V/A - Idea FX

[RAH]

Compilation: Idea FX

 

Web: http://www.hornsandhoofs.com/

 

Label: Horns and Hoofs Entertainment

 

Year: 2005

 

Format: CD

 

 

 

 

01.Epi Centrum - Noise Exodus (Kino Oko Rmx) [135 BPM]

02.Hali Frogz - Wotau [135]

03.Fuzzion - E-Mc2 (Epi Centrum Rmx) [137]

04.Weird Walker - Layer-1 [137]

05.Fuzzion - Launcher [137]

06.3 Lay Airs - B.M.W (Benicassim Moscow Warsaw) [138]

07.Metalogic - Forcefield [138]

08.Bigwigs - Vibraphone (Fuzzion 2005 Rmx) [140]

09.Worm Food - The Shakes [140]

10.Epi Centrum - Drapacz Chmur [136]

11.Mass Turbo - Archival [134]

12.Triple Distilled - Expertiza (Epi Centrum Rmx) [115]

 

 

The fourth release of Horns and Hoofs comes with unheard of grooves and a daring sense of originality, presenting a rich and quirky collection of techno-electro crossovers, with all the lineage and class this label has delivered in the past. If you are looking for recycled goods for an easily digestible dance floor, look elsewhere. When you are ready for something different, give Idea FX a go.

 

 

01. Epi Centrum - Noise Exodus (Kino Oko Rmx) *

Kino Oko (due to release his own album very soon now) opens the compilation with a Remix of Epic Centrum. “Noise Exodus” comfortably sits on top of changing rhythms and refreshing retro-techno themes glitchy in nature, diffusing ambient roars nearly smeared on delays. Very atmospheric… paddizing breezy transitions into any set without much effort. Groovy as hell without even trying.

 

 

02. Hali Frogz - Wotau *

Jubilant syncopation a-la Midi Miliz with similar omni-noire melodies pushing trough the 4/4 bars, creating a time-stopping spell. The synth work constantly mutates knobbing in its own juice. I could swear I have heard the lead elsewhere, but I can't fully recall right now. Satisfaction reaches acceptable levels personally, but is not a standout.

 

 

03. Fuzzion - E-Mc2 (Epi Centrum Rmx) *

Epi Centrum's remix sits somewhere in between brilliant and one step too far into the unknown. E=Mc2 brings forth a rumbling bass, sliming off the surfaces accompanied by a touch of organic congas (I call them all congas, cause that's the only name I know for sure), added the cartoon-ish banging effects. Old-school bizarreness of sampling choices, with all the tall tale signs of Big Wigs. A slow-mo groover bending on Discordia with unheard of timbres and a neo-jazzy sumptuousness.

 

 

04. Weird Walker - Layer-1 *

Weird walker stands true to his name and delivers a ridiculously compact and expansive drumming experience. Scratching / snarling samples bubble across landscapes with industrial high-pitchers clink-ing. Not too long after, we are presented to light-headed, soothing melodies triggering Boards of Canada memories. The metallic stabs make a return as it could be expected with subtle, but fast changes to get the best of both worlds in less than six minutes, which is quite sufficient.

 

 

05. Fuzzion - Launcher *

Launcher is an aggressive electro-techno structure with a heavily… heavily distorted bass that however threatening, keeps a very deep-tech groove. It has to be the electro-bleeping that stings a bit personally on some parts, but it works quite well with the track.

 

 

06. 3 Lay Airs - B.M.W (Benicassim Moscow Warsaw) *

B.M.W is definitely about putting your Ray Bans and flooring the pedal blasting this sucker until the Bose speakers start distorting. On top of that is either chasing or getting away music, depending on your schedule. The bass is a belly-aching unforgiving affair, topped only by the deepest kick on this side of the west, and a sonic whip to break the bars. Half-way through turning into the Road Warrior, humbling kaleidoscopic melodies rise out nowhere for a mid breaker. The enchilada comes together piece by piece in the end as the synth lines start flowing smoothly to the rigid floor. Daddy like!

 

 

07. Metalogic - Forcefield

Having just dipped in an all-you-can-eat buffet with Magnetic Influence this one shows his more melodic side, with spacey pads and arpeggios that seem to extend for a bit too long. If you slice something under it might go well though. 'Force Field' is one of those musically inclined tracks set for the occasion… The Idea FX.

 

 

08. Bigwigs - Vibraphone (Fuzzion 2005 Rmx) *

No matter what Fuzzion would have done to the “Vibraphone”, including distorting the bass a bit too much, and adding a set of harps, it still maintains that Big Wigs aura. An infamous episode of the elevator trip gone wrong. But hey, at least the soundtrack works great.

 

 

09. Worm Food - The Shakes *

“The Shakes” has the same effect when you are in bed about to fall asleep, and your body shakes for a split-second... As if a strand of hair had slipped in the electricity socket momentarily. Down-under there is drum smudging in syncopation under tiny bleeps (more like blips) echoing, to introduce a strange tonal discordia of 3D motion effects; from high left to bottom right and so on. Very original stuff.

 

 

10. Epi Centrum - Drapacz Chmur

Epi Centrum continues the exploration of carefully rendered rythmic shakes with a certain sex appeal on the bass. Letting go of the idea the leads sound a bit too retro, it develops a certain 80's Japanese-game style that enjoy up to a certain point.

 

 

11. Mass Turbo - Archival

Mass Turbo is Jerzy once again (same as Epi Centrum) and This one didn't do it for me. Like the say the “Radio, lost transmission…” I don't mind a bit of sweet tooth on my music, but there is a strange vibe here. This time around the Mass Turbo propellers only reach a certain point before I skip it. I think it would have done a lot more for me, was it not for the voice... but it might have sounded a empty like that.

 

 

12. Triple Distilled - Expertiza (Epi Centrum Rmx) *

Like every drink that's Triple Distilled we can expect certain level of quality brooding in its uneventful intricacy. Epi Centrum leads the way of ‘Expertiza' drifting along with a very minimal intend. Perfect set opener in my opinion with a lot of cliketing and skips in the percussion hovering an IDM-ish pace of dreamy qualities.

 

* Favourites

 

All and all :

Granted i don't hear a lot of Polish techno-psy, but I am completely taken aback by the diversity and genuine struggle to bring something different by Epic Centrum AKA Praecox AKA Bass Turbo (Jerzy Przezdziecki ). One or two tracks are not my liking, but the rest are just appallingly novel, running in the same vein of Big Wigs with no fear of experimentation and they pulled it off. The art work, a post-modern cross over of cubist graffiti street-art, envelops the mood of the compilation well: classy nitty-gritty departures, filling the totality of the tracks... well done!

 

 

Where to Get:

 

http://www.beatspace.com/dettagli/dettaglio.asp?id=2377

 

http://www.saikosounds.com/english/display...ase.asp?id=5180

 

http://www.psyshop.com/shop/CDs/hah/hah1cd004.html

 

Samples & cover art:

http://sonic-energy.net

[firebreath]

Thanks for the nice review. Yes, Idea FX is great, a good companion to Boshke's Chronika Chapter 2 (also released this year)! By the way, Idea FX is also promoted and distributed by Boshke Beats and the great cover art is from Boshke's Inga Burina . Very innovative and powerful stuff!

[amphiton]

Great release indeed! Praecox has worked hard The weird side of nice techy/proggy stuff =]

 

The next release by Horns n Hoofs will be Kino Oko's album, looking forward!

[freak51]

Excellent review, above.

 

This comp is varied and interesting, with plenty of tremendous tracks, so there's bound to be one that will scratch whatever itch you've got. The "Vibraphone" remix can take your breath away. Weird Walker needs to produce an LP - their vision is top-notch, the production is meticulous and once again this track is useful in all kinds of situations from house-party to house-painting.

 

Because none of this devolves into a pointless Siberian noisemaking gulag, I give it 9/10: the best Horns & Hoofs comp so far.

[Guest The Journey Man Project]

Am really looking forwar dot getting this one, the samples on Saikosounds are pretty good.. H&H has to be one of th emost up front and impressive label, second only to Boshke Beats...Am extremely interested to hear the remix of E-Mc2 as the original to this day is an absolute floor filler... dropped it once ata a part just as the sun went down and it was soooo perfect... for sure to be one of the btter releases this years...

[lumpi]

There´s some nice and fresh stuff on there for sure, I like it, but imo the sound quality is not as good as on their previous compilations. Or is it just me?

[RAH]

There´s some nice and fresh stuff on there for sure, I like it, but imo the sound quality  is not as good as on their previous compilations. Or is it just me? 

367451[/snapback]

like the mastering you mean?

[amphiton]

Nice one... kinda weird on one hand and amazing on the other Recommended to all techtrance, weird, experimental and more intelligent stuff lovers.

 

Favourites: 1, 2, 4, 6, 9, 11.

[Banan]

oh!

#4 Weird Walker - Layer 1

what the COOL track!!!!!!!!

[biggins]

wierd shit this album.................*confused*..the remix of vibraphone is sweet (but not as good as the orig...??)

 

I've been told to give it a few listens though so maybe it'll grow on me.....

[Guest]

superb production value and highly original musical content

 

this is by far the best V/A released by H&H

 

fresh!!!

[agia_igoumeni]

Triple Distilled track kick asses..OI!

[Templar]

Idea FX

 

Horns & Hoofs Entertainment, 2005

 

1. Epi Centrum - Noise Exodus (Kino Oko Rmx)

2. Kali Frogz - Wotau

3. Fuzzion - E=MC2 (Epi Centrum Rmx)

4. Weird Walker - Layer-1

5. Fuzzion - Launcher

6. 3 Lay Airs - B.M.W. (Benicassim-Moscow-Warsaw)

7. Metalogic - Forcefield

8. Bigwigs - Vibraphone (Fuzzion 2005 Rmx)

9. Worm Food - The Shakes

10. Epi Centrum - Drapacz Chmur

11. Mass Turbo - Archival

12. Triple Distilled - Expertiza (Epi Centrum Rmx)

 

The Moscow-based label Horns & Hoofs Entertainment serves music, which could be easily described as a fusion of techno and psytrance, with the evident emphasis put on the former. While one can get lost while one can get lost while counting full on labels, we have only few tech-labels. "Idea FX" is the fourth release of H&H. The content of this CD was carefully selected by Epi Centrum, who is Jerzy Przeździecki a.k.a. Praecox. Jerzy, also known from the Bigwigs fame, is an A&R in H&H, which allowed him to have a certain artistic freedom. The mentioned compilation is a cunning collection of hard (but not entirely) technoish tunes, which can surprise with their original form. Among the presented artist rooster we have of course the flag musicians of the label, like Fuzzion, Weird Walker and Metalogic. The unquestioned leader of this V.A. is of course Jerzy, who appears here not only as Epi Centrum, but also as 3 Lay Airs and Mass Turbo. There was also a place for mr Kino Oko and the Bigwigs lodge on the experimental branch.

 

We start our fore game with a remix of Jerzy's track made by Grzegorz "Magnes" Magnuszewski, who is going to release his debut album as Kino Oko. The track creates passionately an overwhelming atmosphere, we hear a lot of sonic trickery in Kino Oko style. It's not bad, but definitely it could better. I wonder how the original track sounds. Two Frenchmen from Kali Frogz continue the trend set by their preceeder, injecting the thick as tar "Wotau" into our ears. Dirty techno all the way, instantly bringing shivers down the spine. I'm impressed. Fuzzion, one of the label's old-timers, presents his tribute to one of the greatest minds of all times in a remix of this compilation's main man. From the beginning one can hear that there is no place for clichés concerning Shiva, space and drugs. Low humming bass and synthetic elements lead us in a 137 tempo. The presence of Jerzy is very obvious, when we consider f.e. the jazz-esque parts. Number four is a track one should label with a sign saying: "Warning, this motherfucker bites". Weird Walker brings good old memories of the times with Bigwigs and Praecox, invading our ears with a rolling piece of an industrial bastard. It is a pity though that the track lacks some proper intro and thus the whole thing seems to be too insistent. However, all the throbbing and sizzling sounds in a familiar manner made me like it. Definitely another gem on this CD. An aggressive and massive technoish behemoth with signs of electro, meaning the track by Vladimir Kozlov (Fuzzion) named "Launcher", gives us some real ass-whooping. I think it is a perfect dancefloor option. Let it lose on a suitable soundsystem and this track may be the cause of a real tectonic concussion. 3 Lay Airs is a three-person-combo: Alex Tolstey (the head of Boshke Beats), Peter Serkin (Weird Walker) and the guy responsible for this whole mess. "B.M.W." was created in three separate studios, after which the final fusion of three layers took place in Jerzy's studio. Again we miss a sort of intro, but the composition, dynamics, hypnotizing though a bit stuffy atmosphere and a variety of electronic, raw sonic trickery compensate for this. As a whole it does not fail. Nr seven crafted by a guy from Toronto (mr Frederick Hatsav) is rather neat. The dreamy intro embodied by spacious pads brings, to a certain extent, a reminiscent of The Delta or the "Irritant" album by X-Dream. Next we have Bigwigs, who marked themselves as one of the most active projects from Poland. "Vibrafon" is among their most prominent tracks. Here it was subjected to a make-over by Fuzzion, who dressed the track in a very cold vibe and frustrated moments, although left enough hints to the original, so that everyone could follow the tune without any confusion. I must admit that I had a bigger penchant for the source track. "The Shakes", track with number 9, is, in my opinion, a crossover between the effects of a hangover and a soundtrack to another masterpiece by David Lynch. On the one hand intriguing, on the other irritating. On the whole I did not like it much, and seeing the rest of the names on the cover I am more eager to press the switch. "Drapacz Chmur" is another musical child of Przeździecki on this piece of plastic. We've got a full chill Bill here. A lazy and sloppy bass merges with original fx, creating an intense atmosphere, which consistently influences our imagination. It is psychedelic? It sure is! Flawlessly blending sadness and joy of life, it is one of the strongest highlights on this CD. As we can see from the tracklist, Jerzy does give away the steering wheel easily and thus we have another track of his, this time in the guise of Mass Turbo (gotta luv those names). Unfortunately "Archival" does not stand the competition with the feelings left after the previous track. We end with a remix of Tripple Distilled, a project of Alex Tolstey. This is the slowest tune on this disc (115 BPM). A fine track, although the bests parts of the compilation are already behind me.

 

From my point of view it is really nice to see a compilation released outside Poland, where half of the tracks are Polish accents, not to mention the compiler. After hearing the CD one can notice, that Epi Centrum was not looking for adventures with generic music, but focused on more experimental and daring approaches. Although the climate here is not that of a dramatic opera, many of the tracks presented here, especially few of them, are really strong material. The whole CD may seem to be a bit too much for an average listener, but it is not mild gutless stuff for sure. I recommend this compilation to people who like to hale their ears widely open. The connoisseurs of psycho-electronics will feel at home. After all, life is really boring without such music. On the foot note, I am really eager to hear Kino Oko's and Epi Centrum's upcoming albums.

 

Shops:

 

Beatspace: http://www.beatspace.com/dettagli/dettaglio.asp?id=2377

Psyshop: http://www.psyshop.com/shop/CDs/hah/hah1cd004.html

Saikosounds: http://www.saikosounds.com/english/display...ase.asp?id=5180

 

Additional links:

 

Horns & Hoofs Entertainment: http://www.hornsandhoofs.com/

Kino Oko: http://www.kinooko.prv.pl

[Hoofaloof]

wierd shit this album.................*confused*..the remix of vibraphone is sweet (but not as good as the orig...??)

 

I've been told to give it a few listens though so maybe it'll grow on me.....

372357[/snapback]

So Biggins? Anything growing on you of late?

 

am spinning this again & am loving it

 

come on you have to like it!

 

is rumbling is cold is the machines have won go back to the forest will hunt you down

 

anything?

 

this is ozric btw didn't know you were a psynews lurker

[phatpat]

Really liked this album. First few tracks didnt grab me though.

Bigwigs - Vibraphone (Fuzzion 2005 Rmx) is my fav!!

[pedro]

This is the best of the H & H compilations, but it is also quite different from the others (more technoish, less darkish). The sound is more like what Boshke Beats is putting out, rather than Eleventure, for example.

 

I do recommend it, but I would purchase Boshke Beats' Chronika Chapter 2 before I would buy Idea FX.

 

My favourite tracks are 4, 5, 6, 7 and 11.

 

 

 

Pedro

[dmtree]

Really like this comp. Especially the Weird Walker, Epi Centrum, and Fuzzion tracks. Great work, keep it up!

[DvD-Man]

TNX

[freak51]

To my ears, the secret DJ weapon is the [#2] Kali Frogs track, "Wotau".

 

This bastard starts off with a sombre and sonorous kick-drum line that submerges into practically anything so you don't even notice it. Then the melancholy melodic touches merge in. The track then slowly exposes a fully-charged psy-tech atmosphere, without ever overstating its case.

 

Many other Idea FX tracks are good too, of course, but for me this is the "What The Hell Was That?" track.

 

This comp is holding up well to repeated spins.

[dmtree]

This comp is holding up well to repeated spins.

409166[/snapback]

indeed