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Skizologic

Robotized

Zion 604

 

Tracklist:

1. DNA - The Square

2. The Swamp

3. Anomaly (Remix of 2Minds)

4. Robotized

5. Fusion 303 (with Moonweed)

6. In-Space (with InnerZone)

7. Spectrum

8. Neutron (with Radical Distortion)

9. Robotized (Nervasystem Remix)

 

On March 10, 2015, Skizologic's "Robotized" became available to the music world. However, it occurred in a way that was very unexpected.

 

With no physical format available for purchase and no online music shops selling the album, a professionally put-together "digipack" popped up on torrent sites and peer-to-peer file sharing programs instead on the scheduled release date.

 

As of this writing, no word from the Zion 604 guys about what this is all about. Yet, the Discogs page still shows March 10 as its release date, there is still no update to the label's Band Camp page selling (much less promoting) this digipack, no word here on Psynews.org hyping the album (though Zion 604 honcho Roy Sasson is usually very active with his posts) and only the briefest of updates via their Facebook page regarding a vague date for when the release of this album will actually occur.

 

So, with that very organized digipack out there for the populace are we to assume this was "leaked" intentionally? Or is this just a small record label that is overburdened with the details of a release neglecting to promote or being able to release the thing on time?

 

A clever marketing approach to gets tongues wagging or a victim of inner sabotage that allowed their new release to be pirated?

 

Of course, none of this would be very relevant if "Robotized" sucked. But it doesn't. In fact, it is quite fucking fantastic!

 

A slew of co-productions adds a hearty dose of variety to this great debut of Israeli producer Skizologic whose individual approach to goa sounds very relaxed, organic and wickedly groovy. In fact it occurred no less than three different times during the course of its run time where this could very well be the new Hallucinogen album that has been years "in the making."

 

Zion 604's Roy Sasson teams with Skizologic on the bouncing funk of the "DNA" opener, most definitely the strongest Hallucinogen-ic on the album. It is the type of floor-filler that can get many asses a-shaking even beyond the goa crowd, a great crossover track that could possibly appeal to even the most progressive-minded of the psy community. No question, one of the absolute bests here!

 

Skizologic's remix of 2Mind's "Anomaly" is another grooving beauty that spends half of its 9-minute length stomping around quite nicely, and just when it feels like the track has shown all of its elements in comes the wildly good keyboard work, tuned in to some infectious organ sounds, making it a sensational goa riot of bliss and euphoria.

 

The co-production with labelmates Radical Distortion on "Neutron" is funky, groovy, squelchy and excellent. "Fusion 303" is a tasteful overload of goa effects where Moonweed's usually over-the-top production style is reined in by Skizologic's more groove-oriented approach and the result is another winner.

 

Of the three original tracks where Skizologic goes it alone, "Robotized" takes top-honor - it is a full-on beauty masquerading as goa. "The Swamp," "Spectrum" and "In-Space," produced with Innerzone, may be the album's filler tracks but even those sound fantastic.

 

The down point (of course, based on personal tastes,) is Nervasystem's take on "Robotized." Gone is the gorgeous, stomping full-on of Skizalogic's original and inserted is a wild, over-the-top, exuberantly experimental approach that clashes quite significantly with every other track on the album.

 

Hearing "Robotized," though, brings up that taboo issue of "to download or to not download." To slake one's curiosity or to await the "official" release in order to shell out the cash to support a great goa label. And, granted, that's assuming the Zion 604 guys have not given this pirated digipak their blessing.

 

Either way, if you hear it now or hear it later on, chances are when the "Best of 2015" polls come around, this will make the top three

of many, many lists.

 

Some albums are just that immediately good to give enough confidence to make such a prediction. "Robotized" is definitely one of those albums.

 

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Somewhere I read the CD release was limited to 200 copies this time. - However I also don't think they've sold all within just 1 month.

 

Btw.: I lik really like this release, very acidic and nice blend of goa and psytrance elements -> I think that Skizologic gets constantly better. - My favs are Anomaly, Robotized, Fusion 303 and the Nervasystem Remix of the title track. The latter combines sounds and elements of the Nervasystem 4 album so it adds quite some deep mood to it.

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I also seem to have read it was only in 200 copies...maybe on bandcamp ? Looks a little to low for a properly pressed CD even in an amazing 3-fold digipak but who knows. Still I would find it amusing 200 sold in a month....but then I wish was true since it makes me happy. Otherwise, assuming 200 copies was real might be a 'handful' was given to the artist and collaborators and friends etc. But that is just me fantasising.
I'm happy that Roy sent me an extra digipak without tray. Looks so nice I can stare at it for hours and use as a decoration :wub:

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