Antares - Exodus

[Trance2MoveU]

 

Artist: Antares

Title: Exodus

Label: Suntrip

Date: March, 2011

 

 

1. Exodus

2. Mysticism

3. Aurum Solis

4. The 4th Dimension

5. Dreaming Universe

6. Mount Meru

7. Astral Plane

8. Sun Sanctuary

 

18? Really, he's only f*cking 18? That's just out of high school. Do you remember how stupid you were at that time?

 

Holy crap.

 

What a f*cking douchebag.

 

Hopefully smarter than these dipsh*ts, but still. That is a time when you think you know everything but you really know absolutely nothing. You're still discovering who you are and what path in life to pursue. Most 18 year olds haven't even been laid yet. Well, I had, but that's because...well, I'm the mack.

 

Ooohh...mac an cheese!

 

 

That is how old Belgian Simon Felix is and I cannot think of a hotter start to a career. I mean c'mon playa, did you hear Prophecy on Artificial Sun or Eureka from Energy Waves? This kid (I'm sorry but to me you are a kid...I'm old enough to be your father) has released bomb after bomb and in true "pimp" style even gave plenty of tracks away for free. Did you also know he has a dark side?

 

Ugh. If you totaled all their years in school it wouldn't add up to a high school diploma. You know, there is nothing more embarrassing than uneducated white people pretending to be black.

 

No, his darkside is Daimon which was some evil twisted goa trance found on another Suntrip compilation Temple of Chaos. That track is on full repeat for me. Wicked stuff. His debut here is released by the great Suntrip so you know you are going to get melody and light.

 

Exodus- I'm not sure, but this might be from 2005. Great, what was he 12 when he made this? Sitars and shimmering sounds join a mid tempo beat. Plein du soleil as it bounces along with numerous layers. As the promo says, it's a slow and deep downtempo track to give you a taste of what you will find inside. Nothing shocking, but the sun's rays do feel good on the skin. Great intro.

 

Mysticism- Ancient strings crawl slowly in a long forgotten ritual, when the beat picks up. The track is full and layered yet a nice evolving piece of work. It flows very well with new phrases being added seamlessly. Is it goa? Yes? Maybe? I dunno, but it sounds great and well produced. It has the quality of taking you on a trip without beating you over the head with too many melodies. Full of blinding sunshine and detail. Well done.

 

Aurum Solis- 2 tracks in and no stomper yet. Well this track changes everything. You didn't think he was gonna do that to you did ya? The goa melodies begin from jump and tinkle (tee-hee) in a panning motion as sweeps rain down. He twists a lead putting things into full goa mode and then adds lots of layers to it. It's like a 6 foot tall layer cake....hmmmmm

 

 

Yes, I would love some. He brings the power with the darkest track yet as it screams ferociously. Me likey!

 

The 4th Dimension- After an echoing sample and spacey effects the track builds and sounds very old school to my ears. Lead melodies changing sounds which leave you twirling. At 3 and a half minutes he brings a lead that takes the house down. F*cking awesome! Bubbly yet wicked aggressive sounding...superb! And if that wasn't enough, he kicks you in the nuts with another sparkling lead that takes the groove factor to 11. Awesome.

 

Dreaming Universe- That soft flute gets me every time. The strings add to the ancient feel and this track is so spacious. Lead after lead fold in in a weaving that makes me shake my head. I can't believe this kid is 18. Goa to the bone, and I believe this is one of the tracks he gave away. It is definitely of the floating variety perfect to carry you away on a sunny afternoon.

 

Mount Meru- is a young volcanic mountain which dominates the town of Arusha in northern Tanzania. You sonofabitch, did you climb this? If you did, I am jealous as I try to hike to the top of any mountain I can get to. The intro is very airy and speaks of high altitude mountaintops. The lead is chopped up providing the foundation for effects to take hold. Weaving its way is a snarky lead that is quickly joined by other synths creating quite the picture. Although less aggressive, it is melodic and hypnotic through and through. This is a picture from Mt. Meru that should sum it all up.

 

 

 

Astral Plane- You can tell the album is winding down. Not in quality, far from it. But in intensity. This is a very spacey track with floating melodies allowing the listener some deep reflection. The pads drift as otherworldly synths and effects bubble and squirt creating that atmosphere. The break is super mellow as the melody stacking continues with the softness of an 18 year old's bottom. Not his!!...I meant...quick post some porn...

 

 

Yes I would like some fries with that shake.

 

 

Sun Sanctuary- The obligatory downtempo goa track to close things out? Don't think so. It's actually more of a progressive tempo with some nice groove, like a funky shuffle. Distant chants float below a bubbly bass and meandering 303. This is really good, more people should explore the funky side of goa. It's a head bobbing good time with numerous shimmering melodies and a growling bite. What a great way to end the album. My hat's off to you Simon, you have made quite the album.

 

Ok, if you have read my reviews you know what a Suntrip fanboy I am

 

 

Creepy. Be that as it may, some might question the objectivity of this review.

 

I have loved everything they have done...well except Ka-Sol. Dunno how that made it into the catalog. Maybe they were just getting warmed up. Whatever, this label has been the gold shining standard in melodic goa trance. Recently bringing some downtempo stuff and darker themes in goa have only cemented their success. This kid knows how to make goa trance and he does it well. There is great detail and intensity in his music which makes this a melodic sledgehammer. Intro track, progressive builders, and piledriver smashes...yeah, it's all here. I thought this was a wonderful album, and find myself hoping for a darker Daimon album in the future. For those that love Suntrip, this is a blind buy, but for those that are unsure, take a chance. If you love melodic goa, you will not be disappointed as this is a perfect addition to the Suntrip legend.

 

Psyshop

 

Beatspace

 

Saikosounds

 

 

And of course....

 

Suntrip

 

 

Mdk

[Anoebis]

Thanks for the review!

 

First of all, my personal favourites... For me nr 2 (Mysticism), 4 (into the 4th Dimension) en 7 (Astral Plane) are my absolute favourites

 

Second, his Daimon project, well, he is working on it slowly now, and will be ready in 1-2 years we guess And if that ever happens you probably know where to find it, héhé

 

And last but not least... Ka-Sol was my idea... i'm in love with forest trance as well, and what is better as melodic forest trance? Not much imo! so that explains (and yes, that is about taste)

 

Anyway, keep the reviews comming

[johnb820]

Alright, where to begin. First, I have thoroughly enjoyed everything this guy has made so far. His polished sound, expressive leads, and explosive climaxes get my goa senses tingling. So how does Exodus match up against his previous tracks?

 

To be honest, Exodus seemed a little lackluster on my first couple listens. Everything was there, but something didn't seem right. 8 tracks later and I felt like the 70+ minutes had flown by. It became more apparent after time the originality here on display. I don't mean from the perspective of individual tracks or movements, or phrases, but rather I realized that Exodus plays much better as a whole. What I mean is the whole is greater than the individual parts. Exodus flows perfectly from one track to the next. But for the sake of the review I suppose I should be more specific.

 

The Exodus

Starts out soft with ambient notes sweeping in and out. Light percussion moves us along gently with eastern melodies setting the tone for the album. Nothing much to see here other than an extended intro for the album.

 

Mysticism

Our first real track here is slow to get started. A quiet thud replaces a typical snare. A few squelches and bright leads bounce around the kicks for a while. Background ambience plays a much larger role, not only on this track but for the majority of the album.

 

Aurum Solis

This one ups the tempo a bit. A nice intro with some panning and and electric frequencies give way to the kicks and relentless basslines. Arpeggios and faster melodies fill the mix with a nice intensity. For the majority of its 10 minutes it continues to meander and swirl.

 

4th Dimension

The fastest track on the album gets going after some dude tells us something about space/time. This one has a tighter, rubbery bass line. High passes get swept in and out. Around 3:30 an absolutely explosive face melting acid riff takes hold. The level of detail on the delay and broken notes is fantastic. The rest of the song keeps up the intensity with big fills and ever changing melodies. I love the effects on this one. Fantastic.

 

Dreaming Universe

A flute like sound starts us off which will become the theme for the second half of this album. We are back safely in positive sounds again but not without plenty of background sounds giving a level of depth to this track that I think the others lack. Probably the most expressive melody on the album for me comes early on but disappears way too soon in favor of a sparser less interesting one. Also there is an absence of breakdowns here with the kicks continuing on through the evolving moments. I am certain this was done to keep the energy going through this point of the album. Otherwise a stellar track.

 

Mount Meru

Continues with the flutes that we began to hear on the previous track. As sort of the counterpart to Aurum Solis, this one also does a lot of meandering. A deeper snare tells us we are starting to come down. Nothing incredibly different about this one other than its bassline. Plenty of acid twists pan left and right. Around the 7 minute mark another surprise riff comes in and takes us through to the end.

 

Astral Plane

We are clearly in positive territory again. Soft ambient notes play around the shifting bass line. The kick is noticably deeper, a nice relief from the almost full on sounding kicks present on most of the album. This one reminded me a lot of something I might have heard on Afgin's album. Soft bright leads and slick breakdowns keep us nicely in goa territory. The arrangement on this track is fairly minimal which is one thing that disappoints me about Exodus. A extra layer or two would have been perfect in the parts between the lead melodies. A lot of Exodus feels aimless which is by no means a bad thing.

 

Sun Sanctuary

Definitely the funkiest song on this album. It reminds me of Ra's "Expand Consciousness" or Artha's "Insidelamp" except without the unnecessary fluff. This one is edgier and a highlight of the album. Head bobbing will ensue. I love that bassline. I think maybe this one could have used a deeper kick like on Astral Plane but I won't complain. What a way to close our Exodus.

 

Overall, I wasn't quite expecting something like Exodus. It feels oddly minimal, or ambient with a few exciting moments mixed throughout. I believe Exodus works best if you listen to it from start to finish. There are subtleties that are not necessarily easy to pick out. Also, this needs to be played loudly! I mean, loud, and on good speakers. You won't hear the details and intricacies otherwise. Exodus is a nice addition for any goa lover and I believe it has potential some crossover with stuff like Astral Plane and Mysticism. Psychedelic lovers will find a nice easy listen, perhaps not as intense as it could have been.

 

An interesting addition to the suntrip catalog but it doesn't stand up as well alongside E-Mantra or Filteria. Loads of potential are there though. The production on this album is nearly perfect, but I couldn't help but feel Exodus is a cautious entry. I don't know maybe Daimon is something more of what I was expecting or looking for. Still a solid release though. As usual, thanks to suntrip and simon and everyone else involved.

[Trance2MoveU]

Well said. I believe (hope) that the power is going to come from his Daimon project. Great call on the whole being greater than the sum of its parts.

 

Mdk

[IronSun]

The seasons are changing, we are drifting into spring territory. I feel that my musical preference shifts with the seasons. While summer is all about powerful goa, blinding suns and extacy (the feeling, not the drug), fall leaves me wanting for darker sounds, still driving though as if I long for those final climactic notes as we prepare for the harsh coldness, snow and as my body gets slower I long for melancholic ambient soundscapes to cozy downbeat excursions in front of the winter bonfire. Once again, when spring announces it's first rays of sun and the flora awakens from it's winter sleep, the warm and sunny melodies once again find their way back into my sound system and I too awaken from the cold days. This is where Antares and his debut album Exodus come in.

 

What a perfect timing. I will not discuss tracks one by one as that's not my style, and this album is so much more in his entirety. The warm feeling, positive vibe yet playful (I would never call them aggressive) acid lines awesomely describe the spring feeling. That is why I do not think this lacks drive or power, it just isn't meant to symbolize those things. I feel it most closely resembles a sunny but lazy sunday afternoon, enriched by these wonderful arrangements which take you on a soft journey, never overdoing it or wanting to be more than they are. Some of the morning style Goa just overdoes it a bit on the layering I think and it is refreshing to hear a more toned down, modest album. Truly beautiful music in my opinion.

 

Adding to my more abstract musings, the production quality and mastering on this are just out of this world. My hat off to you Simon and Tim!

 

I want to thank Simon, Suntrip and Tim Schuldt for this wonderful release, and I am very much looking forward to your next release Simon, be it under your Antares or Daimon moniker, you have a new diehard fan

[Antares]

Thank you all for the nice reviews! I'm really glad you guys like it

[zenobyte]

The Astral Plane track (@3:07) reminds me of Yahel - waves of sound (@3:20). Although it isn't the exact melody.

[Maden]

Good release, i like the Mysticism, The 4th Dimension and Astral Plane a lot.

[Aspartic]

I agree that this is an album that should be listened in its entirety. And it's such a wonderful journey. Not aggressive, but with enough powerdrive to get the adrenaline flowing.

Dreaming Universe is my favorite, without a doubt. It's deep, floating and has a solid basskick. It takes me away instantly.

I'm proud that this disc of my fellow belgian is now sitting in my growing Suntrip collection on the shelf.

Excellent work, Simon!

[Penzoline]

Antares - Exodus

Suntrip Records

2011

1. The Exodus 9:19

2. Mysticism 7:59

3. Aurum Solis 10:41

4. The 4th Dimension 8:39

5. Dreaming Universe 9:14

6. Mount Meru 10:39

7. Astral Plane 9:30

8. Sun Sanctuary 8:36

 

Well first off I wasn't expecting much to be frank. The Antares track on V/A - Sundrops was something else, a really super track but a lot of things after that felt kind of typical, you know, blargh morning sunshine goa. So album was kind of announced and samples listened, didn't seem that special, still. Then came the time when I got it and listened to it.

 

Sunshine!

 

I'll just start by saying the artwork on this album is just super, the cover is disappointing but everything inside, spines, back, just amazing! On a whole other level, really appropriate for this album too with the organic patterns. Check out the backcover for instance. Suntrip always makes shelves with CD collections look damn good and colourful and no exceptions here!

 

Now on to the music, I expressed this in the Erta Alé review, that the goa in this scene is, mostly, just fluff and sunshine and that is exactly what this album is. This not yet taking much from the album for me, personally, but the limit may come across in the near-future. The rough needs to start filling the fluff! There is one track that sounds more like Daimon, the darker antares project, which is the 3rd one, Aurumn Solis, and then there's the 4th one, The 4th Dimension, too which is kind of half Daimon. Both of them have the nicest growling acid deep drilling throughout and they feel much less floating albeit they still float, but that's about it for the "darkness".

 

This album is absolutely great at what it wants and tries to be, though. That fluff floating sunshine goa. It is very driving often and the sounds are near-perfect. The production on this album absolutely outstanding. Floating goa has never sounded this precise, so to say. All the organic elements, really diluted basslines, meaning the force has been toned quite a bit for that ethereal atmosphere and driving, really wet floating acid that is everywhere and bright sunshiiiiine melodies. Especially outside in the sun many of the tracks are oh so near-perfection with their atmosphere and driving tempo. Exodus, Mysticism and Mount Meru are pure bliss at that. The others are good, really solid thought-out journeys, as well. The only bad track here is Dreaming Universe. It is well made production-wise, but damn is it stoic and boring. It has good elements but it's just too much fluffy fluffness whilst nothing happens. I listen to it for a minute and that's enough to bore me to tears. Then the weird track is Astral Plane where the melody seems far more trancy than goay but surprisingly it came off well, really a special track because of the emotion the trancy melody evokes. Actually I would have wanted another track to experiment with it, this is why Aurora on Sundrops was great as well since the main climax melody seemed more trancy.

 

All in all I actually wanted to be more critical with the fluff-factor but damn I can't, this super well produced no matter what. A really good album, perfect for the sunshine summer but not as great for more colder seasons. This album kind of feels like a sequel to VA - Sundrops with it's pure morning concept but it lacks variance obviously since Sundrops had multiple artist. Still, it is kind of a spiritual successor, I'd say. Go buy it now if you enjoy sunshiney goatrance! If you don't, well, I'd preview first to see if it's worth it. It might be a bit much of that floating sound for some but not enough for me yet. Or maybe I'm just a sucker for anything that is Goa.. nah, I don't like Ajna. Sorry, but that's where the fluff kills me. Just a random note.

 

To leave this mini-review on a more brighter one...

 

"I'm walking on sunshine, oh oh! And don't it feel good!"

 

 

Where to get it and samples?

http://www.psyshop.com/shop/CDs/sut/sut1cd021.html

http://www.beatspace.com/dettagli/dettaglio.aspx?id=6100

http://www.saikosounds.com/english/display_release.asp?id=8702

http://www.suntriprecords.com/shop/item/SUNCD21/

 

 

p.s. Ka-sol was a brilliant release.

[Sideffect...]

This started as a comment but became a short review, here ya go...

 

 

 

 

 

1 The Exodus 9:19

2 Mysticism 7:59

3 Aurum Solis 10:41

4 The 4th Dimension 8:39

5 Dreaming Universe 9:14

6 Mount Meru 10:39

7 Astral Plane 9:30

8 Sun Sanctuary 8:36

 

http://www.discogs.c...release/2751823

 

It took me some time to understand this release. This is not direct satisfaction.

Antares does not overwhelm with a thousand layers, but keeps it very simple and humble at the same time.

I like artists who don't try to create 'another' this is the most melodic it can get album. Don't get me wrong!

Considering goatrance there is nothing new here. The choice of sounds and it's using has been done before.

But I guess that is what artist like Antares are trying to achieve. Refreshing the so called old school goatrance sound.

It is morning trance at his best. The atmosphere is based on the sun and it's positive energy. Typical panpipes and flutes at the beginning etc...

After listening to this album 1 month almost on a daily bases I've noticed that Exodus brings us one of the foundations of trance in general.

The way this album softly starts with an down tempo track, and track by track, it's get a bit faster, more melodic and fulfilled.

This is how people get into trance between quotes. And this is what you can expect. It's all very gentle.

No sudden explosions or changes. Each wave or sound, fades in and out, while respecting another in harmony.

It seems like Antares doesn't have to 'prove' anything but just does what he feels is good or meant to be.

It has become one of my favorite Suntrip releases. The first track 'the exodus' is an introduction to the atmosphere.

'Mysticism is one huge building and a big contribution to the entire 'into trance' concept that I described earlier.

So is the third track (aurum solis) but a bit more melodic combined with more background synths. The 4th dimension starts very promising.

And it will not disappoint you. From here, the baseline has become more motivated and should do it's job on the dance floor.

The climax used in the beginning and at the end is perfect. Well done. This is goa that "speaks" and is intelligent.

Dreaming universe is compared to the other tracks not that special. Antares plays with the sounds he already provided us.

But does it in a funny way. Mount Meru has imo the best baseline. It does not contain that typical fast forward concept that most of the latest

goatrance release have. The kick is more back and forward what makes is more old school, but that's my imo.

And it's my review so . Complements for the spiral climax staring at 3m35sec. GREAT JOB! It should have been a bit longer.

without the background sounds already fading in. Keeping it pure and travelling. Well, I'm not complaining, on the contrary!

Astral plane is a nice cheezy track and also a favorite. It is great for home listening and has that yahel feeling. A humble nitzho wave that

caresses your ear. Sun sanctuary fades out this release that has kept me busy from the beginning until the end.

 

If I had to compare Antares to previous Goatrance artists then I would mention Asia 2001, Ra and Astral projection.

 

It was nice analyzing this album!

 

I enjoyed it!

 

Koen!

[IronSun]

This started as a comment but became a short review, here ya go...

 

I absolutely agree with you. I have listened to this album around 40 times now, and it just doesn't get old. Very chill goa, never too frantic, the sounds are chosen very well. As you said, it seems that Antares doesn't feel that he needs to prove anything, and that really does the album good. This release is until now definitely my favorite 2011 release, although Erta Ale is too but in another way. And then there's this "Back to Space" I'm really getting into at this moment... What can I say... people are complaining about 'generic goa' this, and 'it's all been done before' that but if I'm honest I really don't see the problem here, not if it's pulled off so well as in this case.

 

Exodus has become one of my favorite albums of all times even. Humble Goa Trance, celebrating the sun, very soothing!

[Jon Cocco]

I like the first 4 tracks (track 3 over 4). Not track 5 though; it's redundant and drawn out IMO. I'm sure a few will like it though. The last three songs are solid. Overall this is a good album. I believe Antares can do better though as far as the whole album goes. There is some GREAT work here.

 

Update: I've turned my short comment-esque review here into more of a real one below.

 

Re: Antares - Stick to great tracks even though your the one I don't consider great (track 5) has some really nice elements. Learn from the feedback to grow and develop into an even better artist. You have loads of talent and have produced some of the most solid goatrance songs I've heard.

[exotic]

Good album. Not as good as 'Back to Space ' and we really shouldn't be comparing anyway but its hard not to because these two belong to the same genre of music released on the same label ; on its own though this album shines nice and bright, some very smooth and uplifting moments that makes me forget all the pain, sorrow and shit that exists in the world when i listen to it because once a connection has been established with the music , all one sees is the beauty and charm with little scope for nitpicking a few things that could have been done better but its the fact that the guy is just 18 years of age , makes me marvel :hatsoff: and look forward with positive anticipation, im sure the entire Goa brigade is hoping he takes his music (which is still good in every conceivable way at the moment owing to the simplicity which is a clear indication it comes from the heart with a lot of effort gone into the production ) to the next level with some new ideas and sound combinations.

 

All the best to the artist for future releases!

[Sideffect...]

The spiral in 'mount menu' is amazing, psychedelic at it's best!

[Jon Cocco]

Antares - Exodus
2011
Suntrip Records

1. The Exodus
2. Mysticism
3. Aurum Solis
4. The 4th Dimension
5. Dreaming Universe
6. Mount Meru
7. Astral Plane
8. Sun Sanctuary

Antares has made some fantastic Goatrance songs on previous compilations. Exodus is the artist's debut album. How is it?

1. The Exodus is an vibrant opening. It sounds influenced by nature, almost Khetzal/Corolle-esque in opening concept however with Antares's unique vision and appeal. I like the ambient notes, the positive warm vibes, harmonies, and the supporting ethereal sounds throughout. There is some really beautiful work here. The song is relaxing, traveling, most importantly catchy. It flows well from beginning to end. Well done. B+

2. Mysticism is warm, emotive, relaxing, and contemplative. The male hymns are a great touch. There are male choir hymns, as if at church or prayer throughout that gives the song a distinct, spiritual vibe. It's catchy, and adds to the developing character. Great track. B+

3. Aurum Solis is the first song to really break the album out energetically. This is an excellent, climatic goatrance number. It's exciting, delectable, and great from beginning to end. This is the strongest more energetic (of tracks 3, 4, 6, 7, 8) number on the album which has so far been getting better (catchier IMO?) as it progresses. Well done! A-

4. The 4th Dimension starts off with an interesting voice sample about space. This is another high energy number after the previous, stellar one. The synth at 1:20 is catchy. It switches up around 1:40 and maintains a catchy feel. Another sound enters at 2:50. It works well, and exits as a grittier one at 3:30 arrives. The issue I find, is the returning melody from 2:50 returns. As opposed to new ideas, the same repetitious melody segments are used throughout the entire song. There are some subtle alterations and development as the song progresses, but it is overcast by the redundant sound that by the second half, is just too obvious not to ignore. I find that this song is less imaginative, catchy, and ambitious in every way from the previous one. This is a pretty good song that becomes monotonous after the first few minutes. B-

5. Dreaming Universe is long and floaty. Unfortunately it fails to engage me past the first few minutes. This is because the catchier part, that being the flute takes absence early on. The melody at 1:35 is catchy, but this catchy element leaves too early on and very little that's gripping arrives to further the baton. What we're left with is not that engaging nor memorable I feel. From around 4:00 forward, the song becomes more dependent on its floating textures. Not that there's anything wrong with floating textures, i.e: E-Mantra. The result here though is predictable. The sounds grow monotonous as opposed to trance-inducing, or at least gripping. By the fifth minute I await something catchy to revive the song. By the sixth, I've grown tired and restless. A good example of an ethereal (floaty) goatrance song not dependent on synth leads is RA's Transcendent, or Khetzal's opening on the Corolle album, or this album's opening! This fails to keep my attention though. I find it dull, lackluster, and boring. Even with an okay melody here and there, the overall song is forgettable. In a nutshell, this song starts off well and grows repetitious the more it progresses. This was my issue with the previous song but moreso here. More tasty ingredients in the second half and some re-working could have helped. C

6. Mount Meru is a return to what was working well before the previous number's unintended snore-fest for some, not all. Mount Meru has some catchy melody/sound work in the first half, though none of it arrests my attention. The guitars around the seventh minute are good. The song isn't as strong as Aurum Solis, though it's another solid uptempo vehicle with memorable melody work in the last third. This is a good track with great elements. Well done. B+

7. Astral Plane, like the previous track isn't as powerful or as ambitious as Aurum Solis in my opinion. There's a lot to admire and enjoy here though. It's emotive layers are gripping and enhance the melody/sound work around them. The song becomes catchier as more layers arrive, integrating with the others. There is a transition in the middle that provides an opportunity for new development; the emotive notes are catchy! The song embraces new terrain well, though the second act could have been catchier. It's good. The vehicle enters a second interlude around the sixth minute that's more contemplative than the last. The returning music this time is more engaging. Added to nice effect are key changes coupled with the emotive notes providing harmony and feeling. This artist creates some really wonderful, evocative work here. Great track! B+

8. Sun Sanctuary is atmospheric and danceable. Its juicy melody/sound work is great. This vehicle is a deliciously designed, uptempo (in closing) goatrance number. There's a fluid smoothness, style, and sound to this song that's more alive and dynamic sounding than numerous songs on the album. The echoed effects are extremely catchy. Even though the melodies don't stay with me as long as they do on some of the other tracks, the overall style and approach here is memorable. Excellent track. A-

Exodus is a good album filled with creativity, mystical elements, positive/warm energy, sounds, and feeling. It lacks taking risks and is a bit tame in that regard. It also has few tracks with shortcomings due to repetition, and a track (Dreaming Universe) in the middle of the that drags after the first few minutes. I would have loved a catchier song in place of it like Eureka or Aurora (also by this artist). Dreaming Universe brought down the album for me. I also found The 4th Dimension a step back, right when the album's becoming catchier from Aurum Solis. So I would have loved stronger new tracks in place of those since the work around them (even elements of those tracks themselves) is just so good, harmonious, and enjoyable. Exodus is a good album filled with warmth, beauty, passion, and spirit.

Favorite tracks - 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8

B+

[manxcat]

I have to say that Astral Plane is an absolute stormer of a track. The best on the album IMO.