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Music reviews
Asura is out with their second album. Their first album Code Eternity, came out on Infinium Records in 2001. They got a lot of good critics out of that. In my opinion a pretty over estimated album, but good enough if you are after some easy digestible atmospheric chill. Asura are now A. Ackerman, C. Farewell and C. Maze. On their first album, A. Ackerman wasn`t in the band, but now V. Villuis is not in the band anymore.
Asura "Lost Eden" E-French Sound Records 2003 (REF 175152)
1. Prologue
2. Lost Eden
3. From The Abyss
4. Raindust
5. Land & Freedom
6. Fahrenheit
7. Requiem From Nowhere
8. Incoming
9. The battle Of Devas
10. Le Vol d`Icare
First of all, I have to say that this isn`t very psychedelic. It`s more plain ambient chill out. The first track is some sort of intro, lasting for only a couple of minutes. Pretty nice start on the album. Dramatic sound picture, with only floating sounds and some dramatic voice samples. Track 2 (Lost Eden) has probably a lot of people heard already. It was also released on the chill out compilation Module 01 on 3D Vision Relax and on the Chiller Waves compilation released on Analog Pussy Records. I find this track pretty easy digestible, but nice enough with a lot of Turkish vocals. Track 3 is slower. I like this one better. Some beautiful vocals, nice chilling bass and a very floating sound picture, totally chilled. Track 4 goes pretty far away from what I had expected from these guys. A lot of vocals, almost a pop song. Not my cup of tea, but maybe something for you if you are into chill by for example Morcheeba. They have also added some Turkish vocals like track 2 in this one. Track 5 is more ethnical chill of the kind you find in every tribal shops in the western world who sells incense and hand made things from Thailand etc. This is like the music you would expect to hear on some meditation group or something. Nice and easy.
Track 6 starts totally slow, with some guitar sounds and only floating sounds. Then some down tempo trance rhythms comes in. This sounds a lot like the music on their first album. In my opinion, I think this sounds a bit simple. Sorry to say this, but it sounds a bit like cheesy euro trance in slow motion! Track 7 is a long track. This is slow ambient, and pretty beautiful. It sounds a bit dramatic and sad, but that can be pleasant too. C. Farewell has made this one alone. Track 8 starts off with a nice flute. Here you get a lot of melodic trancey stuff. It sounds a bit like melodic old school goa trance in slow motion. Track 9 is the longest track on the album, lasting for over ten minutes. On this one they have sampled a classical choir and the Turkish vocals again. This sounds also dramatic. In the middle of the track, you get some didgeridoo too, before the down tempo trance rhythms comes back. The last track on this album is really nice. The best track on the album in my opinion. Pretty varied, with a lot of pleasant sounds. Afther this one you also get a little hidden track! A short floating outro. Nice finish for an average album.
You get some nice tracks on this album, but if you are looking for deep psychedelic music, this isn`t the right choice. Asura makes easy digestible chill, and with all the high quality chill released lately, this isn`t my first pick for my relaxed evening.
PK
