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One of my favourite artists, Seb Taylor aka Somaton aka Digitalis aka Angel Tears aka Shakta is out with his fourth Shakta album on Dragonfly Records! He has been developing his style all the way through the years from the early beginning of goa trance. He has shown great skills with psychedelic break beat /drum’n’bass with his Digitalis project, fantastic ethnic chill out with the Angel Tears project (together with Momi Ochion) and of course high quality trance with his Shakta and Somaton project. Now he give us a double album, where the first CD is new tracks and the second CD is various tracks remixed by Seb Taylor, some collaborations and Digitalis tracks.
Shakta "Feed The Flames" Dragonfly Records 2004 (BFLCD71)
CD1:
1. Absorbed
2. Feed The Flame
3. Wax On
4. Paranoid Again
5. Fire
6. Underground
7. Clip The Apex
8. Akira Lives!
9. Wax Off (130 Deep Mix)
10. Are We Learning Yet?
CD2:
1. Hopefind - Subterfuge (Shakta Remix)
2. A.M.P. - Forever Now (Shakta Remix)
3. Tetra Clash – Amtheremin (Shakta Remix)
4. Bill & Seb (Into The Light)
5. In R Voice & Shakta - Present Moment
6. Digitalis - Loup Garou
7. Digitalis - Falling Down
8. Digitalis - Yab-Yum Soul
9. Digitalis - Figments... (Chilled Mix)
In the last Shakta album Out Of Sight we got a unique style of trance, which sounded like a mix of break beats (Digitalis) and trance. There were not as much melodies as in his previous albums, but it was creative and fresh. The first track we get here is sort of the style we got on the Out Of Sight album, but we get less break beats and more housy vibes. Still we get the atmospheric floating parts thrown in here and there. Funky, housey trance. I miss some of the creativity I have heard from him before, but an okay track. Track 2 has the album title. Here we get some sort of sexy vocals by Natasha Chamberlain. This track is even more house influenced, but still there is that psychedelic touch. In my ears, this track becomes boring pretty fast. Track 3 has a very tribal feel, with cool drums and tribal sounds. Stumpy, pumping rhythms and a groovy vibe, still with a touch of house music. Track 4 starts with some vocal samples. This track goes the tribal house direction too. I really miss some more variation in these tracks. Track 5 has a deep, pumping bass line. This track is one of my favourites on CD 1. Progressive trance with some really nice atmospheric sounds floating in and out of the drifting progressive rhythms.
Track 6 is a bit darker. Pretty groovy, but there could have been some more variation here too. Track 7 goes the same direction, but I like the drift in this one better, and the atmospheric floating sounds is back here too. You also get the tribal feeling with this track. Definatly one of the better tracks on CD 1. Track 8 is another good track. Here we get some more of the Out Of Sight style. Floating and drifting as hell. Nice one. Track 9 is also a d floating track, but this is heading more towards tribal house than trance. But it’s nice, and for sure pleasent on the dance floor in the early evening. The last track on CD 1 is a chilled track. Sort of Digitalis style. A nice psychedelic, weird vibe. Mystic sounds all the way through.
CD 2 starts with a track originally made by Hopefind, which is a project by Mark Allen. Here we get a remix by Shakta. The typical new Shakta sound, with a housey, funky vibe. Reminds me of the style on his Out Of Sight album. Track 2 is a track by A.M.P., here remixed by Shakta. This is a really nice track I think I have heard him play in his live set at an outdoor festival. A nice floating track, with a tribal feeling. Track 3 is originally made by someone called Tetra Clash, which I haven’t heard of before. Here remixed by Shakta. This is a fast pumping track. Again, the lovely Out Of Sight style. Also really psychedelic and more variation. Nice one. Track 4 is a collaboration between Cosmosis (Bill Halsey) and Shakta. Here we get some more melody for a change. The beats are also slightly more massive. Nice melodies after mostly rhythms. You get a beautiful, floating morning vibe with this track. Track 5 is a collaboration between In R Voice (D. Koslov) and Shakta. This is another great track. Totally drifting bass line, with breakbeats and psychedelic sounds above. This track has been around for a while allready, but doesn’t sound old.
Then we jump over to a completly other style, with four Digitalis tracks. His Digitalis album The Third State released on Matsuri Productions in 1998 is one of my all time favourite albums and I have missed this kind of music. Luckily we get more of this kind here. Track 6 is one of those masterpieces. Funky break beats, with beautiful relaxing melodies and floating sounds in between. Track 7 has a lot of cool echo effects, weird psychedelic sounds and metallic drum’n’bass rhythms. Perfect for those (including me) who loves psychedelic drum’n’bass. Weird and twisted. Track 8 has more of a big beat vibe, mixed with some really beautiful Arabic influences. He made this track together with Andy Guthrie. The last track (Figments...) on CD 2 is one of the best tracks he has ever made in my opinion. Here we get a chilled mix. Beautiful melodies, relaxing tribal drums mixed with metallic beats and psychedelic sounds. Fantastic!
Luckily we get two CD’s with this release. I think CD 2 is definately better and more interesting than CD 1. There are a bit too much house influences and little variation between the tracks on CD 1. Some of the tracks are good, but they sound too much the same. CD 2 has several great tracks, and makes this release much more interesting.
PK (shivapks@hotmail.com)
