Infected Mushroom - Converting Vegetarians

[Psychosis]

Infected has always done something different from what is going on in the scene

at the time. With this release (the trance side) they have decided not to

release something that's easily digestible for you party goers. This album

doesn't have dance material, it has tracks that are full of manipulated

effects and light melodies surrounding minimal basslines and some good drums.

The scene is all about partying and they are trying something different, and

they succeeded in doing so. Some people might not grasp the whole idea and

appreciate for what it is, but it's beautiful in it's own way. People are all

into dancing and hearing intense music and this "trance side" isn't intense

dancing psy-trance, it's twisted material made to move your mind and not your

body. The "other side" is made to show people that orginiality in psy-trance

is still very much alive. They have refreshed the scene yet again. If your

looking for hard moving trance don't buy this CD....if your looking for

something twisted and different, and you feel you can look deeper into music

unlike like the simple minded, then take a chance and buy this album. I was

disapointed at first but now after getting to know these tracks I very much

appreciate what it is. You just have to take the time ti let it seep in.

Good job Infected!!!

[traveller]

Psychosis I disagree 100% with you. What they did here is exactly the same ol

shit everyone else is doing.

[Psychosis]

Traveller....then I must be deaf because I haven't heard anything that sounds

like "The Trance Side" or "The Other Side" from Converting Vegetarians with

the exception of the tracks "Hush Mail" and "Apogiffa Night". Maybe some

examples of artists and albums with significant similarities to CV would be

nice.

[Guest Chroneus]

Some works on the trance side sounds not boring but usual at least. But on the

other side such beautyful songs that I can stop listening them. Some tracks

was made not for current moment, I think if I would listen 'Illuminaughty' or

'I wish' ten years after I'd like them.

Great!!!

[Guest StVeIt]

album is good - not great - i miss their psychedelic structures - they had it all in de BP-empire album - ritmic-psychedelic-multilayered-structures with awsome sounds and nice gimmicks and effects - this was a full album ... CV is more repetive-lesslayered-toogimmicked-effected music ... i'm an infected lover so i really like the album - but i can't say i'm blown away - not at all - favorit's are ...SEmi nice(!!!) - Yankopitch(!!!) - Echonomix(!) and Song pong(!!) ... Yankopitch and song pong grab back to the older Gathering and classical mushroom vibe ... semi nice is a very refreshing and great track ... echonomix is just nice ... think erez and duvdev have to spent some more time in the studio instead of finishing a song in a few days ... such talents - i expected more!

 

i'll think i'll put BP-empire back in the cd-player, close my eyes and get REALLY taken away by music ... still my favorit album ever ...

[nervgaz]

After a lot of time listening this album in the past 4 days, I can say that

this is a GREAT album after all !!!

Of course, the style have change much, but It still good. CD1 is cool, but I

think sometime that there is missing some element in the tracks, like the

super mutant bassline or the very strange "what's that" sounds...I think that

not all the track have something "special" about them, that you can say :" Oh

yeah! this is the track with this special sounds, or melody, etc..." Anyway,

still a good, more live aproach and maybe back to school ... CD2 is

wonderfull, The tracks are great and have some very disturbing sounds and

melody that make each track very unique. Converting vegetarian ! YEAH ! Very

good !! And Drop out almost make me cry ??! But there 2 or 3 track (the one

with girl vocal) that I don't really like, but still okay...Anyway, this is

one of the best mix of all the musical style adapt to psy trance I ever

heard... In general, i have to say that this is THE infecteds, and we can fell

it even if this is defferent, I think they will lost a few fans with this

album because it sounds very strange an unusual, but this will only be the

people that love infected just because every one love them....So final verdict

: CD1 8/10 CD2 9.5/10

[Guest Le Lotus Bleu]

I have no sigle reproach about the "Trance side", it's very good, IM are always

trying a little something uplifting in each track, futhermore the production

still

keeps danceflloor flavour coppled with real melodies.

 

Favorites:1,3,4,5 (this track got a rythmn like if you'were trying to ride a

mad horse in a rodeo competition ),6,7,9 (an accordion melody in a IM song is

it possible? )

mark:9/10

 

For "The Other side", i'm sure that fewer people would appreciate it but in my

opinion , this is the most courageous part of the album.

As it's freestyle, sometimes it's great and other times a bit less, but will

only

remain in my head , the quality production & the weird ideas developped, the

audacious way it took indeed.

 

Favorites:2,4,7 (what a fucking klonk effect at 2:00 ,very raving raving weird

track) ,10,13

mark: 8/10

[Guest Morrison]

i think the trance side is very pedestrian, save for the last 3 tracks.

"Deeply Disturbed", "Semi Nice" and "Yanko Pitch" are all AWESOME. the

perfect blend of dancefloor elements, with really haunting melodies,

acceptable vocals, varied structures, and mad psychedelics. but i had already

listened them to death in some live sets i own.

 

the second CD seems quite nice, but i have only listened with it in the

background. i need to give it headphone time like i did with Sphongle's

albums.

[Jalliuz]

the trance side is like bp empire, not bad, maybe good...

the second side is worth an album on its own! I like the other side very very

much. Only that second cd was worth buying it. A real step forward in terms of

music thought some people might not like it...

that depends on your personal taste.

[Guest MG]

This should be the last album. 1st CD very much similar to the track that

preceeded it, nowhere near as varied as previous albums. Yanko Pitch is a good

track. CD2 hmmm. It ain't Shpongle because it ain't smooth. IM can me good but

can also be a bit lumpy if you take my meaning (Transitions and such) Listen

B4 you buy like I should've. It may grow on me, but I doubt it. Split up and

take a holiday guys, you have talent but it seems in comparison to your past

achievements that you have now found yourselves in a rut.

[seraph]

Finally, their weakest album by now but still pretty good. The Trance side is

done in some way more fantasy trip then any serious trance like their previous

albums. The production is more crisp and edgy then before and they do manage

to trance you a bit...Best on Trance side : ALBIBENO, SONG PONG ( ! ),

ECONOMIX, SCORPION FROG, SEMI NICE, YANKO PITCH...7.5/10...Considering Other

Side...Huhh, this is pretty weird disc...It varies in styles : from

Experimental Hip - Hop Dementia CONVERTING VEGETERIANS to more soothing end

ELEVATION... I didn't like only I WISH and ILLUMINAUGHTY but the rest is

pretty stunning especially AVRATZ, SHAKAWKAW, PLETZTURRA, BALLERIUM ( ! ),

SELECTA ( ! ), JEENGE, ELEVATION...8/10

[Jeller]

well this album has some very good tracks both on ambient and trance side, but it is not as good as their old albums

[ritual om]

rap cd mediocre

trance cd listenable

[Psychotic Mushroom]

Really good album. I was a little disappointed after I bought BP, but I was definitely not after I got to know this one. This is IM at their best with the sound/rhythm/melody combination like only this band can make.

 

In spite of what many people think, I really like both albums. I really do not see the second one as a style breaker.

 

Best track : Deeply.... (you know )

[Jon Cocco]

IM: CONVERTING VEGATARIANS

2003

FULL REVIEW

 

 

CV: THE TRANCE SIDE (CD1)

 

1. ALBIBENO ... B- .............................. (NICE OPENING AND MELODIES)

2. HUSH MAIN ... C+ ........................... (NOT AS GOOD AS OPENING BUT DECENT)

3. APOGIFFA NIGHT ... B+ ................... (GREAT DARKER ONE...MY FAVE SONG ON THE TRANCE SIDE)

4. SONG PONG ... B ............................. (CLEVER, FUN, UPBEAT, MELODIC...ONE OF THE BEST HERE)

5. CHAPLIN ... C .................................. (WEAK SONG...TOO SILLY/TINNY SOUNDING AND UNEVENTFUL)

6. ECHONOMIX ... B ............................ (MUCH BETTER THAN PREVIOUS...GOOD MELODIES/FEEL)

7. SCORPION FROG ... B ...................... (GOOD MELODIES, SONG, AND FOLLOW-UP TO PREVIOUS SONG)

8. DEEPLY DISTURBED ... B- ................ (MUSICALLY GOOD (VOICE IS OKAY) UNTIL THE SCREAMING/WHINING!!)

9. SEMI NICE ... C+ ............................. (STARTS WEAK...PICKS UP AND GETS BETTER...IT'S NEVER GREAT)

10. YANKO PITCH ... B ......................... (NOT SUPERB BUT A GOOD ENOUGH SONG TO END CD1)

 

CV: THE OTHER SIDE (CD 2)

 

1. CONVERTING VEGETARIANS (Self-titled) ... B+

2. ELATION STATION ... C

3. DROP OUT ... C+

4. AVRATZ ... B-

5. BLINK ... B-

6. SHAKAWKAW ... B

7. PLETZTURRA ... B

8. I WISH ... C

9. BALLERIUM ... B+

10. SELECT'A ... B+

11. ILLUMINANAUGHTY ... C+

12. JENGE ... B-

13. ELEVATION ... C+

 

 

Good album overall.

 

There are some VERY STRONG AND WEAK songs on both the TRANCE and OTHER SIDE. Many fit somewhere in the middle.

 

Not great or superb, and definitely not bad or average. When you think about it, the Trance Side is disappointing as a whole because it's not superb like every main "psytrance" album by them before this one.

 

THE OTHER SIDE is better IMHO. It's far more original, novel, creative, interesting, and at times going through different strong emotions. There's a good variety of songs ranging from multiple genre, sub genres and experimental. The bottem line is there's a handful of well done and composed good and great songs even if not all of them are great or that good.

 

THE TRANCE SIDE would unquestionably be the weakest album released by them had it stood on its own, without the Disk 2 that brings such innovation to the table, it's almost necessary in comparison. Having the second disk is no bonus. It's an entirely second side and aspect to Im with songs ranging from OKAY to good, great, and EXCELLENT! Few songs I didn't care for. It's fun listening to what works more and less. It's also great that they generally separated the songs with lyrics, vocals, and voices to two different disks.

 

I'm glad they released a double here. It appeals towards both groups of people and introduces us to an entirely different musical aspect of IM....even if they took half their energy out of the TRANCE CD 1 (Psytrance) and put it into the OTHER SIDE. After releasing three superb albums before CV, I think it was really cool and appreciative that they did somethinig different.

 

I find the songs with vocals, voices, and even lyrics and singing... generally work MUCH better as done on "THE OTHER SIDE" album of Converting Vegeterians as OPPOSED to doing it to (would have been otherwise great) psytrance songs like DEEPLY DISTURBED in THE TRANCE SIDE here and tracks 1 and 5 on 2004's most mixed reviewed "Im the Supervisor" album. Did tracks 1 and 5 from their 2004 follow-up to CV even make a big splash with people and clubs around the world?? To me, the overall singing, lyrics, and voices on disk 2 of CV are superior to everything that has followed to date with exception of Muse Breaks [Rmx] maybe. CV was a learning experience for them to see what works and doesn't amongst listeners. IMHO they have much more learning to do after cheesy lyric-ridden psy/club songs like Im the Supervisor and Cities of the Future.

 

 

 

BEST TRACKS ON (CD1) CV - THE TRANCE SIDE: 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 10.

 

I'd score THE TRANCE SIDE a B- or an 8 out of 10. There are few great songs on the Trance side and few average and below average ones. There are some really catchy melodies and a song or two (track 3) is great. Deeply Disturbed, track 8 would have been great and one of their best psytrance songs without the voices.

 

 

BEST TRACKS ON (CD2) CV - THE OTHER SIDE: 1, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 12.

 

I'd score THE OTHER SIDE a B or an 8.5 out of 10. If they made an entire follow-up to the OTHER SIDE with all great and superb songs, that would be worth buying.

 

 

 

SCORES OF THEIR OTHER ALBUMS

 

IM THE SUPERVISOR .. C+

 

CONVERTING VEGETARIANS (overall) ... B-

 

B.P. EMPIRE ... B+

 

CLASSICAL MUSHROOM ... A

 

THE GATHERING ... B+

[rino]

Hm... If in the glorious day of 1999 when you listened to "The Gathering" and you felt a wave of freshness as though somebody was smacking you across your face with a plastic bag full of cold piss, and if in the year of 2000 "Classical Mushroom" left you so shook up after you first heard it, you felt like you were punched around by the Lochness monster on top of the Himalayas during a snow storm, the year after you were gently irritated by the overuse of live instruments and guitars on "B.P. Empire", but on a good day it was your release of the year album, then in 2003 you threw "Converting Vegetarians" out of you window when you heard it. Or no? Or did you think it was a masterpiece?

 

While I personally got pretty tired of the whole Infected Mushroom frenzy already around the time of "B.P. Empire", and I honestly felt that all the hype around these guys after their Classical LP was pure nonsense, I just recently felt like playing this CD again, and who knows why. While I'm not going to comment not even one track on this album, I want to focus more on the album as a whole. While Infected Mushroom fans probably aknowledge this as a classic, and psy "purists" bash it in any way possible, my prblem with this album is the idea and not the music. While I very, very, very, but very much enjoy "The Gathering" and "Classical Mushroom", at the same time I ver much dislike anything they have released since. Not that the music is bad, I mean each one of us has his own criteria, and sees music in his own way, but I just found their other albums to be annoying. Why? Because after the tremendous success of "Classical Mushroom" these guys were in the posistion to release anything, and I really mean anything, and have hundreds of thousands of people rushing to the shops and buying whatever it is. It's the point when everybody are convinced that you are king, #1, the best or whatever, and you actually have the choice to cash in your formula or continue to explore new grounds, keep on making interesting and provocative music. For example GMS and Astral Projection made them $$$, while acts like X Dream changed their sound each time around just like a teenage chameleon changes skin. Now, as this album's title may suggest, it was Erez Aizen's Amit Devdevani's intention to "convert" their fans to other forms of music or expand their viewpoints. But, my beef with this release (and the one after as well) is that I don't want to be coverted by Infected Mushroom. I already know other forms of music, I listen to them, and I don't need one of my favorite psy trance acts (if not THE favorite) circa '99-'00 trying to show me that psy trance is not the only thing around. I am well aware of that, and so is 95% of trance listeners out there. While I very much respect them for never following the formula "if it ain't broke, don't fix it", I just don't see what was wrong in continuing doing psy trance music for them? They were doing more than just fine, and I really didn't need to hear very annoying live instruments to understand that these guys are not your run of the mill trance producers. They proved that by the time of their second release. But even though this album definitely is original, not typical sounding, sometimes even apstract, daring, and the second CD comes across as very experimental, I never took those terms as sinonyms for good sounding. For original does not mean good! I find this a challenging album, and I would invite everybody to give it a listen and make their own judgment. You might even like it. I am personally very irritated by this whole "we are Infected Mushroom and we are sooooooo different"!! Yes, thank you, but we already know that- no need to make pointless music just to prove it. If their intent was to break out of the psy genre, they very much succeeded in that, and I don't mind that, it was their artistic freedom. But there is no way in hell I can aknowledge this piece of double plastic as anything more than average. At best. God damn it, when people realize that diversity and originality are indeed very nice characteristics of any given album, they do not guarantee its quality, they only help achieve it. But when you have a bunch of creative ideas, going nowhere and not being arranged properly, you get "Converting Vegetarians".

[pixiejanet]

I love CD2 but CD1 is very `samey`..... IM have their place.... (nuff said)

[mike.54]

If you like CD 2 - The other Side, check out Converting Vegetarians II. After 12 years IM decided to do another experimental freestyle downtempo album

 

http://www.amazon.com/Converting-Vegetarians-II-Infected-Mushroom/dp/B0149QFRIA

https://pro.beatport.com/release/converting-vegetarians-ii/1601292

[Celaripo]

i will comment quickly on disc 1 because it is average

i still cant figure out how talented producers like infected mushroom can create such a boring track i am talking about track 2 which must be the dullest psytrance track ever made

 

track 8 is ludicrous

tracks 1 and 4 along with a few others are alright

 

but i would like to highlight disc 2

the talent of these guys is real

sure track 1 is pure rubbish because of these silly vocals but most of the tracks are unique

every track has a unique personality

i wish is short so i dont mind it too much

track 4 avratz is one of the most interesting chill out trance track i have ever heard

track 6 is ruined by vocals for the melodies in that one are deep and stunning - infected mushroom know how to create interesting melodies and it is the case again in track 10 selecta - only the ending is weird but this is a masterpiece from the first to the fourth minute - forgot the ending

all in all disc 2 is far from perfect but it sounds like nothing else and contains a few melancholic gems