Human Blue - Electric Roundabout

[Guest Goa Spirit]

Human Blue - Electric Roundabout

 

 

Artist: Human Blue

Title: Electric Roundabout

Label: Spiral Trax

Date: 2002

 

Track listing:

 

01. Memorexis

02. Intercity

03. Dream Creator

04. Calculated

05. Aerostar

06. Cosmic Approach

07. Carpe Diem

08. Electric Roundabout

 

Review:

 

well after a long wait of nearly three years we have a second album

from Mr. Doug Wallins a.k.a Human Blue.. Well i loved that previous

album, and i have to say one part of me is a wee bit dissapointed with

this new effort, while my other half can't stop smiling.. there is a

layering of fluff right through this album which i quite didn't like

so much, but on the whole this artist is very talented and there are

some amazing moments here which are as good as any release i heard

recently. So without further fuss, lets start the review. Memorexis -

track 1, a nice progressive sounding track but definitely nice and

morningish... this track has one of those instant hand twist kicks,

very catchy bassline and kick in this track.. this track builds up

very nicely with a very subtle build up throughout the track, with a

melody coming in from behind the other sounds towards the latter half

of the track.. this is a quality track for sure... intercity follows,

this was already released on an ep and this track is well known and

definitely very good and atmospheric with a very pleasing melody that

keeps appearing... then comes the dissapointment in my opinion.,..

dream creator promises soo much with a perfect progression of sound up

until 5:46, infact until here it is really good, and then it gets

ruined by this awful fluffy eurotrance melody... blech that just ruins

the track for me.. anyway on to calculated and a much cleaner sound

here, way more progressive and dark than the other tracks.. this one

is good, with a nice baslline in the style of other swedish acts...

aerostar up next, this one is very funky with a nice beat,,, building

into themore melodic latter half of this album... cosmic approach is

next ... very interesting track this, there is a crazy freestyle feel

to this, lots of trippy noises, but again that touch of sanitaryness

that comes with the fluff... then comes the great carpe diem.... this

track is an amazing morning tune, very deep and narcotic kin of trance

here,,, the melody here is what the boyz would call epic.. this track

has to be heard... finally the best track on this album, electric

roundabout is one of the best tracks i have heard recently... very

cool... this album is amazingly produced, with beautifully constructed

sequences.. i am amazed at the preciseness and clarity in which this

guy blends his sounds together,, this one is defintiely one of those

for a deep listen...

so final verdict, if you are open minded i would suggest you buy this

pronto... my rating: 9/10

[Guest --==MileS==--]

Being a big fan of progressive morning sounds a-la (old)Atmos and Cosma to name

just 2, I expected great things from the new Human Blue. Indeed, production

wise this is as crisp and crystalclear as trance/techno can be produced but

somehow in the creative process other elements were sacrificed. My major gripe

is that the majority of synths are kinda play-it-safe, in fact the whole

affair is a tad too listener friendly in my book, at least the debut featured

some sophisticated percussion to enjoy. I was hoping for a more challenging

and trippier collection of morning trax but I got an album that can safely be

played at any non-psy party. Nevertheless, this is still a decent album and

some trax are really strong like -Carpe Diem- but i prefer his much trippier

debut over this run-of-the-mill trance effort. 6/10.

[Basilisk]

A great album! Carpe Diem is simply stunning!

[Guest Chong]

i've been looking forward to this release for awhile - and unfortunately i have

to say this is a huge dissapointment. Sounds like something has gone horribly

wrong - a really bad follow-up to his debut album. Very old sound - very

cheesy - no good at all...2/10

[Guest Defbydelta...]

This is a speacial new release from human Blue Their is nothing new with those

sounds and noise he brings us but i think its a big step for the human

freakers..

i think its a weak releas but not bad at all, but randomly speakin its a

alround album for every one to check out. Scandasounds is back again

Points: 7/10

[ukiro]

I think the best two tracks were on the EP, so go with that one unless you have

lots to spend. And by the way, his name is Dag Wallin and nothing else.

[Guest Shaq]

No way near as good as the first album. In fact this is quite a

dissapointment...it just sounds too average. Some of the tracks don't even

sound psychadelic. 6/10

[las22]

i love this style

it is a bit like matenda but with the smile )

but sometime it is a bit comercial !!

if u like happy deep musik lets go buy that ))

good job anti

[Guest [Anonymous]]

people who don't like this album probably like the new xdream album which is a

pile of poo. Human Blue.....more intelligent music than a lot of oother

artists....tune inn...10/10

[Guest human poo]

this is "average" release, nothing new just same old reproduced trance.. sounds

a bit cheesy at times 5/10

[Guest ks]

Electric roundabout is by far the best track here... and worht it for the whole

album... the two previously released are quite decent, carpe diem is prolly

the second best here/// for those of you who liked electric harmony, you will

really like electric roundabout.. it is a kind of a remix of the old

classic,,,, this album is a step forward,reviwe it after hearing it on 64o mb

of sound or otherwise you will never get the point...

[Guest Tib-e-e-e]

Average. Dags first album was better but this one contains some good ones for

an example carpe diem. It is trance for the morning....and.....it works bur

for myself i prefer little more agressivness. 6/10

[madpup]

Dream Creator is a fantastic track, sure the melodies are clubby, but as a fan

of god club trance i can say this, while most psy artists completely suck at

making club trance (Manmademan etc), this guy definitelly delivers the goods.

 

Also heard Carpe Diem and Intercity from this album, both are good tracks, look

forward to hearing the rest of the album.

[Guest opul]

very fluffy morning sound, excellent album, incredible flow throughout the

whole thing.

Only track 3 gave a a short cheese-panic-moment, but not so bad, I survived

without any further damage.

I expected it it be worse after some of the above reviews... if you like human

blue and/or fluffy morning sound you will love this album for sure. It is

great to still get an album like that every other month

[Guest [Anonymous]]

Carpe Diem is simply wonderful, it actually gave me goosebumbs.

I'm very selective about the music I listen so this is very special.

[Guest Syre]

I recommend you 1,2,7 and 8.

[Guest forrest[at]lost[dot]nu]

ooops i fell asleep... so i cant give this one a review, but i guess it was

boooring.

[Guest Mescalinium]

As the Carpe Dien/Intercity 12" was one of my favorite releases last year, I

had very high hopes for this album. While certainly nothing to scoff at, one

can't help but feel this vague, indefatiguable notion that this could be so

much more. Clearly aimed at a more mainstream audience (as a lot of the

Spiral Trax crew seem to be doing these days, a la S-Range), nearly all the

songs register very low on the psychedelo-meter. Musically speaking there's

nothing wrong at all; Dag Wallin can still craft a master tune. But gone are

all the little flourishes, all the subtle touches, all the psychedelic minutia

that made "Ice" such a pleasure. Think a modern, progressive (in the

eurotrance sense) interpretation of trance in the mold of say Blue Planet

Corporation. Like I said before, nothing to scoff at, but hardly what I

expected from this Scandinavian Wizard. I want to add that this is definately

getting better with each listen, and if you have yet to hear Carpe Diem,

Intercity, Memorexis or Electric Roundabout, you owe it to yourself to pick

this up. Some of the other tracks just seem alarmingly superfluous, e.g.

Dream Creator, a full-blown cheese alert of the highest order. 7/10 just the

same...

[Guest Syre]

This is a very mature album from Human Blue. There are some true killers on

this album that deserves great attention. I agree with reviewers saying this

is very intelligent music, because it is. It's beautiful in a lot of ways,

these few tribal elements, and uplifting melodies that we see in Memorexis,

Electric Roundabout -It's simply amazing. I'd recommend to everyone Memorexis

(1), Electric Roundabout (8) and of course the previously released Intercity

(2) / Carpe Diem (7). This is very good morning music, but you probably need

to hear it a few times before it grows on you : 8/10

[Setsuko]

this is a masterpiece !!! i realy don't understand why so many people think

this is a mediocre release ... it's pure morningtrance ... i realy enjoy this

album at the fullest despite for some cheezy parts which i entend to like :-)

.. this is not the lame clubby progressive cheezeraeli psytrance ... this is

psytrance with style , and quality ... 1,2,4,5,7,8 are my favourites ... 9,5/10

deeeeep atmospheric soundscapes will go through your body :-)

[Guest SuttoXXX]

I agree with Setsuko. I'm surprised to see so many negative reviews here.

This is a great release! There are some real standout tracks on this album

including track 2,4, and 7. There is some cheesiness that I could do without,

but a good effort regardless. 7.5/10

[Guest dr. seuss//]

dunno about you all.... but when i hear the last track i feel my mind tuning

into delicious aural bubbles.... human blue rules, and with this new release

dag shows us he is as strong as ever... the cheesyness is an essential part of

this artist, as by trying to be very morning friendly, dag sometimes overdoes

the soting soundscapes concept.. but overall this is one of the very best i

head this year.... keep it going progressive...

[Guest Tomvcarter]

I think this is one of the best releases in the last 2 years, and is Spiral

Trax's best release since Atmos - Headcleaner. It is beutiful music, forever

building in the progressive style, but with amazing melodies swirling

overhead. It is not full on but still danceable, it is the perfect music for

earphone listening in bed. I was expecting good things from human blue, but

this really suprised me because it is soo good. Track 3 does have a slightly

cheesy melody in it, but it is still a very good track. I cant be bothered to

write a review for every tune this time, but i can stress how much i love this

album, perfect for the summer, but still with that cold scando atmosphere to

it.

Beutiful & very Intelligent! (9/10) Buy it!

[Guest captain chapora]

the first reviewer got it spot on... take this album with a pinch of salt, and

you will start to feel the depths of the human blue - ice concept.// a bit

more experimentation here, than ice and i love the first and last tracks.. dag

wallins is back from the techie progressive plane, and is back to doing what

he knows so well.... progressive morning sound at its best... what were the

spiral guys thinking holding this one back?...

[Guest Le Lotus Bleu]

What a nice thing to listen to an album like this one,coz you got only long

tracks composing a complete cd well fill. Secondly, you’ll be sure to get the

typical swedish tunes productions with Dag Wallin, i mean the perfect

transposition of the northern light into sounds that gives, fresh & slight

luminous melodies and harmonies which are also real dancefloor killers. It’s

due to the typical Human blue’s chunky groove. Nevertheles Calculated detains

some darker & rougher sounds and Aerostar sounds more kickin’psy dancefloor

oriented. Concerning Electric Roundabout ,this tracks opens on a little dark

atmosphere and progress to more lightfull tones. As for Memorexis, Dream

Creator are perfect illustrations of the human’s blue chunky groove.

If you already have listen to the Intercity/Carpe Diem maxi and like it, you’re

obliged to be fond of Electric Roundabout. With his second album, Human Blue

may pass from the status of good challenger to the close arena of master of

psytrance,one of the very good surpise of this debut summer 2002.

My highlights are :2,6,7.

Others very good tracks are :3,4,8.

You won’t find any bad track here.

Mark :8,5/10