V/A - Fleinheim (The Cure)

[yerg]

 

Label: The Cure

Country: Israel

Released: 19 Jan 2019

Style: Psy-Trance

Bandcamp

 

Tracklist:

1. Purosurpo - "Deep wake hypno-mountain" 01:31

2. Nicr & Fugu cans - "The other day" 07:11

3. Ugler I Mosen - "Krudtuglen" 07:40

4. Forest Bamp & Ecko - "The Doors of Perception" 07:46

5. Kedros - "Mora" 09:19

6. Shiibashunsuke - "Spores of truth" 07:26

7. Igboogã - "Death Moss" 07:31

8. Del Torto & Photophobia - "Prisoners Of The Present" 15:18

9. Adansonia - "Rana Del Saco" 08:43

10. Smuds - "Behelit" 09:32

11. Foggy - "Vi Ses Senare" 09:44

12. Purosurpo - "Deepsleep Hypno-Mountain" 05:25

 

What is Fleinheim? It's two things. One: it's a word that loosely translates as a "magic mushroom." Second: it's a Dark Psy compilation released by the Israeli non profit global community of activists and artists supporting alternative natural medicine called The Cure. All profits from this compilation will be donated to the Heffter Research Institute advancing studies on psilocybin for cancer distress and addiction.

This is the second charity-based psy compilation I'm reviewing this year, and I cannot be happier for people that do this kind of work. It's actually really amazing.

As for the music itself, I must admit that I am no expert in Dark Psy, but I can appreciate a good effort. I really like KinDzaDza's first album "Waves From Outer Space" and a few other artists that do some excellent work in this style. So here are my thoughts on the Fleinheim and all the tracks presented here.

 

REVIEW
 

1. Purosurpo - "Deep wake hypno-mountain" 01:31

Just an intro track, nothing special.

2. Nicr & Fugu cans - "The other day" 07:11

The track begins in a very promising way with beautiful cinematic melodies and sound effects. Then, it delves into a deeper and more chaotic area. This discordant theme plays for some time, and then the first breakdown introduces a piano and some laughing samples. In the final part it returns to its comfortable little chaos of sounds.

The track has some potential, but there isn't much to chew on here.

3/5

3. Ugler I Mosen - "Krudtuglen" 07:40

A lot of things happen in the first minute of track #3. Gradually it finds the right footing with the help of its peculiar bassline. Spooky atmospheric effects enter the scene, and then the strangest melody plucks on the listener's nerve endings. In the second half, the spooky background noises intensify and the track gets more serious. At this point the paranoid feeling is properly set up.

Definitely one of the most creative pieces on the compilation.

4/5

4. Forest Bamp & Ecko - "The Doors of Perception" 07:46

Until the first breakdown this track feels like it got drunk and wet itself. Then, a proper bassline creates some sort of solid ground for all the weird sounds popping in the background. But there is still no determined path after the second breakdown.

The latter half of the track is even stranger than the first one. Maybe Dark Psy connaisseurs will apreciate this track more than I did, but there is nothing of great importance here. A really bland effort.

2/5

5. Kedros - "Mora" 09:19

I love the bassline in the beginning of the track, but then it changes to your typical grindy darkpsy bassline. I wish Kedros kept the introductory bassline for the entirety of the track - it's just so good. Oh well, I am not the one to decide here.

Fortunately, something else appears at around 3 minute mark. It's some sort of sub bass sound that emits amazing vibrations. I have to say I love every second of it. Then, in the middle a third bassline enters and this one is also very good. It's really playful and makes a rather long track sound fresh all the way to the end.

The final couple of minutes bring in a creepy synth that nicely rounds the whole track. Mora is a really fun piece of work that never gets boring.

5/5

6. Shiibashunsuke - "Spores of truth" 07:26

A short vocoded speech opens up track #6, and it immediately goes into frenzy. Harsh effects and disoriented kicks mold the way. This is one of the harder tracks on Fleinheim, and it's pretty good.

I like that the rhythm part can never find any sense of stability, it stutters and stumbles all the way through. Only at times it gets a firm grip of the proper 4/4 scale, which makes it a fun ride. I enjoy this track a lot, it's a peculiar one.

4/5

7. Igbooga - "Death Moss" 07:31

I'm not going to say much here, and just conclude that I find this track to be incredibly boring. Not my cup of tea at all.

2/5

8. Del Torto & Photophobia - "Prisoners Of The Present" 15:18

I always thought that tracks of unusually long lengths should have a very strong story-telling element for them to be viable. It has to be a real journey. Otherwise, how are you planning on keeping the listeners engaged?

Track #8 completely contradicts my notion and is an example of an extrememly long track with absolutely no story to it. I couldn't tell a difference not in the beginning, neither in the middle, nor in the end. It could've gone for another 15 minutes, and nothing would've changed anyway.

The entire piece just flew by in the background. I can't rate this any higher than:

2/5

9. Adansonia - "Rana Del Saco" 08:43

Oh no, this is another dud. It gets a bit interesting in the second half, but the rest is just mashed potatoes.

2/5

10. Smuds - "Behelit" 09:32

Behelit is a refrence to the Berserk manga, a dark epic that is unequaled in the story-telling department. Unfortunately, the track doesn't pay due respects to the masterpiece it was apparently inspired by.

It's not as bland as the previous three tracks, but it ain't digging deep either.

3/5

11. Foggy - "Vi Ses Senare" 09:44

I can hear that something exciting is brewing in this track from the very beginning. The build up is rather long and it takes a while before the track comes to its main part. But when it does it's quite rewarding.

In the second half of the track the sounds get really neurotic and this is where the whole piece takes on a distinct shape. I quite like it for what it is, although I wouldn't call it a straight up bomb.

4/5

12. Purosurpo - "Deepsleep Hypno-Mountain" 05:25

An outro that continues the theme of the opening track, which is understandable since both tracks have been made by Purosurpo. It's a fine and deep psychill track, although a tad repetitive for my liking.

3/5

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This compilation turned out to be rather weak in my opinion, but there are a few real gems, especially Mora by Kedros (#5). Every other track on Fleinheim pales in comparison. It's almost ten minutes long and it delivers all the way through.

Too bad the rest of the tracks with the exception of # 3, 6, and 11 just don't go anywhere. With all that said the overall rating is:

3/5

[Sawfly]

The whole forest thing became boring pretty damn fast. This is an ok compilation for background music.