Colorbox - Train To Chroma City

[HappyHorse]

I would recommend Anoebis and the Suntrip label. How sweet would the lineup of Filteria, Khetzal and ColorBox be?

 

 

Can't wait.

 

Oh, by the way congratulations on the birth of your daughter, and the album was absolute magic.

 

Mdk

 

haha, he played in 2007 on a party of mine!!!

he was great, and I'm sure he will return next year yes Kenneth, I know you will!!!

[frozen dream]

finally listening it for the first time, liking it from the start :posford:

 

so typical, yet so original :drama:

 

first guess is a solid 8/10, which means highly recommended.

[Baas]

finally listening it for the first time, liking it from the start :posford:

 

so typical, yet so original :drama:

 

first guess is a solid 8/10, which means highly recommended.

Why thank you :-).

 

How come no one really told us how great this CD supposedly is when we released it back then ?

Maybe it was because of the lack of internet penetration :-)

 

Thanks;

 

Kenneth

colorbox/12bit.com

[frozen dream]

Why thank you :-).

 

How come no one really told us how great this CD supposedly is when we released it back then ?

Maybe it was because of the lack of internet penetration :-)

 

Thanks;

 

Kenneth

colorbox/12bit.com

you mean you didn't get any kind of (good?) response and didn't make a billion dollarz with it???

 

blow me, my illusionary bubble has popped

[Otto Matta]

Why thank you :-).

 

How come no one really told us how great this CD supposedly is when we released it back then ?

Maybe it was because of the lack of internet penetration :-)

 

Thanks;

 

Kenneth

colorbox/12bit.com

Yeah, probably the internet thing was an issue. It was also released at what most would consider the peak, or slightly after the peak, of Goa trance, which means it may have been buried to an extent by a large number of similarly terrific albums. Also, the fact that it was released on Hypnotic probably didn't help, at a time when larger, more Goa-focused labels like Dragonfly, Blue Room, Flying Rhino, Matsuri and Phonokol, to name a few, were the fashion. I'm glad it's getting some recognition. That's a sign of good music.

[Baas]

you mean you didn't get any kind of (good?) response and didn't make a billion dollarz with it???

 

blow me, my illusionary bubble has popped

Ha ha ... I guess we made around a 1000 USD in total on this album - to share (and I am NOT kidding) :-)

But then again; my brother and I wasn't doing this album for the money obviously.

 

KennethA

[Helios909 (rx7style)]

Why thank you :-).

 

How come no one really told us how great this CD supposedly is when we released it back then ?

Maybe it was because of the lack of internet penetration :-)

 

Thanks;

 

Kenneth

colorbox/12bit.com

Well I'd like to post on this one. I didn't discover this site until much after I had the CD, but I was the 3rd one to post on this album way back when. Yes, internet exposure certainly wasn't there back then. I remember the only way I could even find "goa" which I didn't even know what that was really back then, was to go to A&B Sound (availability in Canada was SOOOOOO hard to come by back then), pick 3 random cd's from their "electronic" section (you were only allowed to open 3 cds to listen at a time), and listen to them and see if I even liked 1 or 2 tracks on the CD, then I would buy it because finding a track I loved after sifting through all the garbage was like finding gold. I was looking for a specific sound, didn't know what, but when I heard it, I knew. When I found this album and put it on I was like, OMFG wow!!! And to be honest, it took quite a few years for me to like and appreciate more than 3 tracks on this album. But was it ever worth the hundreds of listens in the CD player let me tell you that! I still play it now and again, and the longer it's been since I last heard the tracks, the more connected and blown away I am by it, time and time again. That's replay value for you. In 2006/2007 I had a period in my life where I couldn't listen to ANY music for 4 months! What a horrifying experience that was. And let me tell you something, when I finally had the chance to listen to music again, the second CD I loaded up in my collection of hundreds was Chroma City. CYANid took me for a trip I can't even begin to describe, but my face just about split apart from one of the biggest smiles I've ever had. I heard it again for the first time, literally.

 

 

PLEASE find a good label to release your new tracks on! =D

[Baas]

Well I'd like to post on this one. I didn't discover this site until much after I had the CD, but I was the 3rd one to post on this album way back when. Yes, internet exposure certainly wasn't there back then. I remember the only way I could even find "goa" which I didn't even know what that was really back then, was to go to A&B Sound (availability in Canada was SOOOOOO hard to come by back then), pick 3 random cd's from their "electronic" section (you were only allowed to open 3 cds to listen at a time), and listen to them and see if I even liked 1 or 2 tracks on the CD, then I would buy it because finding a track I loved after sifting through all the garbage was like finding gold. I was looking for a specific sound, didn't know what, but when I heard it, I knew. When I found this album and put it on I was like, OMFG wow!!! And to be honest, it took quite a few years for me to like and appreciate more than 3 tracks on this album. But was it ever worth the hundreds of listens in the CD player let me tell you that! I still play it now and again, and the longer it's been since I last heard the tracks, the more connected and blown away I am by it, time and time again. That's replay value for you. In 2006/2007 I had a period in my life where I couldn't listen to ANY music for 4 months! What a horrifying experience that was. And let me tell you something, when I finally had the chance to listen to music again, the second CD I loaded up in my collection of hundreds was Chroma City. CYANid took me for a trip I can't even begin to describe, but my face just about split apart from one of the biggest smiles I've ever had. I heard it again for the first time, literally.

 

 

PLEASE find a good label to release your new tracks on! =D

Thanks for the kind feedback - I really appreciate it.

 

Kenneth

[frozen dream]

yeh CYANid is the coolest! psychotic melody!

[draeke]

Any news about new color box music ? it would be very interesting to hear what they are up to.. the website, meanwhile, disappeared :/.

cheers and thanks for the awesome music!

[Baas]

Hi Draeke (and anyone else with a slight interest).

 

Not much going on. I have decided to put the Colorbox project on ice. Too busy with other music stuff (not to mention a wife, full time job and soon I'll have three little girls here as well (the third one coming in late October - early November).

 

I managed to produce three new Colorbox tracks that were never really finished.

 

One good thing happened since my last post though; my brother René and I are now speaking again. You might remember us having some family issues - but now we have started seeing eachother again and speaking on a regular basis.

 

Here's a recent picture (about a month old) of the both of us. I am the fat bald guy with glasses on the right - and the one on the left is René :-)

 

 

Best;

 

Kenneth

[@reyu]

I discovered Colorbox 10 years ago. I had been going to parties for a while but had no idea where I could get/purchase this wonderful music called Goatrance. I remember very well, while visiting a friend, I heard the World of Goatrance vol 1&2 (ZYX) at his house and was amazed by the quality of the tracks. The likes of Hyperion; Bypass Unit; Psygone; Kuro; Shidapu and offcourse Colorbox.

Luckily I could find them in a shop a few months later, still loving them now as much as I did back then.

I downloaded the Train to Chroma City from itunes. You can say I am in love with the Danish Goa-sound from back then. So rich in sound, melodies and emotions. I hope you guys, René & Kenneth, are gonna produce some more in the future and hopefully get the attention you deserve.

 

Thanx for producing some of the best Goatrance ever!

[Baas]

Thank you for your kind words.

 

I really appreciate it.

 

Have a wonderful weekend;

 

Kenneth

 

 

 

 

I discovered Colorbox 10 years ago. I had been going to parties for a while but had no idea where I could get/purchase this wonderful music called Goatrance. I remember very well, while visiting a friend, I heard the World of Goatrance vol 1&2 (ZYX) at his house and was amazed by the quality of the tracks. The likes of Hyperion; Bypass Unit; Psygone; Kuro; Shidapu and offcourse Colorbox.

Luckily I could find them in a shop a few months later, still loving them now as much as I did back then.

I downloaded the Train to Chroma City from itunes. You can say I am in love with the Danish Goa-sound from back then. So rich in sound, melodies and emotions. I hope you guys, René & Kenneth, are gonna produce some more in the future and hopefully get the attention you deserve.

 

Thanx for producing some of the best Goatrance ever!

 

[frozen dream]

still enjoy your album from time to time, it's a melodic cinematic industrial trip or something good flow in the tracks and no fringing melodies or hooks

 

top class goa trance with a solid production for it's era like deviant electronics

[Baas]

still enjoy your album from time to time, it's a melodic cinematic industrial trip or something good flow in the tracks and no fringing melodies or hooks

 

top class goa trance with a solid production for it's era like deviant electronics

 

Thanks. It is always nice to hear that someone appreciate your work.

 

Kenneth

[amithaba_buddha]

Hi Draeke (and anyone else with a slight interest).

 

Not much going on. I have decided to put the Colorbox project on ice. Too busy with other music stuff (not to mention a wife, full time job and soon I'll have three little girls here as well (the third one coming in late October - early November).

 

I managed to produce three new Colorbox tracks that were never really finished.

 

One good thing happened since my last post though; my brother René and I are now speaking again. You might remember us having some family issues - but now we have started seeing eachother again and speaking on a regular basis.

 

Here's a recent picture (about a month old) of the both of us. I am the fat bald guy with glasses on the right - and the one on the left is René :-)

 

 

Best;

 

Kenneth

 

 

AMAZING news Ken.

Thank you very much for sharing all these great news with us.

Lovely picture and your brother is still holding the beer and you with the PPG Waldorf T-Shirt !

All of my best wishes to you all.

/Filipe

 

PS: Hope you still remember me from the most successful Pyramidal Transcedence compilation which you so kindly mastered.

Thank you very much.

[Trance2MoveU]

 

Artist: Colorbox

Title: Train To Chroma City

Label: Hypnotic

Date: November, 1997

 

 

1. First Stop - Greenvich

2. CYANid

3. Greenious

4. Next Stop - Bluesville

5. Kinky Pinky

6. Indigo

7. Next Stop - Blacksfield

8. Grey Spook (Eastside Mix)

9. Grey Spook (Westside Mix)

10. Last Stop - Yellowstone

11. Maroon

12. Goldfish

 

Sometimes you have to travel through the wilderness to find your destination. Shovel a lot of Sh*t to find a gold nugget. 1997 is now 14 years ago and that's a mighty long time, but I'm here to tell ya, there's something else...Colorbox. Long ago before there was 3G cell phones or high speed internet there were record shops. Now I missed this golden age of music and only discovered it later on. People like us would have to peruse the electronic section which was usually hidden in some far off corner of the store separating us like lepers. For me, I knew what sound I was looking for, but had no f*cking idea what it was called. I spent many hours listening to a lot of really terrible German trance that said goa on the label, but did nothing but disappoint. Like some, I came across The World of Goa Trance from ZYX Records and it was cheap as balls. Picked it up and when I got home I was blown away. What I heard changed the course of the music I would listen to forever. This is what I wanted. High energy, melodic, and deeply layered music that would have me dancing for hours.

 

Colorbox was Rene Abildgaard Jensen & Kenneth Abildgaard from Denmark and this was the only album they released. As you can see by reading this forum, Kenneth has had a lot of things going on. The growth of his family, an obvious rift with his brother (although maybe that is on the mend)...While we can selfishly hope that things become more stable for him so he can produce another album like this in reality only time will tell. The least I can do is give this piece of art that had such a profound effect on me a proper review after 14 years. As you have noted this album is a journey divided into 4 parts designated by the color coded stops. Get it, Train to "Chroma" City?

 

 

CYANid- The king of kings I would call this track. It's eerie and dark, but also powerful enough to turn out your lights. That bass is thumping and unchanging setting up the foundation which allows leads to splatter and dance with impunity. Synths scream and growl without the slightest hint of a break. It's a relentless track that builds to a very thick climax. Superb.

 

Greenious- A sweet melody creeps out from the dark as the glorious 303 rumbles and the track becomes quite groovy and danceable. I love how the track bubbles, simmering as lead after lead streaks along its path. Just like the previous one, this track never slows, never wavers, but still has plenty of twists and turns. Same structure is here with an unyielding bass line that acts as the tour guide for the melodies. Great track!

 

Kinky Pinky- Onto Bluesville! This one is balls out rampaging bass (sounds so liquid) and melodic intensity. The lead bounces all over the place as outer space pads sprinkle a hint of mysticism. With well done kick and snare rolls the melodies return with renewed vigor. Pure power! Not the most complex track, but the switch near the end gives it new and alien life. Loved it.

 

Indigo- "I see no way to escape the conclusion...that somewhere..bonelike structure is developing in space and time."

 

This could be the exact same bass line and clap from the previous track as the lead stutters and staggers. Seemingly less chaotic and aggressive, the synths begin to pile up and make their own way. This track shares the same properties as the previous ones with the constant bass giving the track the boundaries with which to stay while the melodies swirl above. Good track.

 

Grey Spook (Eastside Mix)- "Let's suppose that I have a wormhole with one mouth here and the other mouth over there. Now there are three different possibilities for how time can be hooked up through the interior of that wormhole. The first is that when I stick my arm into this mouth, it came out over there simultaneously. The second possibility is that when I stick my arm into this mouth it comes out over there only after some delay. The third possibility is that if I go into this uh, wormhole mouth then I come out over there before I ever even go in. Let's just see that."

 

Welcome to Blacksfield! What a kick ass sample! This is one of the most famous Colorbox tracks as it has been on numerous compilations. That 303 is haunting, driving, melodic...everything you want in goa trance. And it goes on for a long time as sky scraping synths deluge the listener with goodness. It is so fluid like if you could see each acid molecule wrapping itself around your arm. Wicked.

 

Grey Spook (Westside Mix)- West Side! More infectious bubbling bass and streaming effects, so vivid. The lead shifts and stutters, changing sounds and keeping the atmospheric feeling alive. Tactile and flowing, the melodies harken back to a time when all was rich in a Goa paradise. The wormhole sample returns, but when the 303 bounces in it is so heavenly. How can this not be legendary? I can see all the arm of Vishnu operating simultaneously and it is quite the sight. Throw in the smooth pads and I am speechless. Awesome, just awesome.

 

Maroon- "Id like to think of.. space and time as analogous to the ocean. And changes in it as analogous to waves below the surface of the ocean. But those waves of course don't show up when one is miles above the ocean. It looks flat...then as one gets..down closer to the surface..one sees the waves breaking."

 

Last stop, Yellowstone. Wow, that kick and bass are thunderous! The goa melody is furious and hyper insane. Pure dance music plain and simple. It screeches, howls, whatever you want to call it, and then a new sound moves with agility becoming filtered and twisted in its own right. Combine the two and rhythmic and melodic bliss erupts. Superbly well done.

 

Goldfish- "Rather quickly I recognized that.. what he, uh..probably should do is replace the black hole as a means for interstellar travel with the wormhole."

 

Oscillating sounds vibrate like a tuning fork as a melody hops along with angry intent. It gets louder and more twisted as the ever constant and unchanging bass line holds position. This is a formula used throughout the album and damn if it ain't successful. The lead screams, and adds more character to its story. Most definitely the least melodic of all the tracks and also the most abrasive as it continues to pummel. Funny that they called this track Goldfish. The weirdness continues after a short silence when samples from all the tracks reappear dropped against a cool breakbeat melody. So I guess the latter half of the track is a chill track; funky too. Very bubbly with percussive elements and a great way to end.

 

 

When I first said you sometimes have to go through a wilderness to find your destination, I didn't intend it to be a metaphor on life, although that is certainly true. I was at first referring to the massive Hypnotic catalog that I waded through to find this gem. Say what you will about this label, for me it was responsible for some of the greatest goa trance music ever produced. Colorbox of course, but also Psygone and Bypass Unit. 1997 was the peak of goa trance and there were a sh*t load of albums released that are now classics. This was such a powerful and (pardon the pun) hypnotic journey that I believe it should be right up there with I.F.O., Transdimensional, and LSD. Great music stands the test of time. That's why nobody says a poor word about a Beatles record when it comes on because it is so damn good. Such is the case here. This sounds as good as it must have in 1997 in the open air parties on the shores of Goa. I did a quick search and you can download it freely, but if you are searching for a copy (which I wholeheartedly recommend getting) you will have to shell out some green. Amazon supposedly has a CD going for about $100. That's a lot of dough and it will be up to you if you want to swallow that pill. I'm here to tell you that this was one of the best goa trance releases. Ever.

 

Mdk

[ptn]

T2MU did an awesome job (as usual) describing this gem, so I'll just add that this one is a must-listen if You're into danceable goa trance where beat hits you right in the face and You want more. There's no place for corny prayers or minimal approach here. This one is serious psytrance, a little bit like AP or MFG but in classy suits with bluetooth behind the ear instead of shorts and bead necklaces .

[goa pride]

It seems I was wrong when I first stated that no more Colorbox would be made

 

I am currently working on some tracks and are trying to find a label to release them on.

 

Have fun out there !

 

Hey ... By the way; you can keep up to date here: http://www.colorbox.dk

 

Kenneth Abildgaard

//Colorbox

the link is not working

[Kitrinos]

I don't get it. I found this album pretty terrible. Didn't enjoy a single track. I can't believe the ridiculous prices I saw on Discogs and that so many people like it. I wouldn't take the CD even if someone gave it to me for free! Not joking. Well, each one to his own taste I guess.

[thanosp81]

I don't get it. I found this album pretty terrible. Didn't enjoy a single track. I can't believe the ridiculous prices I saw on Discogs and that so many people like it. I wouldn't take the CD even if someone gave it to me for free! Not joking. Well, each one to his own taste I guess.

Whether you like it or not, whether it is good or not has nothing to do with the price.

The price is set by the rarity (whether real or not) of a release and collectors will pay crazy amounts of money to obtain it.

All the better for ppl like me when I can buy superb compilations/albums crazy cheap just because they are not labeled as rare.

And if you think that most of the time the rare releases are the ones that were considered bad at their time...  ...

 

However, I like the cd, not great but pretty good  

[Goa-Head]

And if you think that most of the time the rare releases are the ones that were considered bad at their time...  ...

Great quote! Likely a lot of these rarities are rare because they were trashed.

[thanosp81]

Great quote! Likely a lot of these rarities are rare because they were trashed.

Exactly.