - 9/10

ALIEN PROTEIN - 10/10

EQUATOR - 9/10

NITROX - 5/10

CHROME - 3/10

SHARP - 6/10

[Klaxer]

Age of Etnica's music for dancefloors is finished.

I think Max & Mauri should concentrate on Macao Cafe compilations.

Chill-out music is their music.

...and of course very difficultly without Carlo Paterno and Andrea Rizzo.

Fable is great but it just remix. Don't forget.

[Manuser]

Listened to it 2 times, I'd say they try to make modern basslines with melodies, the whole album is pretty good, some melodies catch the attention. But did anyone notice that some melodies don't fit the basslines? I mean the melodies could fit better with other basslines, like track 01. Automatik, the basslines rocks i have to admit, remind me SUN Project - sexperimental track 02 if i am not wrong, this kind of bassline...but the melody don't fit with it. I like the melody, same as Paul Van Dyk - Seven ways () (in less good), i like the basslines too, but both don't fit together, and it's true for other tracks, don't remember which ones...final rating : I'd give a 6.5/10, cause it's actually better than a lot of stuff you can hear today.

PS : i was surprised to hear a remake of Fade to grey (the last track).

[Guest al3xandar]

Name: Etnica - Sharp

Label: Solstice Music International

Year: 2005

Media: CD

 

 

Traklisting:

 

01 Automatik

02 Inner Space (Live Mix)

03 Eros

04 Machine

05 Planet X

06 B.A.S.

07 Sharp

08 Photonic

09 Fade

 

Etnica is something whose fans are typical Goa heads. Most of them today like Goa and are praying for another release as Alien Protein was, or some of their mutation forms or as we are used to say, projects, like Pleiadians or Crop Circles. The band that made so much in the scene of this music comes again. I never gave a try to Nitrox or Chrome, cause I was told that If I listen to them I'd lose the vision I got for Etnica, and yet I consider them as one of my first discoveries. I remember when I was listening to Starship 101, 3rd year in High School without much clue what am I listening, without knowing at all that today that music will be precious compared to what is released nowadays. So now here comes Etnica again and really I am happy to see them with this new release. Would the joy be only with that satisfaction or the music will make my hapiness stronger? Let's see...

 

01 Automatic

 

The track begins slightly, it opens its kick, hi-hats, it opens the melody. Then the whole track is revealed, the bassline and other additional effects. Talking about what I am used to listen from Etnica, I am wondering why they choose this kind of bass and kick, which are really typical for the fullon tracks today. But the effects here really remind you on what Pleiadians used to use that time...Ok I may say that the kick is a little darkish, you'd listen that in Kindzadza's tracks, or I am getting that kind of impression. The track has real good architecture. But it is far away from what I wanted to listen. However the track is perfect for the cold mornings in the dawn before the sun arises, great piece. Sometimes it reminds me of Beat Hacker's tracks (band that I never liked) and as I listen to it more and more it gives positive vibe. When the track climaxed I got afraid, was Etnica diseased by this Full-On-like wave? But lucky us, not. The "ant" says "Automatic" (very positive sample, dunno why), and it hits again, says "Come on dance, the sun is about to come". It is the vision I got whilst listening to it. 09/10

 

02 Inner Space (Live Mix)

 

The track is live mix (couldn't find wether it is from some gig or something) from Pleiadians track Inner Space. It starts with the familiar sample followed by the effect that makes the human voice saying "Inner space" really deep into the space. The track begins with its bass line, the kick is the thing that I like about this new album, kept as it was in the old days, but the effects I got to say (I want to comment the effects) are so modern. I wish they were more 303ish but I think that the majority of the trancers wouldn't accept it if so, so this gives me right to think (as mine logical conclusion, no-one's else) that this album is closer to the commercial needs of the band than to the joy that can give to the listeners. The melody is known, ok the track gets more oldish, but really this things (again!) reminds me of Beat Hackers..at 05m50s you get climax. Then the track suddenly shows its fast snares that makes you (yes, again) think that it will turn into something that Amithaba Buddha calls "Killah" But it reveals the moving wave of the track and that makes you feel more relaxed. So far nice tracks, this one 07/10, cause it is not a special remix of Pleiadians one.

 

03 Eros

 

Ahm. Eros, the god of Love, in...which mythology was it? Yes, the Greek one

"As you begin to breath in, I will count from ten to one". Was this the movie (damn I can'r remember nor the movie's name nor the actors in it) where a son and a father got hypnotised and couldn't return to the real state of consciousness (or as we all are used to the "real" one)? However, I don't like the track that much...but few details makes me get higher opinion about it. Really "psychedelic" (I don't use 'psychedelic' as type of trance in my review, just as what the track makes me think of). It seems that the effects are the same here too. Calming leads to opening the main melody by which I begin to appriciate the track more. Really oldschoolish melody. Then some synth begins to come on the surface. Man! This is really good. The bass is also from the old days. A bit monotonic but I don't mind that. At 03m00s comes a wave of new sound which really changes the track and removes the monotony, really good. 303ish a bit and that is what i like...142 bpms, that is my guess for the speed of the track. Good track to open the night before the old tracks are heard on a gig. At last, Etnica's most of the tracks are not fast, more calmed and real art. I listened to "History" two days ago and the famous "The alien ship is on its way to Randevous with History" reminded me on the old days...geeeezzzz.

 

04 Machine

 

303 opens the sound, great melody, the hi-hats and snares fullfill the opening, the kick is (trust me!) the same as in the others three tracks, I can say the same about the bass too, but there is a bit of difference. Yes...I like this one, some nice assembly between the new sound of histeric trance and the trance made on the lessons learned in those old days. As a goa trance fan I can't tell that I really like the track because I can't feel the mistery in it, but from other side I like the track, it has ups/downs, key changings of the bassline (which I adore!) and good carrying melody of the 303ish sounds. But at the end I got the feeling that I got about all tracks above. That this new music from Etnica is too much influensed by the Modern-FullOn trance.

 

05 Planet X

 

There where the mistery meets with the reallity. I get the feeling of going onto this strange "loka" souranded with all our imagination that we have had about our trance experiences. I love mistery and misterious myths. WOW !! The track rox, it made my trip (no, I haven't taken anything, hounestly). There is some annoying effect that makes me wanna dance on the floor. Yes, the track is good. I will try to review only the effects and other parts of the track, for the bass/kick/hihats/snares is the same as above. So the track too has 303ish melody, great stream and the samples remind u as "The man landed on the moooon!! No way!!" haha...u know what i mean...at 04m the melody is completly revealed. I adore the track! Please, please stay that way, don't go fullon...haha, yes it does. Planet X, here I come...It makes me visions of Vortexes all around that blue planet that is called X. The track stays the very best track on the album, it also has key changing of the melody 9/10. (minus 1 because u can smell the "today" in the track)

 

06 B.A.S.

 

Battle Alliance of Sound.

Board Alliance of Sound

Bass and Society...what could this mean? I can't tell from first look of the name of the track. The track begins bad, very bad actually. It is not that bad, as it is too "already seen". But as the track goes on it shows the quallities of its creators. I pray that the next releases don't contain the kick that this new Etnica's album do, because it is a bit darky for me (I like dark night forest trance too but I won't mix goa with dark). I cannot tell much of this track but it reall is good, not as good as Planet X...8/10

 

07 Sharp

 

The carring title of the album. What is so sharp? "To make it simple, exactly something more complicated that that, but what they can do is swing into the ... focus...and" couldn't understand much of the sample cause it is covered with much effects. How this track begun is really good. Yes!! The true mistery that lifts me up!! As I could notice the key changing of the melody carrier is present in most of the tracks. Perhaps the very same grade as Planet X for this track because I like it too, but it is more "psy" than "goa" 9/10 too...

 

08 Photonic

 

I read this and I say "What? Phototropic? A remix of Transwave? GREAT !!" and then I got dissapointed because I put my glasses and sow that is Photonic And the combination with the ambient sound of Phototropic and the number of the track on Etnica's album made me think, NICE WAY TO CLOSE THE ALBUM So the calming, the climax of the album begun with this track. It it built great. Some sensitive melody it has, yes, I wanna listen to this before the sun arises. It is a bit morning, but on the edge of the cheesy, which I like a lot, because artists that know where is the cheesy know to make Goa as well

Yes it has the melody that kicks ass...wow! It reminds me of a track by Vibrasphere...couldn't tell which one. Well yes! Etnica's new album has Progressive elements though...the track is closed by the melody, it is great for a morning track...9/10

 

09 Fade

 

In/Out...whatever I never review chillout nor I review ambient. As I mentioned in my previous reviews, I can't tell what the track has in it. I can just listen, each ambient and each chill is good for me. This is another great (close-to)masterpiece by Etnica, and we have seen them in Trip Tonite's remix abilities for making ambient...good, good. Go on...08/10 (but don't trust too much on this).

 

Realisation:

Ok we all know Etnica, we all know Pleiadians, Crop Circles, their single projects, their singles by Solstice etc, etc....but this is something completly different but good. Someone will say "Nitrox and Chrome are diff too", and that's why I say this is good. This is something that gives you hope that those two albums are made by the "maya" for money, the progressive cage which made so many fans of Etnica change their opinion about them. I can't say that I am lucky for I haven't listened to Nitrox and Chrome cause I am 2 albums less experienced, but I can say I am happy to not change my opinion about Etnica's abilities for making good music. Eventhough the melodies are far, far from what I want to hear by Etnica, eventhough the whole building of the new music is far from what we are used of by Etnica, I appriciate the thing that they go back to the roots and that they didn't crossed the limit of the Cheesy sounds. After all, they are pioneers, they know how to do it. Trip tonite with this new album...08/10

 

Aleksandar Balalovski

a.k.a. Lord Falcor

[Basilisk]

^ watch out for the unclean marker of the OFF TOPIC stamp... oh wait, I was thinking of somewhere else

 

This album is... MEH! We need more...

[Trolsk]

Etnica - Sharp - Solstice 2004

 

It has been nine years since Etnica released their first album, "The Juggeling Alchemists Under The Black Light", on High Society. Back then their sound was quite stripped down and simple. Nine years later I can’t help but feel reminded of that first album.

 

I’ve always liked Etnica/Pleiadians/Crop Circles. While most people think they have degraded, I think they have evolved. The first Etnica album is a typical debut, kind of scetchy, but full of potential. That potential is maximized in “Alien Protein” and of course Pleiadians “IFO”. The following album, “Equator”, tries a new more experimental direction and succeeds. From then on it’s a some what bumpy ride with fewer members, but still a high quality sound, although too minimal at times. Now, the evolution of Etnica has come full circle.

 

Imagine the sound of their “Chrome” album crossed with melodies and you’ve got “Sharp”. It’s not the blasting melodies of the “Alien Protein” or “IFO” though, but rather a revisit of their first album. The heavy basslines, sound fx and trippy melodies are a great combination, and a mix I’ve been hoping for a long time.

 

There are some fillers namely “Inner Space” and “BAS”. These two songs feel like left overs from the “Chrome” era. The melody progression in the album is overall quite simple, but it works in the stripped down and bass heavy environment in which their executed.

 

Among the plastic clones and presets of 2004 “Sharp” stand out as deep melodic journey and dare I say nostalgic?

 

Highlights: Automatik, Eros, Sharp, Photonik

[Trance2MoveU]

I really liked this one. Photonik is awesome (would love to see Filteria add more goa to it in a remix).

 

Mdk

[Starkraver]

For someone who knew Etnica strictly by
Alien Protien, Equator & Live in Athens 96'

This is like listening to their alter ego (not the good one!)

I like this album, if it was anyone but Etnica , may be I would have liked it more.

 

EDIT: Photonic