Monday, December 31, 2007

Rating: Planet Boelex - Only Slighly Distant (mtk163)

Every so often I come across certain tracks that have an emotional impact on me. I was recently browsing the monotonik netlabel archives and came across a release by Planet Boelex. Stated in my previous blog posts, I've became quite fond of the work he's produced this last year, and the track, titled Only Slight Distant, is no exception. Before I even beginning rating this track, it's important to show you my scale (rated 1-10) on how I rate tracks.

10: Pure
9: All-Time Favorite
8: Excellent
7: Petty Good
6: Nice Listen
5: Average
4: Nothing Spectacular
3: Boring
2: Bad; Didn't finish
1: Deleted

Now, in order to get anything above an 8, you must be pretty damn good. The ranking of 10 is Pure. Stated in my mission, I am looking for the purest sound, by achieving a 10, that is the purest sound that I've ever heard. I rarely rate anything above an 8. IN fact, 3 Drives on a Vinyl - Greece 2000 (which is my favorite Trance song) only hits a 8 on the scale.

Anyways, Let's start off with this track. It was released on the monotonik label (mtk163). The beginning is very soothing, with bubbly sounds and light hits on the drums. But what happens after a minute or so is truly amazing. The melody begins to kick in and the bass accompanies it. I play this part over and over, and it only gets better. There is just an immense build-up of sound and you just feel overwhelmed with so much cohesion in the melody and bass line. After 3 minutes into it, the sound fades and a new melody and bass-line kicks in. If this was any ordinary song from an ordinary label, I would frown upon this, but considering Planet Boelex's style, and the kind of music this is geared for, this kind of technique isn't that far fetched. The second portion of the track is not as tantalizing as the first, but it still is pretty good. The leads on the track are once again bubbly, and you hear more defined pads, and a more textured bass line. There are some chorus parts that reflect the first portion of the track, which scores big with me. The song continues with a more defined drum line with funky loops and displaced hits. After 6 minutes together, the song fades and ends.

I really liked this track, made me feel good just listening to it. I definitely liked the first portion of it than the second. In fact, I almost wish that PB would have continued to use the same melody and bass line rather than switching it up half-way through, but I try not to comment much about how artists arrange their music. The melody was very well constructed, with an accompanying bass line and ethereal pads that generated a soothing sensation. I really enjoyed listening to this, it will most likely be an all-time favorite song for me.



RATING: 8, Excellent



You can download the track off the monotonik label for free:
http://www.mono211.com/content/releases/mtkmp163.html
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Sunday, December 30, 2007

Working on new mix

I can't divulge too much information, but works on a new Kahvi mix is in order. This next mix will largely be down tempo. I try to mix up the styles with each new mix. I believe this new one will be the most commercial sounding of them all. I'll keep you posted
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Kahvi-Mix 005: Searching for Planets (kahvi#229)




















This kahvi-mix, like all the others, features the talented artists on the Kahvi label (http://www.kahvi.org/). For about a year now, I've spent alot of time working on kahvi-released tracks producing mixes (even though I'd like to call them albums). The result of this work is what I consider to be my finest. This recent release on the kahvi label (kahvi#229) is one of three mixes released (a total of 5 mixes if you include unreleased mixes).

When I first started the preliminary work for this album, I was stumped on some of the tracks to use. I had such a vast spectrum of styles and BPMs it was difficult to set a "tone" for the album. None the less, with the work that Planet Boelex (kahvi#218) and General Fuzz (kahvi#216) created in "Suunta" and "Red Balloon" respectively, I was able to manage some really great transitions. Knowing Planet Boelex personally and faintly talking with General Fuzz through e-mail, I was able to get an inside look on some of their work, producing some inspiration. In fact, I was so inspired by their work, I used three tracks from Planet Boelex, and three tracks from General Fuzz. I give much credit to their work.

The mix also features some of my other favorite artists. While this is the first time I've featured Planet B and General F in any of my mixes, Madstyle, Keed pr1, Workbench, Alexey V, and Stud return with some great tracks that add awesome ambient/progressiveness tones. I'm very fond of Workbench, mostly all of his tracks either start at the beginning or end of my albums because of the sounds he use. They make great intro/ending tracks. Madstyle has a specific looping style/sound that is consistent with most of his tracks. When I did my first kahvi-mix (titled "Rhapsody", see back catalog), my favorite track was "Soundcascade". Alexey V has always surprised me. His progressive sounds leave me in awe, and I always look forward to his releases. Every kahvi mix I've produced has features Alevey V; he just fit so well. His recent release titled "dreamology" (kahvi#219) is very different from the rest of his stuff. It's slow, ambient, sensual, yet terrifying.

I also created a little story line to go along with the album. It allows you to kind of get a picture as I was developing the album. Actually, as I was going through the entire set, I was just thinking what it would be like to be in space, and so with each track, I created a little story-name that I thought fit the mood of the track.

The culmination of work in "Searching for Planets" is surprisingly good with ambient sounds, weird loops, and spacious ethereal melodies. You won't leave hungry after listening to this. In some cases you'll wonder when the next song will be only to find out you've already arrived past the transition. What I liked most of all about this was the warm welcome I got from Planet Boelex and General Fuzz. I enjoy hearing/reading listener's compliments, but when it comes from the Artists themselves, it means a whole lot more to me.

Track list:

01. Pinza - Thickline
02. MadStyle - Fresh Green Leaves
03. Planet Boelex - Leaving Quietly
04. Dj Aivem - Final Day Will Be Tomorrow
05. Stud - Respawn
06. Alkor - Nothing Will Ever Be Yellow
07. ifyou - Tales From Ocean
08. Alexey V - 2nd Dream
09. General Fuzz - Smiling Perspective
10. General Fuzz - Ray Squared
11. Abyssal Plains - Orange River
12. Planet Boelex - Suunta
13. Planet Boelex - Soft Landing
14. General Fuzz - Detached Reality
15. Sabi - Matmilk
16. Keed pr1 - Solaris
17. Workbench - Paper Frog

Story:
01. Mission: To Boldly Go
02. Willow Nebula: Spaceous Anomolies
03. Planet Phorus: Living with the Clouds
04. Planet Kahvi: Two Suns - Sunset & Sunrise
05. Traveling: Forward or Backwards
06. Planet Torrkat: Sand Land - Searching for Water
07. Amongst the Stars: Alone with God
08. The Void: Dark
09. The clearing: Light
10. Planet Arrakis: Cities in the Purple Sky
11. Full Speed Ahead: Watching the Stars Go By
12. Planet Ares: Industrial Red Planet
13. Planet Terra: Neverending Forest
14. Planet Maelus: Escaping Trouble
15. Planet Aquaesus: Waterworld
16. Wormhole: Where is it Taking Me?
17. Planet Earth: Welcome Home

Download Album
Mirror scene.org (.mp3)
Mirror scene.org (.ogg)
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Vibrations Vol. 6 2CD Set

Well, like always, I try to make a Vibrations mix in between my vibration DI sessions and here it is, a two CD set. The first 70 minute mix is slow, with more complex sounds and progressive moods. There are definitely some killer transitions in this set, worth taking a listen to.

The second set is high-energy, almost hard-trance turn core in my opinion. The BPM sits at 143 (as oppose to 131 on the first cd). There are alot of breakdown points and special moments with vibrant sounds that we all know trance to have. For those loving the old 01-03 sounds, I think this will have special meaning, however anyone who loves Trance will find this pleasing (and fast!).

The first set was suppose to invoke a soft mood, the second will get you moving.

Here's the tracklisting:

CD1
01. Milan Lieskovsky - Elenya (Introida Mix)
02. Death Cab For Cutie - Marching Bands of Manhattan (Blake Jarrell's Pacha NYC Remix)
03. Marscruiser - Not Alone Tonight (Blake Jarrell Remix)
04. Andy Duguid - Dreamcatcher
05. Robert Vadney - Perplexed State of A World
06. M.I.K.E. - Moving On In Life
07. Cellec - Love of My Life (Tenthu Summer Mix)
08. Jose Amnesia ft. Jennifer Rene - Wouldn't Change A Thing (Blake Jarrel Remix)
09. Dash Berlin vs. Terry Ferminal vs. Mark Sherry - Till The Sky Walks Away (Dark Memoria Mashup)
10. Cosmic Gate - Body of Conflict (Cosmic Gate Club Mix)
11. Kyau & Albert - 7Skies (Club Mix)
12. Orkidea ft. Marc Mitchell - Eternall Love

CD2:
01. Paul Miller vs. Ronal De Foe - Surviver
02. Simon Patterson - Bulldozer
03. Persequor - Nombre (Mark Sherwood Mix)
04. Arctis - Losing It
05. Projektor - Welcome to the Real World
06. V-Tec Pres. David Nielsen - HD Reader
07. Se.Ra.Phic - Sunset Rose (Broning Remix)
08. Mikka Leinonen - Discover Me
09. Simon Patterson - We'll See
10. Bissen - Exhale (Sean Tyas Remix)
11. Aleks Ferrid - Magic Movement (Extended/Shortened Mix)

I also provided some cue files for you CD savvy people:

Download CD1
Download CD2
Download CUE CD1
Download CUE CD2
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Back catalogue

Here are all my mixes, released prior to:

Kahvi Mixes:
Rhapsody (Kahvi Mix Set #002) (IDM) Mix Cue Tracklist
Parallax (Kahvi Mix Set #003) (IDM) Mix Tracklist
Midnight Arboretum (Kahvi Mix Set #004) (IDM) Mix
Searching For Planets (Kahvi Mix Set #005) (IDM) Mix Tracklist
Midnight Aboretum (IDM) Mix
Cup of Kahvi (IDM) Mix
Walk With Me (IDM) Mix



Vibrations:
Vibrations Vol. 1 (Trance) Mix Cue Tracklist
Vibrations Vol. 2 (Trance) Mix Cue Tracklist
Vibrations Vol. 3 (Trance) Mix Cue Tracklist
Vibrations Vol. 4 [CD1] (Trance) Mix Cue Tracklist
Vibrations Vol. 4 [CD2] (Trance) Mix Cue Tracklist
Vibrations Vol. 4 [CD3] (Mixed) Mix Cue Tracklist
Vibrations Vol. 5 (Trance) Mix Tracklist
Vibrations Vol. 6 CD1 (Trance) Mix Cue Tracklist
Vibrations Vol. 6 CD2 (Trance) Mix Cue Tracklist
Vibrations Vol. 7 (Progressive Trance) Mix Tracklist
Vibrations Vol. 8 (Progressive Trance) Mix
Vibrations Vol. 9 (Progressive Trance) Mix Cue Tracklist
Vibrations Vol. 10 (Progressive Trance) Mix Tracklist

Vibration Breaks Vol. 1 (Breakbeat) Mix Tracklist
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The launch

Wanted to initiate this blogspot as the new home for my mixes, I often find it hard to code HTML (seeing that I don't know much). Thus I preserved my own blog name for the sake of making things easy for me and you when it comes to downloading my mixes. The "back-catalog" of all my previous mixes will be put on one post where you can download all my previous mixes. All new mixes released afterwards will be provided with a new blog post in which you can download the mixes, cue files, and tracklistings.
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