V/A - Timeless Flash

[RAH]

Compilation: Timeless Flash

 

Label: Vertigo Records

 

Year: 2005

 

Format: CD

 

 

1. Abnormal - evil Dead RMX

2. Terminator - Remedy

3. Vector Selector Upsydaizy

4. Alienation - Funky demons night

5. Kindzadza - Dza08

6. Psyfactor - Abnormal area

7. Kraft -Freaklick

8. Furious - Influence

9. Tandava - Sumel Kamysh

 

 

Do you remember three to five years ago when the number of renowned Russian producers making dark trance could be counted with your hand? At that point, it seems only DejaVu was releasing records and the rest of us wondered what exactly where those folks smoking. Cause, we definitely wanted some.

 

Let's fast forward to the present and we find the Russians have bread their own style, inspired by effects discordia and a 150-BPM's-or-bust philosophy, taking a foot-hold in the underground circles. People want powerful music to keep them awake and send them shivers down the spine. The fluffy roll wore off a long time ago and the thrills of pills with belly aches only last so far, before you realize wearing a pacifier with glow sticks and tele tubby back-pack, does not look that kilargh anymore.

 

 

1. Abnormal - evil Dead RMX

Garik also known as Abnormal (now Abnormal Project) is a regular. The Evil Dead tells a pretty quaint story of a midnight encounter in a foggy graveyard. Run of the mill beat work of unchanging forms, strong and wispy. There is a big amount of scary voices and creepy samples that at some points go a bit too far for me. It turns into near howling of abominable nature. It explodes well when in it's supposed to though, but it's not something to have playing for the entirety. Having heard most of his released material you can see Garik is moving forward.

 

 

2. Terminator - Remedy *

Terminator builds a nice one. The use of higher pitched shake-a-roo here and there marks a difference. You remember that voice from the renegade master? By… god knows who. It's something along those lines, except this time is “the remedy” for a final build up. They have tweaked the words or smears, while it's running at 150 and it does not displease me. It's not all about that though, but it is using instrumental voices in an interesting way, making it a bit more accessible for this kind of material.

 

 

3. Vector Selector Upsydaizy *

Vector Selector, better known as Ocelot these days is Aaron from San Francisco . As it has been the case recently, there is a lot of great material coming from that side of the globe and this one is no exception. The outcome is that disjointed groove, galloping and spitting all sorts of… what has been come to be denominated as ‘psyfarts'. Everything seems to bubble, screech and slide. If you like Ocelot, will find yourself digging this one as well.

 

 

4. Alienation - Funky demons Night

Alienation is Jelly from Jellyheadz and Psypeyote. The introduction does not make the voice wait: “You are now entering a dimension on the boundaries of conscious perception, where trance and dance rule. An existence of power and serenity yet to be… [something and some other] by you” What a load of crap, I'm sorry… it sounds like promo text from a yoga class. Thank god they are not taking the sample too seriously when the voice goes, “blah, and blah-blah, blah”. The intro fades with violins, mixing well with the usual minimal-melodic stuff these cats produce. They obviously know how churn out a good beat. It's Bleepy, bubbly, oozing out space puss, but it's missing something… Maybe a lead?

 

 

5. Kindzadza - Dza08 *

“Are you suggesting I am preparing you for something you might never experience? Success comes when you understand the most that lethal weapon isn't your firearm, but your brain…” I once read somewhere Leo loved taking clocks apart when he was young lad. His work seems too be made with those ideals, its all perfectly balanced motorized and like the pink bunny, it just keeps on going. He is good at making those kicks go the distance with… admittedly not much change in the structure. DZA08 is a fun mindless stomp-a-roo, with some intense jarred out synth's, passed through industrial strength sand-paper. I am used to his stuff by now and this one is one of the better ones.

 

 

6. Psyfactor - Abnormal Area

Let's remind ourselves Dmitri released his debut a few months later and we might understand why sounds like the lost track of the album. The Triple kick is there and the effects sprout like the tentacles of an octopus undergoing the attack of a few dozen eels. The sound bank is strikingly similar to what we have heard in the past though and the meter is unchanging, reminding me of tracks like ‘I'm so happy' and ‘Child of Darkness'. A little more experimentation would have been refreshing. If Evil Inside left you wanting a bit more this does the trick though.

 

 

7. Kraft -Freaklick

Fearklick can be played without any... fear, but I enjoyed Trancepero a bit more ( Namaste From Russia ). It just shows higher production standards. This sounds a bit like cookie-cutter Russian trance. Strong kicks, dispersed clicks, random effects, haunting pads, but no real harmonic intentions which in turn leaves me, wanting a bit more.

 

 

8. Furious - Influence *

Furious, has been getting a thumb-up's from me lately. He tricks you into thinking another monster killah is coming straight at you like a freight train without brakes and just when you think there's no solution, the influence takes over. Cohesion sticks and the tune takes a different course, much milder and appeased in contrast, before it starts going all over the place. Down below, he likes making morning-style trance, but he's mixing something else altogether, much harder, disorienting, nearly unstructured, that personally is getting interesting to follow.

 

 

9. Tandava - Sumel Kamysh *

Who exactly is Tandava? He is Bader, does that answer your question? Me either… So, let's focus on the music instead. Samuel Kamysh is hard to place. The abiding factor here is the high pad that somehow makes it work. Which is generally what vertigo likes to do. Kick the living hell out of you with their arsenal of effects and then drop lines sporadically to complement the otherwise relentless sensorial overload. Is not bad, is not great… I can live with it.

 

 

All and all :

 

Timeless Flash, otherwise known as VERTIGOCD01, released on the first month of the year was the first jump of an unknown label, with a mysterious appearance opening the doors to a number of artists that are starting to profile. The guys at Vertigo like fast and hard and considering they have been open for a year, the work is coming out steadily. If the number of releases is anything to judge them by, some of these have been more successful than others, but one thing can be said with a straight face: they are not afraid to experiment.

 

Not going to wow about this one, some chapters are pretty tasty some could have used a little more intellitrance, but the artist list is pretty interesting. If you know what you are getting yourself into, the lightning shines on a few occasions, if you're just starting to like this crazy genre, Vertigo offers better quality on their later excursions.

 

* Favourites

 

 

Where to Get:

 

http://www.saikosounds.com/english/display...ase.asp?id=4550

 

http://www.psyshop.com/shop/CDs/ver/ver1cd001.html