Concept - The Vicious Cycle

[Trance2MoveU]

 

 

Artist: Concept

Title: Vicious Cycle

Label: Digital Psionics

Date: October, 2010

 

 

 

1. Switch Mode Concept vs CPU

2. Marty Mc Gravy Concept vs Scorb

3. Under My Control

4. Alternate Rotation

5. Parallel Universe

6. Post Modern Concept vs Lost and Found

7. People In Power

8. Magnetic Fields

9. Contaminate Concept vs Tryon

 

 

 

 

This is Arnaud Levasseur with his 3rd release after the mindblowing Paranormal in 2007. He most recently teamed up with Scorb to form Prism for a track on the Abre Macabre compilation that was quite good. His style is high energy, acid heavy melodies with groovy beats. Digital Psionics is a label that excels in this area; all you have to do is look at their Psionic series of releases. I can remember some not really caring for his style saying it was too repetitive, and while I didn't think so I've noticed a change in this release and it is for the better.

 

The first thing I noticed is that he has several collaborations with the likes of CPU, Tryon, Lost & Found, and Scorb. I always wondered how tracks were made in this fashion. Does one artist make a part of a track and then send the next couple of measures to the other artist? Are they even in the same studio?

 

Anyway, I have pretty much given up on CPU. Since his Computer Error album he has been nothing but a commercial disappointment. Well, maybe this is the beginning of a resurgence. Switch Mode is a pumping track that takes the less is more approach. There are no ridiculous build-ups or break downs, just good old fashioned lasers and acid. Maybe Arnaud rubbed off on him. The track contains ebbs and flows and the gives you a taste of what to expect.

 

Scorb had a nice sophomore effort with Ipso Facto and continues his good work on compilations. With Marty Mc Gravy the team puts out another dark themed gem with great rhythm and the typical Scorb chaos. The crescendo in the final minute is quite exciting.

 

Under My Control builds slowly with a spooky intro but still hits hard. Moving. I love the little sounds coming out of the break, they're...eerie. The lead sounds he uses here sound like extensions of a car hitting the brakes and he manipulates them well. More ebb and flow giving you a little but not too much. Good track.

 

 

"Record sales and things like that, it..it really doesn't matter you know? I mean.. it keeps a roof over your head... and keeps.. money and all, in these folks pockets. It basically stems from music and I'm just hoping that people understand that..."

 

Alternate Rotation makes me feel like I am in Sleepy Hollow at midnight with the strings and Emily Rose choir rising in volume. The leads kick in shortly after with some nice effects in the background. Massive stabs and a wobbly synth gets this track going. Groovy as hell and very powerful. Just the way I like it. The break is short as the next beating grumbles underneath the sample above. Great track!

 

 

"We think we understand reality. But our universe is only one of many. The unknown truth of the way to travel between them has already been discovered. By beings...much like us...with a history slightly ahead of our own. The negative aspects of such visitations will be irreversible both to our world and to theirs. It will begin with a series of unnatural occurances... difficult to notice at first..but growing...not unlike a cancer. Until a simple fact becomes undeniable..."

 

Parallel Universes has got this groovy shuffle down pat and it makes me want to move. He combines leads, fades one in favor of another and what you are left with is mayhem. He breaks it down to its components and then delivers a tour de force at the end. An acid lovers paradise! Great track!

 

Postmodern- There isn't an album I am eagerly awaiting more than Gerhard Olivier's. Well, maybe Artifact303 or Antares. But that's goa. Lost & Found is the definition of hyper nighttime trance. It isn't long before the beat makes with the groove, rising, and then vanishing keeping the kick going. It's like a tease; you know the madness is coming and they partition it out to you. True to form the last 1/4 of the track brings the business and it is quite good. Nice development.

 

 

"When you've got...organizations which bring together the most influential people in power from around the world...who meet in secret...who try as much as they can to keep knowledge of the event quiet...and then their polocies become policy... in fact in the world then you start to..surely ask very serious questions."

 

People in Power begins with falling detuned sounds and a short piercing sound that makes you wonder how far down the hole you fell. He has the talent to put in a short phrase right when the measure is about to end that shows a great attention to detail and keeps the track fresh and interesting. So it's not just full steam ahead but intelligent music creation. What a great sample put to music...love it. He comes out of the break with a fury and it don't stop!!

 

 

"There is a little known analogy between electromagnetism and gravity...which is derived from the fact that they are both vector field functions."

 

Magnetic Fields- Egghead scientist sample gives way to big beat. Lasers skid and give way to acidic leads and a funky beat. Another lead thickens out and joins the battle. After a very short respite the track picks up speed again with a new melody. This time the break actually allows you to catch your breath, but the action soon builds again. Nice structure and good times ahead!.

 

Tryon had a superb debut album with The Twilight Solution that didn't get the attention it deserved. These guys share the same style so this should be a good collaboration for the final track. With a post apocalyptic start of metal grinding on metal the beat booms forward. The acid washes quickly follow creating quite the stormer. The break has a nice echoing to it as the final crescendo begins. It gurgles, growing louder and then softer until it just rules the last part of the track. Great. Stuff.

 

 

 

Something that one will notice with this album is the attention to atmosphere creation. The details make this more than just an all out stormer even though it has those characteristics as well. This is definitely in the night-time psy category and also one where the sum is greater than the singular tracks. You can pick out tracks to listen to but it is best enjoyed as an entire listening experience. He maintains a dark vibe all while making you want to get up and dance. To be honest it can't be helped. I definitely believe that while his sound hasn't really changed his approach to track development and evolution has. His tracks used to be ones that you could blast out of the speaker (and still can) but now you can put on the headphones and pick out the tasty nuances as well. Highly recommended.

 

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