VA - Shockwave

[RealityJockey]

Shock Blast – V/A – 3.5 / 5

Psy Core Records – This is a pretty good compilation. Most of the tunes would fall into the full on category, but there is a large amount of sonic variation. From the electro funk of Huja boy to the Cheese Mika hologram remix; there is a little something for everybody. What makes it even better is you can download a copy for free from: http://www.psycore.eu/modules.php?name=Dow...9&title=v/a

Check it out. (Oh also I’ve included the “!-!!!!!” system of rating energy or intensity in this review, giving readers a sense of power as well as the quality.

 

1. Hujaboy – Liquifried – (3.5/5)

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My X-room mate introduced me to his Black Belt album a few months ago and I must say I was enamored with Hujaboy at first. He has a style that is distinctly his own, and this song is no different. It starts out with some techy tweeps and twurps which progress beautifully into a full grown melody. The beat makes me feel like I’m spinning in circles, possibly drunk, and the melody comes round and round at me until the break. A nice filter buildup brings it up to a little bit of a booty shaking stomper. After the break it builds up towards the end. Fun stuff.

 

2. Safi Connection – Control Freak –(3/5)

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This song starts off with a sample of some guitar like instrument that sounds like its tuned down, almost eerie but not quite. There are rustlings of sound that bring in the bass line, which reminds me of Mario Brothers because it stays the same for a couple measures, jumps up , then back down for a couple, then lower. Nice progressive tension and release, the track almost seems to be breathing! The break was kind of boring Progressive back end build on this one as well.

 

3. Mika – Relax (hologram RMX)(3.5/5)

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It comes in straight and hard, a driving skipper if you will. The melody is pretty fun and playful hints of piano with hoover sounding synths going back and forth between each other. OK the build up to the break is just crazy, something familiar, oh wait a little break beat thrown in! Here it comes, oh wait nope more of that bass line, hah it tricked me I like it when an artist teases me. Relax? Oh mother of god, Cheese wiz, holy shit this one could be played at the skating rink. Oh well this is good cheese, like a pepper jack or a brie. Oh and the end builds down.

 

4. 2Minds – Eatio Ratio (3.5/5)

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Oh melodic intro that starts to go off pitch, hrm I gotta funny feeling about this one. It has a simple but effective bass line, almost breakish. There are lots of of light fluffy airy parts before the buildup with the double diesel bass. Quite a chorus of melodic noise, lots of atmosphere, everything breaks down and airs out then this strong melody comes in with some guitar, followed by a sweet glitchy breakbeat! Then a drum roll straight to the build out.

 

5. Safi Connection – Rock Into the Past (3/5)

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“Lets go back!” Yeah buttrock guitars!!! Woah the bassline is nuts on this one, hard fast and punchy. The guitar solo is pretty simple but effective and builds well with the other melodies. This story tells the tale of a lonely guitar who finds love with a synthesizer. Oh and then they take over the world, followed by a victory dance.

 

6. Psycho Punk – Welcome to My World – (4.5/5)

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OK this compilation is start to get crazy. This tune lays down pages of trippy sampling and effects over one of the phattest bass lines I’ve heard this year. There are just layers and layers of music all working in unison here. This punk is like a sonic puppeteer, pulling all the strings and making the whole thing pull together into one awesome little show. This one stands on its own.

 

7. Raz – Time to Fly – (3.5/5)

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The intro synth comes in remorseful yet optimistic then whammy there’s the beat. Yes this one is hard and driving. It sounds like humanity after Judgment day, regrouping to kick the machines ass with trance. Raz introduces all these lines of music, takes them out for others then throws them all together here and there as the plot of this song continues on. Great build ups and bring downs.

 

8. Psycho Punk – The Beautiful Mind – (3.5/5)

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The intro is like some guitar line from a Steven Segal movie, you don’t know whats about to happen but its sure as hell gonna be some ninja shit, then comes the funk-a-delic bass line, then it switches to a straight driving push that’s making me kind of sea sick. This one doesn’t strike me as well as the other PP track on this compilation, but still it’s pretty good, PP definitely has a knack for writing sweet bass lines.

 

9. Intergalactic – Back to Earth – (2.5/5)

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This track comes in really spacey, like the music is coming through a wormhole and sounding all distorted before it finally makes it to this side. It tells the story of a ship of space pioneers towards the end of a long journey. Exhaustion of the trips mixes with the exuberance of knowing they’re finally there and there is work to be done. But first we party. Decent full-on track.

 

10. BPM – Fire Line – (2.5/5)

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We enter in with one of those arpeggiated voices, then on with the galloping bass line. The melody kind of seas back and forth as the track builds up. Then back with the arpeggiated voice. A light airy Hindi sounding melody breaks forth and then back to beat. Then everything winds down towards the end. Whatever happened to saving the best for last?