v/a Universe (Mandala rec) [review]

[Guest Le Lotus Bleu]

V/A Universe (Mandala records)

 

Tracklist :

 

1. Wizzy Noise – Colour Pulse 136 bpm

2. Tetraktys – Insomny 140

3. Skulptor vs Spectral Skunk – Anticlockwise 142

4. Oracle – Sharing Bacterias 144

5. C.P.U – Scapes 145

6. Psychaos – Black Jack Rmx 143

7. Skulptor – Divine Prophecy 145

8. Polaris – Replicant 145

9. Signs – The Galaxy’s Protection 100

 

Compiled by Dj Butterfly, Mastering by Triptych

 

Wizzy Noise (Uriel & Micky Noise/Greece) offers here an inspired tune with nice floating feeling mixed with uplifting tones for an effective full on stuff on the dancefllor, i must admit i’m positivly estonished with this band that grow up in my regard.

 

Tetraktys (Vincent Courcot/France) goes on with his new style introduced in his debut album, i mean here still dark but less kickin & more muffled. The artist now focuses mainly on the global harmony & atmosphere (enigmatic for this one) instead of searching new techy-proggy tricks, Insomny is a new example of all numerous faces of Tetraktys.

 

Skulptor (Lipe Forbes) vs Spectral Skunk (Beto Pampoch/Brazil) for Antoclockwise gives us at first kinda train whistling melody which evolves with nice funny & hopping tones, here you don’t see time.

 

Oracle (Lipe Forbes + Fritz Amaral/Brazil) got right from the start some samples in french which are complicated to catch so twisted they are but funny to listen, i although get ‘c’est parti !’ (let’s go !). These barazilian dudes prooves us one more time if necesary their latin origin with a typical ‘poco loco’ spirit, based on lots of echoes-reverb puts on, the old to me, lead & then a simili phonering melody.

 

C.P.U (Samy Guediche/Spain) has produced his usual full on thing despite some percussions in the intro & scattered all along the tune, his indentifiable squeaking lead appears quickly. I must notice some efforts put on the tones , some of are changing from the usual CPU ones but the global result still sounds basic full on to me.

 

Psychaos (Joti Sidhu/UK)enters in a darker sphere of the full on production coppled with kickin rythmic, some 303 lines conferring more power to the track & an old school taste, the whole thing embellished by some hypnotizin tones in the background.

 

Third track from Lipe Forbes, in solo this time & unfortunatly the weakest oof the Three, too much pachydermic for me.

 

Hopefully Polaris (Arnaud Stengel/France) will look after your eardrums with his melodic & slightly metallic full on with a hint of funk musical potion.

 

Signs (J.B Laffite aka Dj Pulsate/France) takes you to the Pacific ocean, for an exotic Hawaïan (hawaïan guitar sample break) & Maori (percussions) tasty chill out stuff, take advantage of the free journey offers to you by Signs as we (in europe) are now in middle summer.

 

Best moments :1,2,3,4,8,9

8/10 Good start with this first release for this new french label city atlantic ‘La Rochelle’ based, long life to Mandala records.

[Trance2MoveU]

 

Artist: Various

Title: Universe

Label: Mandala Records

Date: September, 2004

 

1. Colour pulse - WIZZY NOISE

2. Insomny - TETRAKTYS

3. Anticlockwise - SKULPTOR VS SPECTRAL SKUNK

4. Sharing bacterias - ORACLE

5. Scopes - C.P.U

6. Black Jack rmx - PSYCHAOS

7. Divine prophecy - SKULPTOR

8. Replicant - POLARIS

9. The galaxys protection - SIGNS

 

This was the first release from French label Mandala Records. Mastered by Triptych...Wonder what happened to him? I heard he lost his eyes in a terrible motorcycle accident and they had to do some experimental surgery.

 

Probably not true though.

 

 

Colour Pulse- Say what you want about these guys, they sure have hung around. The track is a full steam ahead slug fest without any of that twist and turn crap. There's a metallic hard edge to it with an eensy bit of sunshine. Good opener.

 

Insomny- With some deep pumping bass and metallic attacks the atmosphere is well created. You can hear some manipulated vocals, but can't make them out. Probably cries for help. Washes rise and fall and eerie pads speak of a dark forest. Nothing spectacular but a clever moody bastard it is.

 

Anticlockwise- This comp is really shaping up to be a dark, brooding piece of work! Aliens skitter across the ground as the beat pumps in the background. Gritty and scratchy leads scrape the air and the break adds to the spookiness. Awesome track.

 

Sharing Bacterias- Full on with sqirty effects and echoing synths should sum this up. Although I'm still trying to decipher what the previous reviewer was saying. Digital farts, push button phone sounds, and a latin song sample? This is a weird motherf*cker.

 

Scopes- Back before CPU sold his soul to the devil, he made good music like this. Good percussion, good leads, and a dark atmosphere. I don't think he even knew what a buildup was at this time. Not his best, but miles away from the swill he's producing now.

 

So....how much will it take for you to step into this time machine I made in the basement?

 

Black Jack Remix- When Joti was into goa it was the crazy insane type of stuff that made you say....Damn! But this doesn't make me want to say that. It makes me want to say

 

where's the beef? Straight ahead without any insanity. Get back off your meds!

 

 

Divine Prophecy- Delightfully alien beginning with some tribal elements. He's got scratchy sounds, some lasers, and a thumping beat. The acid leads are fat and juicy like a thick T-bone. Probably my favorite here.

 

Replicant- "Replicants are like any other machine. They're either a benefit or a hazard. If they're a benefit it's not my problem"

 

Ah, quoting blade runner will get you everywhere. It's smooth integrating several samples into the mix very well. Good motion and one of my favorites from him. Sure it's full on but that whole decade is full-on. Let it go.

 

The galaxys protection-

 

How can we protect the galaxy when Chewie can't use a toilet?

 

It's a mid tempo romp with some nice percussion but the crazy bit is the Hawaiian guitar at the break. Where the f*ck did that come from? The rest is ok.

 

 

When listening to older tracks you have to take it with a grain of salt. But this was a compilation that held up very well.

 

Psyshop

 

Beatspace

 

Mdk