Haldolium - Repainted Classics in New Colours

[kazuku]

Artist: Haldolium

Album: Repainted Classics in New Colours

Label: Blue Tunes Records

Release date: 5/2010

 

http://www.beatspace.com/dettagli/dettaglio.asp?id=5701

 

Tracklist:

 

1) Be Real (Remake 2010)

2) Diabolika (Remake 2010)

3) The Peal (Remake 2010)

4) 2nd Movement (Remake 2010)

5) Protek (Remake 2010)

6) Plusminus(Remake 2010)

7) E.B.M ((Remake 2010)

8) One of these Days (Remake 2010)

9) La Ciel est e Triste (Remake 2010)

 

I have been listening to Haldolium from the very begining of their career, Mario and Mark used to be our "local heros" when they were living in Langenhorn, a little shitty village in Nord Friesland, about 1 and a half hours drive north of Hamburg. When I was sitting in a bus riding to Shiva Moon in 1999 there was a cd playing that made the 2 hour ride pass very quickly and that wouldnt go out of my mind, even during the Festival. On the shuttle bus back I asked the driver what album it was, he told me we had been listening to "Haldolium-Deagua".

I knew I had fallen in love with this album, so at the next festival I was lucky enough to find it at a stall and bought it. Deep, beautiful tech-trance with a subtle psychedlic touch.

For me the first Haldolium album became a real classic and one of my most cherished cds, everyone I used to play it to seemed to like it, I cant even imagine how many runthroughs this album had, and I still consider it to be groundbreaking today.

The follow up H20 also did not dissapoint and found itself a special place in my collection and my heart with its phatter production and double cd concept that kept the deep dark, growly flavor that marked their style, combining it with many experimental ideas, especially on the second, ambient based cd. Brilliant!

 

Then Haldolium began to slowly but surely change their style. Some people said they were maturing and embraced the lighter style they were producing. Sure, the increased focus on prog house/electro house in their sound was very dancefloor friendly and accessible to a wider audience, but personally I did not welcome this style. I think Ibiza was the devil here, they "borrowed" my friends synth and off they were on a long trip to the sunny island of fluff and cheese, not to be heard of for a long time....here something bad must have happened

 

Whereas some releases like "Be Real" had some highlights, I didnt like the later albums at all . Sure sound needs to evolve, but I personally didnt like the direction it took (Apart from some rare stuff like "Game of Death") However, I still have a weak spot for Haldolium, just brings up warm memories from the past. Seeing remakes of classic tracks makes me smile. Looking at the track list we can see the album is a mirror of thieir career, containing remakes of pieces from different points of their career.

 

1. Be Real is the title track of their third album. It reflects a special time in their development of their sound. Let us call it "The Melting Point" here. The sound still had a somber, darkish tribal-tekk influence in it, but we heard the blending in of house and electro influences at this point. Much less brooding and growly than older work. Overall I thought this was the best track on the album at the time. It was heavily played at festivals all over the world and impressed with its deep, techy, catch percussions. Its vocal sample "Stay Tuned, Play Hard, Be Real" rang in my ears quite alot

This remake is very well done imo, remains deep, tech prog, but the overall production quality seems much improved, sounds "phatter" overall, the rhythms are as hypnotic as ever and additional soaring pads lead to a slightly more "trancey" atmosphere.

 

2. Now we take a step a little back further in time, to their second album, H20. Diabolika was a personal favorite of mine with its dark vibes, supreme growlyness and rotating baseline . Whereas the original was somewhat grim, somber and minimal, we can hear it has become alot more lively overall here with many new elements being introduced, taking into lighter, more morning orientated spheres than the skeletal and eerie original. We still get some peaks of the tunes Diabolikal nature coming through, in that reoccurring growlynes and ritualistic percussion. This time round the sound is richer with more melodic elements, hinted house like piano stabs and warm pads and optimistic melodic approaches towards the end of the tune. Although it has become less dark I like what they have done with this, blending the gritty elements of the past with a more positive outlook suited for modern progressive trance floors.

 

3.Next up we jump forward and can glimpse through a window in time and witness the their development into an electro-prog house direction continue with "The Peal". Here we see the metamorphis is complete as they seem to have shed their somber techy deepness and tribal percussions for a much softer approach. The track displays the love of vocal samples/singing Haldolium developed in their latter years openly. I have often found these suspect to say the least, but in this case it is still done in moderation. The original was no favorurite of mine, and although the remix is well done, this still does not make it anywhere near the top of my list.

 

4.Next up we have 2nd Movement from 2002 which I already mentioned in my review of V.A. Sunday on the same label. http://forum.isratrance.com/va-sunday-blue-tunes-rec-2010/

It fits very well in here, showing that they can achieve the same deep mesmerizing trance effect as in early years while including pinches of house. I prefer the 2010 version to the original as it has become much more atmospheric on top of its groove. Excellent tune.

 

5. Protek is perhaps one of the lesser known tracks, having been released on V.A Irresistable Meltdown (2000 on Spirit Zone Records/ R.I.P if I am not mistaken). This was released between the first and second albums and was an excellent example of classic, raw Haldolium style and gladly it has stayed this way despite its face change, at least to begin with. As the track progresses we find it has put aside alot of its grumble for a more playful and upbeat approach, but we still find ourselves encountering some trademark haldolium leads that bring plenty of pld school vibe. We again see the marriage of new and old style, with the more house like influences entering the mix later on. Strong nostalgic track but I would have liked to see a little more rawness remaining in this remix, this aspect subsides too soon imo.

 

6. Plusminus is one of the many highlights of H20, and a very good place for new listerners to start if they want to know how older Haldolium work sounds like. Even in its repainted form this track brings across that minimal, tribal tech trance feel and unique vibe. Perfect for night time. This is one of my favourites here as the original feeling remains, and the additional elements are not overwhelming, more subtle than on some other tracks on this album.

 

7. E.B.M takes us back to the very first Haldolium album, Deagua. "If he gets away, then everyone will get away with it". Some of you may remember this sample...ah I heard that album much too much. As a lover of the original I found this rmx very intersting, it keeps some key elements like the classicic leads to it and the inherent old school growlyness, but also smoothes it out a great deal - it is not the rough edged twisted monster we used to know. Although the minimal tribalism remains as a skeleton, we do get a significantly more funky, electro overtone here which takes out some of the intensity the original had. Remains highly danceable though and I find myself impressed with the fluidity of this remix. Better heard as something entirely new rather than comparing it to the original though as the change is significant.

 

8. Next up we have the atmospheric "One of these Days" from 2001, based around the original Pink Floyd track. Definetly another highlight and sure floor filler with its guitar riffs, deep ambience and "march into freedom" progressive build up - despite its layed back attitude it tends to errupt in energetic bursts it smartly sets up. I was impressed.

 

9)The final track on this cd is a rmx of Le Ciel Este Triste from the the 2nd H20 cd which was filled with experimental and ambient music, showcasing Haldoliums emotional side, ability to create moody, deep sentimental tracks in a down tempo manner. This is a beautiful interpretation of the original, oozing with emotion. Listeneres who liked the original will find it has not lost any of its mystery and magic in this version, personally I thought the new elements actually improved on the wonderful original, it has become even deeper.

 

 

Conclusion

 

Diverse selection of Haldolium classics from different chapters of their musical journey, a marriage of styles from the past with their preferences of today. Imo this album works best when you consider it something totally new rather than comparing to the originals too much.

Starting with myself - I have finally accepted letting go of the original deeper-than-the-black-hole-of Calcutta tribe-tech Haldolium sound which is long gone. This is why in the end this is a welcome and positive suprise to me to hear some old styles ressurected with a modern make over. Sure, the track selection will be open to alot of debate as everyone wants to see their favorites come back to life, but overall I think the choices mirror Haldoliums evolution well.

Personally I would have liked to see some other material from the first and second albums - Pi Symptom, Plasma and Heliotropin. Who knows, maybe we will get another set of remixes in the future.

 

New listeners can get good idea about how Haldoliums music has evolved over the years, but should also give some of the older releases a look because there is some real gold there which has been very influential on the development of progressive tech trance imo.

Listerens who know the old material will find themselves pleasantly suprised by much content here if they keep an open mind. Like I said, best to treat it as something new imo

 

Luckily for me the electro house escapades of the past are not in the driving seat on this album, and this gives me hope for the future.

 

Favs: 1, 2, 4, 6, 9

[Xamanist]

Amazing album. As an old Haldolium fan, I'm happy to hear what they have done with the old classics.

Great progressive psychedelic music! On my buy list, I miss this kind of sound