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Scozbor - Mountain Lord


RAH

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Artist: Scozbor

 

Album: Mountain Lord

 

Label: Dada Stream

 

Year: 2005

 

Format: CD

 

Country: Australia

 

 

Track listing :

 

01. Psygh

02. Levelheaded

03. Normal Drug Taking

04. Hard Pooning

05. Auto-bogan

06. Vanilla Hymn

07. Positronic

08. Avanc

09. Rainbow Daze

 

 

Kevin Babbage (half of Odd Harmonic) returns with his third release Mountain Lord. A little more accessible than his earlier work Devic Craft, this time around Kevin has managed to imprint a little more musicality in his work while retaining the fractured and demented aspects to his production. By exploring the quasi-Goa melodic fusions, the final product is positively refreshing. Admittedly the pads and synth work might sound slightly retro-Kraftwerk and primary, the man expresses his ideas with such clouded, psychedelic clarity it is disturbing.

 

 

In the simplest terms I can think off, it is a one-hour trip pressed on a CD-R labeled LSD-26. The progression and the sense of a journey have never been more apparent. First, second, maybe third song come around, you know there is a neo-Goa melodic intent... after that it is strange place to be it at. This is just a relentless rollercoaster ride, with ups and downs expertly located throughout the journey as to never really tire the ear. At its best, is music I don't really want to be listening to while sitting in front of a small screen, but rather dancing lost in what Gil calls the trance-dance experience. At its worse, is loony-house music in all its glory. Unexpectedly though, in some cacophonic way it it's always mutating from chaotic effects to original tunes, without really loosing the musical cohesion and purpose. On the ground work, we find one artist who is not playing the ‘I got deepest kick' game. His flare consists of exploring a diverse interaction of break-beats and syncopated pulses with varying degrees of success, without being droning or uninventive. I can almost picture him sitting in the small studio laughing “Ha-ha try beat match that!” and unless you are planning on spinning Procs next, you might want place both earphones on, cause it's going to get wild. As a matter of fact it is hard to believe certain songs can stray so much from its original movements, as to have me wondering if we are still on the same track.

 

 

All and all

 

I have not heard Odd Harmonic as of yet, but if the other guy is half as a talented as Babbage, the upcoming album might be something to keep in the backburner. Top marks for this one, If you are looking for something radically different, creative drum work, retro-melodies and unheard-off effects drift in this direction. I got number 52 out of 150. Get your number before it's too late.

 

 

Favourites:

 

2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9

 

per-song breakdown, cover-art, samples, where to get > http://www.sonic-energy.net/2005/06/album-...ntain-lord.html

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  • 6 months later...

recently discovered this album, well this is some sick bizarre quasi GOA stuff... hard to describe what it's like, but it is ORIGINAL and very FUCKED up psychedelic! I can imagine you had a tough time just writing that mini review!

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i did do a per song break down, but it was perty fukin sick experience... remains to be one of favourite albums of 2005. B)

 

Per-Song Breakdown

 

'Psygh' starts the journey with cozy melodies and nostalgic synth lines on top of break beats. 'Levelheaded' lifts off smoothly into higher planes with riveting melodies, a fair share of distortion and insane knob-turning. The diversity and flow of simple arpeggios, with mutating beats is positively original. The third ‘Normal Drug Taking' is obviously a sick joke. The production feels slightly minimal though… and at times I can't help but wonder how a few extra drops here and there might have added something. This is not trying to take anything away from the song itself. The use of samplers and the voice effects is jaw-dropping. A little too slinky for my taste, but is a good piece in the whole equation.

 

Fourth one comes around and a ‘Hard Pooning' is taking place. Incredibly transing build ups progressing as he toys with your emotions, it's a mini-ride. Incredibly intense, distorted, harmonic… I love it! “Auto-Bogan” is downright dirty. The living proof insane music can coexist in with a harmonious intent. Mountain Lord follows in its journey peaking in “Vanilla Hymn” as the doors of the cuckoo's nest break open. At this point it has never been clearer some kind of intoxicant might come in handy. Not because he is forcing us, but simply because it just makes more sense.

 

The pace starts decreasing with ‘Positronic' returning to beautiful melodies with an IDM seasoning and a great interaction of drumming breaks. Madness in the middle and a colorful return to base by the end with string samples of the original theme. ‘Avanc' brings hi paced conga-like drumming and quirky pads that don't really convince me. It's a bit too happy-hardcore-kind of pace for my ear. Let it not be said he is not creative though. The trip closes with “Rainbow Daze” an introduction of dubby bass lines with melodies you have to hear… borderline ambient stuck in between crazy syncopated beats and recurrent synth lines. The Pads soar in heaven and drop down with such flow, I really don't have it in me describe the interaction of such complex music.

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i like some of the tracks on here, really tripped out morning music, with a somewhat goa-ish feeling to it.

 

though a few tracks are just too goofy for my taste.. :rolleyes:

 

 

..worth checking out, imo.

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damn i'm addicted to this album, discovering that there are actually ALOT of IDM influences here and there! favourites:

 

- Levelheaded

- Positronic (!!!)

- Avanc

- Rainbow Daze

 

GET THIS!

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btw, discogs (anoebis) says this is released in 2004 :)

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yes the inlay states Dada Stream Publishing 2004, but psy harmonics didn't start selling it until early last year. In the review for SE, the pic of the cover is actually taken by me cause at that point saiko didn't one to show.... What does your copy say? :)

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  • 2 weeks later...

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