Gappeq - Speaker Seeker

[Trance2MoveU]

 

Artist: Gappeq (Jiri Tomasek)

Title: Speaker Seeker

Label: Wirikuta Recordings

Release: December, 2007

 

 

1. Speaker Seeker (8:54)

2. Vox Machina Magica (7:28)

3. The Torque (8:30)

4. Xenian Waltz (7:14)

5. Grotesque (8:23)

6. Something About Manta Rays (7:35)

7. Mobius Strip (9:21)

8. Mare Vaporum (7:16)

9. Rumpus Oath (8:08)

 

 

Gappeq is Jiri Tomasek from the Czech Republic. He has released several tracks, mostly with Ketuh records (love that label). I have heard some of his tracks and they tend towards the darker side of trance. The cover art is interesting, but I'm not quite sure what it is. It seems futuristic, perhaps a view of a city or a high-tech assembly line. Let's see what this sonic alchemist is brewing.

 

 

Speaker Seeker - Title track right out of the box. You better come strong with this one, buddy. Lush pads bely an industrial percussion set. At 1.5 minutes the track picks up speed and I hear a bass line common in a lot of darkpsy. I love the break which brings a return of the pads and more percussion. Very imaginative. With a change in tempo, Jiri further adds to the feeling of isolation with great effects. The track turns into a jumble of futuristic noise, and then pops right back into a full-on bass line. Not a lot of melody here, but it was well put together. Pretty good start! :clapping:

 

 

Vox Machina Magica- A slow hip-hop bass line combined with a crunchy sound and awesome effects start me off. Great mixture of textures right here. The bass line growls and leads spray all over it. This is dark, no question about it, but it is more along the lines of twilight, and that suits me just fine. My mind never wanders, and that is good, because with the atmosphere Jiri presents here, you don't know what will be creeping up behind you. The scope of this track is huge, even without a lot of melody, and the groove keeps my head nodding. Great track! :posford:

 

 

The Torque - The reckoning is coming. A wall of dread de-evolves right before my ears, as the captains of industry hammer away at a very growly bass line. A far away string floats magically in the distance and synths bombard my ears from all sides. More percussive goodness at the break and I feel very isolated right now. This is what I imagine being in the world of Quake would be like. Very atmospheric and dark, with great sound production. Man that was good! :clapping:

 

 

Xenian Waltz- More percussive loops that are different than anything I have heard before. There is an undercurrent of melody to start, but it isn't that apparent. The pads give the track some grandeur, as the bass line rolls. The leads are of the wash type, and effects are everywhere. If you're looking for melody, look elsewhere because it ain't here. This is a dark track that pounds straight forward, but is beautiful in it's storytelling. Pretty good track.

 

 

Grotesque- "I've been talking to Charlotte. Who..who's Charlotte? I think she's a girl. Can she talk? She's different. She's mechanical." With a track name like this, how do you think this will play out. Thick, rising soundscapes gives way to a galloping bass line as a child's wind-up figurine casts a bizarre melody over my ears. A squelchy lead bounces with purpose, and the break drops a very spooky sample (the first I've heard on the album). More dark madness ensues with the thundering bass line and effects out the wazoo. Pretty good track.

 

 

 

Something About Manta Rays- Yeah there is something about them isn't there? I'm hit with a wave of searing industrial noise, and fall right into a bass line. The groove here is bouncy, and the effects are all over. The break is short lived, as this is quite the noisy track. Downright scary actually. Before I know it, it is almost over. There wasn't a whole lot going on here, but it was very powerful. Good track!

 

 

 

Mobius Strip- Another minor key melody starts slowly with a GREAT orchestral sound! It isn't long before the effects madness arrives, and then is quickly joined by the bass line. So many effects, this sounds like really pixie-like forest trance. But the pixies are evil, and will cut your heart out. A squirty lead rises with the track and is replaced by another lead. Once again, no real sustainable melodies to speak of but I don't think there is supposed to be. This is like a soundtrack for trying to escape an evil being by running through a centuries old forest in Transylvania. Decent track!

 

 

 

Mare Vaporum- Industrial percussion with strings drop me right onto the bass line, which I have heard before. Like the last track. There are so many sounds thrown at me here, but it isn't unfocused. More percussive elements and a voice from the abyss which is unintelligible. This is a dark track in every sense of the word. And it is rammed down my throat. I could pass on this one, but the dark lovers will eat this up.

 

 

Rumpus Oath- With an intake of breath and a flangerized sound, percussion bangs on the door. What a feeling to start, as the room seems to be closing in on me. The breakdown at 2:25 was very inventive, maintaining the sense of...the supernatural. The layers of sound here are mind boggling, from the highs to the lows. It's a dark groove, with a sample that is so twisted, it cannot be understood.

The evil bubbles throughout this track and it reminds me that sometimes there are no happy endings. :posford:

 

 

 

 

 

Conclusion:- Now I normally don't like dark psytrance. But this is so hauntingly beautiful that it begs a listen. Especially the first 4-5 tracks. There is not a lot of melody here, so if that is not your bag, you probably won't like this. I liked it. I thought that his sounds were fresh, and the way he put a track together made me feel as if I was on alien world. It was also great that this music didn't rely on repetitive samples to sustain the tracks. Also, no cheesy kick or snare rolls to get to the break. There is a feeling of desperation and despair throughout this disc, as well as no "empty" space. Now who wants to be depressed, but I imagine this would be great for a hike in the woods. While it can sound samey in places, it was still an enjoyable ride. If there was one thing I would make better, it would be to maybe not rely on the same bass lines and to not overstuff the track with sounds, as sometimes it can get a little too busy. I tell you what I would like to see...this artist make a dark ambient album. I think it would be outstanding. Highly recommended! 8.0/10

 

 

Mdk

[exotic]

Finally a review for a really unique and original album!! I was meaning to write a review for this since last year , never really got down to completing it, coz whenever i sat down to pen a few words , the music would just suck me in and my concentration towards the review would go for a complete six.

 

This album defies ordinary convention and takes industrial electronica to another level. Definitely one of my all time favourite albums. There is raw energy oozing out from all directions . Killargh bass and effects. His latest track 'total perspective vortex' from V/a Alien agenda takes off from where he left. Big boom to gappeq and wirikuta for releasing such enthralling trance.

[Sawfly]

One of the best albums of 07. Can't get tired of this. Period.

[Ormion]

Although I'm not so excited as many ppl this is definitely a very good and unique album. 7.5/10