Troll Scientists - Sir Eel (Exogenic cd 39)

[LLB]

 

 

Tracklisting:

1 Disco Doctor (5:53)

2 Fishermans Symphony (3:06)

3 Follow The Sardines (6:19)

4 Birth Of Wainamoinen Vs. Tim Lundblad On Drums (4:59)

Drums - Tim Lundblad

5 Gongo Party (3:57)

6 Un Question Du Pop (4:49)

7 Ajattara (3:39)

8 Zemel Dance (8:54)

9 Ziko (9:20)

10 Witch Protector (8:22)

Hidden Track (0:52)

 

Troll Scientists is composed of a Finnish duo : Jani Inkeroinen & Staffan Ström.

This is their second opus, the first Useless Science was released 2 years ago (2007) released on Space Boogie Productions.

 

Get ready for the visit, don't forget your cap to protect your head, the sun is hitting hard, here we go...

 

1 => From the start we've got a good idea from what to expect all along the album, as it begins heavily in few seconds. Actually, after a very swift intro that could let you imagine you gonna have some chill... then Bing Badabooum !

Some exotic flute are near announcing the real matter, a pure dance floor stomper. It's noticeable from that point, the production 's differences between casual Suomisound (or past ones) & this one: the sound is crystal clearer, apparently less rough through the bank tones, but more diversified in its construction. We kept some Sumisound trademarks with the multi layered invasion for example & the melodic raving touch of course. Less usual for Suomi style, lots of variation with effects like filter; or right-left balance.

 

2 => Time for Violin's symphony, indeed up to 0'45 nevertheless i was thinking it'll continue like this all long but no...Some craziness is scheduled for soon, it evolves into the same symphonic harmony accompanied with a break beat rhythmic for short. Then mutes again into a somehow accelerated twisted Latino dance rhythm (Bossa ?) which results very entertaining & funny , very intense too.

 

3 => Troll Scientists are good expert with playing tricks with sounds & samples, best proof with this beautiful intro. I was convinced, listening to Follow The Sardines for the 1st time, that my cd was scratched as the cd seems to skate ... Otherwise the sounds are crispier, more tense, shrill ; could be a Prodigy's tune or Big Beat stuff at this moment. Like Often, lots of change in a single track, in 2 steps : here it occurs between 2'00 & 2'30. The tune gets groovier & spacier, a very lil Funky influenced.

 

4 => Starts with a guy incanting or praying, after we received some electrified & rocking Funk. Another quite weird alchemy cooked by our Finnish guys as they, later, couples it with Oriental background (sitar, oriental woman voice ...). How incredible it appears, this mixture works, it's successful.

 

5 =>It goes on here with at first plan Oriental sounds but once again mixed with what i think have recognize as Flamenco rhythmic (acoustic guitar also is played). It's fucking weird, actually it's like they succeed in playing in Flamenco mode some Oriental melodies..!

 

6 => Here's an exercise of style in a "slow motion' mode with strong twisted & hypnotic feelings, apart from that you'll get some rumbling bass & crispy tones too. It's a lot more experimental & freestyle, at the opposite of all previous tunes up to now. The presence of the muted of voice has a major impact on the track, sounds like a ghost personification in an ancestral Scottish castle.

 

7 => Haha, they put some Bandoneon as main lead melodic, at first sounds quite classic then moves into melo feelings, it confers a very nice atmosphere, a climax for me. Warning, it's possible here again, to catch one subliminal oriental instrument in guise of break (who said Sitar in the room ?).

 

8 => The musical background is quite Disco (at least the bass line) married with some bongos (at beginning of the track at least) whereas the melodic lead is typical Suomisounding. The aim is very dance floor oriented here without any doubt. On the end the melodic part could resonates more old school Goa influenced (after 6"00) then Funkier.

 

9 => Let's get ready for some mischievous atmosphere, sort of kiddies old school platform video game . Ziko moves shortly to acidic psychedelic parts, keeping the initial feeling though, quickly only remains the soft kiddies psychedelic elements. Suddenly the song changes, like in old videos game when you penetrates a house or exit a place & so the sound accompanies your moves, i've got an exploring my walk speed impress at that moment, or more classicly saying Forest Trance sounding. The end could also be perceived as an old final Boss confrontation,as it turns more Epic & twirling.

 

10 => Sir Eel ends up with a faster & darker track (almost apocalyptic), highly shrill with a hint of Medieval impress (perhaps due to the Jump galloping rhythmic). It's somewhere between The Misted Muppets for the high energy medieval style & Oforia through his old darker , aggressive & sometimes fast Goa productions like Maximiser, Why not on Mars or some projects Tandu - Alien Pump, Pigs in Space - Solar.

 

There's a little bonus, without spoiling too much, i just wanna say it reminds me some Hardcore Bonzaï stuffs (Famous Belgian label from the 90's known for its rave more or less extreme or commercial sounds).

 

SUM UP => With Sir Eel, they try to reinvent or create an evolution of the usual Suomisound, the Suomisound v2.0 somehow.

So, if you're expecting a following of their début album here, you'll be a bit disappointed i think whereas you're a great afficionados of new explorations musical alchemies territories, you've got great chance to be amazed !

 

Recommended

[longloststar]

No more of that smooth trancey melodious style, this is much different from the particularly great "Useless Science". Can't help feeling disappointed or rather sad, that they abandoned that style. I guess this is good though, if you like the more rough style of soumi.

[Oopie]

Mixed bag, in terms of quality and style. If you're looking for a sequel to the excellent "useless science" you might get dissapointed.

Eclectic suomisaundi fans might get something out of this, I myself was not too keen on their experimentations. I would like to draw to a comparison to Eat Static here, as 1) Both are excellent live 2) On this album and on most ES albums you'll find a few killers and then fillers.

 

"Zemel Dance" is the definite highlight here. It's stylistically pure modern psytrance with excellent melodies, continuing the legacy of "vill du ha luft" and the likes from the deput. It's unfortunately one of the two or three true psytracks on "Sir Eel" (can you spot the word play?).

 

My verdict for this release is the usual, "listen before you buy".

[Basilisk]

Sir Eel is a slippery album, both disjointed and thoroughly enjoyable. There are some very catchy numbers here with a few more disposable tunes in the bunch. Interesting stuff!