krelmatrix Posted February 18, 2005 Share Posted February 18, 2005 Artist: Drone Album: 23 Days Label: Headstick Recordings Genre: Progressive Trance Year: Feb. 2005 Tracklisting: 01. Airwave 02. The Blackroom 03. White Screen 04. Not 05. So 15b 06. Next Time 07. Anything 08. Enstikt 09. Active Reserve With their first release – the often-unclassifiable tek-flavored album from label-head Igneous Sauria – Greek upstart Headstick Recordings proved themselves as a label willing to dispense with any trends and blaze a their unique path into a musical wilderness. In “23 Days”, the smoothly atmospheric follow-up from fellow Greek duo Drone, Headstick continues to carve their own niche into progressive psychedelia: original, undefinable, progressive-minded, and thick on groove. The music: With a mish-mash of influences pushing through the soundscapes in 23 Days, the most definable characteristic to firmly grab the listener is an atmospheric sense of melancholy. Each song is an expressive, often emotional ride, but the story is gently expressed through subtle developments in atmosphere, percussion and structure. Underlying each song is smooth tribalistic percussion and a throbbing bassline. Despite the similar elements throughout, the specific flavor of each track still varies enough to avoid monotony. From the start, Drone holds no punches – the opening track “Airwave” is easily one of the best on the CD, providing a dark underlying mood while skillfully traversing a journey of hypnotic rhythm, crafty melody and eery FX. The ride through the first 6 songs is utterly fantastic and diverse. The subtly emotional “The Blackroom” manages to smoothly speak volumes using only minimal variations in atmospheres and progressions while “White Screen” is a trip into relaxed tribal hypnosis (literally). “Not” and “So 15b” beg for a late-morning dancefloor under the sun with their lush sampling and house-influenced rhythms. “Next Time” combines a heavy dub flavor reminiscent of Pitch Black with ethereal atmospheres – perfect for the last few hours of daylight. The CD loses a bit of steam and direction in the next two tracks before finally closing on a high note with the bouncing and redeeming house & breakbeat-flavored “Active Reserve”. Overall: Drone have managed to produce a striking collection that contains both enough variety and consistent musical unity to hold together well as a worthwhile album. The unique and subtle approach to progression within each song needs a few listens to fully grasp, but causes a few instances of picking your jaw up off the ground when you realize what they are doing. A mixture of influences can be heard here – progressive, breakbeat, house, tribal and psychedelic. It all works together extremely well and gives scarce boring moments. A pair of tracks (“Anything” and “Enstinkt”) aren’t particularly exciting when compared to the rest, but the unique and individual character of the other 7 tracks is more than enough to leave an overwhelmingly positive impression. Rating: 8/10 Favorite tracks: 1-6, 8 (1, 2 and 4 are particularly nice on headphones ) info: http://www.headstick.gr http://www.drone-project.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeCibelle Posted May 7, 2005 Share Posted May 7, 2005 One of the finest albums this year so far! Everyone's talking about Lish - I think Drone are even that great if not better in some tracks Anyway, a GREAT, phantastic morning-album; imagine dancing whilst sunrise, your feet tired but happy barefoot on still misty meadow, DJ -so tired too- feels happy and suddenly a incredible warm feeling in his/her heart by looking at all the happy faces dancing with closed eyes a smile on their lips to tracks of Drone. A fairytale? Nope. Just happened 2 weeks ago An incredibly beautiful moment! Surely nothing for nighttime, but everyone who loves dreamdancing into the morning will like Drone-album. Hope to hear more from them.... Where they from btw., anyone knows? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Manuser Posted June 17, 2005 Share Posted June 17, 2005 One of the best albums this year so far! Amazing music, some tracks sound a bit hard house, and track 4 "not" is fantastic, hypnotic, sensational, the best track i heard this year. Tracks 7 and 8 are not so interesting, otherwise it would have been a perfect CD... 8.5/10 for me. This is the best rating I gave this year so far. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Manuser Posted August 24, 2005 Share Posted August 24, 2005 I listened to this album several times since my first review and i would like to add some elements in it : I can hear two orientations in this album : - a morning sunny progressive side with tracks 1, 5, 7, 8, and 9. Track 1 contains the most powerful bassline and kickdrums, very good track, a nice opener. Track 5 being the most technoish and dancing track. Track 7 and 8 being the less good, track 7 is more fast but nothing really happens except a good moment at 6.10 with a subtle trance melody which amazed me. Track 8 is too monotonous, it's the slower track here, but it's a bit too chill for me. Track 9 is a bit slow to start but it finishes the CD perfectly with optimism and sun, with this nice and sweet melody at the end. - a dark, atmospheric and hypnotic side with tracks 2, 3, 4 and 6. Track 2 is possibly the less good among these four tracks, dark technoish and tribal, but not bad at all. Track 3 is my favourite now with track 4, i rarely hear this kind of very progressive and hypnotic dark techno trance, with throbbing sounds. It's deep and the atmosphere is almost worring and thrilling, this track could last during 12 or 13 minutes, i would hardly notice it. Track 4 is a bit faster and a bit more energic but hypnotic and repetitive again. It's a mix between trance and house, the track being a bit dark too. Again I could dance on this music during hours and hours, without thinking. Track 6 is dark and very progressive, you have a subtle soft melody in the middle of the track. There is a nice progression from the start till the end of the track. Tracks 3 and 4 are my favourites on this album, both are fantastic and so entrancing! To finish, only two words : BUY IT! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amphiton Posted August 25, 2005 Share Posted August 25, 2005 Listening to this one for the fourth time now. Totally amazing. Placing all the cheesy and fluffy proggy aside I put it in the line with Sensient and Beat Bizarre. Tim Larner (Sensient/Zenon Rec) calls this kind of music 'psy-gressive with balls' and I agree. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bust a Move Posted January 20, 2006 Share Posted January 20, 2006 I think one of the best of 2005 together with Antix - Twin Coast Discovery Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amphiton Posted November 3, 2006 Share Posted November 3, 2006 After a year I still find this album interesting, one part for the evenings and the other part for sunny mornings Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Manuser Posted February 26, 2019 Share Posted February 26, 2019 This album is not too well known but I listened to it so many times, even though I sold my copy a few years ago, it is a must have for all proggy lovers. Damn, not even 300 views Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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