DeathPosture Posted July 30, 2004 Share Posted July 30, 2004 Saiko-Pod + Phutureremixes Format: CD (jewel case) Artist: Saiko-Pod (Denmark) Title: Phutureremixes Label: Acid Casualties (Sweden) Cat. #: ACDCD 001 Distribution: Cosmophilia (worldwide), Unique (UK) Date: June 11th, 2004 Track listing: 01. 07’37” Wednesday (Okyo Remix) 02. 07’16” Groove Moderator (Miro Remix) 03. 08’47” Magnetic Force (Krüger & Coyle Remix) 04. 08’07” Phutures (Atmos Remix) 05. 11’04” Two Dots (Jokke Remix) 06. 06’53” Silent Running (True To Nature Remix) 07. 07’11” Tron (Air Bureau Remix) 08. 07’53” P ‘n O (Souzz Remix) 09. 08’49” Back To Belgium (Ionizer Version) Review: Saikodelic… Highly acclaimed Danish duo Koxbox/Psychopod/Saiko-Pod has been among the true psy-trance pioneers and under their different monikers they have released some of the best stuff ever to hit the trance-floors. Hands down! In the last couple of years though, it became obvious that the two veterans had different musical visions for the future – and the intelligibly consequence of that lead to the final split of Koxbox and Saiko-Pod. They are two different entities now: Frank’e continues as Koxbox (psychedelic trance) and Ian Ion continues as Saiko-Pod (progressive trance). Supposedly the release plans for a remix-album of Saiko-Pod tracks go back a couple of years – and now it’s finally here, released on visionary Swedish label Acid Casualties (sub-label of Spiral Trax). All the original Saiko-Pod tracks can all be found on the superb album “Phutures & Options” released on Spiral Trax in 2002. And back on Spiral Trax, here are the remixes… So let’s see what people have done with these precious gems. Let me take you thru the tracks… #01: [125 bpm] First up is the remix of Wednesday by Danish DJ Nicka a.k.a. Okyo and he delivers a very deep, housy version here… Pace-wise, this is about 15 beats per minute faster than the original… Though this is almost pure house, it has those progressive elements from the original… I dig the cool singing and the impressive percussion work… Nice track! #02: [128 bpm] Miro are pretty much ‘standard’ Koxbox/Saiko-Pod remixers… They also did a remix of Koxbox’ “A Major Problem in Australia” and of course this well-known remix of Groove Moderator released last year. Since its initial release, it has been on quite a few compilation CDs – and that’s understandable ‘cause this is a damn good track! Again, this is very sexy, beach-house progressive trance – slightly slower than the original, but even groovier… So smooth, so nice… Damn, this shit ROCKS! Stellar track! #03: [130 bpm] “Go ahead George, light it up!” … Sebastian Krüger shouldn’t need much introduction… He’s the very productive German progressive trance producer behind critically acclaimed acts such as Tarsis, SBK and Disco Slickers. Greg Coyle is the man behind London Sewer Tour, and whilst he was A&R @ Transient, he conceived the Mashed Mellow Grooves series… So it’s a couple of heavy-weights remixing Magnetic Force…Maaaagnetic Foooooooorce! (Damn, I wish they’d kept the voice sample…) This re-worked version is less progressive than the original, but easily as funky… Beach-house grooves with an epic, uplifting nature… I like the original better though! Ok track! #04: [128 bpm] This Atmos remix was released on the Phutures 12” last year along with the True To Nature mix, and it has already been featured on a couple of compilations, so there is a chance you’ve already heard it… Anyway, Atmos a.k.a. Thomasz Balicki is one of the most well-respected progressive trance producers in the scene, and I for only thoroughly enjoyed his album 2nd. Brigade released a couple of months ago on Spiral Trax… Again, this mix is slower than the original, creating a very laid-back, funky progressive/house cross-over tune… The groove in this track is very subtle – almost introvert, but still it works wonders… Crank this baby up and mellow out! Sweet track! #05: [130 bpm] Two Dots was one of the most pumping tracks on Phutures And Options, and surely that pumping feel is sorta intact in Jokke’s mix… I don’t know much about Jokke, ‘cept that he’s Danish and he’s one half of progressive/house duo True To Nature… Although, maintaining the sexy, beach-house summer-feel, this track seems to be somewhat grittier with a darker, more monotonous nature… Also, I think it’s a tad too long… I do like however, that Jokke kept the original sample “Cycles are boring, spirals are fun”… Yeah, that’s what it’s all about… Decent track! #06: [130 bpm] Silent Running has been one of my all-time fav’e Saiko-Pod track since it’s initial release in 2001 – so anyone messing with the crown-jewels (!) better do a good job!... As mentioned earlier, True To Nature consists of Danish DJ Jokke and his counterpart is Tom Von Rosen, also Danish… And luckily they pay homage to the original, though with a hefty re-worked percussion part… This is another fine, pumping tune… Great, great percussion – and staying true to the original, this progressive gem is a walk down memory lane… Great track! #07: [130 bpm] Air Bureau is perhaps better know in the psy-scene as Aircrash Bureau (Did a remix of Ticon’s Lo Mi Hi) but they also enjoy great success on the more commercial house scene… This version of Tron bears very little resemblance to the fast-paced original – I like the overall housey grooves and the acid-wannabe demented melody that is present throughout the track… Oh, and the ping-pong sounds of course… ;o) But the original is much, much better… Decent track! #08: [128 bpm] Souzz is Steen Thøttrup from Miro – and his agenda is to “remix tracks into the more underground style of trance and tribal house inspired by the sound of Madrid”… Right, so let’s hear what Madrid can do for the tracks Phutures and Options (two different tracks, mind you)… We kick off with a smooth tribal opening… And we’re definitely in house territory… Great percussion work and the mysterious voice samples add to the overall melancholy, techy feel this track possesses… The last two minutes is pure, pure bliss… Nice track! #09: [128 bpm] And finally Ian Ion himself… Straight outta his Star Command Studio… I’m not sure I’ve ever heard the original Back To Belgium – but it’s a track made by Ian himself… Though still progressive in nature, this is one of the trippiest tracks on this CD… The promotional text describes this as a track that “mixes new Balearic beats and 80’s techno” and that’s a fitting description… I dig the old-school electro-techno bits and the familiar melodies sprinkled throughout the track… It’s style-clash really, but when it’s done this good I have no reservations… Sweet track! This album and most of the tracks are already hitting it big with many well-know DJs around the world… The list of well-respected ppl giving this the thumbs up is impressive: J00f, Oakie, Paul van Dyk, Digweed, Seb Fontaine, Armin van Buuren, Sander Kleinenberg and many more. As mentioned earlier, quite a few of these tracks have already been released, so there’s a good chance you’ve heard some of them… But for CD-only-people like me, this is a welcomed chance to own them all on one CD – and they’re nicely mixed into each other, so you’ll not experience any interruptions while listening through the CD… I like most of it – there are a couple of tracks that are not exactly my cup of java, but the majority is good, clean, healthy progressive/house cross-over material… The artwork is also nice, and fits the style… And for a change, you actually get an informative booklet… Nice! This is not for everyone however… Purists should look elsewhere, ‘cause this is highly barrier-braking material… But for open-minded fans of good electronic music, this is ear-candy! Recommended! 7.5/10 Favourites: 1, 2(!), 4, 6(!), 9 DeathPosture External links: Saiko-Pod: http://www.saiko-pod.com Acid Casualties: http://www.spiraltrax.com/acdc Psyshop: http://www.psyshop.com/shop/CDs/acd/acd1cd001.html (Audio samples available!) Saiko Sounds: http://www.saikosounds.com/english/display...ase.asp?id=4166 Chaos Unlimited: http://www.chaosunlimited.co.uk/cgi-bin/pr....asp?LR=acdcd01 Trance-shop: http://www.trance-shop.com/de/catalog/prod...roducts_id=3832 Conzzept Records: http://www.conzzept.dk/product.asp?product=1084 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Basilisk Posted August 4, 2004 Share Posted August 4, 2004 I like progressive sounds... and I am a huge Koxbox fan... but after several listens I just find this to be really dull. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ormion Posted September 7, 2004 Share Posted September 7, 2004 Just wanna say that the artwork is really gay. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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