Space Tribe - Thru The Looking Glass

[DeathPosture]

Space Tribe – Thru The Looking Glass

 

 

Hi-res: front + back

 

Artist: Space Tribe (Australia)

Title: Thru The Looking Glass

Format: CD (digipack)

Label: Space Tribe Music (Australia) + Solstice (Japan)

Cat. #: STM003

Distribution: Arabesque + Solstice (Japan)

Date: 12 August 2005

 

Track listing:

 

01. 08’41” Space Tribe - R U Normal

02. 07’45” Space Tribe - A Pinch Of Psychedelic (Remix)

03. 07’07” Space Tribe - Thru The Looking Glass

04. 07’06” Space Tribe & Psywalker – Space Case

05. 09’24” Space Tribe & Absolum - Astral Body Surfing

06. 07’51” Space Tribe - Unspeakable

07. 08’12” Space Tribe - Digital Or Analogue

08. 07’38” Space Tribe - Space Is Stretching

09. 08’07” Space Tribe - Bali

 

.m3u-playlist: http://tinyurl.com/7g4m5 (all tracks!)

 

Review:

 

Follow the white rabbit!

 

Through the Looking-Glass, and What Alice Found There is a work of children's literature by Lewis Carroll written in 1871. It is the sequel to Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, (although it makes no reference to its events). In it, there are many mirror themes, including opposites, time running backwards, and so on. And it’s also the name of the new Space Tribe album! This is the 10th album by the wizard of Oz: Olli Wisdom – a renowned shaman, DJ, musician and global traveller… He also owns the label Space Tribe Music, in which this album is the 3rd release… The last Space Tribe instalment Collaborations was pretty good for a full-on release, and I’m hoping this one will be too…

 

Let me take you thru the tracks…

 

#01: Space Tribe - R U Normal [140 BPM]

“Everybody is trying to in their own, individual way, that’s what makes us individuals. We like this, we don’t like that! Well, what is normal? Nobody is normal! Some people try to fit into a box that is made, somehow, in their head, but they don’t actually fit it, they just try to fit it anyway. Nothing is normal. No one is normal. There is no normal!” In keeping up the old Space Tribe tradition, we start with a lengthy, spiritual sample before the track really kicks off… When it does, we’re in the middle of uplifting, dancefloor friendly, futuristic full-on… Well, maybe nothing is normal in an intellectual sense, but believe me – everything is normal in the Space Tribe sense here… This track could just as well have been on a late 1990es S.T. album… Yeah, this is timeless full-on with twirling, fluffy melodies and tons and tons of samples… The climax is also pretty cool, though I could have wished for an extended build-up part… Ahh well, still a pretty nice and cosy track!

 

#02: Space Tribe - A Pinch Of Psychedelic (Remix) [142 BPM]

“I believe that both mind, thoughts and matter are made of the same thing; basically super string! And if they're made of the same thing, then what you think has an effect on the physical universe, and you can change it!” This is a remix to the original track which was on the aptly named Space Tribe Music compilation A Pinch Of Psychedelic released earlier this year… I really, really detest the intro with the Scooter-like cheering live-audience… That sucks beyond words! But luckily it’s only for a brief moment – and the track itself kicks ass! Oh yeah, this is Olli at his best: Twirling, flaring, trippy acid-lines mixed with uplifting melodies, subtle bass drums and the ever-present voice-samples… Yeah – we’re not re-inventing the wheel here, but this formula works for me… Except for the intro, this is a very nice track!

 

#03: Space Tribe - Thru The Looking Glass [146 BPM]

“What a peculiar place to have a party! … You may notice that I’m not all there myself!” Alice kicks things into gear and the pace is now increased for the title track… Oh yes, this is full-blown party-music… I really like the driving force of this track – the build-ups are longer and the old-school samples are really, really trippy… Oh yes, this is a classic Space Tribe dancefloor bombshell if there ever was one… Formulaic yes, but this formula has worked wonders for years… One of the best tracks here!

 

#04: Space Tribe & Psywalker – Space Case [146 BPM]

“They play music and meditate… And wait patiently for UFOs to appear!” This collaboration track between Ollie Wisdom and Luke Psywalker was previously released on the Digital Psionics compilation Psionic Circus… I really liked the collaborations on Psionic Storm and on the Space Tribe Collaborations album… Again we get Olli’s light, fluffy, melodic full-on mated with the harder, wicked input from Psywalker – a well-tested formula that works! Twisted, futuristic full-on… And whenever Ollie is about to get too fluffy, Luke saves the day… Another nice track, I just wish it wasn’t already released… Filler!

 

#05: Space Tribe & Absolum - Astral Body Surfing [146 BPM]

“Drugs do make people irrational, ok? Drugs make, people irrational – trust me, ok? Drugs do make people irrational! Especially those people who don’t take ‘em!” We all know that Olli likes to collaborate with other producers… He’s got a full album + plenty of tracks to prove that… So here’s another one… This time Olli is in cahoots with French producer Christof Drouillet who’s released some really cool stuff in the past… Anyway, this track kinda stands out here – as Drouillet’s input is notably different from Olli’s… The bassline is hollow and the overall atmosphere is pretty bleak for the first couple of minutes… Down-right boring actually! But, fear not – it gets much better as the track progresses… However I still have some problems with large portions of this track… It’s too hollow somehow and that’s sad coz there are also some really, really cool parts…Especially the last two minutes… But as a whole, it falls thru!

 

#06: Space Tribe – Unspeakable [148 BPM]

“So much of our experience is intangible. So much of what we perceive can not be expressed. It’s unspeakable!” And now for the fastest track here… Full-on in structure – just like you’d expect… But this one is a little faster, a little harder and a little more predictable I’m afraid… “Every moment is magical!” – I wish! The last part of this track is pretty cool in all its acid-ridden glory, but the first part is too boring…

 

#07: Space Tribe - Digital Or Analogue [146 BPM]

The question that has been haunting mankind since the beginning of time… Digital or analogue? I guess this track is both – which is cool! Yeah, I like this track much better than the previous one… This one is full-power, no-questions-asked, neo-futuristic, melodic full-on drenched in acid… Pretty simple really, but it works like a charm! A sweet, dancefloor-friendly, party-track!

 

#08: Space Tribe - Space Is Stretching [145 BPM]

“Space is stretching!” Electro/piano intro here… Kinda not what we’re used to from Ollie – nice! Anyway, before you know it the track takes a more familiar direction… Full-on with some serious knob-tweaking and tons of trippy samples… Check out the cool break-down that comes after 4-minutes… Very anti Space Tribe and very off-key… It’s cool and adds some flavour to the track! Nice, but still not the best track here…

 

#09: Space Tribe – Bali [145 BPM]

“How much knowledge can a human mind stand before it freaks out?” Yeah – that’s a damn good question! We’re in Bali now, and I’d like to think that this track has a little of that Balinese tribal touch to it… It’s still very much digital full-on, but with a pinch of ethno-tribal to it… Tons of acid, loads of digital twirls and analogue whirls… Oh, and I think the next kick is going to be electronic brain stimulation… Trust me on this one! ;o) A nice, melodic piece here – pretty soft, but still with some edge… A decent way to end this album for sure…

 

As you might know, I’m not the biggest fan of full-on out there… I’ve often bashed formulated, neo-full on for being so fucking predictable and boring… In keeping with that notion, I cannot claim that this album is 100% innovative and unique… It’s not! But – this is good old Space Tribe we’re taking about! Olli’s music has always had a special place in my heart, and especially his older albums are all pretty damn cool… I’m happy to say that Olli hasn’t lost his touch over the years… Sure, he’s not exactly re-inventing the wheel here – and often his stuff verges on the edge of cheddar-fluff… But still, his take on neo-full is sooooo much better than most of the stuff coming out of Israel nowadays… Trust me! I wish the cool track vs. cheesy track ratio was higher, but I guess that’s an utopian thought…

 

The cover-art though, is cool on this one: Lewis Carroll-themed all the way with Alice, the Mad Hatter & the White Rabbit… Also the DJ slip will come in handy for DJs! So – if you like Space Tribe and Aussie psytrance in general, you should check this album out… You pretty much know what to expect - satisfaction in recognition... Purists, shroom-heads and progressive trancers should probably look elsewhere! Enjoy!

 

Favourites: 1, 2(!), 3(!), 7, 9

 

DeathPosture

 

External links:

Space Tribe Music: http://www.spacetribe.com

Saiko Sounds: http://tinyurl.com/7hgqk

HMV Japan: http://tinyurl.com/8kwdd

TranceShop: http://tinyurl.com/crj2q

Solstice 23: http://tinyurl.com/9n2so

Chemical: http://tinyurl.com/ceqr7

Psyshop: http://tinyurl.com/akkt7

Wakyo: http://tinyurl.com/9s3c2

Chaos: http://tinyurl.com/cglx5

Ajuca: http://tinyurl.com/7set8

Juno: http://tinyurl.com/drdan

[Gnome]

Just another commercial full-on release for me.

 

I only like "Astral Body Surfing",thats a nice track.

[Guest Rain]

to chaotic for me... I liked the waves a lot in time stretch but this is to much noise...

 

I skip

[Ale]

to chaotic for me... I liked the waves a lot in time stretch but this is to much noise...

 

I skip 

347123[/snapback]

i'm crying

ALL BIG ARTISTS who made goa trance are making crappy music

this is a sin!

[esu]

This is far from crappy music. I like the album even though it's not his best. If you like Space Tribes earlier works you will probably like this album too. Some real good tracks in there that definately will work at the dancefloor.

[Guest Rain]

i'm crying

ALL BIG ARTISTS who made goa trance are making crappy music

this is a sin!

349617[/snapback]

timestrecht wasn't crap at all but still fullon so

[el brujo]

Ok I love Goa all the way

but it never keeps me off from listening to new records

I love Space Tribe since I started listening this music

I gave it a listen

If all fullon releases were like this, man I wouldnt be so angry about this fullon, this is good, danceable psychedelic music

its like energy goa tracks in modern times

remember dancing to darshan years back

for the album

R U Normal is really cool start

It somehow reminds me of good songs of psysex

trippy and fast like the rest of the album

Thru the looking galss is another good song here, made me dance and wished I had an cid on me

This album would be perfect before going mental, trips kicking in and you re dancing to this, when trip is full setted go quality psy and goa

anyways good album with good fullon

another good release from Olli the weirdest looking alien dj in the cosmos, cheers mate and thanks for the album

[Trance2MoveU]

"How much knowledge can the human mind stand...before it freaks out?"

 

What comes after third grade? Seriously I can pinpoint the exact moment in time it happened to me. When the alphabet infiltrated mathematics. Cats and dogs, democrats and republicans, pluses and minuses...put these things together and you're just asking for a rip in the time space continuum.

 

Which Olli "the wizard of Oz" Wisdom would no doubt have a sample for. This album is one of my favorites from him as it is that acidic high tech full-on with loads of samples on technology, spiritualism, and science. Power and melody go hand in hand as he leaves an acid trail on everything he touches. Sometimes it gets a little dull and samey, but for the most part it's a ripping good time.

 

Mdk