Chronos & C J Catalizer - Quid Est Veritas

[Morpheus Music]

STYLE

Melodic downtempo trance and chillout instrumentals with global enhancements. Quid Est Veritas is a deliciously smooth album of ethno-electronica - the rich sonic palette maintaining a liquid-silky polish from start to finish. The synth work here is especially fine; delicate melodic phrases rise out of bubbling sequencer cycles and airy pads often with striking beauty and with an almost constant sense of bliss. The largely programmed beats fuse naturally in places with international grooves and hand drumming; arpeggiated basses, chime patterns and burbling synths rippling in rhythmic accord. The most evident world sounds across the album are vocal: meditative Indian utterances and lively drum talk; female wails and soaring operatics; brooding monk chants, spoken voices and transmission fragments. The other primary organic sound being the flute - a variety of lush breathy phrases and brief touches from different continents and cultures bringing a heady mystique or wistful colour. Field recordings are also utilised in places to powerful effect - passing footfalls, environmental sounds and locational cues.

 

MOOD

The unhurried ambient build ups on many tracks give Quid Est Veritas a lush textural feel, where the colours are deep and saturated, the atmospheres dense and sweeping. There is frequently a gorgeous airiness about the album - a feeling of gliding high in the stratosphere, a weightless sense of effortless movement - this uplifting effect creates an ongoing sense of well being and introspection. The lightness of some of the beats cooperates with the delicacy of the music at times to form some very relaxing passages. There is a strong dramatic content here too though - darker drones and mysterious effects building at times into hypnotic gloom. This sense of esoteric wonder recurrs often, the opening track establishing a brooding, nocturnal, tribal mood before a drifting voice-over rolls in presenting thoughts on the Chronos identity. The final title composition is an excellent conclusion - a plaintive piano rises from an urban soundscape - deft fingering painting a melancholy full stop.

 

ARTWORK

Quid Est Veritas arrives as a rather luxurious jewelcase package. The generous artwork is visually stunning and tastefully laid out. The front cover image is first and foremost a sky portrait - beautiful metallic blues with scudding clouds gradually heat up into molten reds and oranges as the scene meets the horizon - foreground detail blackened into silhouette. Broad horizontal borders letterbox the image and hold the titles. The rear cover provides a tracklist against a misty starscape - each piece is listed with conception and musical credits. Inside is a twelve page booklet arranged so that each page represents a different track - stirring photographic visuals and a line or two of inspirational text on every page. Behind the disc itself is a section for thanks and website/contact information.

 

OVERALL

This is the second full Chronos album among a plethora of compilation appearances; follow-up to the 2007 release Step To Great Knowledge. It is also the second from C J Catalizer coming after the SHUM records release Across The Universe from 2006. Nick Klimenko in collaboration with Dimitry Neschadim here shows why these guys are among their country's most respected donwtempo trance artists. Klimenko, otherwise known as DJ Shankar, Hologram & Secret Trick is the prime owner of the Chronos project with C J Catalizer joining just for the current album before going their separate ways once more. The album is released via the increasingly well-respected Ajana label and contains eleven pieces with no sign of 'filler' material anywhere.

 

WHO WILL LIKE THIS ALBUM

This is an album for lovers of quality downtempo that appreciate well thought out global elements woven into the mix. If you enjoy Asura, Aes Dana or European trance at a low bpm then this is definitely an album to explore this year. The Ajana Records website provides samples of all tracks as well as a free download if you'd like to explore further.

 

www.morpheusmusic.co.uk