Radical Distortion vs Mendark - Purple Energy

[psychedelic_mustache]

 

Artist: Radical Distortion vs Mendark

Title: Purple Energy

Released: 2005

Label: Unicorn Music

Catalog: UMCD007

 

Tracklist:

1.Radical Distortion - Equilibrium

2.Mendark vs Sunhize - 3 On a Tree

3.Radical Distortion - Skunk Pack

4.Mendark - It Came Up The Mind

5.Radical Distortion & Mendark - Purple Energy

6.Radical Distortion - The Halloween Project

7.Mendark - The Only Way

8.Radical Distortion - Inspiration

9.Mendark - Psycho Filler

 

 

The other day I was discussing the Unicorn label with one of my friends. I've previously only been familiar with the work of their chilled sublabel Cosmic Leaf, but it turns out that Unicorn has been around for years. Now I dont know how well this friend of mine know the label, but he told me that this greek output was a notorious Nitzho-crew releasing stuff he would not even dream of listening to, none the less purchasing. Well, If that was the case in the past, things have definently changed. This is ceirtanly melodic stuff, and to many of todays darktrancers and progheads this might just be a bit over the top. But nitzho? No way! The only track I've previously heard from theese guys was the Radical Distortion track on Suntrip's Apsara comp, which I actually didn't find all that good (The track not the comp). Because of this my expectations were not to high diving in to this...

 

Let's see how it turned out..

 

01: Radical Distortion - Equilibrium

"Sometimes...You've got to close one door to open another....". The first track of this album sets the mood imediately. It's light, it's uplifting, it's melodic and most of all it's oldschool. The basslines, the melodies and the beats all create a euphoric feeling, like the one so often present in melodic goa of the mid-90's. It's been done before, ofcourse, but thats besides the point here. Ok track as an opener to the album.

 

02: Mendark vs Sunhize - 3 On a Tree

On this track Mendark colaborates with someone called Sunhize, a character I'm not familiar with. The track is darker than Equilibrium, but it's by no means dark in comparison to the outputs of the current darktrance scene. It's a pretty pumpung track, the main focus here is bass and percussion together with an overall "mystic" vibe . The production also sounds somewhat modernized compared to alot of the other tracks here, and I'm pretty sure this would work wonders on a dancefloor with the right crowd. It's hypnotizing and puts a smile on my face. One of my favourites on the album.

 

03: Radical Distortion - Skunk Pack

The track opens with a bunch of distorted voice-samples from some movie I don't really recognize. As the beat kicks in I become somewhat sceptic as the bassdrum is slightly distorted. Gabber? Luckilly no, and this element is also toned down throughout the track. Still it's a pretty "hard" track, and my guess is this is a track that won't be to everyones liking. It has a massive takeoff at the end with lot's of fast-paced melodies, squeaking and the full monty. I find it charming, and it's most ceirtanly dancable.

 

04: Mendark - It Came Up The Mind

Now this is a real groover. A typical goa kick, some heavy bass and then the rest is all atmosphere and energy, perhaps with with the weight tipping slightly towards the latter element. Floating synthsweeps together with more oldschool melodywork and a variety of bubbeling noises makes this a very plesant experience for both body and mind. Nice.

 

05: Radical Distortion & Mendark - Purple Energy

In this track we meet Mendark and Radical distortion together, and this is another example of a track where the production and general sound seem somewhat modernized. The rolling basslines here could be the one of almost any full-on act, but the rest of the track does not seem to fit in to the narrow space that makes the borders of this hated and loved genere. there is a sense of building throughout the track, and it follows a pattern of intro - building - takeoff - and then fades into an outro. The melodies here are perhaps slightly darker than those on alot of the other tracks.

 

06: Radical Distortion - The Halloween Project

Now this is one of those tracks that really gets me in that good ol' flip-out hippie-mood that I remember so well. It's as melodic as it can get, it's massively multilayered, yet most of the melodies have a simple and naive quality. there are several build-ups and takeoffs - this is a track that would have torn appart any dancefloor in '96 and I'm pretty sure it would get alot of people movin' today as well. Excellent track!

 

07: Mendark - The Only Way

This is another pumping offering, again ultra-melodic and very uplifting. You have your breakdowns, your buildups, your peaks and your takeoffs. You might notice how I'm not extraordinarlily enthusiastic now, and this has it's reasons. For me this track is a good track, no doubt about that, the point is that this could have just been any old' good track. besides I think it might have been nice with some variation at this point. Still, as a stand-alone track it's pretty decent.

 

08: Radical Distortion - Inspiration

First of all I love the intro of this track. Somewhat tribal, and mystic. There's some synth-choir together with a voice-sample mumbeling something about an alien life form. I can't really make it out. Then the bass kicks inn, and it all starts building. Very trance-inducing, layer upon layer of melodies together with the monotonus, round sound of the goa bassdrum. This is also sort of dark, but not really ofcourse. Very enjoyable track!

 

09: Mendark - Psycho Filler

Okay, I'm inclined do dislike this track just because of the horrible title, but let's not do that, it just wouldn't be fair now, would it. That being said, this is the track I find the weakest on the album. The melodies lack emotion, and it just sounds somewhat uninspired. It's all about the body and energy, and not too much about the mind, and that sort of turns me off.

 

 

Final remarks:

In 2005 there has been several Goa releases allready. Comparing this to for instance Khetzal would not be fair, this is much more dancefloor oriented stuff. Overall I think it's a pretty damn strong collection of oldschool tracks,and a coupple of them are brilliant. Listening to the album as a whole might be a bit too much, though and If I where to point my finger at something I would change it would spesifically be to loose the last track and perhaps add a bit mor variation. That being said - I really enjoyed this! If you're enjoying the whole goa-revival and want more of it, this is the thing I'd get right now.

 

Tomas(Psychedelic Mustache)

 

Get it here:

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More reviews, interviews, articles and a forum filled with good vibes: www.sonic-energy.net

[amphiton]

Radical Distortion - Inspiration - fav for me after first listens. Mendark sounds as if he didn't exactly know what 'psychedelic' means... but well, I may be wrong, will listen to it more

[travbrad1001]

I just listened to this album for the first time and I have to say i agree. The Radical Distortion stuff on this one is very good, "The Halloween Project" being my fav.

 

I really didn't care for any of the Mendark stuff though, it just seemed "lifeless"

[Time_Trap]

Radical Distortion - Inspiration - fav for me after first listens. Mendark sounds as if he didn't exactly know what 'psychedelic' means... but well, I may be wrong, will listen to it more

400440[/snapback]

 

Mendark = greek nitzonot producer

no more comments.

[Basilisk]

It's definatly a classical approach with old school feeling... seemed pretty serious as opposed to cheesy for one listening, but I wasn't paying attention to which tunes were on... hmm, kind of awkward really - not a polished piece by any means, but Goa fans could find something here perhaps.

[Time_Trap]

listening to it again

i think it has some nice parts

some cheesy too

especially Radical Distortion

I give it 7.5/10

[Jon Cocco]

Impressions / Not a review.

 

One of the better albums of 2005 and I somehow missed it. Okay well,

 

Several songs sound very good on this album. I didn't know about this release until now.

 

Tracks 1, 3, 4, 6, and 8 sound most catchy so far to me...some good psytrance dance songs with some very cool melodies on this album. There are some weak songs here. The stronger ones are definitely good.

 

Track 1 sounds decent, a fairly good opening and intro to the better songs.

 

Track 2 sounds boring to me in the beginning. It improves somewhere in the middle though.

 

Track 3 is dark and full of character and energy. Oh I like this!, and the voice samples make it even more catchy. Good one. Tracks like this one, 4, 6, and 8 make me consider buying this album.

 

Track 5 is annoying in the beginning with those high pitched sounds and more sounds that soon follow until the ambience comes in. Man do I not like what I'm hearing until the song direction changes with ambient notes. It takes time to get catchy and improve. Words of wisdom: Do NOT repeat lines that are NOT catchy!!! Make awesome songs from beginning to end.

 

Track 7... more ambience, kinda cool...but some of these Mendark influenced tracks could have been better. Some I like however, who ever this artist is.

 

Track 8, the last Radical Distortion track on this "Vs" album is solid, cool dance song with catchy melodies.

 

Track 9 isn't bad but weak compared to earlier songs. It could have been much better for a final track. Always make a REALLY GOOD, great, or awesome track at the end so listeners end the album with a GOOD or GREAT memory of it. The more impressive the tracks, the more people you're likely to hook.

 

I like the darker approach, so why not add dark melodies and go insane like Dark Soho originally did with their super dark, dancefloor stompers, but in Radical Distortions style of course? They could make something amazing. Just an idea. I prefer to see an album entirely comprised of kickass and super goatrance songs from them if that's at all possible.

 

http://www.saikosounds.com/english/display...ase.asp?id=5217

[Lost Buddha]

u guys just wait for the next suntrip compilation he he he he he...

[amphiton]

ok, here it comes... the first hints

[Jon Cocco]

RADICAL DISTORTION vs MENDARK: PURPLE ENERGY

MY REVIEW

 

I received my copy in the mail and it's amazing how similar my impressions are to my review.

 

In short, they start the album off strong with the first four tracks. I noticed they did something similar in Radical Distortions 2006 debut. Do they not see or care to acknowledge this? Does anyone else see how awesome it would be if they followed those several great tracks and made a whole album of just awesome songs back-to-back masterpiece? I know they have done great work because I own this album and I've heard some of their other songs, and I don't just throw the word "great" around.

 

After the first 4 solid songs...the album seems to take a slump. Tracks 6 and 8 are other two good songs on the album I feel, but when you hear those two songs around what I call, fillers, sorry but they're not that good...you're impression has already dipped and it's tougher to arrest your listener as you did in your flawless opening. Do I say make the beginning weaker to compensate for a great middle? NO. I say, or ask that they make the whole album great. The word DECENT means OKAY, it does not mean GOOD or GREAT. Please keep that in mind. I love the opening on this album. I know the first song is nothing spectacular, but those melodies kickass...you can feel the goa vibes and influences throughout certain songs more than others on this psytrance album, which is definitely one of the better psytrance albums of 2005.

 

I really like the melodies and song directions in tracks 1, 3, 4, 6, and 8. Track 2 sounds fairly basic and simple, but it's got a strong beat, some cool, echoed sounds. It feels like a more calm, less melody-driven dance song until the next bigger, more energetic one, which happens to track 3, the darker one with the movie sound samples I really like, both the samples and the whole song. It's really good. Make it wild. This is fun!!

 

The last track really accentuates the "sound level" of the melody and I actually find that catchy. I like the last track more than I thought I did, but I'm also very much into melodies in general so I admit my tilt toward enjoying this fairly less ambitios song more. However, I still feel the last song is weaker for a final song, and I do wish this album was stronger as a whole, as the first four songs, and tracks 6 and 8 are. The ambient (sustained notes) parts in track 5, Purple Energy, add a very nice touch...but without those ambient notes, (that create some feeling) I think the track be barely average to me. I really like the first song very much, and it's arguably my favorite song on the album so far. I just love those catchy melodies and how they blend together and change-up, etc...the song has energy, even if it's by peoples standards in general, not averaging the best song on this album, it's a great way to start it. Track 3 is dark and aggressive in a very cool way...another song that is very good and one of my favorites on this album. Mendark's track 4 is good too.

 

SCORE: Around a B- or a 7.5 out of 10.

 

1.Radical Distortion - Equilibrium

2.Mendark vs Sunhize - 3 On a Tree

3.Radical Distortion - Skunk Pack

4.Mendark - It Came Up The Mind

5.Radical Distortion & Mendark - Purple Energy

6.Radical Distortion - The Halloween Project

7.Mendark - The Only Way

8.Radical Distortion - Inspiration

9.Mendark - Psycho Filler

 

PS: I recently heard a song by "Mendark and Cydelix" called Comentai and I found it fantastic...very interesting, dark, spooky/eerie sounds, catchy stuff. That IS the best Mendark song (whoever this artist is I've never heard of before until this album) I've heard to date. The second best Mendark song would be It Came Up The Mind on this album. Both are good songs. Unfortunately I find the other songs I've currently heard by this artist okay, not nearly as good in comparison so far...

[goadelic]

One of the rebirding Goa Trance releases in 2005. Good work of Radical Distortion and Mendark. The both projects are from Greece and very famous for Uplifting Trance fans like me.

Radical Distortion rocks! One of my favourites ever!

[Trance2MoveU]

 

Artist: Radical Distortion / Mendark

Title: Purple Energy

Label: Unicorn Music

Date: November, 2005

 

1. Equilibrium - Radical Distortion

2. 3 On A Tree - Mendark Vs. Sunhize

3. Skunk Pack - Radical Distortion

4. It Came Up The Mind - Mendark

5. Purple Energy - Radical Distortion Vs. Mendark

6. The Halloween Project - Radical Distortion

7. The Only Way - Mendark

8. Inspiration - Radical Distortion

9. Psycho Filler - Mendark

 

 

"Sometimes you have to close one door to open another..."

 

 

HA HA HA HA!!! I hate cats.

 

 

Looks like the Greeks saddled up a poor stable boy and rode that kid to the recording studio. Radical Distortion are Nikolaos Politaridis & Spanos Ioannis and their success has been well documented culminating with but not being limited to their 2009 release Psychedelic Dreams on Suntrip Records. Of course I'm overlooking the uber disappointing Re-Genesis that started off gangbusters and then promptly crashed quicker than a drunk pilot. Mendark? Not so much, but his Side Liner project is going strong.

 

Equilibrium-

 

 

"Now let's play basketball, shirts versus skins...the winner gets pancakes!"

 

I don't think this would have flown at Suntrip. Except right out the window. Not their finest work.

 

 

3 On A Tree- This was a fairly decent progressive trance track with nice effects. Ahead of its time I would say, but the ending was a little weak.

 

Skunk Pack- "It's bad Mikey, real bad! They wanna kill me...if they catch me."

 

Yep, it's pretty bad. A full-on track that beats that poor sample into the ground. I used to like this? What the f*ck was wrong with me?

 

It Came Up The Mind- Annnnnnd....it came out the other end. That's not fair...I would've also accepted

 

 

Purple Energy- So far this was the best one. While that isn't saying a whole lot, it had some very nice goa moments.

 

The Halloween Project-

 

Is nothing sacred? Nothing? How much lower can humanity go? This was one of the two tracks that made me keep the disc. Goa through and through. Why couldn't you do this on the whole album?

 

The Only Way- This was the best track from Mendark for me. It was a good mix of goa and progressive atmosphere with a thumping beat. Sparkling synths and dark tone...the whole nine yards. Sinister even. For some reason when I first heard it I didn't like it, but now it's f*cking kick ass.

 

Inspiration- And this was the other one. Pure stomping goa that unfurls at its leisure. So that makes 3 quality goa tracks.

 

Psycho Filler- He did put filler in the title didn't he? It wasn't bad though.

 

People said that the first four tracks were solid and then the album took a nosedive after that. I disagree. For me the strongest tracks were the final four. I think this album shows just how starved we were as a people clamoring for goa. Even with the hint of melodies from the golden age we we only too willing to accept this. It's subpar and cannot even get mentioned in the same breath as the stuff we have today. It's not really fair for me to criticize and judge so harshly something from almost 7 years ago I suppose. I'm sure I did some things 7 years ago that I wouldn't be very proud of. Then I think of course it is, otherwise what the hell am I doing here? But I'm sure if you asked the fine gents of Radical Distortion if this holds up today I'm sure they would tell you to tell me to go f*ck myself.

 

I mean...I still bought it when it came out because I'm a collector and I throw money around like Asian businessmen at a strip club.

 

If I had money I mean.

 

Favorites: 6,7,8.

 

 

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