Astralasia - Pitched Up at the Edge of Reality

[Guest Astro Cortex]

Astralasia - Pitched Up at the Edge of Reality (1993 Magick Eye)

 

 

 

1. 08:11 Celestial Ocean (Seven Seas Mix)

2. 06:51 Unveria Zekt

3. 06:25 Ursa Major Cowslip

4. 09:14 Jongle Kakanoon

5. 08:07 The Truth

6. 09:43 Boryss

7. 07:46 Twilight World

8. 09:05 Principles of Pleasure

9. 07:36 Sands of Time (Desert Mix)

 

 

Time to review some early Astralasia here! “What do you wanna know? The Truth?” Okay, here it goes:

 

As many of us might know, the sound of Astralasia in their early phase (until 1995 that is) was a bit different than the psytrance-like material they put out afterwards, and which consequently made them appear on psytrance-compilations here and there. This is not to be misunderstood, they already made trance with a psychedelic feel in the early 90s but it was slower and a bit more chilled and they also made quite a lot of ambient tracks. What also deserves a mention is that they already had a female vocalist, Kim Oz, a fact that should not turn anyone off, as she mainly contributed in form of wordless background singing (they released only very few tracks with an actual song structure but none of those appear here on this album), which never seems to “ruin” a track (which does happen from time to time with vocals in electronic music), quite the contrary, it always fits quite well with the music. After all, we should keep in mind that Astralasia emerged from a psychedelic rock band, called the Magic Mushroom Band. So there’s still a noticeable space rock/psych-rock influence in their early releases.

 

“Pitched Up at the Edge of Reality”, as all of their early works, wonderfully creates what is to me “that special incredible Astralasia feeling”, which I can’t find the exact words to describe for. It’s sort of a dreamlike atmosphere, like an altered state of consciousness, more specifically a rather warm feeling of pure magical ethereal bliss, an inner sense of happiness and contentment, but at the same time quite enigmatic and mysterious. I don’t take drugs, but I believe what I’m trying to describe might be the non-drug-user equivalent of true psychedelia. No other artists give me that specific kind of feeling, with the exception of Ozric Tentacles, but it’s still different. In Astralasia’s music it’s more subliminal, more “undercurrent” than in Ozrics’, and that’s what makes it so arcane, to my mind. On this album, more so than on any other Astralasia album, all this is combined with a nice bit of a middle-eastern vibe in most of the tracks. It’s mainly on the trance side of things, the tempo of the trance tracks ranges from 100 to 130 BPM and there are also some ambient/dub ones. So now, as a certain other reviewer would say, let me take you thru the tracks:

 

Celestial Ocean starts the album with one delicious middle-eastern sounding intro which develops into quite a laid-back groove with singing from Kim Oz all over the second half and an ever recurring cut-up voice sample in the background that sounds just so damn trippy and cool. It ends just as splendidly as it started. An impressive opener.

 

Unveria Zekt begins with a male tribal vocal sample and it contains some very cool progrock-ish keyboard melodies, which give sort of a funky touch to the track. In fact, this is a reworking of a song by a prog rock band called Magma. And Kim’s soothing voice flows so nicely with the track. Love this one!

 

Ursa Major Cowslip must be my least favourite track on here. It has a piano melody (a little bit Robert Miles style, so maybe that’s why….) and a jazzy sounding part in the middle of it. Still it’s a decent track that doesn’t interfere with the flow of the album in any way.

 

Next up is Jongle Kakanoon, a more chilled and dubby tune with a sample of a male voice talking in some Arabic language and the middle-eastern melodies are all over the place here. And again the wonderful vocals by Kim Oz. You’ll get lost in this lovely piece of middle-eastern ambience. Simply awesome.

 

The Truth has a very calm and meditative intro with background samples of Buddhist monks chanting and a sample that goes like “…having an objective external world……distorted the hallucinatory world.” (I don’t understand the whole of it because it’s so low. It reminds me of the sample The Orb used on their track OOBE but I don’t think it’s the same). And then at just under three minutes the beat kicks in and with it this almost Kraftwerk-like melody (think Computerwelt but more subtle and “trancey”), which makes this one truly divine. Not to mention the sweet female chanting sample repeating throughout the second half of the track. This one is quite upbeat and danceable and at the same time very chilled and peaceful sounding. One of my all-time faves.

 

And now it’s time for the spacey, floaty trance masterpiece Boryss. This one really sends you into other dimensions with its liquid melody circling around quirky little tripped out noises and a laid-back but uplifting beat. Yet there’s still a warm and soothing atmosphere created with its voices both in fore- and background, both Kim and sampled. Indeed a very psychedelic one. “Strange things occurring up there.” Truly magnificent.

 

Twilight World is quite a unique track compared to other Astralasia material, rather ambient, but too dramatic sounding to be really called ambient. Here we have more of a sci-fi atmosphere, but still spiritual in some way, it makes me think of Stargate every time I listen to it.

 

With Principles of Pleasure we’re taken back to middle-eastern realms. This track convinces with its euphoric, positive sounding melodies. Furthermore, you can hear a sitar near the end, I wish that part was a little bit longer. “Pleasure….pleasure….pleasure”, a bit cheesy that sample, but it’s a nice track nevertheless.

 

Sands of Time is a nice and ambient ending to the album. Its title fits quite well IMO. Imagine a sunrise in a desert and you get an idea of what this track sounds like.

 

So, favourite tracks: 1, 2, 4(!), 5(!), 6(!)

 

Conclusion: A CLASSIC!! Get it! “If you follow this advice you’ll enjoy the pleasant embrace!”

[Ormion]

I only have some of the tracks but I'm sure it's GREAT!!!

After all Astralasia is the BEST ambient group ever!

[AndrewF]

I just wanna say that I LOVE this album. I lost my copy when I moved flats I miss it so much!

[grahf]

amazingly, you can buy/download this at www.emusic.com. so far... sounds like maybe a combo of banco de gaia and early fluke??? it's definitely "old-school" but that doesn't bother me at all.

[Guest Rain]

it's very atmospheric music imho... dreamy stuff... safe

[Guest Squaffy]

one of my fave CD's

[shaman of sound]

acctualy i bought this album yesturday... realy amazing cd.

 

you have to lay down in your bed, close your eyes and listen to this. an amazing journey through these floating islands on the cover is garenteed

 

all of the tracks here are my favorites!

[no-nonsense]

Picked up this one recently and I'm impressed. "The Truth" is the sound of total bliss.

 

Some stuff may sound a bit dated, and I don't like the vocals in "Boryss", but overall it's a great listen. I'll probably check out more Astralasia.