"V/A - Tokyo 5a.m."

[Trance2MoveU]

 

Artist: Various

Title: Tokyo 5a.m.

Label: Wakyo Records

Date: April, 2011

 

 

1. Menace to sobriety

Headroom

2. Airknob

Zen Mechanics Vs. Sonic Species

3. Addicted

Tristan

4. Glader

Dickster

5. Tripping the rift

Earthling

6. No more pickles

Pan Papason AND DJ Anarkick

7. Addicted to bass

Ion and Pause

8. The fun begins

Duotekk

9. 2000 years ago (Ion rmx)

Pan Papason

 

 

I've never been to Tokyo, but I do know what a big city is like at 5 am. New York, Philly, Paris...to name a few. I think Tokyo has it's own vibe from what I've read. Maybe it's due to the mixture of the old world with the new. Big on respect, but also know how to party. Maybe it's because Japan is isolated as an island or maybe it's because some of the f*cked up things that go on there. Let's start with the inventions:

 

"For the woman that wants to relive that chest bursting alien experience again and again..."

 

See I like this one. He's gonna be crawling on the floor anyway, might as well put him to good use. Well, until he tries to eat what he sweeps up.

 

Really? You can only get quality sleep when it's on a woman's legs? Riiiiiight.

 

I'm sure all the ladies will flock to wearing something on their head that they wipe their ass with.

 

Then there's what they do to products...

 

What the f*ck are fruits and vegetables doing on my Kit-Kat package? If I wanted fruits and vegetables, I would eat fruits and vegetables.

 

Nothing and I mean nothing says Dorito goodness like a kick in the nuts.

 

How the f*ck are you gonna have diet water?

 

But undoubtedly it's the fashion...

 

The prime minister and his cabinet seem to like casual Fridays.

 

How the hell do you eat in that thing?

 

And you thought that only brunettes could get in on The Grudge fun?

 

Obviously I'm poking fun, but from this outsiders point of view, sh*t seems really strange to me. I don't think I could walk down a Tokyo street without pissing my pants. Different and unique if we are being PC. Point is, that country marches to its own beat and that's pretty cool. Wakyo is based in Japan so it has its ear to the street and knows what those crazy kids like. Compiled by the readily available Pan Papason he attempts to show a thin slice of Tokyo nightlife before the sun comes up.

 

Menace to Sobriety- "You know...I'm in the pharmaceutical business. I might have something that'll...make you feel better."

 

Yes please, because right now I have the beginnings of a migraine. Oh, not those pharmaceuticals? This is Adam Metcalfe who released Artelligent back in 08 which was brilliant. This has a tech feel that blends with how I think a wired city like Tokyo would be underground. But what the hell do I know, I haven't been there. Ask Abasio, he could probably tell you. Not much variation, but what is there is pumping and you can feel it building to a climax. Not bad.

 

Air Knob- Here is a guy that can do psytrance or progressive with good results. Loved his album Holy Cities back in 2008, but this is below his skill level. Straight full-on until the 4 minute mark where it becomes more interesting and full. A revolving synth line is joined by lots of background goodness. The final break is filled with a sense of building that carries it home. Not bad, but not terrific.

 

Addicted- Mr. Cooke has been around for a long time with his music changing styles from Audiodrome in 2000 to Chemishphere later on. This is a purely evolving psytrance tune. Pulsating. Switching. Driving. You name it, it's got it. Bravo sir.

 

Glader- Dick Trevor is another guy that has been in the game for awhile also switching between psy and progressive. He teams up with people a lot, but here he is all by his lonesome. Not much melody, but it has some depth with great effects making the track feel fuller. It's full steam ahead for a good ride especially at the end.

 

Tripping the Rift- Celli Firmi makes it three artists in a row that are far from being unseasoned. His albums Hypernature and Patterns from 2002 have had their share of good moments. The 2nd half is better than the first I thought especially with the very underwater feel of the break. This here be big city music.

 

No more pickles- What? I love pickles. Always ask for extra at the drive thru. It begins like an Electric Universe track did when he made good full-on. Remember that? Remember? I miss him, wonder what he's doing now? Anyway, it really picks up 5 minutes in and maintains it's high pace. The lead is dirty and quick as it maneuvers above the rapid bass line. Good again, but nothing groundbreaking.

 

Addicted To Bass- I wouldn't know these artists if I received their mail by mistake but that shouldn't stop me from enjoying the track right? Of course not, the pure full-on nature of the track does that just fine thank you. The best part was that last bit where it deviates into epic trance territory. I think I just saw Paul Van Dyk. Pass on this, but I think you knew it from the title. Meh.

 

The Fun Begins- Here come the Swedes with a bouncy, arcing melody type of effort. It's full of sunshine which is due to appear any minute now. It sounds like the type of music Bliss used to make before...whatever the hell happened. The melodies twist and become slightly detuned as if to highlight the madness of you being up at 5 a.m. Good use of layering also, a standout here.

 

2000 years ago(Ion Remix)- Why you gotta bring up the Greeks drinking and hallucinating? They don't all do that...I guess.

 

Not that one. Two things: How is that annoying bastard sticking it to a piece like Katy Perry and aren't his 15 minutes up yet?

 

That would be like me saying all Frenchmen have mustaches and wear berets. What? I've just been told that they do. Wow, learn something new everyday. I hate repetitive samples and the fact that LSD was uttered more than Jihad in Pakistan my mind is already closed. I liked the acid style of the synth but there was too much baggage for it to be taken seriously.

 

 

 

All the tracks here are high in bpm's I guess to motivate you to get the hell out of their club. And take your buddy with you who threw up in the corner. What a disgrace, he drinks like a candy-ass. Intense without a lot of melody and sunshine because, well at 5 a.m. there ain't a lot of that. I found this to be a grower. Wasn't that impressed from the outset, but the more I listened to it I caught the fever in what Pan Papason was trying to accomplish. Several tracks are pretty good, but don't hit buy just yet grasshopper. While nowhere near Temple of One goodness, it still held it's own in places. Not.Essential.Whatsoever.

 

 

Psyshop

 

Beatspace

 

Goastore

 

Mdk

[Procyon]

Well, I didn't understand you review: did you like it, or not? I liked it 50%. It doesn't match Tokyo club scene vibe, IMO. Papason did a good job showing what you can expect to hear in some mainstream gigs, which are a mirror of mainstream gigs you see anywhere in the world. Tokyo at 5 a.m. could be better described thru a Japanese artist - it would match all the pictures you posted: strange, exotic, rich and "only in Japan".

[Trance2MoveU]

At first I was ready to write a scathing review. Didn't move me at all. Then upon many more listens, I felt like that's what the Tokyo late morning scene was all about. As much as an outsider can who has never been to Tokyo. Several tracks were nice, but on the whole the CD didn't stay with me. I tried to view it through the wacky images I posted. I think 50% is more than fair.

 

Mdk

[Templar]

Tokyo 5 a.m.

 

Wakyo Records, 2011

 

 

1. Headroom - Menace To Sobriety

2. Zen Mechanics & Sonic Species - Air Knob

3. Tristan - Addicted

4. Dickster - Glader

5. Earthling - Tripping The Rift

6. Pan Papason & DJ Anarkick - No More Pickles

7. Ion vs Pause - Addicted To Bass

8. DuoTekk - The Fun Begins

9. Pan Papason - 2000 Years Ago (Ion Remix)

 

Headroom, Tristan, Earthling, Zen Mechanics, Dickster, DuoTekk - wow. I immediately associate such a roster with something really promising and it makes me reach for this compilation without a moment's hesitation. Unfortunately it is not that good after hearing the material and one begins to regret a little the money or transfer, not to mention time. The whole thing is without the previously expected fireworks. It is a quite simple, let's say decent compilation. Compilations such as "God Save The Machine", "Wingmakers 2: Beyondwards & Upwards" and "Tales Of Heads" definitely have the upper hand here. The tracks that are quite satisfying are those provided by Headroom, Dickster, Earthling, Tristan and DuoTekk. With these fellows it is hard to stumble upon lousy music, although more than once I caught myself a bit bored while listening to the tunes here. The first one is particularly interesting: raw, mechanical, specific. The fat "Addicted" track and the acidic "Glader" are another blasters, but as far as the abilities of both their authors are concerned it is definitely far below a certain level. The situation is worse in case of the rest of the tracks, especially those by Mr. Papason, where one can hear that the compiler obviously could not lift the burden of this compilation and is playing second or even third fiddle, having the role of a standard CD-filler. The assumption behind the presence of these tracks was perhaps to somehow provide some balance in contrast to the more familiar names, but this is not the right material for the task and as a consequence one can encounter bland, sometimes mercilessly artificial tunes (the unnecessary disco-ish tracks like "No More Pickles" and "Addicted To Bass ") among the stronger tracks. Despite mouth-watering appearances, this compilation is proof of how large a role in selling the product play well-recognized artists. I recommend caution to avoid hasty decisions. Nothing groundbreaking here - and with such a team of names it should be.

 

Templar / http://www.psytrance.pl

 

Links:

 

http://www.psyshop.com/shop/CDs/wky/wky1cd030.html