Astrix - Artcore

[Time_Trap]

so let's start...

 

 

=-= Tracklist =-=

 

1. "Poison"

2. "Monster" (remix)

3. "Tweaky"

4. "Techno Widows"

5. "Artcore"

6. "On Fire"

7. "Underbeat"

8. "Sex Style"

9. "Beyond The Senses"

 

Generally, this is a typical morning full-on album, mixed with some progressive/dance elements and very bit of psy sounds/fx. Imagine a mix of GMS, Yahel and earlier. Astrix stuff such as Eye to Eye.

However, the production is undoubtedly very good and they sure have done good work with the mastering.

 

1. "Poison"

One of the best tracks and maybe the most psy trance of all on Artcore... in some certain moments it reminded me a lot of Infected Mushroom's style/technique.

 

2. "Monster" (remix)

Not something really special to me, just following the typical recipe of the album, some nice progressive trance elements style, classic full-on bassline, that's all.

 

3. "Tweaky"

Tweaky.. i especially liked it just after 3.00 or something like that... not bad

 

4. "Techno Widows"

get's boring over time ... similar to Tweaky, only that it is a bit more mediocre , imho.

 

5. "Artcore"

maybe a lot of you characterize it as "Cheesy" especially the intro... This track deviates a lot, i would say it's progressive trance with a full-on kick & bass.Favourite moment: just after 3.40

 

6. "On Fire"

The intro is not bad, with the kick getting distorted and such, sounds sorta dark ... then it transforms into dancy tune with crappy guitar riffs

 

7. "Underbeat"

The most minimal of all maybe... gets kinda better after ~4.30 when the pad gets in.

 

8. "Sex Style"

Starts with a melancholic melody, then the kick gets in, you just listen to the beat&drums.Afterwards there are some fx etc and then the progressive melody gets in . Favourite moments: Last 20 secs or something

 

9. "Beyond The Senses"

Last track.. well.. decent intro, calm&smooth in a way, liked this track better than the others, probably because it's the only one that doesn't have a full bassline.

 

Favourites: 1, 3, 9

Rating: 6/10

[Subsonik]

Yeh, when I bought the vynil album I was quite pissed with how much Avi has changed his style. This album is nowhere close to as good as eye to eye, but the production quality is very good i must say. Although the word 'commercialised' appears in my mind every time I crack on the album.

I hope his next album goes more underground and that he stops trying to keep up with infected mushroom (who he loves). I think I'd give it a 5/10 for style... 8/10 for effort.

[Deepdrone]

I`ve listened to it, but I don`t like it. I think all the tracks are mediocre.. I like only the style of the letters on the cover :lol:

[Psychocell]

Yeah, its a pity that Avi didnt stick with his roots in eye to eye, that was/is a classic album.

 

 

Now hearing Artcore has sorta changed my perception of Astrix getting anywhere in producing Real Psychedelic Trance, cause his style in Artcore is slowly moving towards Hard Trance

What a pity for such a talented Musician

[Guest Rain]

the melodies sound to cheap and childish imo...

and the tracks aren't that good it's just waiting for the climax and that's it... 10 sec of joy and 7 minutes wait...

[thebadtrip]

I like the album. Clear sound quality - Good to get a full-on crowd moving.

 

I must say I consider the crowd-effect the most important when criticizing a track. A song without listeners is shit no matter how good of a production it is or how much technique is involved in making it. So...

 

4. "Techno Widows"

Very simple way to get people moving. I give a high grade for this track. Demonstrate's Avi's power to make his fans wait minutes to listen to his "The fuck is going on?" line and lay the distorted guitar and bring in the solid-simple bass line back in the track. Parties in general need such things. I've seen him put 4000+ people to stomp with this track.

 

8. "Sex Style"

I can't think of this song without remembering Solaris Festival in São Paulo during 2005's Carnaval. Great morning it was. Avi had his live the day before. And opened his set with this track. The crowd was all calm and anxious. Then arms up and people moving gently. I really like - and the house producers I know did as well - the electronic fx starting at 2min 50 sec. It's like trying to create a 'robot's voice'. When this effect is over comes a solid melody, not childish, not too grumpy. I don't like the pad much. Sweep comes in with high smooth notes that become more metallic, anxiety build up, melody formation and boom. You have your crowd smiling, arms up, enjoying the landscape and just dancing. Word.

 

9. "Beyond The Senses"

Good track. Smooth. Different from most Astrix's tracks. I like the sweep + pad around the 4min 15sec and when it starts speeding up. When it gets faster there's a childish melody but when it's over there's nice synth work, cut offs and all. Sounds amazing in a huge system with the powerful kick. For those who like to close their eyes and just tap their feet and fingers.

 

Favourites: 4, 8, 9

Rating: 8/10

[agia_igoumeni]

0/10

 

recycle the planet from full on `artists´ like mr.astrix

 

grow up°

[Jon Cocco]

ASTRIX - ARTCORE

2004

REVIEW

 

1. Poison - B

2. Monster (remix) ... C

3. Tweaky ... C+

4. Techno Widows ... B

5. Artcore ... C+

6. On Fire ... C

7. Underbeat ... C

8. Sex Style ... C+

9. Beyond The Senses ... B

 

I like how each track in Time_Trap's review is short and descriptive, to the point.

 

PROS:

 

There are several pretty good Full On songs here. Poison starts things off well and is probably the most psychedelic song on the album. Throughout the album it's hit-and-miss. Many misses take place in my opinion, tracks that make you go, "yes, that's actually decent or pretty good." For example, Techno Windows a pretty cool Full On psytrance song. It will sound best in the club or to dance to. And Beyond The Senses is very good, one of the best songs by Astrix to date IMO. Just raise the volume and listen to it. I wasn't expecting Astrix to create such a cool psy downtempo-esque tribal piece that's danceable.

 

 

CONS:

 

There's more bad than good on the album (track-wise) but I'm going to keep this short. TOO MANY tracks are lackluster and weak. They're forgettable and very average which basically makes them crap. I understand why many people were like, this sucks!, to the overall album.

 

 

In conclusion, I clearly understand why many people were disappointed with this release. For example, the first one was so much better (although I enjoy the closing song here over the debut) that it seems only right to expect Astrix to release something good two years later. However just because much of the album basically sucks doesn't mean each track sucks too. Sure I agree there's no point locating average stuff. There are several pretty good songs here. And virtually anyone can find ways to get the songs if an album isn't worth buying. I did not buy this album but I've heard it along with the first which I just wrote a review for in the 2002 area. If Astrix makes an awesome or a truly great Full On album (and please cheesy male singing OUT OF IT!!!) I'll buy it... but this is NOT that album. It would be nice if he'd spend the time and energy creating a real super album with all great songs and several amazing ones.. but that's easier said than done.

 

BEST SONGS: 1, 4, 9.

 

SCORE: 7.5/10 = C ... (my scale starts at 5 to compensate for the grades A - F)

[sleepingzombie]

There are several pretty good Full On songs here.

 

Throughout the album it's hit-and-miss. Many misses take place in my opinion, tracks that make you go, "yes, that's actually decent or pretty good."

 

Just raise the volume and listen to it.

 

TOO MANY tracks are lackluster and weak. They're forgettable and very average which basically makes them crap.

I agree with your review.

Sometimes I play Poison or Artcore, just to shift the playlist

from mainstream (Planet Funk) to more psy oriented, and

on high volume these songs are danceable.

 

I agree with the cryticism, because IMO the album is

someway "flat", without climax or masterpieces.

[AlieNed]

abit dissaponting , fav tracks Artcore and Sex Style , very good production but its not his best one album for sure

[Penzoline]

Poison, Tweaky and Techno Widows are full-on classics imo! Beyond The Senses is good too. Some of the best full-on ever. Too bad the rest of the album doesn't get on that level.

[Manuser]

nothing interesting here unfortunately

 

production quality : yes

rolling basslines : yes

music for teenagers : yes

soul : no

interesting melodies : no

depth : no

creativity : no

story : no

 

3/10

 

sorry : yes

[Trance2MoveU]

"What the f*ck is going on?"

 

 

Let's see, if I didn't think Eye To Eye aged well, what chance does this have?  Same as Mark Hammil.

 

 

 

 

 

May the fudge be with you! 

 

 

I remember years ago liking the opening track, but listening to it now is just boring.  And I think every time IM sings a baby blows out a diaper.  And what's with the f*cking cat sound on Artcore?  Then of course what's cheese laden full-on without the guitar and cringeworthy samples?  I give you On Fire.  Taking of the nostalgia glasses I see this as just another entry into the sea of full-on nuclear waste that was a hallmark of the mid 2000's.  Yeah there are some good melodies, but having to wade through copious amount of toxic sludge to get to those melodies does not make for an enjoyable listening experience.  

 

All right, I'll give you Techno Windows.

 

I see a lot of folks talking about the production and they're right it sounds wonderful.  But at the end of the day you still just polished a turd.

 

 

Sorry Boromir, Astrix did.

[Kombo*]

I liked Techno widows and still do

 

[Sawfly]

On 6/28/2012 at 12:44 PM, Manuser said:

nothing interesting here unfortunately

 

production quality : yes

rolling basslines : yes

music for teenagers : yes

soul : no

interesting melodies : no

depth : no

creativity : no

story : no

 

3/10

 

sorry : yes

This but I'd give it a 1.5/10