"V/A - Carrots & Stick"

[Trance2MoveU]

 

 

V/A - Carrots & Stick

Iono Music

February, 2009

 

 

 

1. Angel Eyes FLEGMA & NERSO

 

2. One Life UNSEEN DIMENSIONS

 

3. Surgical Odissey SURGICAL CUT, ODISEO

 

4. No song for evil times (Surgical Cut rmx) STRANGE DOCTORS

 

5. Xone CENTRINO

 

6. Observation SUNTREE

 

7. The Cycle RITREE

 

8. Distant Point EGORYTHMIA

 

9. Dimension RITMO

 

 

I loved the new Ritmo disc as well as the Flegma & Nerso combo that I went a little nuts on the Iono Music catalogue. This is a compilation from February that was put together by Iono label manager Cubixx. I'm sure I missed it because I didn't recognize any of the names when it was released. Now that I am in the know, I couldn't wait to order this one. The cover is of a horse drawn chariot race between two people on the beach. The colors are bright and inviting.

 

Normally I don't do track by track reviews any longer (I find it exhausting) but I felt this one warranted such treatment. Right off the bat Flegma and Nerso hit one out of the park. "Angel Eyes" has a thumping bassline that gallops along below stratospheric rushes dainty synth touches.

 

Unseen Dimensions is Javier Martinez Salinas and "One Life" is more of the psygressive style. It has a great Incredible Hulk sample as it bounces along. Thick layers make this one a very good track.

 

I know Odiseo is from Mexico, but I am at a loss about Surgical Cut. This one began so similarly to the way the last track ended, that it could've been the same track. It is more of the mellow progressive style that would be great listening on a beach with its many twinkles and solid groove.

 

Surgical Cut throws down a remix that really picks up around the 3 minute mark. "No Song for Evil Times" has a wicked break with the strumming acoustic guitar and reverberating sample above percussion. Once it puts it all together it makes for a head bouncing good time.

 

Centrino is another unknown for me and he brings a rather average effort. "Xone" isn't bad, but following the previous tracks it just doesn't hold up.

 

Suntree is Alon Brilant and he released his awesome first full length album "Inside" this year. Not that he is a rookie as he has tracks on a whole bunch of compilations. "Observation" slowly unfolds before the listener not giving too much away. The break seems wide open and full of promise, but the track while still groovy, doesn't deliver at the end. Good track but slightly disappointing and anti-climactic.

 

"The Cycle" is a collaboration between Ritmo and Suntree and I have high hopes from these two great artists. The track starts off slowly, but enters a very nice break and rides the wave to the shore. Pretty good!

 

"Distant Point" by Egorythmia starts slowly before the bassline thumps in. It has some effects adding to its mystique, but it doesn't really go anywhere. Not my favorite.

 

Ritmo finishes it out with another of his thick gems. It was nothing great until the break refocused the track into a very sublime ending. I enjoy his style and look forward to more.

 

Bottom line is the compilation started off very strongly, but kind of lost its way in the middle. There are no bad tracks here, but it can be difficult to maintain such incredible momentum from the outset. The tracks seemed to shift from a more heavily layered detailed sound in the beginning to a more laid back simplistic style. The first four tracks were superb, but the later ones just didn't give me the same feeling. Nonetheless, this is a highly recommended purchase as you will get very groovy progressive trance that takes the mind away.

 

 

Beatspace

 

 

Mdk