Shift - Excession

[Insejn]

Artist: Shift

Title: Excession

Year: 2005

Label: Crystal Matrix Records

 

Tracklist:

1. Stretch

2. Moonchild

3. Closer

4. Toxic Shake

5. Da Business

6. Skelm

7. Push It

8. Plung

9. Cerebral Cortex

10. 10th Day

 

First of all: I'm an South African-artist-fetish

Since his first album his style has been refined quite a bit. The production is obviously better. I have only listened to this album two times but I can say that this is one hell of a powerful album. I bet many of you are familiar with this kind of style. It's not regular (boring ) full on. This is darker, harder, more screamy and much more "ear-grinding". Somewhat technoish but still with the psychedelia in there. I love it. All those sounds, melodies, patterns and percussion on top of a rolling bassline and nice kicks makes this album outstanding. The breaks are well done and isn't to predictable, which I like. He know where he wants to go in each track and bring us along with him in this chaos of "fatness".

Final Verdict: 9/10

[MpMsAy]

yea i agree its completely HIS style which i like allot ,, nutts about the South African stuff to. its a great album and its filled iwth power but some of the tracks are abit to .. to preditable. To much of his sound , the same style. But if comparing to the other "crap" full on out there this is gold but still i feel that he could have gone for a few new sounds. The first half of the album is the best though.. 1-5 very gooood album

[Ormion]

Fucking amazing!!! I was excepted a great album but this is unfuckingbelievable!

Why? Well it's 100% South African style, maximal Psy, power, super basslines, sharp production, chaos, but the most important melodies! Yes, it has melodies and very interesting melodies, I can say. Some of them actually are really goa-ish. For example the last melody in 10th Day is goa melody IMO, and the whole Moonchild track is a combination of Hard Full On with Goa-Full On. So, Excession is Goa? Of course not! But it has some goa elements IMO. After all, agree or not you can't say that it's a uninspired album. Much better than his first album Red Line. And this is why puzzle me when ppl say that SA artists used to be good but now are so so. Back then they were more techno, fx madness all the way but today the are still powerful but more melodic. Also, although all the tracks are 100% Shift-style each one of them is unique. Strech for example is morning and more melodic, Moonchild is spacey, Push It is brutal, Cosmic Cortex is....fractalish (sorry, can't find other word for it) and so on....

Overall 10/10, best album of 2005 so far, it proves why SA artists kick ass!!!!!

 

 

 

 

+great cover, here it is

[FrozenRealm]

Indeed mates.. it's gooood stuff all the way really chaotic (but organised) and twisted swirls flying around everywhere.. may be too much Full On for some people (cause this cd has BIG climaxes ) but I love it.. 9/10!

[Shimmer]

Shift – Excession

 

“This is the sound of Shift presenting his second solo album on Crystal Matrix Records. Blending the dark tones of night into the morning rays-this is the sound that pulses through you. A morphing, swirling, driving resonance from deep within. Ominous even...something unknown, an Excession...A power-pack of psychedelic gems-Escape, Explore, Expand.”

 

1. Stretch

2. Moonchild

3. Closer

4. Toxic Shake

5. Da Business

6. Skelm

7. Push It

8. Plug In

9. Cerebral Cortex

10. 10th day

 

 

1. Stretch

 

And it starts…in a happy mood. Like waking up from bed and the sun is shining, but not for long. The kick thumps, and the day is in gear. This one comes in and out of consciousness; the melody is catchy and pretty high up in the air. Chris plays with us here, toying with our feelings. We want to let go and explode but he has other plans. Some cool “space” samples and then we’re off again. There are some nice tunes here which sound like they’ve been placed in an empty 10 000 litre drum. When this track kicks into gear it rarely lets go. A nice beginning and you sense that Chris has some new tricks for you to experience.

 

2. Moonchild

 

Still a bit slow, these tams are tapping around the place, and are the most immediate melody in the track. Still the Shift sound is present, and after some violent shakes we’re into the main body of the track. This track takes quite awhile to get used to; at times you are in a trance, other times you just don’t know what is going on. I enjoy the inclusion of fight for the front position between all these fighting sounds. At around the 3 minute mark, there is a cool moment which is too short. And then a signature build up and we’re off again. Really cool sounds here, different though.

 

3. Closer

 

In true Shift style, no time for introductions! The popping bass and the kick really draw the ears in for an arse-kicking. Very tidy layering of the instruments. And suddenly before we know it we’re suspended in air, and let go again to feel the energy of the track. Really wicked sounds, and this creeping melody which haunts you from a far until it is right in your face, it sounds familiar, you beat yourself up, until you recognise it at the 4 minute mark, the whole track is consumed by an unspeakable fire of energy and high synths. Then the sample. As you can tell the track is layered with Nine Inch Nail’s Closer (At first I though Chris was a fan of Julia Roberts : ) . Awesome, awesome idea. The original song is aggressive and Shift takes it to another level. I loved that he keeps the original melody of the song building from the beginning, teasing and twisting your brain. One of the highlights already.

 

4. Toxic Shake

 

The introduction is pretty awesome. The swelling melodies. The driving bass. It pushes along nicely. Some really high sounds bounce around the speakers. The track doesn’t really find its feet until the 2 minute mark, which is good because the anticipation is worth it. It takes you to a really cool place where little aliens speak to you in tongues that you almost understands. There’s this bass which is unrelenting and exciting. And as I said, it really drives everything else. The breakdown is uber cool. From here on out, the tracks come thick and fast and damaging.

 

5. Da business

 

Another track which occupies your brain by overloading your senses. The use of the violin and the percussion makes this track an absolute favourite. So much happens in the space of a second. The track is on this stall mode (a great thing), almost like the track is skipping. It really takes control of your mind, it takes a lot of concentration and then when we’ve skipped along until the 4 minute mark, we’re faced with a ringing phone (which actually tricked me the first time), but then a second or two out of the trance, we’re right back in it. Head, feet and body grooving away. This track is an addiction.

 

6. Skelm

 

Fade in of the kick. As it comes in, it sounds rough, and angry. And then gets high and mighty until the real thing kicks in. And suddenly. We’re racing a race that has no finish line. Our mind is controlled by these high hats and low bass drives. These winding squelches deepen into our body and we’re moving away from the universe into another world. This track gathers your thoughts to steal them away. There’s this tiny sound at the end of each kick which sounds high and distorted but it’s these little things that get our attention. Pretty cool effort. Loved the use of the breakdown here, takes things back to square one and then back to square billion with a steady build up. This track feels like it is in a rush, and you will be too.

 

7. Push It

 

Another of Shift’s “no time for an introduction” introduction. Seems more intent of mixing some mechanical synths together to create a quite cool array of patterns here. The bass pokes its head through from time to time, really cool, it feels like the bass hasn’t had a rest since track 3. But here it’s more like a bridge, while the other tunes just pound the crap out of it. There a nice moment at the 2:30 mark where Shift just scratches away and then pounds you more. Then what feels like a cheesy 80’s television theme comes in, and some equally industrial break beat drums, mixed together with Shift’s irrepressible style, all served up in a salad bowl full of chaos. Very cool. This takes a lot of stamina to get through this without at least tapping your foot, and takes more stamina if you are on the dance floor. Then a cool horror sample helps smooth things out, until we’ve been thrown back into the hole. Really, really, really uber track.

 

8. Plug In

 

The kick and bass starts things out, with an atmosphere that is distant from the last tracks. More high hats and a high sound here. The speakers work double overtime here to cope with the distinguishing sounds. The sounds here are stabs, you can almost hear every rough edge until we notice that there’s this subtle build up happening in the background which finally breaks through at the 3:30 mark. Then something that sounds very “Artifakt – Nosferatu” but with a unique Shift spin on it. Energetic and enjoyable!

 

9. Cerebral Cortex

 

This melody hits high on your senses list. Really cool to hear something like this in Shift’s world. The great thing about it is that Shift doesn’t make the rest of the track kneel down to satisfy its needs (if that makes any sense). By this stage we think we might have all of Shift’s tricks figured out by he does manage to surprise with this sinister synth, it plays in the background, slowly making it’s way to the foreground…through the bass. Then another version of this cool tune. We’re everywhere and nowhere at once. This track sucks you into its cortex (awful pun I know).

 

10. 10th day

 

And the end. Some mist, ghost and screams…and then a squealing cat in a blender which has been fed to a small baby bird singing through a microphone hooked up to an amplifier set to 11! The bass is very cool here, simple and effective. Has this pattern which is just enjoyable to hear. You have a sense that things are winding down but only just. Then a cool moment. “Did I do something to you in the past life” “Don’t play coy with me Princess” FRIGGIN AWESOME!!! The bass just keeps on keeping on. The track sums up a memorable experience. These high reaching sounds and low touching beats. Awesome track.

 

 

This album is a kick ass production. Everything falls into place with the exception of two tracks. This is a different sound though, Red Line sounds space-y but they may be due to the Total Recall samples. Here, it sounds like Shift has illustrated an album for the masses (not in a sell out way) but in a more danceable way. This album feels like it would be right at home on the dance floor, stomping away. There are so many quick drops and nice rhythms here. Another thing to notice, or what I noticed is a similarity between some of the tracks on here and Artifakt’s, which is cool, they are both some of the best artists going around. I was very hyped up for this album to be released and I was not disappointed, I can guarantee that you won’t be either.

 

Fav(s): 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

 

Overall: 9/10

[spifer jo]

yeah, this is a powerfull one.

 

In the Timecode usual suspects artists style... and I love it.

 

Highly recommendable.

[Basilisk]

All I had to hear was the Closer remix and it was on it's way from Hong Kong to Toronto in an instant... that is such raw uninhibited badness, I couldn't say no. I suppose the rest of the album may grow on me, but to have that significant old classic from my youth turned into an intense high-energy piece of ripping hard psytrance, oh fuck yes. Shift rocks!

[Manuser]

usually not my style, but i don't know why this one is not bad for me. I am sure it's about this technoish touch, because it's as hard as Absolum - Inside the sphere (which i totally disliked because just too hard), but i pretty like this Shift release, even if it's hard to listen to the whole album.

 

Track 3 : Closer: Impressive!

[JacktheTripper]

Best album of 2005 i've heard so far

Good to SA still churning out some ill compilations

 

Rating 9.5/10

[plaksmais]

From Crystal Matrix i'v heard some good full-on, but mostly from the V.A. comps they have released. Utopia 2 also released this year was good, having Ananda Shake - Wonderland on it and everything. But Shift "Excessions" now doesn't really do it for me. There are some good tracks - I like Stretch and Da Business, but listening to the whole album is a bit too much, but thats just me. I can definately see why the twisted style of Shift might really appeal to some.

[Psychocell]

Vey good cd, though Rinkadink's stuff is alot better

[hatchet]

After reading this I bought the album, thanks for excellent review.

[Guest Rain]

I didn't gave a big listen but it souned a bit to melodic chaotic to me... to fast and to hard, not subtile enough...

 

i was suprised that it was that melodic to be south african trance...

[SkeletonMan]

Man it's funny this cd has gotten so many great reviews. Hate to be the one to sour all the positivity here. Well, it's payback. I bought the album because of your reviews ...

 

Following is from my discogs review.

 

Sometimes on occasions when I am really stoned I put on albums I didn't like virgin hear, just to see if I like them better when I am stoned. I just put this album on again, and this is what it's doing to me.

 

Things don't start amazing and in the first track go from bad to worse. The worst sort of full on around. AARRGH !!! What unheard of crime have I committed to deserve this? And this have gotten rave reviews elsewhere and was the reason for me to buy it in the first place! WHY? And when guitars kick in ... Please ... LET ME OUTTA HERE !

 

Luckily things get better and by track 3 Closer things are almost decent (funny how the supportive bass here reminds me of Sunscreem's "Something" from 1996s splendid Change or Die album.) But no, Shit's Excession just doesn't do it for me. By track 5 I have to skip. Sorry.

 

Yeah, I am almost as pleased as I am displeased. The album didn't hold all the things for me I was hoping. And not the all the low pointers I had feared. Bur certainly not all the high pointers I had hoped for But still there are quite some few nice full on features in here. When Da Business track 5 start to work it actually aint too bad. You know how it is then. Once it get real good you never know whether it's just full on cheez or really deep, scary and dark. This is recommended tonic for any proggy fan. Just to remember what that full on thing is about o)

[Trance2MoveU]

 

 

Artist: sHiFt

Title: Excession

Label: Crystal Matrix Records

Date: April, 2005

 

1. Stretch
2. Moonchild
3. Closer
4. Toxic Shake
5. Da Business
6. Skelm
7. Push It
8. Plug In
9. Cerebral Cortex
10. 10th day

 

 

"May I direct your attention to the spot over there marked with a red X?"

 

Why is he interested in my old high school tests?

 

Ladies and gentlemen you are now witnesses to what scorched earth really looks like. With his second album Chris Hoy's star was on the rise as he showcased tighter and more complex production. For those that love the acidic and barely restrained chaos of the South African psytrance sound have a little hair of the dog that bit ya! It's darkly melodic with deep, rumbling basses and is carries a big chip on its shoulder. Imagine for a moment if instead of pizza Dominoes delivered punches in the face.

 

 

There in 30 minutes or less or it's free!

 

The power is undeniable and it's everything you could want in twilight music. It's Absolum Inside the Sphere insane...loud and in your face. I think perhaps the previous commenter was looking for Dostoyevsky where he would only find a good old fashioned book burning. And the acid and brutality found here will definitely take the paint off the f*cking walls. At almost a decade old this thing still slays and in my humble opinion is a benchmark in South African psytrance that doesn't give a sh*t what you think psytrance should sound like.

 

Psyshop

 

Beatspace

 

Mdk

[Ormion]

One of the best albums ever. E-V-E-R

[Ormion]

I'm here 15 years later to say once again that this is legit one of the top 10 albums in goa/psy history.