D Batistatos - Weeper On The Shore

[LLB]

D Batistatos - Weeper On The Shore (Cosmicleaf cd 015/2009)

 

 

Tracklisting:

 

1)Under pressure

2)Weeper on the shore

3)Night diving

4)Just the sea

5)When the clouds come

6)Diving

7)Beyond the ocean

8)Underwater Dub (Letter to Egypt)

9)Driving (Cydelix remix)

10)Vin del mar (remix for Red Eye Express)

11)Hoover (Zero Cult remix)

 

D Batistatos has nothing to do with the American catcher Dave Batista which has Filipino origins whereas Dimitris Bastistatos is from Greece. This is his second album , the first one was Architect also on Cosmicleaf.

 

 

Inside the cd following the tracks =>

 

1)Dub warm with soft morning colourful tones close to 2nd album of Kuba on Chillcode or some productions from another Greek Psy-Dub well known artist Gabriel Le Mar under his project Dub Connected.

 

2) Emotional & ultra melodic tune with, among other instruments violin, pan flute conferring, a special harmonic & orchestral feeling.

 

3)Back to dub with acoustic guitar in guise of accompaniment this time, this track is especially rich in its multi-layered way with a pensive, dreamy mood.

 

4)Focuses from start on piano melody then concentrates on the acoustic guitar, you've got a close feeling such as in Children from Robert Miles despite the production is completely different in their respective forms.

 

5) If you're fond of emotional melodic piano lines (here the piano got the main eventer role); you'll be pleased here, simple, sober & effective.

 

6)Like hypnotized or stunned, is the position in which puts you this tune, more passive than really controlling the elements : a spectator.

 

7)The song could have been called "songe from a summer night" reflecting the moment when in the beginning of the night , the heat decrease & you start perceiving some chilled breeze.

 

8)Time for old school influenced Dub, with a pumping loop of trumpets reminds me some old stuffs from Klf in the White Room album with samples from King Tubby.

 

9)Surfing on the old power, D Batistatos brings us (with help from Cydelix for the remix) now an eclectic mix a of 70's vocal soul-funk piece with a Sade's pop hit from the 80's meaning soft warm sounds capes & exotic percussions and for the finish a slight hint of a more current electronic touch, via dreamy clubby Ibiza Trance-house few notes.

 

10)As part of a remix work, indeed you won't see the difference here between it & the own produced Batistatos, so no worries here if you dig up to now the sound delivered.

 

11)In guise of conclusion, we've got a remix from Zero Cult, which contrasts the most with the rest, even the Cydelix's one was perfectly matching with the spirit of the album. Furthermore i'd say it even denatures the global music orientation displayed since the beginning, it's a pity to conclude on this one according to me. It's somehow the only black point, reproach, i'll formulate for the whole album.

 

Verdict=>

The 2 main attractive characteristics of Weeper On The Shore consist in:

 

- the classical musical background highly reflected all along the D Batistatos's songs through the intensive multi- use of instruments.

 

- consequence to the first statement, leads to a massive "story telling" entertaining capacity coming out the whole album that obviously can't be other than adapted, recommended to all fans of Chill melodic dreamy music.

 

 

 

[CDs available from]

 

Cocmicleaf (Worldwide)

Tower Records (USA)

Saikosounds (Hong Kong)

Goastore (Switzerland)

Amazon.co.uk (UK)

Beatspace (Italy)

Sofasound (Switzerland)

Psyshop (Germany)

Wakyo-Techno.to (Japan)

Nobient (Poland)

Ambiplanet (Russia)

Psyway (Russia)

Juno (Uk)

Inspiral Lounge (UK)

West Beach Crew (Italy)

Neptunewave (Germany)

And in more shops worldwide.

 

[Digital Format from]

 

Emusic

Amazon

Itunes

Juno Download

Beatport

Dance Records

Audiojelly

[Melancholyman]

 

 

Label: Cosmicleaf Records

Catalog#: CLCD015

Format: CD, Album

Country:Greece

Released:Jun 2009

Genre: Electronic Style: Dub, Downtempo, Ambient

Credits: Mastered By - Cydelix

Mixed By - Dbatistatos* (tracks: 1 to 8, 10)

Performer - Dimitris Batistatos*

Written-By, Producer - Dimitris Batistatos* (tracks: 1 to 8)

 

Tracklisting:

1 Dbatistatos* Under Pressure (5:30)

2 Dbatistatos* Weeper On The Shore (5:18)

3 Dbatistatos* Night Diving (5:06)

4 Dbatistatos* Just The Sea (6:07)

5 Dbatistatos* When The Clouds Come (4:52)

6 Dbatistatos* Diving (6:01)

7 Dbatistatos* Beyond The Ocean (5:38)

8 Dbatistatos* Underwater Dub (Letter To Egypt) (5:36)

9 Dbatistatos* Driving (Cydelix Remix) (4:21)

10 Red Eye Express Vin Del Mar (Dbatistatos Remix) (5:48)

11 D. Batistatos Hoover (Zero Cult Remix) (6:30)

 

 

 

 

Cosmicleaf records, to me known for their not so conspicuous cover arts and mediocre output of music. Having the only to me really interesting act Zero Cult. But being spoiled with so much great psybient, never really gotten into their albums in the deepest sense. So it was a bit of a surprise to me when I listened to the samples for Dimitris Batistatos album, Weeper On The Shore. They instantly caught my attention and I never hesitated even for a blink of a second to lay my hands on his release for a review.

 

First of all it should be clear to everyone that this is not a cohesive ambient excursion. This is more to the lounge side of things. So it is not really psychedelic music in that sense, but it does rest on the border between the two. This is just 8 tracks (not counting the three remixes) each standing on their own, varying in style and genre. Relaxing and soothing, never requiring any direct effort to enjoy. The downside being the lack of psychedelic soundscapes. But since the album never really tries to be psychedelic, but clearly stating it's intention this isn't really a downside. Only if you were expecting something other that what it is.

 

Starting off with a light and happy loungish track Under Pressure(T1), which ironically takes away any pressure you might have had. The title track Weeper on the shore(T2) is a more grasping expreience, with amazing swirling flute tunes accompanied by tambourines only to be abrupted by adorable piano melodies. It doesen't make me weep but it sure sets me in a humble state. Just the sea(T4) does manage to captivate the essence of floating around i endless waters, with it's astonishing female voice samples, flowing guitar strings and fairytale like array of tones. When the clouds come(T5) is in fact a quite psychedelic track, leaning towards the melancholic side of experience with beautiful haunting piano strings, and modestly intricate but satisfying arrangement of sounds. If you have heard Anahata – The unmade sound, you will feel at home with this track. The transition towards brighter dwellings is stated by Diving(T6), still being to the heavy-hearted side of things, but holding a higher tempo so it gets you're blood flowing a little bit faster. And the flutes seems to push out that last drop of sadness, where at the other end joy resides. Still modestly climbing towards brighter places with Beyond the ocean(T7), but with the echoes of vapors still lingering in the wake. Underwater Dub(T8), can be regarded as the last track of the album. It's a nice dubby track with a hint of jazz and southern american atmoshpere.

 

A quick word about the remixes:

The first remix is Driving(Cydelix remix)(T9), a track than trespasses on mainstream territory. There's a mix of pop, lounge and electronica. Surprisingly I don't feel reluctant to this track, the album manages to bring me to such a tolerant mood that I just sit back and enjoy. Hoover(T11), is the best remix and one of the best track on the album. Not surprisingly it is remixed by Zero Cult, who has infused it with their unique mystical sound.

 

Altough the album consists of separate tracks there is still a fluidity imbued between them. And

even though it's not a cohesive jorney there seems to be a governing idea of being light and happy in mood at first, entering a more contemplative state and then ending in a more cheerful way. There's alot of acoustic elements througouhgt, flutes, tambourines, guitars, pianos and more. It's nice and gives the album a sense of realism.

 

Recommendation:

This is great music for introducing you're friends to a new genre. It suits for a nice calm dinner a warm summers day by the sea, on the beach, when cruising around in you're car or riding a bus. It is music that couldn't possibly offend anyone. I can only thank Cosmicleaf and Dimitri for putting out a very appealing album. Don't miss out!

 

This is the unedited review originally written for Isratrance