DeathPosture Posted January 15, 2005 Share Posted January 15, 2005 V/A – Back To The Future Artist: Various Title: Back To The Future Format: CD (jewel case) Label: Groove Zone Records (Japan) Cat. #: GZCD-002 Distribution: Sigomus (worldwide), File Distribution (Japan) Date: 17 January 2005 Track listing: 01. 06’48” Threshold Productions – Free Drive 02. 06’57” OMB - Kani 03. 08’59” Halifax & Vision – Don’t Worry 04. 08’25” V-Tunes – Sonar Groove 05. 07’29” Psyless Groove – Plastic Karma 06. 08’35” Segment – Whooky’s Wha (Vibrasphere Rmx) 07. 08’52” Sensient - Sublime 08. 07’45” Side-A – Edelweiss (2nd Life) 09. 07’15” Andromeda – Porno Sonic Sounds Review: Smooth progressive morning choons… Groove Zone Records is a relatively new Japanese label run by Taku Yoshihaya – the label is dedicated to silky-smooth progressive morning trance, and enjoyed respect through-out the scene with the debut release Groove Zone released in September 2004. That compilation featured such acclaimed progressive acts as FREq, Sensient and Vibrasphere… This new batch of tracks is carefully selected by Taku and the subtle mix should ensure a continuous flow that is intended to take the listener on a musical journey… Alright, grab your passports – we’re taking a trip round the world! Let me take you thru the tracks… #01: Threshold Productions – Free Drive [127 BPM] We start off slow… Threshold Productions is Torsten Edwinson from Sweden, and he had a track on the Dance N Dust compilation Dusty Nation Part Two released recently… Haven’t heard that track, so I can’t comment on it… But this here sure is some super-smooth progressive house… The track incorporates the standard quote “The DJs took pills to stay awake and play for seven days”… Not a bad sample, but it’s been used is so many other tracks – and the whole drug-theme doesn’t really correspond with the track musically… But it’s a cool track nonetheless… As mentioned earlier, this is very laid-back, well-polished, progressive, housey morning trance… #02: OMB – Kani [130 BPM] OMB is Daisuke Yamagishi – a very productive producer from Tokyo, Japan… He had a track on the first Groove Zone compilation, he has released an album, several 12”s + remixes and he even made a track for the X-Box game Project Gotham… I really, really enjoy the groove that Yamagishi presents us with here… Reminds me A LOT of FREq and I’m like the biggest FREq-fan around… Tribal percussion, reverb-bass and electro pads – I’m sold! Class track! #03: Halifax & Vision – Don’t Worry [130 BPM] Meet Ryan Halifax and Marc Vision… Two bad-ass progressive house producers from Cologne, Germany… Halifax has had several tracks released on German prog-labels and EPs on Spiral Trax and Earregular… Marc Vision a.k.a. Marc Wollenschein is one half of the highly acclaimed duo Vision & Canedy who released their excellent debut album Another Life on Hadshot Haheizar in 2004… So yeah, it’s a couple of heavy weights collaborating on this track… And that doesn’t go unnoticed; this is one hell of a track… Big phat walls of super-funky progressive sounds…Very crispy! Reminds me a little of Krüger & Coyle, Kooler and a little Buzzmonx… Super-funky and downright delicious! #04: V-Tunes – Sonar Groove [136 BPM] V-Tunes are Sandro Kulka & Hans Muster from Switzerland… They had a track on the successful compilation The Swiss Connection put out by Domo Records in 2004… The pitch has increased by six beats per minute and the party is in full effect now… This is one the trancier side of progressive house and has more edge… Though I could’ve wished for even more edge, this is still a nice track… I dig the break and the mixture of twisted FX and housey elements… #05: Psyless Groove – Plastic Karma [135 BPM] Psyless Groove are Lasse B. Svendsen & Simon Ravnlykke from Denmark… My first encounter with their talent, was the deep, deep stomper ‘Beats In Our Time’ released on the Ayahuasca Records compilation Daneism back in 2002… Since then they’ve released stuff on many different labels, including Iboga, Nervine and Nanobeat… And they’ve still got it: This is another deep, progressive tune with thick trance-elements… Blunt metallic kicks and beats and an overall impressive sense of rhythm… Smooth blend! #06: Segment – Whooky’s Wha (Vibrasphere Rmx) [138 BPM] ‘Whooky’s Wha’ was originally released by Raphael Stehn & Jens Buschhaus on the debut Segment album released on ZMA in 2002 – a notable track that had a remarkable 4-minute intro before fully kickin’ off… And now it’s being remixed by none other than Swedish progressive trance moguls Rickard Berglöf & Robert Elster a.k.a. Vibrasphere… Ahh, good old Vibrasphere… They have never let me down with their super-tight, mega-crisp and über-cool productions… And I’m happy to inform, that they do not let me down here either… They stay true to the original, the intro is virtually identical though shorten a lot… And the stiff Segment bassline is replaced by a phat, groovy Vibrasphere head-turner… Brilliant track! #07: Sensient – Sublime [137 BPM] Tim Larner from Australia released his debut album Blue Neevus on Tatsu Recordings in 2003. Since then he’s been a reoccurring guest on various progressive trance compilations… Spooky intro here and an overall haunting atmosphere throughout the track… Progressive Halloween? Is that a girl singing – filtered beyond recognition? And crows too? Whatever the hell it is, this is good… Crystal clear production and Larner has really created a distinctive atmosphere on this track … Sublime is aptly named indeed! Brilliant track! #08: Side-A – Edelweiss (2nd Life) [140 BPM] Side-A is Olivier Cambier from Paris, France… He had a track on the 2004 Sub Machine Records compilation Day Time + a collaboration track with Motion on the Tatsu Recordings compilation Ground Grooves also released in 2004… I haven’t heard any of those tracks though… Anyway, this is the fastest track here – pumping bassline, and loads of melodic synth action – without losing the progressive focus… As with track #4 I could’ve wished for some edge here – would have lifted this from a nice to an excellent track… Good for home listening, but even better for the dancefloor I reckon… Nice! #09: Andromeda – Porno Sonic Sounds [134 BPM] Dunno if Nikos Kostoglu left Andromeda, but this track is only credited to Anders Nilsson from Sweden… Anyway, Andromeda released their debut album Temptations on Yellow Sunshine Explosion in 2004… I remember that album getting virtually no recognition when it was first released, but slowly people started noticing it and eventually praising it…This track here is a nice, driving, evolving track… Kinda mellow, but kinda stomping too… Somewhere in-between… Progressive trance with musical hints of all kinds… Nice serene track! Oh my, I have a feeling that 2005 will be just as excellent when it comes to progressive trance as 2004 was… And 2004 was the best year for proggy stuff ever! This compilation just oozes quality: Minimal, subtle artwork – though informative with pix of all featured artists… And the music here is indeed great – rich, smooth, well-polished, groovy, funky-as-hell progressive morning trance… The cross-over appeal is obvious, and I’m looking forward to the upcoming Groove Zone releases… Well done Taku, you’ve managed to put together a continuous journey with just the kinda flow that I like… Recommended to any fan of the above mentioned genre… Enjoy! Favourites: 2(!!), 3(!!!), 5, 6(!!), 7 DeathPosture External links: Groove Zone: http://www.groove-zone.com Sigomus: http://www.sigomus.com Chaos Unlimited: http://www.chaosunlimited.co.uk/cgi-bin/pr...t.asp?LR=GZCD02 Should be available @ Psyshop, Saiko Sounds, etc shortly… Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Le Lotus Bleu Posted January 16, 2005 Share Posted January 16, 2005 Favorites :2 (for the combination of morning sounds & harmonies with background woman muffled voice, proggy rythmic & the hypnotic technoish groove) , 6 (for the alchemy between light synths-harmonies & pushed kicks), 9 (for the warmer ambience) Less Good :3 (too clubby Tek/house, so not enough trancey to me & resulting puffing ,boring coz also too long), 5 (it’s a too indinstinct-chaotic sounding), 8 (not yet fully matured-personnal production : too much Protoculture’s influenced through the leads, still have plenty of scope) The level quality is more homogeneous than in Groove Zone (the 1st release) which means from track to track we can nearly get the same satisfaction but it’s also a step below for the global content's effectiveness. Otherwise it’s nice to notice nearly all the morning diversity production is represented here with newcomers. 7/10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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