V/A - Chew On This

DeathPosture · May 30, 2006

V/A – Chew On This

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Hi-res cover: front + back

Artist: Various

Title: Chew On This

Format: CD (jewel case)

Label: Dropout Productions (US)

Cat. #: DPCD104

Distribution: Arabesque

Date: 1 May 2006

Track listing:

01. 07’12” Big Noise – Nord Time

02. 07’46” Para Halu - Silencio

03. 07’13” Metallaxis – Symbols & Numbers

04. 07’01” Freaks Of Nature – Crazy Old Man

05. 08’49” Freaking - Maxeril

06. 08’03” Penta - Caparica

07. 06’33” Drumatik - Winterblues

08. 07’11” Many Faces Of Digitalist – Al Dente

09. 07’07” Terminator vs. Nebztraxx – Welcome To Skunk

10. 06’44” Ocelot vs. Alien Mental - Quaternary

.m3u-playlist: http://tinyurl.com/ra2rk (all tracks!)

Review:

Bow wow wow!

US-based hypertrance label Dropout Productions is out with their 4th release, following the awesome Project Eleusis (a special tribute compilation celebrating Albert Hofmann's 100th Birthday) released in January 2006. This follow-up compilation was announced shortly thereafter, and is now finally available in the shops… The tracklist looks impressive as always with Dropout Productions and once again it’s time to make the earth shake with some hard-hitting, gut-wrenching Bay Area thrash… Let’s take a big old bite and light up…

Let me take you thru the tracks…

#01: Big Noise – Nord Time [146 BPM]

Big Noise is a Russian collaboration between R.O.M.Alienetic and Viktor Zolotarenko (who died in January 2006). What we get here is a pretty squeaky, squelching and strangely groovy darkpsy track… The beats are subtle and somewhat dubby in structure – and they correspond very well with the high-pitched, twirling acid-lines and digital farts… Not something you hear that often in so-called darkpsy, but it works very well here… So yeah, this is something as rare as a groovy darkpsy choon… Nice and laidback, but still totally banging! Sweet!

#02: Para Halu – Silencio [152 BPM]

“The mind will be wandering about somewhere else. You will not be in your body!” Fekete András & Hohmann Ádám from Hungary turned more than a few heads with the release of their first commercially available album entitled The World Of Peace released by Parvati Records in 2005… A conceptual album that conveyed a refreshingly peaceful message within the often evil-minded darker realms of psytrance… Like on the album, we get a lengthy, atmospheric intro – which slowly evolves into a fast-paced, acid-ridden tour de force of gruelling dimensions… The atmosphere is dark, eerie and totally scary – but somehow there’s a feeling of tranquillity and inner peace surrounding this track… When was the last time your heard someone describe a 152 BPM track like that? It’s like the calm centre of a hurricane or something similar… Anyway, this is another very strong Para Halu track… It’s a silent stomper – frekkin’ excellent!

#03: Metallaxis – Symbols & Numbers [152 BPM]

“The new world order uses various symbols and numbers. Once you learn their secret language you too will have the All Seeing Eye” Metallaxis is Romolo Cheri (aka Polyphonia) from Greece – and the weird thing about him is that I don’t like his Polyphonia tracks at all, but what I’ve heard from Metallaxis so far has been great… What a complex! Anyway, as the BPM count suggests, this is a VERY fast track – and it seems much faster than the previous one despite the identical BPM count… And yes, it’s too damn fast, and especially the first half of the track seems too gabba’esque for my taste… It picks up towards the middle + end parts, but generally speaking I still can’t enjoy the insanely pounding rhythms here… It’s too much of a good thing I’m afraid… And that pains me, coz otherwise this track has some fucking excellent bits and pieces… ;-S

#04: Freaks Of Nature – Crazy Old Man [148 BPM]

“I’m freaking out man! Haha, you’re the devil? Oh ho. As a sophisticated, intelligent 20th century man, you know that the devil does not exist […]” AFAIK this is a debut release by the American duo Freaks Of Nature (Eldon Larson & Jeffrey Mcateer). But damn, their sound is mature! This is ripe-of-the-bone, quirky, playful and downright full-on on night trance… Bursting with energy and bubbling with unbridled enthusiasm… Like a weird bastard child of Penta and Drumatik might sound…Nuff said – this is excellent!

#05: Freaking – Maxeril [147 BPM]

Freaking was one of the solo projects of the deceased Russian producer Viktor Zolotarenko. On this track he was assisted by fellow country man Max Lokhmatov and they guys have created quite a spectacular piece of nocturnal trance… The eerie groove is washing back and forth from the left to the right speaker, creating another very distinct, late evening groover… Perhaps it doesn’t work as well as a prime time peak tune, but as a flow tool in a bubbling dark set, this track is very useable… Good, but not outstanding… Oi, oi, ooooiii!

#06: Penta – Caparica [148 BPM]

Mr. Penta – aka. Nikita Tselovalnikov was born in Russia, is based in the US and made this track on the Azores Islands… Another psytrance globetrotter that has seldom let me down with his always well-produced and often humorous take on psytrance… This track pretty much has all the positive elements I always cherish with Penta tracks… It’s extremely well-produced, it’s totally trippy, banging and very tight – and it’s non-conformist psytrance with a big splash of oddball twists and turns… It’s both funny and exceedingly dancefloor friendly! Wonderful!

#07: Drumatik – Winterblues [146 BPM]

Swiss producer Benjamin Klingemann released his splendid debut album Peak Process earlier in 2006. I’ve always been very fond of his work and his extremely versatile and oddball take on psytrance is always a breath of fresh air… And yes, this is unmistakably Drumatik. 100 % propane-injected, playful, relentless, sample-ridden, oddball psytrance – packed to the rim with countless layers, twists and turns… And as usual Ben has found the winning formula – this is a brilliant track!

#08: Many Faces Of Digitalist – Al Dente [150 BPM]

MFOD is a collaboration between Digitalist (Thomas Franske) and The Many Faces (Karim Gressier & Dejan Mihailovic). So far I’ve liked what I’ve heard from these guys individually, but together they seem to have lost some of the magic I think… The bassline seems bleak on several occasions during the track – and it’s too fast and unstructured way too offten… The acid bits seem a little over the top and generally it feels like there’s something missing here – something that would tie the track together and lift it above average standard… A decent track IMO…

#09: Terminator vs. Nebztraxx – Welcome To Skunk [148 BPM]

“Yeah, if you wanna get shit done you gotta get it done yourself!” Terminator is another Viktor Zolotarenko alias – and on this track he’s in cahoots with Dutch mystery man Nebztraxx aka. la.Nebuleuse. Nebz released his second album entitled Serial Killah on Galactic Federation Media in early 2006… A lovely album that exceeded in being a big bonanza within perverted cross-over mayhem… And this track has some of the same crossover potential – it’s mainly constructed on a base of tribal percussion and a low-cut, filtered bassline – which is an unusual rhythm base for a track of this style… I like the maximal, full-spectre approach and the well-placed voice samples… A cool track!

#10: Ocelot vs. Alien Mental – Quaternary [148 BPM]

As usual this compilation ends with a track by Dropout Prod regular Aaron Peacock… Another American producer who has some massive plusses in my cool book with his redefining psytrance that never lets me down… On this track he’s joined by Alien Mental (Lalith K. Rao) whom I only know from his extremely dark, yet smooth track off the Mistress Of Evil compilation Trauma Trance released in late 2005. And yes, this sounds kinda like I would have expected – we get the über-dark touch from Alien Mental + the added psychedelia and twirling psytrance from Ocelot… It’s nothing to get insanely excited about, but still a pretty damn solid combo if you ask me!

Another solid Dropout Productions release comes to a halt. This label has fast established itself as a quality platform for quality music – and this is another sure-fit compilation with more than a handful of stand-out tracks… With no less than 4 tracks involving the now deceased Russian producer Viktor Zolotarenko, this compilation also kinda functions as a memorial tool – a requiem for Zolod! There are a couple of tracks that didn’t do anything for me, but they are easily outnumbered by the many excellent, non-conformist tracks here… Well done usual suspects!

As usual, Dropout Productions also takes chances with the artwork, and the cuddly artwork with Simba the dog has already turned some heads… I kinda like it though and embrace the ironic breath of fresh air… Another plus is the handy DJ slip with indication of BPM… All in all another fine Dropout Productions compilation – and a safe purchase for label fans as well as fans of versatile, well-produced, banging night trance… You’ll want to chew on this! … Enjoy!

Favourites: 1, 2, 4(!), 6(!), 7, 9, 10

DeathPosture

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